A Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Way Down

12/22/2013

The Disney Studios has made a film, Saving Mr. Banks, about the trials and tribulations dealing with author P.L. Travers in order to make Mary Poppins, which made a movie star of Julie Andrews.

As I write this, I'm at the WGA Theater where I just saw the film, and it was terrific. Three small quibbles -- 1) There is a scene where we see a Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed Disney toy, and they didn't exist in 1961, 2) Jason Schwartz man as Richard Sherman does his own piano playing, and they should show it. There's only one quick shot. And 3) I wish they said that Robert Sherman has a limp because he was shot in the war, not just "shot." But that's it, all incredibly minor.

By the way, given that the film deals with a writer and studio battling over a script, the WGA Theater is a great place to see this... And P.S. Paul Giamatti as P.L. Travers' studio limo driver almost steals the film. (Lesson to actors: there are no small roles.)

Anyway, it's been well-known for many decades how Warner Bros. infamously didn't hire Julie Andrews to re-create her legendary Broadway role as Eliza Doolittle when Warners made the film version of My Fair Lady. It's only become all the more galling over the years, as her career grew to be legendary -- and as rare film clips from TV have surfaced showing how great she was in the role.

Of course, that opened the door for Walt Disney to show brilliance and hire her from Mary Poppins. She tied for the Best Actress Oscar that year. And she also won the Golden Globe Award.

Now, usually I ignore the Golden Globes for the scam even it is. But sweet, endearing Julie Andrews' acceptance is just too -- well, using the Poppins vernacular -- practically perfect in every way. It's short, but spot-on. And remarkable.

4 Comments

Carolyn

12/22/2013 06:33:35 am

I saw an interview with the cast of both movies and laughed out loud when Richard Sherman said about dealing with P.L.Travers: "Have you ever taken a wonderful, warm shower and you feel really good in the morning? You finish the shower, you're ready to face the day, and you're feeling confident and somebody comes along with an ice bucket and pours ice water all over you. That's what it felt like."

http://tinyurl.com/l52ul8t

Robert Elisberg

12/22/2013 09:23:31 am

Thanks. Yes, I've heard some interviews with Richard Sherman, too, and as you note, he wasn't fond of the lady. Oddly, not all of her demands are bad -- some are quite good. It's just that many *were* bad, and that she apparently had a terrible way of expressing them.

By the way, speaking of the Shermans, I just added an update to my article about one other quibble I forgot. I wish they didn't just say that Robert Sherman had a limp because he was "shot", but explain with just three extra words that he'd been shot in the war.

Douglass Abramson

12/22/2013 01:02:24 pm

They way that Robert Sherman's limp was handled, makes me think that a line or two was cut from the scene. Paraphrasing: "Why is he limping?" "He was shot." "I'm not surprised." The scene feels like "In the war"; was cut. Along with a shot of Travers looking discomforted. I agree about Giamatti; but I think he was eased out of the role of movie thief by Colin Farrell as Mr. Goff. If I was a member of the academy, I'd be pushing for a Best Supporting Actor nod.

12/22/2013 02:45:31 pm

When they didn't continue with "...in the war," I too looked for a follow-up comment, and there didn't seem to be a cut, though of course there could have been. Regardless, even if there *had* been a line...they cut it.

The reason I singled out Paul Giammati is that he had what could have come across in lesser hands as a throw-away part. Colin Farrell was, as you say, absolutely wonderful, but it's an important, substantive role, and he had a WHOLE lot more to work with than Giammati did.

A Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Way Down

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