有時候,我們會有一個無法忘記的故事,一個無法打開的心結,任由它不停地在內心中糾結,雖然痛苦卻不愿意忘懷。本期《影視派對》中介紹的影片《大夢想家(Saving Mr. Banks)》就是講述這樣一個“為了忘卻的記念”的故事,之所以用魯迅先生筆下的著名雜文的標題,是因為這再恰當不過了——為了不忘卻,所以寫下來紀念。
《大夢想家》根據真實故事改編,講述的是迪士尼經典影片《歡樂滿人間(Mary Poppins)》在版權購買和制作過程中不為人知的故事。這是迪士尼公司第一部與英國BBC電影公司合拍的影片,由艾瑪·湯普森(Emma Thompson)和湯姆·漢克斯(Tom Hanks)領銜主演。
特拉維斯(P. L. Travers)的《歡樂滿人間》是一本私人化的小說,她在里面寫了很多個人童年的故事,她早年艱辛的生活以及她和自己父親的關系等等。沃特·迪士尼為了信守對女兒的承諾,為了爭取這部小說的電影版權對特拉維斯窮追猛打20年。終獲轉機之時,在影片的制作過程中,一些沖突讓合作陷入了困境。迪士尼反復思索,終于了解到特拉維斯的內心世界和她不愿意放手的原因,終于動之以情,最終將這本不是一個“歡樂”的故事,改造成充滿童話色彩的電影,真人與動畫同時出現的場景也令當時的觀眾大開眼界,并成為美國電影史上最受觀眾喜愛的偉大影片之一。
《大夢想家》的英文名稱是“Saving Mr. Banks(拯救班克斯先生)”,班克斯先生是《歡樂滿人間》的主角之一,也是特拉維斯父親的化身,影片要表現的不僅是將班克斯先生重現于世人面前的過程、救贖班克斯先生形象的過程,也是特拉維斯自我救贖的過程——拋棄過去的包袱,迎接未來的世界。
Travers Goff: Wind’s in the east, 1)mist coming in, like something is 2)brewing, about to begin. Can’t put my finger on what lies 3)in store, but I feel what’s to happen all happened before.
特拉維斯·高夫:東風吹過,帶來迷霧籠罩,像是那醞釀已久的,即將要發生。道不出,究竟會發生什么,但我感覺即將發生的,從前曾經發生過。
英國作家特拉維斯寫出了轟動一時的小說,迪士尼公司猛追20年希望獲得小說的電影版權,但遭到拒絕。如今,特拉維斯陷入窘境,幾近破產。在經紀人的勸說之下,固執的特拉維斯決定前往洛杉磯與迪士尼公司合作。
P. L. Travers: Like pink clouds on 4)sticks.
Diarmuid Russell (Travers’ agent): Excuse me?
Travers: The cherry blossom. I was trying to think of what it looks like.
Russell: The car should be here by now. May I use the phone?
Travers: I canceled it.
Russell: You…what? Pamela?
Travers: “Mrs. Travers.”
Russell: Mrs. Travers, why would you cancel the car?
Travers: I shan’t be going.
Russell: We’ve been through this.
Travers: I’ve changed my mind.
Russell: You made an agreement. You understand? A 5)verbal agreement.
Travers: Why 6)in the world are you speaking to me as if I were a 7)neonate?
Russell: He’s going to…
Travers: What? What is he going to do? 8)Sue? He’s very welcome to every penny I don’t possess.
Russell: Look. I’ve represented you for a long time. I like to think of you as a friend. Yes, I like to think it. Believe me, I know it’s not 9)reciprocated. I would never suggest anything that would cause you 10)anguish, but there’s no more money, Pamela. “Mrs. Travers.” Simply no more. Sales have 11)dried up, no more 12)royalties. You refuse to write further books, so…Do you understand? I…I’m frightened you don’t understand what that means.
Travers: I know what he’s going to do to her. She’ll be 13)cavorting and 14)twinkling, and 15)careening towards a happy ending like a 16)kamikaze!
Russell: We’ve been trying to do this deal for 20 years. He’s agreed to both your 17)stipulations. No 18)animation, 19)script 20)approval.
Travers: Use her to pay my bills? If I believed in a hell, I’d be sitting in its waiting room.
