Tom Hanks as Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks

[terry78]

Don't forget the rumor that he's in cryogenic stasis underneath Disneyland right now.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

That's where the dipping dots is made.

 

[Ultimatehero]

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.

He wasn't anti-semetic, he wasn't a nazi, and the strike largely wasn't his fault. If anything the biopic will shed some light onto these just being non-based rumors.

Beliefs and where they originated from:

Nazism:
> Dorothy Thomas' whacky review stating Fantasia was like a nazi attack.
> Walt making a tax cartoon during the war with Donald Duck. The government was upset with how much money they spent on it without taking into account the short time frame they wanted it in and how this would raise the price. Walt GAVE them Donald (he didn't need to) which kicked other Donald cartoons out of theaters and in the end he took a major loss from the picture and that wouldn't have bothered him - what bothered him was that the branch of the government he made that cartoon for started to attack him because they thought he did it to profit off of them (when in reality, he TOOK a financial hit from it).
> Reality of the situation: Nobody was believing Seversky when he said air power could win the war, Walt teamed up with him for 'Victory Through Air Power' based upon his book - from there Churchill saw it and during a meeting showed to the President who demanded that others see it and this is what led into D-Day otherwise known as Operation Mickey Mouse. So, in reality Walt was the key figure in defeating the nazis. Hitler also beyond hated Mickey Mouse (as stated on the Fantasia DVD).

Anti-semetic:
> One of the animators at a time when many Jewish people were changing their names to be accepted told Walt during the hiring process that he was a Jew who changed his name. Walt told him that he was hired and (unlike so many other studios at the time) told him to keep his name because he should be 100% who he is.
> I forget where this accusation originated from, I do know only two people out of the whole studio ever mentioned it and if I remember correctly, those who did state this were part of the strike. It does speak volumes that Walt was one of the few managers who didn't accept the whole notion of Jewish people having to change their names in order to get ahead.

Racist:
> Walt actively seeked out help from african american scholars, the only thing they advised him to do was get rid of the singing - which he kept.
> Walt assigned an adamant liberal who was against making 'Song of the South' because he believed he would come up with a version that was more accepting and acceptable to people than the book was.
> Walt became a very dear friend of the lead actor, campaigned for him to win an academy award nod when all others were striking it, and that actor's wife thanked him for being a great friend.
> Having learned from this how even if you don't want to offend people you still might - he was against Davy Crockett originally because he was afraid that there was too much fighting Indians.

Also that Disney strike?
> Led by communists that the FBI were after
> Started spreading rumors and mis-information
> The SCG head frightened a lot of people. Some of Walt's animators didn't want to sign with him and wanted a vote as to if they should sign with his union or some other union. Upon hearing that the SCG head threatened him he was going to strike and smear him because he had lost a vote before at another studio. Walt just didn't want to sell his animators "down the river" and wanted them to have a choice.

ADDING -- the only thing that would make Walt look bad is that:

- he was constantly in bankruptcy
- his lack of financial business skills caused his wife to cry over what could happen to them
- although we remember these films as classics today, there was more pressure on them back in the day
- he was suspicious of others turning against him, but keep in mind he was HEAVILY burned and taken advantage of TWICE when he started out.
- he had an anger management problem. His animators called this his 'bear suit.' But, he wasn't so angry that he turned people against him - they genuinely and truly loved Walt. He just had a personality flaw.

 

[jmc]

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.

Disney as a whole is a sanitised empire built on the fantasy that it's all rainbows and unicorns, we're never going to get anything that screws with that. Thing is Disney can't do a Walt bio without ruining the illusion of the companies foundations.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Don't forget the rumor that he's in cryogenic stasis underneath Disneyland right now.

What we do know:

He had a small private funeral because he hated how busy and made into a show other celebrity funerals were. Battle of the Hymn, one of Walt's favorite songs was played during it. Lilly told Walt she loved him so much. Afterwards, Walt was cremated.

If anyone happens to be curious here's a video showing the HUAC trials where Walt goes into detail about the strike:

 

[Ultimatehero]

Thing is Disney can't do a Walt bio without ruining the illusion of the companies foundations.

