Saving Mr. Banks: A Tale of Two Promises

Courtesy: 4.bp.blogspot.com/google

Here I was, hunting for the right picture that would go with the Walt Disney quote, which I planned on featuring as a Thought for the Day at office the other day; when I stumbled upon a slightly different looking image of his. 'Who was that I just saw?', I asked myself as I scrolled up struggling through the enormous number of Walt Disney images that were displayed on my computer screen. And there is was! Tom Hanks looking so much like Walt. The next moment my fingers impatiently typed out 'Tom Hanks as Walt Disney?" Yes, the question mark was in there too. Let's say I was thinking out loud online. In a split of a second, dear ol' Prof. Google told me that the movie was Saving Mr. Banks. Forgive my ignorance. But, I never knew that Mr. Disney's biography made to the theaters, end of last year. I am such a huge fan of Mr. Walt Disney, that I felt ashamed and thrilled at the same time. But, what was this name - Saving Mr. Banks?

That evening, the movie made it to my hard disk; and, in the silence of the night, I watched it. One of the best things I love about any story - be it a movie, a book, or a play - is when it has the power to connect with the title. The realization sends goose bumps all over me and leaves a lasting impression. Saving Mr. Banks, I must say, is an excellent title. Not only does it suit the content of the film, but it also radiates innocence, which has always been the very hallmark of Walt Disney's creations - très parfait!

Saving Mr. Banks is not exactly a biopic, like what I had assumed; it is about how the hallmark musical of the 60s, Mary Poppins, took sail. 22 years of perseverance to realize a dream and keep a promise is surely optimism at its best, isn't it? Well, the movie is not just about perseverance, it speaks about the complex relationship between Mr. Disney and Mrs Pamela.L.Travers, the author of the book called Mary Poppins; the adaptation of which resulted in the movie. Each of these main characters has been sketched out so well that my heart went out to both of them. That's one more story that taught me to let go, but with an added edge - it made me understand forgiveness for self-liberation.

I hear that a lot of facts have been twisted for the movie. I did feel slightly tricked when I read that. Thankfully that doesn't affect the quality of the movie. In its entirety, this motion picture has been supremely crafted. Moreover, you get witty dialogues, humorous expressions, a book review, a movie review, the making of a film and the haunting pasts of the main characters - all well-packed into 2 hours with not a moment of boredom. According to me, that is certainly a package worth a lot of applause.

I love so many moments in the movie - The Let's Go Fly a Kite scene is most certainly one of my dearest. The sequences between the characters Ralph and Mrs. Travers is also something that stirred me up positively. The list would be horribly incomplete if I missed writing about the scene shared by Walt and Pamela over tea and whisky in London - that scene is awfully warm and the performances are remarkable.

I loved everybody in this movie. They all looked and talked so much like what you imagine them to be. The costumes, the mannerisms - everything! From Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks to Michael Swinehart, who appears in just one scene, everybody deserves a pat for giving their best shot. The blend of humor and tension, all at the same time, is so perfectly executed. The film left me wishing for so many things - sitting and having long talks with Ralph, giving Pamela a tight bear hug, singing and dancing with the Sherman brothers and eating a share of those goodies in the rehearsal room. Saving Mr. Banks rekindled my wish to work for Walt Disney Productions - wish they flew down from Mumbai and took up some office space in Bangalore.

People who know me know that I am a die-hard fan of Mr. Walt Disney. The more I read about him, the more I like him - so much more beyond his works. Of course he had flaws, but who doesn't? According to me, he is an inspiring personality; I read that he was an amazing husband and a loving father. On the outward, in my opinion, I don't think I would have ever thought of Tom Hanks playing the role of Walt. The features just don't sync. But, the warmth and softness in the eyes, the dialogue delivery and the body language - trust Tom Hanks to blow life into the character at hand with finesse! Saving Mr. Banks has gotten me falling in love with Walt Disney and Tom Hanks all over again.  

"That's what we story tellers do. We restore order with imagination. We instill hope again and again and again."

- Walt Disney

Hope. That's what keeps us going, isn't it? Thank you, Walt Disney, for instilling all that hope, for giving so many options for parents to spend time with their children, and for reinforcing the courage to realize one's dreams. Thank you for being such an inspiration.