Tom Hanks as Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks

[danoyse]

I wanted to watch Mary Poppins again and go to Disneyland after watching that.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

This looks really good, I'm pretty excited to see this Hanks looks perfect as Walt Disney.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

looks great

Tom Hanks continues to amaze

don't be surprised if this film picks up some Oscar nominations

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

Well they are releasing it during Oscar season so I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Octoberist]

It really looks like a feel good movie!

 

[Poni_Boy]

It really looks like a feel good movie!

Until the end at least t:

 

[Wheels]

Looking forward to this.

 

[Ultimatehero]

If you mean Walt's death? Mary Poppins came out in 1964 and Walt died in 1966. You'd be skipping over a heck of a lot of years to get to Walt's death. After Mary Poppins came Jungle Book and Epcot or Project Future or Project X (imagine a futuristic science-fiction city). So, I don't really think they'll jump that far into the future - even though before Walt died he always asked his song men to play the song 'Feed the Birds' which made him tear up. Other than that it was always onwards and beyond with other projects. While he loved the film, he was adamant that to attain success he shouldn't try to make another Mary Poppins. So, after it was finished, it was more or less a done deal except for the song. It will most likely end with how Marry Poppins came out in the academy awards which is a sad ending in that it got snubbed and Walt stated he wasn't surprised by not winning best picture, but in the way you could say it he did feel let down because he believed Hollywood just viewed them as that company out in the field of Burbank. Walt's death and Traver's death will probably be - similar to other films that focus on an event - written out in text over black or over something. Or it could go the route of Hitchcock and just onwards to the next project (which seems more in tune with Walt's thinking).

At the academy, afterwards:

WALT
Knowing Hollywood, I never had any hope that the picture would get it. I think they refer to us as being in that cornfield in Burbank. I have to keep trying to keep up to that same level. The way to do it is not to worry, not to get tense. The way to do it is just to go off and get interested in some little thing, some little idea that interests me, that looks like fun.

ADDING: My notes on it (or at least the Mary Poppins part) in case you guys are interested:

➢ For one thing, animation had practically disappeared; in the five years after Sleeping Beauty, the studio produced only two animated features, 101 Dalmations, and The Sword in the Stone.
➢ But the studio had also begun to specialize a new genre: family comedies like THE ABSENT MINDED PROFESSOR and THE SHAGGY DOG. Walt felt ‘The Absent Minded Professor’ was “one of the funniest comedies that ever came out of this town.” After watching TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at a screening in his home, Walt lamented, “That’s the kind of film I wish I could make.”
➢ Walt read the book to Diane when she was five (1938) and she told him, “Dad, maybe there is something for you here.”
➢ Walt tried to get the rights ever since then. His offer was refused.
➢ Walt was going to London in 1959 and decided to try to see Mrs. Travers, they hit it off because Walt was so charming. Walt Disney finally got the rights as long as she acts as a consultant.
➢ Walt cried when feed the birds and said, “yep, that’s what it’s all about.”
➢ Big hit
➢ On Marry Poppins, which was shot entirely on the Burbank lot, he visited the set almost every day. The film was nominated for thirteen Oscars including Best Picture – it won five for best special visual effects, best score, best song (chim chim cher-ee), best editing, and best actress. Walt seemed resigned to the fact that, not being a member of the Hollywood establishment, he couldn’t win that award; “knowing Hollywood, I never had any hope that the picture would get it. As a matter of fact, Disney has never actually been part of Hollywood, you know, I think they refer to us as being in that cornfield in Burbank.” Walt also said, “I’m on the spot, I have to keep trying to keep up to that same level. And the way to do it is not to worry, not to get tense, not to think, ‘I got to beat Mary Poppins, I got to beat Marry Poppins.’ The way to do it is just to go off and get interested in some little thing, some little idea that interests me, some little idea that looks like fun.”

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

Those are some interesting tidbits thanks for posting.

 

[terry78]

Hanks definitely got the mannerisms down.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Hanks definitely got the mannerisms down.

And the voice. Walt has a really distinct way of talking in the vibrations of his voice.

 

[jmc]

I gotta say this looks quite good. Hanks seems to have captured Disney quite well.

