Saving Mr. Banks Movie

Plot Outline: An account of Walt Disney's twenty-year pursuit of the film rights to P.L. Travers' popular novel, Mary Poppins, and the testy partnership the upbeat filmmaker develops with the uptight author during the project's pre-production in 1961.

Who's Involved:

Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, John Lee Hancock, B.J. Novak, Kelly Marcel, Emma Thompson, Ruth Wilson, Bradley Whitford, Kathy Baker, Rachel Griffiths, Troy Lum, Alison Owen, Andrew Mason, Paul Trijbits, Philip Steuer, Annie Buckley, Ian Collie

Release Date:

Friday, December 20, 2013 In Theaters (Nationwide)
Friday, December 13, 2013 Limited Theaters

Age Rating: PG-13   Parents Strongly Cautioned MPA
for thematic elements including some unsettling images
Runtime: N/A
Language: English

Saving Mr. Banks Plot: What's it about?

When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Official Synopsis

Watch at home: Rent or buy

Saving Mr. Banks Cast List & Characters

Tom Hanks ... role: Walt Disney
Emma Thompson ... role: P.L. Travers
Colin Farrell ... role: Goff
Ruth Wilson ... role: Margaret
Rachel Griffiths ... role: Aunt Ellie
Annie Buckley ... role: Young P.L. Travers
Bradley Whitford ... role: Don DaGradi
Jason Schwartzman ... role: Richard Sherman
B.J. Novak ... role: B.J. Sherman
Paul Giamatti ... role: Ralph
Kathy Baker ... role: Tommie

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Audience Score

Community rating

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4.22 / 5 stars (85 users)

Saving Mr. Banks Crew and Production Team

A look at the Saving Mr. Banks behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The film's director John Lee Hancock previously directed Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, The Little Things and The Highwaymen. The film's writer Kelly Marcel penned Venom: The Last Dance , The Changeling (series) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

Saving Mr. Banks Trailers & Videos

Saving Mr. Banks trailer

Saving Mr. Banks

Video Clip: Call Me Walt

Saving Mr. Banks trailer

Saving Mr. Banks

Video Clip: Never Ever Just Mary

Saving Mr. Banks trailer

Saving Mr. Banks

Video Clip: Responsible

Saving Mr. Banks trailer

Saving Mr. Banks

Video Clip: Story

Saving Mr. Banks trailer

Saving Mr. Banks

Video Clip: Save

Saving Mr. Banks Production and Filming

Key Facts

  1. The script made the 2011 Black List. This marks the first time Walt Disney (the person) has ever been depicted in a dramatic film.

Saving Mr. Banks Filming Timeline

  1. — Saving Mr. Banks entered Completed status.

    MPAA rating announced; assumed completed.

    Awaiting release by the distributor; a release date may or may not be available.

  2. — The film entered Production status.

    Now shooting; shooting entirely in the Los Angeles area, with key locations to include Disneyland in Anaheim and the Disney Studios in Burbank. Filming will conclude around Thanksgiving, 2012.

    Finalizing production budget, filming the movie begins.

  3. — The film entered Pre-Production status.

    Disney is eyeing a fall shoot in Los Angeles.

    Key cast and crew being hired; budget and production schedule finalized; shooting script approved.

  4. — The film entered Development status.

    Story selection and rights acquired; idea being crafted into usable script; financing and casting attachments sought; aiming for 'greenlight'.

Saving Mr. Banks Release Date: When was the film released?

Saving Mr. Banks was released nationwide on . Four other films are opening on the same date, including Walking with Dinosaurs, The Selfish Giant and Wrong Cops.

Other Saving Mr. Banks Release Dates

  • — Limited

DVD & Blu-ray Release Date

Saving Mr. Banks was released on DVD and Blu-ray on . Buy your copy of Saving Mr. Banks today on Amazon.

Digital, VOD & Streaming Release Date

Saving Mr. Banks is available now through digital retailers because its DVD and Blu-ray release date has already passed.

Saving Mr. Banks FAQ

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