Mary Poppins Movie: What Didn't Make It...- Page 2

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:09pm

Quoting myself...
"Again, does anyone know if the reprise of The Life I Lead where Mr. Banks reprimands Mary and she tricks him into taking the children to the bank is in it? I think it's odd that they kept the second reprise ("A Man Has Dreams") if they don't have the original song, so I wouldn't be surprised if they had the first reprise. I hope they do."

Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:10pm

For those of you thirsting for a "crash course" in the film and its inception, creative decisions, what Ms. Travers thought about everything, etc., check out the recent 2-Disc release on DVD. There are excellent documentaries and commentary tracks on this very subject.

The bottom line is that she approved absolutely everything in the film, including the casting of Julie Andrews, which was controversial enough, since Mary is not a young woman in her 20s in the books.

Travers is given the on-screen credit of "Consultant."

And again... anything she didn't like, at any point prior to the film's release, she could "kill" and they would be faced with either removing it or shelving the film.

Very risky.

Updated On: 11/19/06 at 05:10 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:11pm

Scary--the reprise was cut.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:17pm

CRAP! Now, without even seeing the show, I think I can say that my favorite moment from the film still intact ("A Man Has Dreams") will be almost completely be destroyed. It's a wonderful reprise of "The Life I Lead" because it contrasts prosperous Mr. Banks at the beginning of the movie with the Mr. Banks who has just been fired. Without a version of the song earlier in the show, even the short reprise where he reprimends Mary, it's not possible for "A Man Has Dreams" to have the impact it should.

I think on the documentary on the wonderful 2-Disc DVD, it said that after she met with the Sherman brothers (the meeting on the 2-Disc CDs) she gave approval to the project and wasn't involved from that point on. I may be wrong, but I watched it just a few weeks ago.

[dry2olives]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:19pm

Here is an excellent article from The New Yorker which explains PL Travers' objections to the film.

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/051219fa_fact1

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:19pm

Oh, and that she approved Julie. Julie said that Mrs. Travers said that she at least "Had the nose for it."

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:21pm

Scary---Guess what?!?

I stand corrected... or at least, I'm correcting myself here.

The reprise was NOT cut. I just went back to my Playbill. It's sad to me that I was so disinterested in the show by that point that my memory from only a week ago is clouded.

In any case... if that's keeping you from seeing the show... "A Man Has Dreams" (reprise) is in the show.

My apologies.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:27pm

Thanks, I had heard "A Man Has Dreams" is in the show, but I don't think it will work without an earlier version of the same song in the show, because "A Man Had Dreams" contrasts Mr. Banks with the Mr. Banks who sang the song earlier.

...wow, this is one depressing article, dry2olives.

Although P.L. Travers (if this story is true) was being something of a bitch, it's the coldest I've ever seen Walt Disney be described:
"The première was the first Travers had seen of the movie—she did not initially receive an invitation, but had embarrassed a Disney executive into extending one—and it was a shock. Afterward, as Richard Sherman recalled, she tracked down Disney at the after-party, which was held in a giant white tent in the parking lot adjoining the Chinese Theatre. “Well,” she said loudly. “The first thing that has to go is the animation sequence.” Disney looked at her coolly. “Pamela,” he replied, “the ship has sailed.” And then he strode past her, toward a throng of well-wishers, and left her alone, an aging woman in a satin gown and evening gloves, who had travelled more than five thousand miles to attend a party where she was not wanted."
Updated On: 11/19/06 at 05:27 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:28pm

dry2olives--that article is a little wacky. I think she more resented the fact that she gained most of her fame from the film, rather than from her books.

The fact that she had full approval of the film has been said many times by many associated with Disney and film history. If she chose to trash the film and her association with it AFTERWARDS, she sounds like a fairly bitter woman, quite honestly.

And her contract and her legal credit as "consultant" on the film still stand in contradiction of her "disapproval" and post-disassociation with it.

Updated On: 11/19/06 at 05:28 PM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:31pm

I disagree with the article that the message of the film version is about the "virtue" of conformity, just about being a good parent and not a neglectful one like Mr. Banks was before Mary came.

[TWSFan4Ever]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:35pm

scary, in case you were confused, "A Man Has Dreams" is in the show, they just don't include it on the CD, so on the CD they list it as "A Man Has Dreams", but it is actually the reprise version.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:36pm

I think that article is pretty God-awful actually, and more worthy of Us Magazine than the New Yorker.