 

[Poni_Boy]

If you mean Walt's death? Mary Poppins came out in 1964 and Walt died in 1966. You'd be skipping over a heck of a lot of years to get to Walt's death. After Mary Poppins came Jungle Book and Epcot or Project Future or Project X (imagine a futuristic science-fiction city). So, I don't really think they'll jump that far into the future - even though before Walt died he always asked his song men to play the song 'Feed the Birds' which made him tear up. Other than that it was always onwards and beyond with other projects. While he loved the film, he was adamant that to attain success he shouldn't try to make another Mary Poppins. So, after it was finished, it was more or less a done deal except for the song. It will most likely end with how Marry Poppins came out in the academy awards which is a sad ending in that it got snubbed and Walt stated he wasn't surprised by not winning best picture, but in the way you could say it he did feel let down because he believed Hollywood just viewed them as that company out in the field of Burbank. Walt's death and Traver's death will probably be - similar to other films that focus on an event - written out in text over black or over something. Or it could go the route of Hitchcock and just onwards to the next project (which seems more in tune with Walt's thinking).



ADDING: My notes on it (or at least the Mary Poppins part) in case you guys are interested:

➢ For one thing, animation had practically disappeared; in the five years after Sleeping Beauty, the studio produced only two animated features, 101 Dalmations, and The Sword in the Stone.
➢ But the studio had also begun to specialize a new genre: family comedies like THE ABSENT MINDED PROFESSOR and THE SHAGGY DOG. Walt felt ‘The Absent Minded Professor’ was “one of the funniest comedies that ever came out of this town.” After watching TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at a screening in his home, Walt lamented, “That’s the kind of film I wish I could make.”
➢ Walt read the book to Diane when she was five (1938) and she told him, “Dad, maybe there is something for you here.”
➢ Walt tried to get the rights ever since then. His offer was refused.
➢ Walt was going to London in 1959 and decided to try to see Mrs. Travers, they hit it off because Walt was so charming. Walt Disney finally got the rights as long as she acts as a consultant.
➢ Walt cried when feed the birds and said, “yep, that’s what it’s all about.”
➢ Big hit
➢ On Marry Poppins, which was shot entirely on the Burbank lot, he visited the set almost every day. The film was nominated for thirteen Oscars including Best Picture – it won five for best special visual effects, best score, best song (chim chim cher-ee), best editing, and best actress. Walt seemed resigned to the fact that, not being a member of the Hollywood establishment, he couldn’t win that award; “knowing Hollywood, I never had any hope that the picture would get it. As a matter of fact, Disney has never actually been part of Hollywood, you know, I think they refer to us as being in that cornfield in Burbank.” Walt also said, “I’m on the spot, I have to keep trying to keep up to that same level. And the way to do it is not to worry, not to get tense, not to think, ‘I got to beat Mary Poppins, I got to beat Marry Poppins.’ The way to do it is just to go off and get interested in some little thing, some little idea that interests me, some little idea that looks like fun.”

...no dude, the nasty fallout between Disney and Travers. She hated the movie. Walt gave her script approval but made sure there were tons of legal loopholes in her contract so he could Disney-fy the story. If they skip all of that or change it from how it was laid out in the script to make a stereotypical happy ending that would be terrible.

 

[jmc]

I do remember hearing/reading something about Travers not liking the movie.

 

[GENERAL RAAM582]

It looks really good.

 

[Ultimatehero]

...no dude, the nasty fallout between Disney and Travers. She hated the movie. Walt gave her script approval but made sure there were tons of legal loopholes in her contract so he could Disney-fy the story. If they skip all of that or change it from how it was laid out in the script to make a stereotypical happy ending that would be terrible.

Nowhere did I say they would change that.

Also looking online:

Spoiler

The end of the script is Walt making a monologue plea to Travers to let them do the film. So, Walt's death doesn't enter into the picture.

Adding - I can see where your confusion may lay, but onwards to the next project is Project Future or Project X and his meeting with one of the generals in charge of the world fair (Walt participated in 64') to get him onboard. There was no future project with Andrews after Mary Poppins. His next go-to on a film was Wolfgang Reitherman who took over for the Jungle Book after complications arose on that (which is a whole different story) and The Happiest Millionaire.

