There can be few, even amongst the most serious-minded of cinéphiles, who couldn’t at least hum the tune of A Spoonful of Sugar (Makes the Medicine Go Down) — you’re probably already on the second verse — but the making of the much-loved 1964 film Mary Poppins did not always go in the most delightful way.
The same views of how children should be entertained were not — to put it mildly — shared by original author P L Travers (Emma Thompson) and Walt Disney (Tom Hanks). With supporting performances by Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Ruth Wilson and Rachel Griffiths, this is a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood that requires no specialist cinematic knowledge to be enjoyed.
Saving Mr Banks screens at the BFI London Film Festival on Sun Oct 20, Odeon Leicester Square, 7pm (and live at cinemas around the UK)