Thing is, I think it greatly improves upon it and makes it more inspirational. Here comes this kid with a rough childhood, his first major idea sold to Universal basically gets stolen out from under him, forcing him to find Mickey. Nobody wants Mickey at all, but Walt never gives up and continues to try his hardest to attain success. And finally he's able to sell it without having any of his principals fall apart. After that, his friend Ub Irwerks (with him being unaware) is stolen by Walt's new business partner in order to try to take advantage of Walt. Walt lets Ub go without so much as an explanation from him, but he later welcomes him back and puts him in charge of the area he's most interested in.

Theaters are kicking shorts out meaning Disney is in danger of falling apart. Walt goes on to make Snow White with a lot of people against it, but he with the help of Charlie Chaplin sticks by what he believes and it becomes a success. Walt is hit by his later films which throws his company from success into bankruptcy where his company staid for a very long time. This didn't deter Walt though. He kept on chugging away at his vision and they became the classics we all know today.

The unions happen and a communist union organizer tarnishes Walt's reputation and his studio. He goes to South America while things are settled for a good-will tour and getting information to make a film. He returns to the studio and soon after Pearl Harbor is struck leading soldiers to take over his studio because there is a military hanger close by. Walt makes propaganda films for the US during the war and after the Donald tax fiasco he is called a war profiteer - despite heavily losing money and falling further into bankruptcy! He decides he wants to lead his own propaganda campaign and goes to Seversky. The one guy that everyone is ignoring. Nobody thinks airpower will win WWII. He makes a film with him called 'Victory to Airpower' which inspired the President to set forth with D-Day also called Operation Mickey Mouse.

Due to the war, and since Disney makes a lot of its money overseas - and due to Britain putting in a new mandate that all of a film's money earned over there must be spent over there (due to the war). Walt decides to head into live action and makes Treasure Island. Things continue onwards. Walt tells Roy that he wants to use television to promote Alice in Wonderland despite every film studio saying that television will mark the end. The show 'One Hour in Wonderland' hits and is deemed a breakthrough success in what can be achieved in television.

Walt has a plan for a park, which everyone similarly believes is absolutely absurd. He carries on with it anyways. He almost throws his family into bankruptcy due to having to take money out on his life insurance. Roy urges him to find another way. Walt figures that television will work. NBC and CBS both pass, but ABC accepts - they will buy the show and they will help him with the park. The classic Disneyland show begins. Disneyland opens and everything is a disaster and known as 'Black Sunday.' But, Walt keeps going full speed ahead with it putting in plans for a New Orleans square and working with the World's Fair to develop new technology that will further aid the park and truly make it the land he wants it to be and we all know today.

This is about when you have Mary Poppins come into play. Walt is sad because Hollywood will never see Disney as belonging, just as that studio out in the cornfields. He keeps on going however with he designs for a new type of city which will lead to evolving technology, safer city streets, and a better school system. EPCOT - Experimental Community of Tomorrow. He does this in complete secrecy afraid that people will buy land all around it like they did with Disneyland and he will be unable to complete his vision. Meanwhile, his boys are hard at work on The Jungle Book.

Walt gets word that he has cancer and has two years at most to live. Everyone is sad. Walt goes to the studio the day he is discharged for one final day where he puts on a brave face for everyone. He wants everyone to see him as not being afraid and devastated by the news, he didn't want the happiness of others to be weighed down by what's happening to him. Walt passes away and Roy takes over the business. Disney becomes a legend.

BASICALLY - it's a story about overcoming obstacles, always believing that things will get better, and with persistence you can go a long way.

 

[Poni_Boy]

Disney was a selfish *****e of the highest order. It's one of the main reasons he was such a good businessman. There will never be an honest movie about him as long as that studio still exists.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Disney was a selfish *****e of the highest order. It's one of the main reasons he was such a good businessman.

Walt knew creativity and what works and who is able to get what to work. And what to take chances on. Roy was really the businessman keeping everything afloat financially. The studio was in bankruptcy for most of Walt's life.

Also every criticism has been disproven by the various people who have worked under Walt. All of these rumors are still Herbert Sorrel's smear campaign at work. Look him up - he was the key figure behind the strike, a Soviet spy being funded by communist parties and Walt was warned about many of the people on strike being communists.

Nazi -- why would a Nazi make war propaganda films for the allies and make an inspirational film that led to Operation Mickey Mouse which is the whole reason we won the war; we needed D-Day and that came from walt and Seversky's alliance. Plus, Hitler hated Mickey Mouse.

