Saving Mr Banks Review #Giveaway

Saving Mr Banks Review

“Get lots of tissues” they all said – the bloggers in the group that was on the trip for the in home releases of Saving Mr Banks.  “Be prepared to cry, like ugly cry” was the general statement made by almost all the them even one of the dads.  I couldn’t wait to see the movie and when it finally arrived late last week I immediately popped it into the DVD player and started to watch.  I didn’t know what to expect but I did learn that the movie is based on actual events.  I even heard some of the recordings (more of that to come later this week).  The movie is about the two weeks in 1961 when Walt Disney, working to fulfill a twenty year old promise to his daughters, tries tirelessly to convince P.L. Travers to sell him the rights to her book Mary Poppins.  It would seem that he was fighting a losing battle.

The movie starts out with a flash back into Travers’ childhood in Australasia.  We are treated to some precious moments she shares with her father played by Colin Farrell.  She’s daydreaming and interrupted by the door bell.  It’s her accountant who comes to help her off on her trip the L.A.  She’s already reluctant and complaining about Mr. Disney’s persist of her beloved book.  He finally gets her on her way and from the time she arrives in L.A. it’s a battle of wills and her driver.  And so it begins.

It wasn’t that long ago I arrived in L.A. for the first time and my reaction was totally different to Travers’.  She’s not happy at all and the first thing she does complain about the smells in the air.  Truly though her complaint has to do with her unwillingness to sign over her book rights.

The Sherman brothers were part of  that team that was working with Travers to create the music that people have grown to love in Mary Poppins.  In the movie we get to see how she gives her input into all their work.  Make outrageous requests of the team and is down right impossible to get along with.  There’s a dramatic scene in the movie where the brothers are singing a song to her that Mr. Banks sings about banking.  She was having a memory flash back about her father and she breaks down and gets angry with them.  We see this all through out the movie.  Things finally take a turn when the brothers shares “Lets Fly A Kite” with her.  Here’s a clip of a behind the scence look of the cast and crew singing the song.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite – Saving Mr. Banks BTS on Disney Video

The movie has lots of ups and downs and you can tell the Disney was very frustrated with Travers during the trip and she with him.  I spent a lot of time living in memory lane myself because I got a tour of the lot and lots of the scenes from the movie reminded me of my recent trip.  I also couldn’t believe how difficult Travers was to work with but in the end I enjoyed the movie.  It made me want to see Mary Poppins, which for some reason I have no memory of ever seeing before and I know I don’t own it.  It was a very nice movie and I’m not one for spoilers so I won’t share much more but you do know the papers are signed and Mary Poppins gets made but it wasn’t easy at all.

To celebrate the upcoming release on March 18th.  I would like to also share some more photos from the film as well as some clips and deleted scenes. You can purchase yours on Amazon.

Bonus Clip: Pamela Leaves (Deleted Scene)

Film Clip: Pamela Go Round

Film Clip: Responstible

Film Clip: Never Ever Just Mary

To celebrate the release of the movie and as a special treat the folks at Disney Home Entertainment is giving one of my readers a chance to win a copy of Saving Mr. Banks on BluRay.  The giveaway is open the residents of the US and Canada.  You must be 18 or older to enter.  Enter via the tool below.

Want more chances to win? Visit the other blogs from bloggers that was on the trip with me for a chance to win from them as well.