'Saving Mr. Banks'

The word "no" comes out of the lips of P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) more frequently than any other (I counted five in less than 50 seconds of screen time). She often strings them together like beads, presenting them to Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) himself, who only wants to take her book "Mary Poppins" and turn it into a movie.

Is that such a terrible crime? After all, Disney is known for being the biggest alchemist in Hollywood — everything he touches turns to gold. But Mrs. Travers (as she insists on being called) refuses to be charmed or moved, even one little inch.

For 20 years, Travers has resisted Disney's every proposal for an adaptation, but with her bank balance dwindling and books sales drying up, she has no choice. In 1961, her whole face set in lines of disapproval, Travers sets forth from her London house to board a plane for Los Angeles and says plaintively, "I hope we crash."

The easy thing would be to say that writers had integrity back then, and ah, those were the days. But "Saving Mr. Banks" suggests those weren't the days at all. Curmudgeonly and impossible to like, Thompson's portrayal of Travers teaches us that a writer — in whatever age — must fight tooth and nail to protect their artistic vision. She will inspire you, through and through.