Story of 'Mary Poppins' Author Being Made into Feature Film

Via the Telegraph

The story of Pamela Travers, who sold the film rights to her children’s book Mary Poppins in 1964, will be made into a feature film. Negotiations are underway to secure Emma Thompson as Travers and Tom Hanks as Walt Disney, who eventually convinced Travers to sell the rights to her story, a move she lived to regret.

Disney was made aware of Mary Poppins by his daughter, and, cognizant of Travers’ reluctance with other potential studios, began a campaign to make his own version a reality. After 14 years, Travers finally agreed to Disney’s proposal, on several conditions that apparently were not honored by the studio. Travers received $100,000 for the film rights, and the resulting royalties made her a rich woman.

However, the experience was trying for Travers. Great liberties were taken with Mary Poppins and other characters, and the author’s objections were willfully ignored. Travers did not receive an invitation to the world premiere of the film, but did secure her own ticket and reportedly watched the entire film in tears, feeling Disney had betrayed the artistic intent of her book.

Travers’ version of Mary Poppins was a darker figure than the one found in Disney’s film, and the author describes her in one passage:

There was something strange and extraordinary about her—something that was frightening and at the same time most exciting.

The new film, entitled Saving Mr. Banks, is being released by Disney.