An old article, published in "Global Screen" in 2013
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"Big Dreamer" is a Disney movie about Walt Disney, dedicated to Disney on the 90th anniversary of Disney Studios. This is another film about film after the popular Oscar films "The Artist" and "Hugo" in the previous two years. But this film seems to be more similar than the previous film, because the old British political weekly "The Spectator" commented: "If you don't think it looks good, you must have something wrong."
It is not surprising that such a thing was said by an Englishman. "Big Dreamer" focuses on "Happy in the World" that has accompanied the growth of generations of British and European and American children. It tells the process of her author being persuaded by Walt Disney to sell the copyright to the revision of the script. Every European and American who has had a childhood wants to watch it. What happened. However, while restoring the true story of this film adapted from the biography of the same name, we cannot help but point out some facts: everything is far more disharmonious than described in the movie, although the old lady who has never let go of copyright has never let go. I've reached heaven, maybe I'm still angry now.
What kind of original work is worth seeking for 16 years?
Walt Disney, a big figure, might not have thought that the first time he was played on the big screen, he would appear as a beggar. And all he wanted to do was something that couldn't be easier: buy the film rights.
But the author is difficult to figure out.
In fact, there are many difficult authors in the world, from JD Salinger in North America to Garcia Márquez in South America, alas, just wait. But why have to deal with this stubborn old lady named PL Traverse?
"Happy in the World" is a best-selling book in European and American children's literature. It tells the story of Mary Poppins, a magical nanny who fell from the sky under an umbrella, and two children. She taught them how to overcome difficulties and helped them find the warmth of family again. . If you have no idea about the status of this nanny, think about the scene at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics last year: When Voldemort appeared and everything became uncontrollable, a group of Mary Poppins fell from the sky and saved the world. In Anglo-American culture, Mary Poppins-that is Guanyin Bodhisattva!
Even if this is not the movie that children all over the world are looking forward to, it is the movie that Walt Disney's daughters clamor to watch every day. Disney thought it was not a difficult task, and agreed to her daughter at once, but it took 20 years to fulfill this promise, of which 16 years were spent on the original author. This is the story told by the movie.
What does the original author PL Traverse have an opinion about?
She has opinions on everything. If you have this leisurely mind, you can count how many "Nos" (No) she said in the movie. This doesn't work, that doesn't work, everything is wrong.
She is an Australian, immigrated to the UK at the age of 25 (1924) and started writing. She was influenced by the British tradition and cared about etiquette. When she met Disney for the first time, when faced with the enthusiastic American's name, she emphasized on the spot as if offended: "Excuse me, please call me Mrs. Traverse." People who have worked with her said that she was a nightmare, and after the release of "Happy in the World", she became even weirder and more withdrawn. A screenwriter named Brian Sibley hopes to collaborate with PL Traverse on the sequel of the film, but she has been picky from beginning to end, which led to the failure of the sequel plan. "She's unmarried all her life and it's hard to get along with. She hates American movies, especially cartoons." She has worked as an actor, pornographic writer, journalist and film critic. When she was writing the film review, she encountered Disney's 1937 movie "Snow White" and cursed: "Walt Disney is a shameless garbage supplier. This movie is full of cynicism from beginning to end. "Unexpectedly the next year Disney would come to her to ask for the copyright, can you give it to him?
There are two serious reasons why she refuses to adapt "Man of Joy" into a movie: First, this is her private diary, which contains the memory of her life and her father. It is a dark story. Disney's cheerful rhythm is totally unmatched. Second, she rejected animation, and at that time Disney had not produced a live-action movie, so she didn't believe it. In the end, this movie appeared in the form of a live-action movie combined with animation, and PL Traverse was mad.
"Big Dreamer" focuses on the story after PL Traverse gets the right to review the script, which is also the best place to watch the movie. She was the first author to stand up against the Disney Company. This may be because of the age in which women did not have enough power to speak, so she had to fight hard, but more because of her lack of security. In the process of composing and writing the script for this film, PL Traverse was present throughout the whole process, supervising every word and note. She was 62 years old at that time, but she still vigorously interfered with Mary Poppins in the film. The protagonist’s romantic relationship believed that the babysitter’s behavior was too inappropriate, and many American words like "outing" and "on schedule" were used in protest.
Doesn't she even like the songs in it?
If the movie "Happy Man World" has made people remember anything, then apart from the magic nanny who can change everything, it is the catchy song in the film. This is a pair called Robert Sherman and Li The masterpiece of Chad Sherman's brother. The Sherman brothers later won the Oscar for Best Original Song for the episode in the film. They also created the longest word in English in one of the songs "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" , Their contribution to children’s culture is not inferior to the role of the "Harry Potter" series on youth culture. Since then, the Sherman Brothers' career has been smooth sailing, and they have repeatedly won the favor of Oscars and Grammys, and they have become popular composers. But how does PL Traverse treat them? As soon as she met, she told the Sherman brothers that they were of no use. When she finally compromised and asked to listen to them in person, it was another killing and killing for them. Later, even the male lead Dick who sang this part of the song. Van Dyke has become her hate. Fortunately, the Sherman brothers struggled to get back a round.
