Saving Mr. Banks - Father's Love and Love of Father

Saving Mr. Banks – Father’s Love and Love of Father

Beware of spoilers!!

In “Saving Mr. Banks” we learn about P. L. Travers and the reasons she did not wish to allow Walt Disney to have the rights to her story Mary Poppins. It is also the story of four fathers, P. L. Travers’ father, Walt Disney the father, Elias Disney (Walt’s dad) and Mr. Banks from the movie. What lessons can we learn from these fatherly examples?

The movie starts years before Mary Poppins was written. It starts in 1908 when P. L. Travers was a little girl in Australia. You hear her father saying the famous lines that Bert says when Mary Poppins shows up. It is quickly obvious that father loves “Ginty” as he calls her. He encourages her daydreams and fancy, but things are not as bright and beautiful as they seem. That day was moving day. The family carried all they had miles to the train station to move far out into the country to a much poorer situation.

The movie jumps to England in the 1960s. P. L. Travers is waiting for her car to take her to Los Angeles. Actually she canceled her car as she has chosen not to go make a deal with Disney. She does not want her beloved Mary Poppins destroyed or changed from her original intent. To her Mary Poppins (never just Mary) and the Banks’ are family. She loves them as if they were her own. Her solicitor shows up and reminds her that she needs to go make a deal with Disney because sales of the book have diminished and her money is running out. With little choice she chooses to go.

As the movie progresses you see Mrs. Travers’ memory going back to times with her father as a child. Many joyful but sad memories come out as she remembers her daddy coming home from work early to play with her and her sister just it find out he was drunk. As the movie progresses you see daddy is an alcoholic and has other health issues. At one point little Ginty goes to town to have “ice cream day” with her daddy. She walks into the bank to find him acting strange, yelling and jumping around. His boss comes in and fires him in front of her! Then the boss realizes that she is his young daughter and gives him one last chance to change. He tells him to change for his daughter if for nothing else. Ginty still loves her daddy no matter what and idolizes him. Mother is little better and Ginty stops her from walking into the river to drown herself. Mother is suffering depression from the stress of dealing with 3 young children and a physically ill, drunkard husband who can’t hold a job. Again, like father she is not evil she is just caught up in the stress of life.

As work on Mary Poppins continues Mrs. Travers is intent on not giving up the rights and she does not care if she is penniless because of it. She is defensive and seemingly downright unreasonable in her protectiveness of the characters, particularly Mr. Banks. Finally she breaks down crying about how they are making Mr. Banks mean/evil. She wonders why Disney and the staff don’t see father is just caught up in life. His intent is not to hurt his children, he is just busy and over worried.

At this point there is another flashback of memory and she remembers her father drinking more and more. He is giving a speech and because he is sick and drunk he falls off the stage after making a fool of himself. They never say want exactly is wrong with her father but I believe it was Tuberculosis, he is coughing up blood. Ginty tries to do the right thing but father will not listen and rejects her creative gift of a poem. He begs her to bring him liquor and she does. Before father dies her mother’s sister comes to help. She is quite like Mary Poppins without the “magic”. She wants things Spit Spot and done right. The aunt tries to help the entire family as they deal with the multiple issues caused by the illness and drunken behavior of father. Shortly after he dies. No matter what Ginty loved her father. She saw his love and the hurts that caused him to drink.

Walt Disney has a part in the movie as it is about how he obtained the rights to Mary Poppins. He heard his daughters laughing as Diane read to her younger sister Sharon one night as he passed their bedroom door. He stopped in to ask them what they were laughing about. They shared their joy of Mary Poppins with him and he promised to make it into a movie. It was a promise that took almost 20 years to keep but he was bound and determined to keep it! He did not care how long or what it took he was going to do it. For Walt it was not about the money he could make or taking over someone’s creative effort, it was all about keeping his promise to his daughters!

Walt also shared with Mrs. Travers that his father was a harsh man, not evil just demanding. Elias would work hard for the money to raise his family and he in return demanded they work hard themselves. He would get young Roy and Walt up early in the morning to deliver 1,000 newspapers. It did not matter what the weather the boys must deliver and make sure each customers wish for location of the paper was met. Snow above their heads, rain beating down it did not matter. Wet and cold they would deliver the papers morning and night with breaks for school after delivering the morning papers and dinner before delivering the evening papers. Walt could understand loving a father even if you knew you would get the buckle end of the belt for not living up to exacting standards. By sharing about his father Elias, Walt showed Mrs. Travers he understood her hurt.

