Author P.L. Travers looks back on her childhood while reluctantly meeting with Walt Disney, who seeks to adapt her Mary Poppins books for the big screen.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• P.L. Travers: Emma Thompson
• Walt Disney: Tom Hanks
• Travers Robert Goff: Colin Farrell
• Ralph: Paul Giamatti
• Margaret Goff: Ruth Wilson
• Richard Sherman: Jason Schwartzman
• Don DaGradi: Bradley Whitford
• Ginty: Annie Rose Buckley
• Robert Sherman: B.J. Novak
• Tommie: Kathy Baker
• Biddy: Lily Bigham
• Dolly: Melanie Paxson
• Mr. Belhatchett: Andy McPhee
• Aunt Ellie: Rachel Griffiths
• Diarmuid Russell: Ronan Vibert
• Flight Attendant: Fuschia Sumner
• Doctor: David Ross Paterson
• Woman with Infant: Laura Waddell
• Flight Attendant: Barbara Keegan
• Bank Clerk: Steven Cabral
• Premier Emcee: Jerry Hauck
• Polly: Michelle Arthur
• Porter: Michael Swinehart
• Doorman: Bob Rusch
• Refreshment Tent Man: Paul Tassone
• Waiter: Luke Baines
• Bartender: Demetrius Grosse
• Katie Nanna: Kim D’Armond
• Young Woman: Mia Serafino
• Nanny Claire: Claire Bocking
• Lillian Disney: Dendrie Taylor
• Dick Van Dyke (uncredited): Kristopher Kyer
• Julie Andrews (uncredited): Victoria Summer
• Young Child-1906 (uncredited): Jaeden Bettencourt

Film Crew:

• Original Music Composer: Thomas Newman
• Casting Director: Ronna Kress
• Director of Photography: John Schwartzman
• Editor: Mark Livolsi
• Unit Production Manager: Philip Steuer
• First Assistant Director: K.C. Hodenfield
• Music Consultant: Richard M. Sherman
• Songs: Robert B. Sherman
• Supervising Music Editor: Bill Bernstein
• Production Design: Michael Corenblith
• Executive Producer: Andrew Mason
• Costume Design: Daniel Orlandi
• Executive Producer: Christine Langan
• Set Designer: Sally Thornton
• Producer: Alison Owen
• Art Direction: Lauren E. Polizzi
• Director: John Lee Hancock
• Executive Producer: Paul Trijbits
• Writer: Sue Smith
• Hair Designer: Frances Mathias
• Key Makeup Artist: Kate Biscoe
• Writer: Kelly Marcel
• Set Decoration: Susan Benjamin
• Special Effects Coordinator: J.D. Schwalm
• Producer: Ian Collie
• Executive Producer: Troy Lum
• Set Designer: Stephen Christensen
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Vincent Cirelli
• Set Designer: Lorrie Campbell
• Supervising Sound Editor: Jon Johnson
• Visual Effects Producer: Steven Swanson
• Dialect Coach: Jessica Drake
• Supervising Dialogue Editor: Vanessa Lapato
• Key Hair Stylist: Catherine Childers
• Sound Mixer: John Pritchett
• Music Supervisor: Matthew Rush Sullivan
• Second Assistant Director: Jeff Okabayashi
• Choreographer: Mary Ann Kellogg
• Digital Effects Supervisor: Justin Johnson
• Thanks: Valerie Lawson
• Visual Effects Producer: Lauren Miyake
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Simon Mowbray
• In Memory Of: Peter Ronald Owen
• In Memory Of: Daniel D. Harris

Movie Reviews:

• Andres Gomez: Nicely done movie with great performances from Thompson and Hanks. Also Farrell, which a role made perfectly for him.

  The story is well threaded, letting us walk through Travers childhood and the birth of the main characters in Mary Poppins’ books.

• r96sk: Utterly brilliant!

  I haven’t watched ‘Mary Poppins’ itself in many, many years but still have memories of it as a kid. That meant I had the desired knowledge of the key parts about that film, which I’d say is probably wise to watch before this – though not a requirement, at least in my opinion.

  Ironically, Travers’ complaints about the animation segments to the 1964 film are justified on my end – I’ve been on a Disney marathon since May, but to “shorten” the watch load I decided to only watch the studio’s productions that are straight up animation or straight up live-action, so MP missed the cut given it’s a combo. If she had her way, I’d have watched it again relatively recently. Damn you, Mr. Disney!

  Anyway, ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ is an outstanding film! One that’s filled with so much heart and some rich storytelling – loved the back and forth between Travers’ early and later years. They entwin the two films together very well, while the Disney stuff – while in your face – adds humour as well as meaning.

  Then you have Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. Two actors I adore already. Hanks plays Walt Disney very good, he’s top notch in this. However, it is Thompson that steals the show. She’s superb as Travers, who isn’t the most likeable character but Thompson ensures you stay invested in her. She’s great in ‘Treasure Planet’ and ‘Nanny McPhee’, but this is the best I’ve seen from her so far.

  Elsewhere, shoutouts to Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson and Paul Giamatti for what they bring – especially Farrell. Jason Schwartzman and B. J. Novak are good as the Sherman Brothers, also.

  A charming and very nicely made film. Can’t recommend it more.