First United Methodist Church’s In Real Life – Saturday, 11 January 2014 “Saving Mr. Banks: Art Imitating Life, Imitating Art” by Reverend Mary Allman-Boyle

First United Methodist Church’s In Real Life – Saturday, 11 January 2014 “Saving Mr. Banks: Art Imitating Life, Imitating Art” by Reverend Mary Allman-Boyle

I know some of you who haven’t seen this movie as you believe it is about a childhood, fairytale movie from our past. Au contraire. It is a marvelous depiction of redemption, transformation, renewal, and art imitating life, imitating art.

Emma Thompson does a beautiful job of playing Mrs. P. L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins. The creative process unfolds as we discover that the author’s childhood was the basis for the book. The interplay with our memories of the movie and the motivating moments of her life are inspiring. It gives new meaning to art imitating life.

I recently watched an interview with Colin Farrell, who plays her real life father, and who Mary Poppins was trying to save. Colin is from Australia, where the author’s childhood takes place. He is a self-professing, recovering, alcoholic. His portrayal of this whimsical, yet addicted banker and father was real and convincing; so convincing that I would pause at times and wonder if it was terribly hard for him to play a hard drinking man. Would this cause him to “go off the wagon?” Would he be tortured with remorse? He shared in the interview that it was redemptive to be beyond the lost years of self destruction and, yes, destruction of others’ lives: his lost years.

So for me this movie was a story of redemption for both the actors: the author, the memory of her father, and, yes, any in an audience moved to be transformed by more than “just a spoonful of sugar.” Well done! What are your thoughts?

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First United Methodist Church

2111 Camino del Rio South

San Diego, CA 92108

(619) 297-4366

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