Well, apparently I just watched this movie two times in these last three days.
That means it's good, for starters. It also means that I REALLY love this movie; just as much as I expected, and THAT means it's hilarious and emotional and crazily good all in one. I never knew movies could be REALLY sad and REALLY really hilarious at the same time, (but now I do. One learns things every day, as they say.)
This movie is precious. Two hours of sheer delight and glory and beauty - a feast for zee eyes, and all that. I am all agog. The music, the scenery, the costumes, the hairstyles... loved it.
Then I heard it. A movie on the making of Mary Poppins?!!! About how Travers hated it?!!! YES PLEASE. I watched and rewatched the excellent trailer and the little scenes + deleted scenes on Youtube endlessly, like I always do before watching a movie - and then I saw it AND I LOVED IT. So much, that I saw it twice. In three days. :-)
Okay. What do I say now? I've said I loved it. I've rambled about my love of
Mary Poppins. Oh yes, I have to review
Saving Mr Banks. Sorry.
The movie is hilarious. I laughed a lot; and so did my siblings and my dad and my mum. Mrs Travers
(never ever just Pamela. And NEVER Pam. Really, Mr Dinsey, what are you thinking?) is the nicest annoying character ever - Emma Thompson did an impeccable job - she really deserved an Oscar for this role; I have no idea why she didn't get one. No really, Pamela Travers is a hilarious character. She's rude and sophisticated and loveable and
really annoying all in one. I would probably hate her in real life (she would probably not get along with
me), but I absolutely love her as a character. I've been quoting her non-stop these past days. Don't I sound like a pleasant kind of person?
Don: Could I give you a word of advice, Mrs Travers?
Mrs Travers: You may: whether I heed it or not is another matter entirely.
Mrs Travers: Responstable - is not a word.
The Sherman brothers: We made it up.
Mrs Travers: Well...
un-make it up.
Mrs Travers: The rain brings life.
Ralph: So does the sun.
Mrs Travers: Be Quiet.
Ralph: Yes ma'am. (No problem-o!)
Mrs Travers: Mr Disney, I cannot even
begin to tell you how uninterested - no, positively
sickened I am to - to visit your dollar-printing machine!
(She's talking about Disney-land. Just in case you were wondering.)
Mrs Travers: Oh - I love it - I really do! Although the proper English would be 'Let
us go and Fly a Kite.'
*tries singing it*
I might be able to overlook that.
Mrs Travers: Good afternoon. I fear we shan't be acquainted for very long.
Mrs Travers: I understand your predicament, Mr Disney, really, I do. But it's just... I don't know
what it is. I've just simply gone off the colour!
Also, her facial expressions and pearls and curls and lipstick and clothes... just SO
ON POINT. I loved it. Gah, I love this movie. :-) I had so much fun watching it. (Also, that scene where she sees all the Disney stuffed animals in her hotel room. Just hahaha.)
Then we also had Mr Disney, acted by a moustached Tom Hanks. I adored his interaction with Pamela (
Mrs Travers, I mean. I do beg your pardon. I have American friends.) because they're like, opposites. It made for some highly humorous dialogues.
Mr Disney - Walt: Why, I could just about eat you up!
Mrs Travers: Well that wouldn't be appropriate.
And the Sherman brothers... I loved the Sherman brothers. They were adorable and musical - and poor guys, they tried so hard. Song after song, Mrs Travers called them 'the worst songs ever.' It was so funny seeing the facial expressions between the two brothers during 'Let's go fly a kite' - the song Pamela
finally approves of. They're like, 'YAY BRO CAN YOU BELIEVE IT OMG SHE'S DANCING AND SINGING AND PUTTING HER HAND ON YOUR SHOULDER OHMYGOODNESS.'
My favourite Sherman brother was Bob - Robert - but I loved Richard too. Robert just IS my favourite because of this scene...
"Yep."
I LOVE IT. :-)
Mrs Travers: What happened to his leg?
Richard: He got shot.
Mrs Travers: Well that's hardly surprising.
(She's so mean! But still. All the people who watch this film can't help but love her. It's very weird how these things work.)
Dolly!
My sister and I love Dolly. She's so cute - her American accent is the cutest American accent I've ever heard. Especially her, 'Yes ma'am's.' I love her clothes; the turquoise one, and the yellow one up there - and her hair. How does she get it so big?!!
Dolly: She has a lot of ideas.
Walt: Oh? What kind of ideas?
Dolly: Mrs Banks' name has been changed to Winifred.
Walt: I can do with that.
Dolly: She does not approve of Dick van Dyke.
Walt: *laughs*
Dolly: The tape measure Mary Poppins uses to measure Jane and Michael must be a roll tape, not a ruler. From now on, she only wants soup and broth - I don't know what that is. There must be no hint of romance between Mary Poppins and Bert. There must be no red in the picture.
Walt: *stares*
Dolly: At all.
Ralph!!!! He was my favourite character. Zee end. :-)
Seriously though - he's
so kind. Curious, like me (
You ask an awful lot of questions, you know) but he's so caring and such a good sort, you know. I love how he always wants to hold the doors open for Mrs Travers, and how he loves his daughter Jane so.
And when Mrs Travers signs his book. That was so sweeeeet. I love how excited he gets about Mr Disney being in Disneyland, and Mrs Travers is like, 'Ugh, rotten man. Who cares?' (I also love his little Mickey Mouse badge.)
I LOVED RALPH.
Mrs Travers: You know, you're the only American I've ever liked.
Ralph: May I ask why?
Mrs Travers: No.
I didn't like the flashbacks as much - in fact, I thought there were too many of them. It was just too sad and... I don't know; I just didn't like them as much. Helen Goff annoyed me; and Travers Goff... annoyed me a
lot. (He reminded me of Michael Landon, too.)
What I did like about the flashbacks:
1. The Australian scenery. IT'S GORGEOUS. Those palm trees though.
2. Margaret's costumes. Especially the white lace top. Love it.
3. When THE AUNT comes. I like the aunt.
4. "Close your mouth Biddy. We are not a codfish."
5. That's all.
The Première scenes were exquisite, the Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke lookalikes done very well. And then...... sniff-time. When Pamela Travers cries during the movie, I cry during the movie. Very emotional.
Walt: Don't worry, He'll be all right in the end. I promise!
Pamela: No... it's just that I can't stand cartoons!
(You and I, Pamela, you and I.)
There was much less Content than I had expected. The scene where Margaret Goff attempts to drown herself is a bit... weird, but nothing actually happens. There are some scenes in the flashbacks about Travers getting drunk and all that, that might be inappropriate for young children. We, however, watched it with the whole family and didn't feel the extreme need to skip over scenes. The language is mild, too.
ALL IN ALL. I
loved it.
Have you seen this movie?
What do you think?