Russell: Script approval! He’s never 21)granted anything like that before! I don’t know what else to do! Where’s Polly?
Travers: I fired her. It’s just as well. It seems I can’t afford her anymore, anyway. You don’t know what she means to me.
Russell: Polly?
Travers: Of course not Polly! Sake! Los Angeles.
Russell: You only have to go and work there for two weeks. 22)Collaborate. You haven’t signed over the rights yet.
Travers: Yet?
Russell: You must make this work, Mrs. Travers.
Travers: Oh, I must, must I?
Russell: You need the money! I don’t want to see you 23)go broke.
Travers: Stop saying money! It’s a 24)filthy, disgusting word! Russell: I’m picking up the phone now, Mrs. Travers.
Travers: I…I have final say.
Russell: You do.
Travers: I have final say. And if I don’t like what they’re doing to her, then…
Russell: Then you don’t sign the papers. He can’t make the film unless you grant the rights. It’s an 25)exploratory trip. What do you say?
Travers: I want to keep my house.
特拉維斯:如同枝頭粉色的云朵。
迪爾穆德·羅素(特拉維斯的經紀人):你說什么?
特拉維斯:櫻花,我是在試著描述櫻花綻放的樣子。
羅素:車這時候應該到了啊。我可以用一下你的電話嗎?
特拉維斯:我取消了。
羅素:你……什么?帕米拉?
特拉維斯:請叫我“特拉維斯女士”。羅素:特拉維斯女士,為什么你要取消預約好的車?
特拉維斯:我根本不應該去。
羅素:這事我們已經談好了啊。
特拉維斯:我改變主意了。
羅素:可是你已經答應了啊。你明白嗎?這是口頭承諾。
特拉維斯:為什么你跟我說話的時候總是要把我當成個孩子?
羅素:他會……
特拉維斯:會怎么樣?他會怎么做?告我嗎?悉聽尊便,反正我一分錢也沒有。
羅素:聽著。我做你的經紀人已經很長一段時間了。我想把你當作我的朋友。是的,我就是這么想的。相信我,雖然我知道你不一定這么想,但我永遠不會建議你做任何會讓你覺得痛苦的事,但是你已經沒有錢了,帕米拉。特拉維斯女士,沒有錢了。書賣不出去了,沒版稅可收了,你又拒絕繼續寫更多的書,所以……你明白嗎?我……我很擔心你根本不明白這意味著什么。
特拉維斯:我知道他想對她做什么,把她改編成歡樂雀躍、活蹦亂跳的樣子,然后像神風特攻隊那樣有個快樂的大結局!
羅素:我們討論合約這事已經有20年了,你的兩個要求他都答應了,不拍成動畫片,劇本由你審核。
特拉維斯:利用她來為我買賬?如果我相信有地獄的話,那我肯定會下地獄的。
羅素:劇本審核權!他之前從來沒有跟任何人簽過這樣的合同!我不知道我還能怎么做!波利上哪兒去了?
特拉維斯:我把她解雇了。這沒什么啊,因為現在看來我已經雇不起她了。你不知道她對我來說有什么意義。
羅素:波利嗎?
特拉維斯:當然不是波利!天啊!(去他的)洛杉磯。
羅素:你只需要過去待上兩周而已,跟他們合作,你還沒有簽授權協議呢。
特拉維斯:我為什么要簽?
羅素:你別無選擇,特拉維斯女士。
特拉維斯:哦,我必須,我非得這么做嗎?
羅素:你需要錢!我不想眼看著你破產。
特拉維斯:別跟我提錢!那是個骯臟、惡心的字眼!
羅素:我這就打電話過去,特拉維斯女士。
特拉維斯:我……我要有最終決定權。羅素:你有的。
特拉維斯:我要有最終決定權,如果我不喜歡他們那么對她,那么……
羅素:那么就不要簽字。沒有你的授權,他們是沒法拍這部電影的。把這次行程當作一次考察。你說呢?
特拉維斯:我想要保住我的房子。
在等待了20年之后,迪士尼終于見到了特拉維斯,并向其表達自己是如何喜歡她的作品,期待改編成一部前所未有的影片。特拉維斯對此不以為然,她不冷不熱的態度讓迪士尼很是摸不著頭腦。
Don DaGradi: Uh…a word of advice, Mrs. Travers, if I
may.