Then there is Mr. Banks. He is a good man of business that does love his family. He wishes to provide for them and have them behave in ways he feels are socially proper. He is so tied up in his work and views of propriety he has lost touch of his family’s needs.

Jesus calls God His Father and explains how He loves us. Jesus called His Father Abba or the Hebrew term for the familiar Papa. Jesus called out to His Papa while on the cross dying. In the Old and New Testament God is called our Father. Over and over again there are references. He is better than any earthly father (Not that they are not important! A father is the first example of God’s love a child knows!) Here are just a few to think about when looking at God the Father.

God is father to the fatherless

Psalms 68:5 A father to the fatherless, and a judge of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.

God will provide as a father does

Matthew 7:7-11 Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks will find: and to him that knocks it shall be opened. What man is there who, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to those that ask him?

God cares for you

Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father knowing: the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid! You are more value than many sparrows!

God unlike, earthly parents does not get over stressed with daily life and forget to care for you. He is not overly strict and use the buckle end of a belt to punish you for a mistake. God will always listen and take time just for YOU personally. Like Walt Disney He keeps His promises to you. Unlike Disney the promises are kept in His time and do not depend on convincing others to comply. Still, His promises may not be kept in “your” time, when you feel they should be done.

Learn to trust your Father God. He wants to give you all the good gifts He has in the proper time, when it is best for you to have them. He wants to bless you and let you know you are a treasure to Him. Trust that your blessings are there and will come at just the right time for you to make best use of them.

Father’s (mom’s too) learn from these lessons. Show your children God’s love, forgiveness and attention. Model God’s love for them so they can see God in you.

My Christmas book, “An Angel Remembers 25 Voices of Christmas” is available!!

This is a collection of 26 short Christmas stories that together bring the amazing events of Christ’s birth alive. It is my hope that this will help encourage families to spend 10-15 minutes a day together during the busy holiday season remembering the true reason for the season.

You can find it for ALL eReader formats and PDF at:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94784

For your Nook the link is:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-angel-remembers-25-voices-of-christmas-carolyn-hoagland/1106912931?ean=2940032802624

It is also available at the iTunes book store and many other ebook seller sites.

The only big site not carrying my book is Amazon.

You can download a Kindle version from Smashwords.com

Mickey's Christmas Carol - A Story of Redemption

Mickey’s Christmas Carol – A Story of Redemption

 If you read my PixiePranks blog the first part of this post is the same review of the movie. I do that for those that don’t know the story. At the end is the Biblical application.

 If you are looking for a good version Dickens’ Christmas Carol to introduce your children to the classic story, in a not too scary way Mickey’s Christmas Carol is one of two I’d highly recommend. (The other being Muppet Christmas Carol. Both are Disney. Muppet’s is a little more scary and closer to the actual story.)

Being a Dickens’ Carol fan I am rather picky about my Carol movies. On a scale of 1-10 I’d say this gets a 5 for keeping the “spirit” of the original. The idea and message of the story are clearly conveyed but it loses something in the translation. The loss has nothing to do with the fact it is animated or that classic Disney characters acting out the parts. I just feel it does not capture the spirit of the story as well as other versions. Muppet’s Christmas Carol is in my top 5 best at capturing the spirit and intent of this classic and important story. I believe Mickey’s Carol goes off track by going for the gags/laughs a little too much. The is humor in Christmas Carol just not this much.

Mickey’s Christmas Carol is loosely based on Dickens’ Christmas Carol. The general plot points are there. Scrooge, Scrooge McDuck is a penny pinching miser who is miserable. Bob Cratchit, Mickey Mouse is his poor clerk. Tiny Tim is Bob’s sickly little boy and Minnie Mouse plays Bob’s Wife. Daisy plays Scrooge’s lost love. Donald Duck is Fred, Scrooge’s nephew.

Scrooge is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marley, Goofy who warns him that he needs to change. The scene is funny and does not put the scare in you that other versions or the original story does. In many versions of Christmas Carol I consider this the 2^nd scariest part. Here it is more funny than scary. He calls out to Scrooge to change.

Jiminy is the Ghost of Christmas Past, who shows Scrooge events in his past that caused hurt to himself and others.

Willie the Giant is the Ghost of Christmas Present. Christmas Present shows Scrooge the joy of loving and giving. This is when Scrooge is introduced to Tiny Tim and truly begins to open to seeing that he has missed out on relationships.