Anti-Semetic: Walt was one of the few to tell Jewish employees to keep their names rather than Americanizing them. This continued into Stan Lee's time even - that's why he had to change his name from Lieberman. Animator Harry Teitelbaum states as much. All reports say this rumor goes back to only two people and the rest of the animators state that all of these claims never happened at all.

Racist: The wife of the lead actor in 'Song of the South' called him "a very good friend in deed, and we were in need." There is also a documentary on Walt with, I forgot his name, an old african american animator who states on the record that Walt wasn't a racist at all and those who said he did have never even met him so they wouldn't know. He was very passionate when he said this.

Walt was stubborn. He got angry easily with his classic arched brow. And he would wear his 'bear-suit' from time to time. But, I'd say that's more of a personality flaw. I'd say the key thing is how depressed every animator he worked with still is to have seen him go. That clearly shows that while Walt could get easily upset at times, and boy could he get upset, there was still something in him that earned their love and their respect which says something.

Disney biography is very possible because Diane Disney wants to eliminate these crazy urban legends:

Because of historical imagery, bias towards Walt Disney remain. Diane Disney Miller and the Disney family have created the museum with this in mind to address the urban legends that have been circulating since his death. By presenting historical documentation of his work, the family hopes to bring public awareness of the man behind the myths. Founding Executive Director, Richard Benefield insists on "academic integrity and scholarship of the highest order". Benefield told Diane Disney Miller, “putting out the whole story will be very meaningful. It will debunk some of these wild myths, like that he was frozen when he died. Totally untrue.” ("Museum Is to Show the Human Side of a Cartoon Titan", NY Times, 2009-03-31). Understandably so, Disney's daughter is protective of her father and approves what goes into the museum.

http://www.examiner.com/article/walt-disney-s-hardest-times-on-display-at-walt-disney-family-museum

 

[Gianakin_]

Meh trailer. Oscar bait. Hanks looks great, as always.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

The trailer is too cute for my taste.

 

[Hush]

This film looks solid, I want an all Disney bio though, he is very misrepresented to the public.

 

[kvz5]

http://fincher-nolan.tumblr.com/post/55229721549/saving-mr-banks-x

 

[CGHulk]

This film looks solid, I want an all Disney bio though, he is very misrepresented to the public.

The Walt Disney Company would never allow that! They have an image to maintain. There's no way they would let anyone else do it too, without a lawsuit to follow!

Amid Amidi who owns www.cartoonbrew.com wrote a book about legendary animator Ward Kimball and nothing was left out, also the animator's family contributed largely to the book! Disney won't even let him release the book. You see Ward was never shy of what he thought about the company.

Here's the book announcement!
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/books/ward-kimball-a-biography-49508.html

Then the Disney backlash!
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/a...hat-disney-doesnt-want-you-to-read-73722.html

And the authors follow up about the book, and it's in limbo!
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/wardkimball/whats-up-ward-kimball-78557.html

for those interested here's some tidbits on Ward Kimball.

Ward said while at the Disney Studio in the 1950's he was making the film "UFOs are real" with the United States Government, that actual UFO footage was cut out of the last 10 minutes of the film.
http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_c...-disney-studios-almost-made.aspx#.UeD1O-D6rDo

Ward was hilarious, here's an experience Andreas Deja had with him while filming a TV show for the Disney Channel.
http://andreasdeja.blogspot.com/2011/06/ward-kimball.html

My friend Steve Worth who ran the Animation Archive which is now http://animationresources.org/ told me that Ward painted a large picture of his whole family with all of them naked in it (to their embarrassment) and hung it on the wall in his house.

Will Finn (Disney animator) when he was 15 he wrote a letter to Ward about wanting to be an animator, Ward wrote back telling him what every animator needs to hear, great stuff!
http://willfinn.blogspot.com/2007/06/letter-from-ward-kimball.html


Ward was the only person Walt ever called a geniusll!

"Ward’s the one man who works for me I call a genius." - Walt Disney

The man was a free thinker and The Walt Disney Studio doesn't want you to know that!!

