Walt Disney spent two decades pursuing the cinematic rights to P.L. Travers’s Mary Poppins, a quest culminating in the film’s 1964 release after overcoming the author’s staunch resistance. The protracted negotiation, marked by Travers’s initial refusal to sell the rights and her critical assessment of Disney’s early treatment of the story, has become a celebrated tale in filmmaking history, recently dramatized in the 2018 film Saving Mr. Banks.
The story underscores the challenges of adapting beloved literary works and the creative clashes that can arise between authors and filmmakers. Travers, deeply protective of her creation, feared Disney would dilute the nuanced character of Mary Poppins. Her eventual agreement came with conditions,and the film’s success-despite her mixed reaction-demonstrates the power of persistence and compromise in bringing a cherished story to a wider audience.Disney first approached Travers in the 1940s, fueled by his daughter Diane’s adoration for the Mary Poppins books. Though, Travers, an English author, repeatedly rebuffed his offers, unconvinced Disney understood the spirit of her work. She especially disliked the animated elements prevalent in Disney films, believing they would undermine the books’ serious themes.
The breakthrough came in 1961,after years of letters and meetings.Disney secured the rights, but Travers insisted on having creative input, a request Disney largely accommodated to secure her cooperation. The resulting film,starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke,became a critical and commercial triumph,winning five Academy Awards.Despite the film’s success, Travers remained critical of certain aspects, particularly the depiction of Mr. Banks.