Travers: You may. Whether I heed it or not will be another
matter entirely.
DaGradi: Wow. Uh, it’s just that he can’t stand being called
“Mr. Disney.” We’re all on a first-name basis here.
Travers: Hmm.
(Walt Disney comes.)
Walt Disney: Well, here you are at last. Oh my dear gal.
You can’t imagine how excited I am to finally meet you.
Travers: It’s an honor, Mr. Disney.
Disney: Oh, “Walt,” now, you gotta call me Walt. Mr. Disney was my old man, isn’t that right, Don?
DaGradi: Absolutely, Walt.
Disney: Come here. Come here. Tommie, say hello to the one and only Pamela Travers.
Tommie: It’s so nice to meet you.
Disney: You know, I…I can’t believe it. P. L. Travers, right here in my office. After all these years, almost 20 of them? Travers: Mmm. Yes.
Disney: 20 long years. I wish you could have seen me then, Pam. 26)Lean as a whippet, I was. A racehorse. Well, anyway, now, here you are, and look at you. I could just eat you up.
Travers: Uh…that wouldn’t be appropriate.
Disney: You know what? When Diane, here, was about, uh, 7 years old…Oh can I get you something to drink? A coffee, or…
Travers: A pot of tea would be most welcome.
Disney: Anyway, she was about 7 years old, when I was walking past her room and she was on her bed reading to her sister, Sharon, and those girls, they were just 27)giggling their little socks off. (calling) Tommie?
Tommie: Yes?
Disney: A hot tea for Pamela and me.
Tommie: Right away, Walt.
Disney: Ah, you’re a doll. She is. She’s a doll. Anyways, I asked them, I said, “Girls, what’s so funny?” And Diane said to me, “Why, Daddy, Mary Poppins.” (laughing) I didn’t even know what a Mary Poppins was. But then she gave me one of your books, and oh, by gosh, my imagination caught on fire. Absolutely on fire. And those 28)embers have burned ever since, as you know.
Travers: I do. Yes.
Disney: 20 years.
Travers: So you keep saying.
Disney: Pam, a man cannot break a promise he’s made to his kids. No matter how long it takes for him to make it come true. Now, you’ve kept me 29)dangling all this time. But now, I gotcha.
Travers: “Gotcha,” indeed. Mr. Disney, if you have“dangled,” it is at the end of a rope you have fashioned for yourself. I was perfectly clear when you approached me 20 years ago that she wasn’t for sale. And I was clear again when you approached me the following year and clear again when you approached me every 30)annum for the 31)subsequent 18 years, and quite honestly, I feel 32)corralled. Disney: Oh, now, Pam, the last thing I want to do is make you feel as though...
Travers: Would you mind? My name is “Mrs. Travers.” I do...
Disney: See, I promised them, Pam. Now, that’s a fact. You got kids?
Travers: No. Well, not precisely.
Disney: I have never, and absolutely never, gone back on a promise I made to either one of my daughters. Now, that’s what being “Daddy” is all about, right?
Travers: Is it?
Disney: See, our 33)motion picture is not just gonna make my kids happy. It’s gonna make all kids happy. Adults, too. Because my guys are gonna do things with it that are, that are revolutionary, Pam. Revolutionary! Your Mary Poppins is gonna literally fly off the pages of your books. Oh. Thank you, Tommie. This, this magical woman who has only lived inside your head, well, you are gonna be able to meet her, speak to her. You’re gonna hear her sing.
Travers: Now, the singing, I’m very glad you’ve come to that. Oh! Milk in first, please. Then the tea. And a spoonful of sugar. You don’t intend for this film to be a musical?
Disney: I absolutely do.
Travers: No.
Disney: No?
Travers: No. Mr. Disney, Mary Poppins does not sing.
Disney: Yes, she does.
Travers: When?
Disney: In your books.
Travers: No, those aren’t songs. They’re 34)recitations. She’s not a 35)giddy woman. She doesn’t 36)jig about. I mean, singing is 37)frivolous. It’s wholly unnecessary in a 38)governess, an 39)educatress. No, it would simply ruin it. I won’t have her turned into one of your silly cartoons.