I'm not disputing that Miss Travers might not have been invited to the premiere. I couldn't say. But it wouldn't surprise me, considering how much of a royal pain in the ass she had been to Disney. He knew what he was getting into when he agreed to her terms, as risky as they were. But it would be just like her, AFTER the film had opened to keep giving him creative notes.

I hope he DID tell her "the ship has sailed." He bent over backwards more than most would EVER do with an author. Even J.K. Rowling doesn't have THAT kind of control over the Potter films. She is a consultant, and they honor much of her requests... but she is not the final word legally, and she respects the film-making process. They also respect her feedback, but it's not demanded. Travers WAS the final word on Poppins. They proceeded with her LEGAL blessing.

Can you imagine if she really tried to give Disney a creative note... at the premiere!?! I wouldn't have invited her either.

At some point you just have to "switch her off."

Updated On: 11/19/06 at 05:36 PM

[dry2olives]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:38pm

The impression I get was that she didn't think the movie was going to amount to much so she eventually grew tired of the business and approved of whatever they wanted. But when she saw how big a hit it was going to be, and realized she would forever be associated with that film, she became resentful.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:41pm

"scary, in case you were confused, "A Man Has Dreams" is in the show, they just don't include it on the CD, so on the CD they list it as "A Man Has Dreams", but it is actually the reprise version."
Thank you.

I am a little bit confused. Are there two versions of the song in the show, or just the reprise?

Because "A Man Has Dreams", in the film, is the final reprise of "The Life I Lead."

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:42pm

"I hope he DID tell her "the ship has sailed." He bent over backwards more than most would EVER do with an author."

Definitely, especially in those days.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:47pm

Scary---I just looked it up in my Showbill...

"A Man Has Dreams" is sung by Mr Banks in Act I. In Act II, he and Bert sing the reprise coupled with the reprise of Spoonful of Sugar (same combo from the film).

dry2olives---that makes sense, I suppose. But it's her own damn fault if she legally approved it all and then regretted it later on.

[dry2olives]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:47pm

I'm not defending her attitude. But if you want to know why there are so many changes from the film to the stage, it's because those are terms by which she granted the stage rights.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:47pm

Yet the stage show isn't like the books either...

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 5:49pm

"Scary---I just looked it up in my Showbill...

"A Man Has Dreams" is sung by Mr Banks in Act I. In Act II, he and Bert sing the reprise coupled with the reprise of Spoonful of Sugar (same combo from the film).

dry2olives---that makes sense, I suppose. But it's her own damn fault if she legally approved it all and then regretted it later on."

Thanks a lot, this clears things up. What I presume happened is that "The Life I Lead" was cut, and they wrote new lyrics to its reprise "A Man Has Dreams" to sound more like "The Life I Lead" (why they would do this instead of just keeping "The Life I Lead I have no idea), put this new version in the first act, and kept the original "A Man Has Dreams/Spoonful of Sugar" at the end. That's very confusing. At least now the second (or first, in the film) "A Man Has Dreams" will have an anchor in the first act so it might work. Or maybe not, if they managed to screw it up.
Updated On: 11/19/06 at 05:49 PM

[TomMonster]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 6:01pm

Scary, if all you're looking for is an exact replica of the film, don't bother seeing the show--or any show for that matter. Just rent the movie and stay happy!

I certainly don't expect everyone to like it, but why bother if all you want to see is the movie up on stage?

Updated On: 11/19/06 at 06:01 PM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 6:13pm

I don't want an exact replica of what I saw on film, but if they are keeping a completely unnecessary songs, popular though they may be, they should keep the ones integral to the plot.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 6:18pm

Great. Go see it and tell us what you think! You might like the changes, you might hate them... Judge for yourself.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 6:24pm

I'm certainly looking forward to seeing it, I'm curious after the wildly diverse opinions of it on this board. I hope I can get tickets someplace decent. I hate the seating at the New Amsterdam.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 6:29pm

I was lucky to be center orchestra. The balconies are a bit steep, but the mezz would be perfect for this show.

Can't deny what a beautiful theatre is is, though!

Practically perfect in every way... (My fav new song from the show)

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/19/06 at 6:40pm

It is indeed a beautiful theater, it's just a horribly cramped one.