BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 09: (L-R) Actors Colin Farrell, Annie Rose Buckley, Melanie Paxson, Bradley Whitford, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Paul Giamatti, Emma Thompson, B.J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman attend the U.S. Premiere Of Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks” at Walt Disney Studios on December 9, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)
If you want the inside story about the making of one of the great Disney classics, then “Saving Mr. Banks” is for you. It is quite a sophisticated revisit to an old favorite that is only matched this holiday season by another creative wonder, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” Both original films, “Mary Poppins” and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” will be out this month in new versions for home entertainment.
A premiere of “Saving Mr. Banks” was held December 9, 2013 at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA.
Press release and more photos follow:
BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 09: (Front row L-R) Director John Lee Hancock, actress Annie Rose Buckley, actor Colin Farrell, actor Dick Van Dyke, actress Emma Thompson, actor Tom Hanks, actress Julie Andrews, music consultant/composer Richard Sherman, actor Jason Schwartzman, actor B.J. Novak, (back row L-R) Producer Alison Owen, Writer Kelly Marcel, actress Kathy Baker, actress Melanie Paxson, actor Bradley Whitford and actor Paul Giamatti attend the U.S. Premiere Of Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks” at Walt Disney Studios on December 9, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)
SAVING MR. BANKS
DISNEY
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Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: December 13, 2013, limited; December 20, 2013, wide
Running Time: 120 min
Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Annie Rose Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J. Novak, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker and Colin Farrell
Director: John Lee Hancock
Producers: Alison Owen, Ian Collie, Philip Steuer
Executive Producers: Paul Trijbits, Christine Langan, Andrew Mason, Troy Lum
Written by: Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith
Two-time Academy Award®–winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen.
When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.
For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.
It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.
Inspired by true events, “Saving Mr. Banks” is the extraordinary, untold story of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen—and the testy relationship that the legendary Walt Disney had with author P.L. Travers that almost derailed it.
BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 09: (L-R) Actors Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke attend the U.S. Premiere Of Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks” at Walt Disney Studios on December 9, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)
· “Saving Mr. Banks” is the first feature-length, theatrical drama to depict the iconic entrepreneur Walt Disney.
· Richard and Robert Sherman’s original score and song (“Chim Chim Cher-ee”) would go on to win Oscars® at the 1965 ceremonies.
· “Mary Poppins” won five awards of its 13 Academy Award® nominations: Best Actress (Julie Andrews), Best Effects, Best Film Editing, Original Score and Original Song. Among the
nominations were Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
· P.L. Travers’ father was a banker and is the basis for the “Mary Poppins” story’s patriarch, Mr. Banks—the character in the book whom the famous fictional nanny comes to aid.
Two-time Academy Award®–winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen.
When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.
For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.
It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.
Disney presents “Saving Mr. Banks,” directed by John Lee Hancock, produced by Alison Owen, Ian Collie and Philip Steuer, and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. Executive producers are Paul Trijbits, Christine Langan, Andrew Mason and Troy Lum. The film will release in U.S. theaters on December 13, 2013, limited, and open wide on December 20, 2013.