I do remember hearing/reading something about Travers not liking the movie.

She didn't. If I remember correctly, she had good things to say about Julie Andrews (or maybe not Andrews, I just remember that it was more 95% hate rather than 100). But she absolutely hated the animation and the film at large.

 

[danoyse]

Didn't Travers still tell Walt changes that she still wanted made at the film's premiere? I thought I read that somewhere.

I know that the stage musical was adapted from the film, but stuff from the Mary Poppins books were added and the story was a little darker to appease PL Travers, who was still unhappy with the film.

I saw it on Broadway a few years ago. The kids were a little brattier, and the parents were more dysfunctional. Instead of the dancing penguins and the tea party on the ceiling (which would have been hard to do on stage anyway), there were statues in the park that came to life, and Mary Poppins took the kids to Mrs. Corry's talking shop, which are all from the books.

There was a scene were the kids were attacked by their own toys, too. Although that was later cut from the show.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Didn't Travers still tell Walt changes that she still wanted made at the film's premiere? I thought I read that somewhere.

I'm not 100% sure, but that sounds about right.

Adding -- yet not entirely sure, but I'm pretty sure I remember this - she sat right there with Walt and Lily and was nit-picking it the whole way through watching it.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I still think a full on walt disney bio-pic warts and all would be more interesting. However I believe Disney probably wouldn't grant support to that?

 

[jacobed]

Looks like a good movie

 

[Ultimatehero]

I still think a full on walt disney bio-pic warts and all would be more interesting. However I believe Disney probably wouldn't grant support to that?

It depends on how this movie is received. I can say without a doubt that they'll be looking at a biopic script sometime next year. Also to really capture Walt, here's the BIG hurdle - you need a film as long as 'The Aviator.' Anything less than that and you seriously run the risk of it being just throwing facts at the audience. You have Walt's rocky start up, evolving animation, dealing with a communist strike with someone wanted by the FBI, helping to end World War II and basically launching D-Day, you have live action, you have how TV became as we know it today - studios were terrified of TV while Walt saw it as a marketing opportunity, the park, and his dreams of a future city. And still, that's even just a small summary of all of the things Walt's been involved with. That said - I think there are some things that can't and shouldn't be delved into and this film is looking to avoid that as well it seems like. Walt had two very specific desires if his biography was ever to be made or written or what have you -- he didn't want children to see him heavily smoke or drink because he was afraid that if children saw Walt Disney doing it they might become inspired by his vices which he wasn't proud of. He even broke down crying once when it was brought to his attention by an animator. Also some moments of his childhood might be too graphic for the screen, I'm interested to see how far they go with Travers' father and if they mention that Walt's was kind of the same.

Spoiler

Walt's dad used to physically abuse his sons. He would take them down into the basement of the barn where he would whip them for doing anything he saw as wrong. This is why Walt's two older brothers ran away from home and this is why Roy really became Walt's protector. Walt eventually got his father to stop by holding his hand up to him and basically pleading to him to stop. And his father did and things got better. But, I'm unsure how child abuse would go over in a Disney film - so I just see that as being something that's mentionable but never seen.

I'm putting this in spoiler tags because the film might delve into this since it is one way where Travers and Walt relate, not the best of fathers but they still loved them dearly.

 

[terry78]

Disney is a very touchy subject, always has been. It wasn't all sunshine and lollipops, something the Disney brand pretty much has its lifeblood.

 

[jmc]

I still think a full on walt disney bio-pic warts and all would be more interesting. However I believe Disney probably wouldn't grant support to that?

We'll never get a bio pic of Walt because Disney don't want anything to ruin the image that is their founder, especially if some of his alleged opinions are correct.

 

[Drizzle]

Trailer was good, Hanks might get another Oscar nom. I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[Bruce Malone]

We'll never get a bio pic of Walt because Disney don't want anything to ruin the image that is their founder, especially if some of his alleged opinions are correct.

Yeah he's almost their second mascot. It would be great to shine light on some of those allegations though. He's had the anti-semitic label for quite some time but some of the root causes of that I believe came from his vicious dislike of some his rival studios heads, who at that time many happened to be jewish.

We only have little tid-bits of that side of him here and there but i'm not sure if we'll ever get the full story? dramatized at least.