 

[CGHulk]

Here's a link to the trailer in 1080p from Disney.com, Right Click 'Save As'.
http://cdn.videos.dolimg.com/xd_sho...psmb-trailer-h264h_aac_1920x1080_4140x160.mp4

Here's a quote from someone who worked on the movie.
http://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comm...anks_with_tom_hanks_as_walt/cb1cy2c?context=3

I worked on the sound for this movie. It is great. It tells the story well, characters are all great and Thompson is amazing. We had a screening when it was done mixing, and Richard Sherman was there. He turned around and told everyone we made Travers look much nicer than she really was. Also, Hanks is great, you quickly get used to him as Disney.

I hope we get an ending closer to what happened in real life. Travers had to call up Walt Disney to go to the premiere, obviously Walt was fed up with her at that point. Here's my idea, at the end of the premiere Walt escorts Travers back to her car at the end of the red carpet. He then opens the door and she complains that the animated sequences have to go. Then Walt says very kindly with a smile, "Pamela, that ship has sailed". She sits down in the car looking upset and he closes the door. Then Walt says something poignant to his wife Lillian and they both turn around to the press, light bulbs flashing, fade out, end scene.

 

[Doc Ock]

Really was surprised by the trailer and now am really looking forward to this!

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

Ya it looks really great now I have a winter film to look forward to among others.

 

[Showtime]

I love Tom Hanks in this roll. Screams Oscar Bait. Should be good.

 

[Ultimatehero]

I am surprised and saddened to hear that about Ward. He seems like a really kind individual and he and Walt were great friends, they had a shared fascination with trains. His train at his home inspired Walt to build his at his house. I could say why they would be against Art Babbit writing a book, but Ward? It's also surprising that they would have a problem because in the 90s disney had a series that dived into the history and lives of disney's key figures including Ward.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I love Tom Hanks in this roll. Screams Oscar Bait. Should be good.

Yeah, I was thinking about what other actor could play Walt Disney in his later life with that same kind of gravitas/humor. Only Tom Hanks comes to mind.

Kind of like Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln. Only actor alive now who could play them.

 

[Showtime]

Yeah, I was thinking about what other actor could play Walt Disney in his later life with that same kind of gravitas/humor. Only Tom Hanks comes to mind.

Kind of like Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln. Only actor alive now who could play them.

I agree. I think this movie has the potential to be an excellent flick. We'll see.

 

[CGHulk]

I am surprised and saddened to hear that about Ward. He seems like a really kind individual and he and Walt were great friends, they had a shared fascination with trains. His train at his home inspired Walt to build his at his house. I could say why they would be against Art Babbit writing a book, but Ward? It's also surprising that they would have a problem because in the 90s disney had a series that dived into the history and lives of disney's key figures including Ward.

Ward's criticism were post Walt. The way Woolie Reitherman ran the animation studio after Walt died, and the Eisner years. Walt an Ward were like best friends. They shared a love for trains and dogs!

 

[Ultimatehero]

Ward's criticism were post Walt. The way Woolie Reitherman ran the animation studio after Walt died, and the Eisner years. Walt an Ward were like best friends. They shared a love for trains and dogs!

The complaints with the Disney that came after makes sense. I'd say, IMO, they destroyed Epcot. It was supposed to be a city of tomorrow helping us continue to evolve as a society and it became, more or less, just another park.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Emma Thompson Transforms into P.L. Travers in a New Saving Mr. Banks Featurette

 

[CGHulk]

To bad they are not depicting P.L. Travers more accurately, Richard Sherman said she was more difficult to work with than what is being presented here in this film.

 

[Hyde]

So the movie's out now and I thought it was pretty good. Hanks, Thompson and Giamatti all gave good performances with Hanks embodying Walt quite well. However, for me, the standout was Colin Farrell; his role as the dad with a drinking problem and hints of abuse who hid it all behind a brave face for his daughter was so emotional. Ruth Wilson was also pretty good too, very underrated.

Overall I'd give it an 8.5/10 - my biggest issue was the portrayal of Walt. It's expected from Disney, as they want to keep the 'Uncle Walt' image, but he didn't really have anything to make him interesting. His smoking habit is shown once, briefly, and then quickly brushed to the side, and at the end of the film when he goes into detail with Travers about how his father used to send him out in the snow every night to deliver papers, and if he hadn't delivered them all he would beat him, it looks as if we've got some character stuff; however Walt quickly clarifies that his father was a "wonderful" man. Sigh. If it was anybody other than Hanks in the role I don't think he would have been as fun to watch or interesting at all.

If Disney don't even want to show that their founder had an abusive childhood then what hope is there for a fully-fledged biopic?