3 pipes out of 4
Who’d a thunk that Marry Poppins would still be
relevant 50 years after its original release? With a star studded cast Disney
gives the outside world a fresh look at the magical nanny and how she came to
the big screen. The dynamic between the people person Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) and
the antisocial P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) is intriguing. A warning to the
wise, make sure to watch this movie with a group of people, be it alone but
with others in the theater or with a group of friends. I watched this movie
twice, once completely alone and the second with a moderately filled theater
and my, what a difference it made. Alone all I could think about was how mean
and awful Travers was to everyone and I never saw her redeeming herself because
of how terrible she was. On seeing it with others in the theater I was able to
see more of the comedy of her animosity and the issues she was truly dealing
with. It also helped with having others
around to add to the emotion of the movie making it much easier for Travers to
be redeemed. As the story goes it is quite fascinating how Travers agreed to
the script and how actual parts of the movie, in particular songs, where based
on the interactions of Travers and the screenwriters. The one downside is that
there is little in depth analysis of Walt Disney and he comes across as almost
a faultless character. The film saves face by demonstrating a few faults but
based on what was known about him, it is a little hard to believe that he was
always cheerful and respectful to his employees. While it is a strong and
emotional film and may get a little buzz around the Oscars, the only real
chance of an award comes from Emma Thompson’s portrayal of a conflicted and
emotionally damaged Travers. Strongly recommended for those interested in a
film based on history and in need of some nostalgia.
Good review. It was a lot less manipulative and sappy than I thought it was going to be, which I think is credited to the phenomenal cast we have on-hand here.
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