A fascinating article about P. L. Travers, Walt Disney, and the Mary Poppins books being made into the movie. I find it interesting because I’ve recently been wondering what CS Lewis would have thought about the Narnia movie.
And I’ve often wondered what Rowling thinks of the Potter movies. Movies are never as good as the books you’ve read and loved. So I wonder how they can ever be as good as books you’ve written and loved.
Movies are wonderful things–the color, the noise, the big screen. I love them. But I must admit, I love the movies best when they’re stories I’ve not previously read.
We don’t like it when the movie maker’s interpretation of a book we dearly loved, doesn’t match our own. When we read we bring to the table our own life experiences. We picture the characters a certain way for a reason. They remind us of people we’ve known. It may all happen subconsciously but it happens all the same. One line stands out as important to us that the filmmaker doesn’t bother with. He highlights another line we didn’t care about. It’s because we participate in the books we read. We interpret them.
Still, sometimes we can thank the movie makers for their interpretations. Recently, I thought the Unfortunate Events movie breathed life into terrible, boring books. And after reading this article about Mary Poppins I’m thankful I never read the books.
Mary Poppins was the second movie I ever saw. It was summer of 1966 and we were on our way back to the States for furlough from mission work in Taiwan. I was a few weeks shy of six-years-old. We stopped in Japan and Mom took us to the movies. The first movie was My Fair Lady. My brother, who was almost nine, told us later he was so bored with the rain in Spain and ‘enry ‘iggins and all the singing, that he finally prayed in desperation, begging God to let the movie end. It ended a minute later, much to Pete’s grateful amazement. The next half of the double feature was Mary Poppins.
Magic!
No one had to pray that it would end. We wanted it to go on and on forever.
I’m sorry P. L. Travers was distraught, but I’m glad Walt made the movie the way he did.
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I think Lewis would have liked the movie. There has to be something satisfying about seeing the scenes you’ve written come alive. But, I’m just guessing.
Now if they got it all wrong … that would be another thing.
But I’ve thought for a very long time that the best way to enjoy movies is to not read the book. Or else let years and years pass between reading it and seeing the movie.
Heh heh heh … too much rain in Spain, eh? And I loved that movie. I think you were just too young. And your brother too much a boy. Hahah.
Becky
I guess I’m glad I never read a Mary Poppins book, because I loved the movie, even more so as an adult. When I saw it as a child, I enjoyed the movie, but I didn’t get the deeper meanings at all. Now, when I hear the incomparable Julie Andrews sing “Feed the Birds,” I get all teary eyed. As a father, it means a lot to me, because I want to make sure there isn’t any hint of the unredeemed Mr. Banks in me.
Maybe I’ll read the book someday, because now I don’t think it will ruin the movie.
Becky, I actually liked My Fair Lady even at that age. I liked the big screen–thought the whole thing was pretty thrilling. Liked it much more as an adult, though.
Bryan, I also liked Mary Poppins better when I saw it as an adult. And Feed the Birds is great.