Disney: Now, Pam... I want you to know that the last thing I would do, the very last thing, is 40)tarnish a story I have cherished. Now, the pages of your books are worn to tissue. They are dog-eared and falling out, because I have pored over them, gripped and tormented. Because I love her, Pam.
I love Mary Poppins. And you, you have got to share her with me. And nothing happens without your say-so.
Travers: Quite right.
Disney: It’s all right here in the rights agreement that was approved by your agent. Uh...Dermot?
Travers: “Diarmuid.” A live-action film. No animation.
Disney: Live-action. Here’s a pen.
Travers: I’d like this on tape.
Disney: On tape?
Travers: Mmm. Your promise, and all the conversations we have here, on tape. Uh-huh. There you are. Mary Poppins and the Bankses, they are family to me.
Disney: I understand that. I do.
Travers: Well, then. Shall we begin?
Disney: Let’s make something wonderful.
Travers: Well, let’s see if that’s at all possible.
唐·達格萊迪:呃……恕我冒昧,我能提個建議嗎,特拉維斯女士?
特拉維斯:當然可以,我聽不聽完全是另一回事。
達格萊迪:哇。呃,就是他無法忍受被稱為“迪士尼先生”,在這兒我們都是直呼其名。
特拉維斯:嗯。
(沃特·迪士尼來了。)
沃特·迪士尼:嗯,你終于來了。哦,我親愛的女士。你無法想象我終于能見到你是有多么激動。
特拉維斯:幸會,迪士尼先生。
迪士尼:哦,叫我“沃特”,一定要叫我“沃特”,迪士尼先生是我老爸,對吧,唐?
達格萊迪:是的,沃特。
迪士尼:這邊來,這邊來。湯米,和世界上獨一無二的帕米拉·特拉維斯打招呼吧。
湯米:見到您很高興。
迪士尼:你知道嗎,我……我真不敢相信,P. L.特拉維斯現在就站在我的辦公室里,這么多年了,差不多20年了吧?特拉維斯:嗯,是啊。
迪士尼:漫長的20年啊,我希望你能見到那時候的我,潘。我那時還很精瘦,跟賽馬似的。無論如何,現在你總算來了,看看你,我都能一口吃下你了。
特拉維斯:呃……那可不太合適。
迪士尼:你知道嗎?當戴安,(照片里的)這位,大概7歲的時候……噢,你想來點喝的嗎,咖啡還是別的什么……
特拉維斯:一壺茶最好不過了。
迪士尼:總之,大概在她7歲的時候,有次我路過她的房間,當時她在床上給她的妹妹莎朗朗讀,女孩們在那里不停地咯咯笑,(打電話)湯米?
湯米:什么事?
迪士尼:給帕米拉和我送杯熱茶。
湯米:馬上就來,沃特。
迪士尼:啊,你人真好。是的,她人很好。言歸正傳,我問她們,我說:“孩子們,什么事這么有趣啊?”戴安回答我:“這還用問嗎,爸爸,是瑪麗·波平斯。”(笑)我甚至還不知道瑪麗·波平斯是誰。可是然后她給我你的一本書,哦,天啊,我的想象力就被點燃了,完全被點燃了,從此那余燼一直燒到現在,你知道的。
特拉維斯:是的,我知道。
迪士尼:20年了。
特拉維斯:你一直在說這個。
迪士尼:潘,一個男人不能失信于自己的孩子,無論實現這個諾言需要多長時間。現在,你一直讓我的心懸著。但如今,我終于逮著你了。
特拉維斯:“逮著我了”,真的。迪士尼先生,如果你的心一直“懸著”,那也是您自己懸著自己。20年前您來找我時我就說得很清楚,我不賣版權,第二年您再來,我還是說得很清楚。之后的十八年里您每次來,我都說得很清楚。而且實話說我感覺您像要抓捕我似的。迪士尼:哦,潘,我們絕對不想讓你有那種感覺……
特拉維斯:不好意思,我的名字是“特拉維斯女士”,我真……
迪士尼:知道嗎,我答應她們了,潘。如今已是事實。你有孩子嗎?