Robert Sherman of the Sherman Brothers is still in the world today. He participated in the production of "Big Dreamer" and personally directed the two actors Jason Schwartzman and BJ Novak who played the Sherman Brothers on the set. Performance. According to his memories, the film will reproduce the creative process of classic songs. The original soundtrack of the film will also re-sing several classic songs familiar to European and American audiences in "Happy in the World", bringing people childhood memories. The most classic "Chim Chim Cher-ee" (Song of the Chimneys) was sung by Colin Farrell.
How was Mr. Banks saved?
Colin Farrell is an Easter egg in "The Big Dreamer." The role he played was a knot of PL Traverse's heart. Until Disney asked PL Traverse to tell her childhood story, she gradually retreated and eventually compromised the copyright and script of "Happy Man World". Colin Farrell is the prototype of Mr. Banks, and he will appear when the shot goes back to 1906 from 1961.
The English title of "Big Dreamer" is "Save Mr. Banks", who is Mr. Banks? It's the dad in "Happy in the World", George Banks. Mr. Banks works in a bank. Because the English of the bank is Bank, the author takes his surname as Banks which is a homophonic of the bank. This dad plunged into work with all his heart, and was indifferent to his two children and his wife. The only way he can get the kids is to hire a nanny, but the kids are always depressed, and the nanny is helpless. The one who saved Mr. Banks is the magical Mary Poppins.
But the Mr. Banks in PL Traverse's heart was not saved. In 1913, the drunkard father of PL Traverse, who was only 8 years old, lost his life. His mother tried to commit suicide by jumping into the river because of despair. On a night of thunder and lightning, PL Traverse was terribly scared, but used a self-made one. The story of the magic nanny comforted the sisters next to her. In 1934, she wrote the fantasy that accompanied her cruel growth into "Happy in the World". Emma Thompson, who plays PL Traverse, commented on her role as follows: "PL Traverse wrote a lot of articles about sadness, because she is a sad woman, and she has spent her entire life in depression. Relying on depression to write a lot of works.” Therefore, the process of persuading PL Traverse to compromise with Disney is the process of saving Mr. Banks. The turning point of the film is the moment when Disney mentioned PL Traverse’s childhood. Open the knot, everything becomes negotiable. The movie "The Big Dreamer" said so, actually?
Is the old lady satisfied in the end?
Not only dissatisfied, but even more dissatisfied. After she agreed to Disney, she felt cheated. She didn't like her painful growth history being photographed so happily. On the day of the premiere of "Happy in the World", Mary Poppins actors Julie Andrews, Walt Disney and PL Traverse took a group photo, and the three showed sweet smiles, marking A happy ending. Actually? The two were happy, but PL Traverse was sad. After exercising her script review rights, she lost control of the film, and the film became farther and farther away from her imagination. She was very concerned at first whether Disney asked her to go to the premiere, but after attending the premiere, she ran to cry again.
Since then, she has vowed that as long as she is alive, Disney will not be able to move any of her works, and if "Happy in the World" is to be adapted again, it will never fall into Disney's hands. If there is a stage play, the Sherman Brothers must not participate in the soundtrack for this film. The team can only be selected from the British, and the Americans are all out. She seldom talked about herself anymore. After that, she went to Japan to study Buddhism and lived a reclusive life. She earned the equivalent of today's 1.2 million pounds by selling film rights, and she was able to live very richly.
How did this movie end up?
"Happy in the World" received 13 nominations for the 37th Oscar Awards, and won four awards for music, best editing and best actress, which is on par with that year's Oscar for best film "Fair Lady". The most famous story is the story of actress Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn. Julie Andrews was originally going to be the leading role in "The Fair Lady", but the production company thought Audrey Hepburn was more famous and replaced her. Disappointed, Andrews received an invitation from "Happy to the World". As a result, Hepburn was not nominated for an Oscar because he could not really sing in "A Fair Lady". The heroine of the year was removed by Andrews... The next year, she Once again as a nanny in a future classic, this movie is called "The Sound of Music".
"Happy in the World" received a box office of 100 million US dollars (1964) at a cost of 6 million (estimated). It has become a movie that children must revisit every year, and it is deeply embedded in every growing up in Europe and America. In people's minds. You ask David Fincher, he will say he watched this film when he was 3 years old, ask Tom Hanks, he will tell you which song in the film touched his heart when he was young. Fifty years have passed. The musical of the same name performed in London’s West End in 2004 once again created an overwhelming attendance. However, at this moment, PL Traverse, who died in 1996, has no chance to be angry...
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