This year, I’ve been startled by the number of award-season movies based on real-life events.
Here’s a sampling off the top of my head: Captain Phillips, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Philomena, The Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club, Lone Survivor and 12 Years a Slave.
Some of these are more faithful to their source material than others, and all have been criticized to at least some degree for their lack of fidelity. The words “based on a true story” — or worse, “inspired by a true story” — have come to signify code for “complete rewrite of history.”
I’m of two minds about this trend. On the one hand, I believe it’s necessary to view the movie as a distinct entity, with no responsibility to document reality. These films aren’t evidence in a trial… they shouldn’t be limited artistically by a silly little thing like the truth.
On the other hand, if a movie is primarily of interest because it’s a true story, I feel a bit cheated when it strays too far from the facts. When Lee Daniels’ The Butler invented an entire sub-plot around a non-existent son, in order to put the character at the center of every major civil rights event of a generation, that struck me as lazy.
If the butler’s life wasn’t worthy of a film without those embellishments, don’t make the movie. Or make a movie about a fictional White House butler and don’t try to earn the interest and goodwill that comes with telling a real man’s story.
Saving Mr. Banks pretty much gets it right. The tale of Walt Disney’s successful campaign to win the film rights of P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins, it’s interesting because it really happened. And while a few of the facts have been fudged (including, notably, Travers’ reaction to the film at its premiere), the film is ultimately a success.
I’ve read some complaints that the filmmakers didn’t explore Travers’ bisexuality or the fact that she had two sons (one adopted). That’s absurd. What on earth does her sexuality have to do with this story? And the film does hint at an estranged relationship between Travers and a child… I see no reason why that had to be further explored.
The film maintains that Travers’ childhood, particularly her relationship with her alcoholic father, informed the writing of Mary Poppins. Her childhood is depicted in too-frequent flashbacks featuring a wonderful Colin Farrell as the father. The film’s past-present-past-present structure is somewhat workmanlike, though both sections work.
Ultimately, Saving Mr. Banks succeeds due to the acting chops of its two formidable leads. Emma Thompson is brilliant (as always) as the prickly Travers and Tom Hanks delivers a winning supporting turn as Walt Disney. In the hands of lesser actors the film might have been a bit too precious, but these two make it soar.
You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You’re a bird in flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite
Oh, oh, oh
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let’s go fly a kite
And send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let’s go fly a kite
And send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite
When you send it flying up there
All at once you’re lighter than air
You can dance on the breeze over houses and trees
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite
O, oh, oh
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let’s go fly a kite
And send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’m surprised you don’t talk about today’s SOTD in the context of the film, as it is certainly one of our favorite moments in the film. I agree with most everything you said about the film itself; I wasn’t crazy about the flashbacks at first, but ultimately felt they earned their place, I, too, think it’s nuts that there is criticism that aspects of Travers’ life that have absolutely nothing to do with this particular chapter in it should be featured in the film – as if it pretends to be a biography of the author’s life rather than the story of how Disney finally got her to agree, albeit reluctantly, to signing over the film rights to him.
My favorite parts of the film were when Travers was working with the writers and Walt was being Walt, so the way the “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” scene unfolds soars in all sorts of ways. Good pick!
I agree with Amy that the scene of the development of this song and, in particular, the exuberance of the songwriting team as they win Travers over through the presentation is a highlight of the film. I too wasn’t wild about the flashbacks, particularly the first ones. I had come to see Tom and Emma, after all!
As for the faithfulness of a film to a true story, sometimes it bothers me more than other times. If it is a news event or historically known piece upon which liberties are taken, particularly one in which I have some to a lot of familiarity, the manipulation of the facts bothers me far more than when the subject matter had been unknown or mostly unknown to me. So, for example, artistic liberties with a film like “Zero Dark Thirty” or “Captain Phillips” might bother me more because, while the film should not be deemed the “record” of the event, over time, especially with future generations less familiar with the event, the lines can become blurred between fact and fictionalized aspects of the story.
With films like “The Butler” or “12 Years a Slave” I am somewhat less bothered because I appreciate the filmmaker making me aware of a (mostly) true story that I had not heard before. In fact, one of the things I like to do after those type of less familiar true story adaptations is seek out more details about the real person or events depicted. Obviously, I am far from alone in that interest as it always takes about 3 seconds of a google search to find all the details and discrepancies laid out for you. To me, though, the fact that the film spawns enough interest to research the real story is a good thing. Rather than blurring the lines as to the historical record, the film casts a light leading those who are interested to learn more. I like that.
And so “Mr. Banks,” for me, falls into that latter category. I never knew of this story behind Mary Poppins and I think it is a fun endeavor to check the facts after the film. As an added bonus for this movie, it made me want to go watch “Mary Poppins” (confession: I’m not sure I have ever seen the whole movie start to finish) and that too is a good thing.
I agree with all that is said about this movie, and I loved the scene and song you chose for today. I also like to check out the facts after a movie that’s based or inspired on true events, and we certainly did that after American Hustle and Captain Phillips. We were surprised that both films had mostly all the facts right with just some small details changed. I certainly agree that this movie was made all the more better because of the actors, and the naysayers can “go fly a kite” !