Pete (Black Pete/Pegleg Pete) is the ghost of Christmas Future. He is dark and foreboding but this part of the story is quickly gone over. I believe this is because it is so dark and scary.

In the end Scrooge finds redemption. He does not want to die living the way he has. He helps save Tiny Tim, treats Bob Cratchit better and reconnects with his nephew Fred. He goes from living a life of sorrow, pain and emptiness, living only for money to living with joy, happiness and living to reach out and connect with people.

Here is a link to what WikiPedia has to say about the movie:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey%27s_Christmas_Carol

Biblical application:

Christmas Carol is a story of redemption. A man full of sin, hurt, hate and pain is visited by 4 ghosts that show him he needs to make a change in his life.

The ghost of his past business partner shows him that his greed (sin), hurt, hate and pain have put chains on him that have an eternal cost. When we sin satan binds us. We don’t see the chains but they keep us from God.

Proverbs 1:24-31 says:

²⁴ Because I have called, and you have refused; I have starched out my hand, and no man has regarded; ²⁵ but you have not followed my counsel, and would not listen to my reproof: ²⁶ I also will laugh at the time of your calamity; I will mock when you are afraid; ²⁷ whey your fear comes as a storm, and your calamity comes as quick as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸ Then they will call upon me, but I will nto answer; they will look for me diligently, but not find me: ²⁹ because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of God: ³⁰ they would take none of my advice; they despised my reproof. ³¹ Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their actions, and be filled with their own ways.

Jesus, like Jacob Marley has and does come to each of us warning and reproving us. How many times have you felt/known an action is wrong yet still done it? That is Jesus/Holy Spirit talking to you. Will you listen or let your chains grow longer and heaver? This is not God hating you or picking on you. It is God saying this behavior is wrong and hurts yourself and others, time to stop now. The choice is yours just as Scrooge had the choice to listen or not.

Jesus does come to us many times just as the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future came to Scrooge. The Ghost of Christmas Past is the memories of Scrooges past. It showed him where he was wronged and where he had the chances to go right and chose not to.

The Ghost of Christmas Present encourages us to remember the gift that God gave us that we remember at Christmas, Christ. Christmas Present in the original has as many elder brothers as there are years from the birth of Christ. Today that would be 2013 elder brothers. This Ghost reminds Scrooge to live in the moment and take part of what is going on in the here and now.

The Ghost of Christmas Future is the scariest in the original story and that is most likely why it was glossed over in this version. This Ghost shows Scrooge where he could end up if his life is not changed. This is a true turning point in the movie where Scrooge has to make a decision. Accept redemption and change or live as he always has.

What is redemption? Here is a dictionary definition:

1.     An act of redeeming or atoning for a fault or mistake, or the state of being redeemed.

2.    Deliverance; rescue.

3.    Theology, deliverance from sin; salvation

4.    Atonement for guilt.

5.   Repurchase, as of something sold.

All of the above definitions fit! God says He has rescued, repurchased us, redeemed us from our sinful nature. He has rescued us from the traps of the devil, who has a hold on earth.

How can we be “redeemed”? By believing on Jesus Christ and allowing Him to change our lives as the experience with the Ghosts of Christmas changed Scrooge.

God sent His Son to pay our price:

Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, having come into being out of a woman, having come under the Law, ⁵ that He might redeem the ones under Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses (sins), according to the riches of His grace . . .

Col 1:19-23 For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him should all the fullness dwell; ²⁰ and through Him reconcile all things unto Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. ²¹ And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, ²² yet now has He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: ²³ if you continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the good news that you have heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven . . .

How does accepting Christ change us? Knowing Jesus Christ on a personal level you want to change to please Him. Just as you change your behavior for those you love in your life. You might eat better, drink less exercise more all because a person you love asks it of you and you love them and want to make them happy.

As a child imitates their parents to please them we should imitate God/Jesus.

Eph 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and walk in love, even as Christ also love you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God. . .

How we are called to live:

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, ¹² instructing us, to intend to, deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should ive soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and appearing of glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works.

Simply put God wants to be in a relationship with us. He, being a righteous God can’t have sinfulness around Him. He has given us a way to clean up and change. He has repaid our debit for the wrongs we have done and put them behind. He does not care about the past after that!

Once we accept His gift we are changed. We should live a life full of hope, love and kindness. Does that mean we always will? NO!! We are human, not perfect and God knows we will fail at times and He forgives us all over again.