特拉維斯:沒有,那也不見得。
迪士尼:我從來沒有,真的從來沒有對我的女兒們食言過。這不就是爸爸的職責所在嗎?
特拉維斯:是嗎?
迪士尼:我們的電影不僅會讓我的孩子們開心,也會讓所有的孩子們都開心,大人們也一樣。因為我的伙計們會對它做一些前所未有的安排。潘,前所未有!你的瑪麗·波平斯真的會從書里飛出來。哦,謝謝你,湯米。那個曾經只存在你腦海中的神奇女子,你將能夠親眼見到她,跟她交談,你會聽到她歌唱。
特拉維斯:對了,關于唱歌,我很高興您提到這件事。噢!請先加奶,然后是茶,再加一勺糖。您不是要把這部電影拍成音樂劇吧?
迪士尼:當然要拍音樂劇。
特拉維斯:不行。
迪士尼:不行?
特拉維斯:不行,迪士尼先生,瑪麗·波平斯不唱歌。
迪士尼:她唱啊。
特拉維斯:什么時候?
迪士尼:在你的書里就有。
特拉沃斯:不,那不是唱歌,那是朗誦。她不是輕佻的女人,她才不會舞來扭去的。我是說,唱歌是輕浮的行為。這種行為完全不必出現在一個女家庭教師,一個女教育者的身上。不行,那會毀了這個形象。我不會讓你把她變成你的那些傻帽卡通形象之一。
迪士尼:好吧,潘……我希望你能明白,我最不愿意做的事,最最不愿意的事,就是毀掉一個我珍視的故事。你的書都快被我翻爛了,書頁打了卷,骨架也散了,因為我凝視著它們,內心糾結而痛苦,因為我愛她,潘,我愛瑪麗·波平斯。而你,你必須得跟我分享她啊。當然沒有你的同意是不可能的。
特拉維斯:正是。
迪士尼:都在這了,在這份版權協議中,你的經紀人已經同意了。呃……是叫“德莫特”?
特拉維斯:“迪爾穆德”。得是真人電影,不許是動畫片。
迪士尼:真人電影,給你筆。
特拉維斯:我想錄音。
迪士尼:錄音?
特拉維斯:嗯,你的承諾,和我們在這兒的所有對話都要錄音。哼哼,看看你。瑪麗·波平斯和班克斯一家就是我的家人。迪士尼:我能明白你的感受,真的。
特拉維斯:好吧,那么我們可以開始了嗎?
迪士尼:讓我們一起創造出精彩的作品來吧。特拉維斯:嗯,先看看有沒有這個可能性吧。
在影片主創人員的共同努力下,為了配合特拉維斯對影片的意見,他們作出了巨大的讓步,也逐漸獲得特拉維斯的肯定。可就在此時,特拉維斯得知影片中將啟用動畫企鵝形象時,頓時大怒,與迪士尼撕破了臉,合作面臨冰點。
Dolly: Good afternoon, Mrs. Travers.
Travers: I’m here to see Mr. Disney.
Dolly: Oh, please, have a...Mrs. Travers, please!
Travers: Disney!
Tommie: Mrs. Travers? Mrs. Travers! I’m terribly sorry, Walt.
Disney: It’s all right, Tommie. Just close the door. I never let anyone see me smoking. I hate to encourage bad habits. Please, sit down.
Travers: I shall not sit in the seat of a 41)trickster, a 42)fraudster, a 43)sneak!
Disney: Pamela!
Travers: “Mrs. Travers,” please!
Disney: Mrs. Travers, what has you so upset now?
Travers: Penguins. Penguins have very much upset me, Mr. Disney. Animated dancing penguins. Now, now you have...You have 44)seduced me with the music, Mr. Disney. Yes, you have. Those Sherman boys have quite turned my head. But I shall not be moved upon the matter of cartoons, sir. Not one inch!
Disney: It is a 45)sequence.
Travers: You promised me. You promised me that this film would not be an animation!
Disney: And it isn’t.
Travers: So, they’re real penguins?
Disney: No. No, they are animated. But the actors, you see, the actors are very, very much real.
Travers: Foolish old woman. (leaves the papers) Have a good day, Mr. Disney.
Disney: (notices that Travers doesn’t sign) Pamela. Pam!
多麗:下午好,特拉維斯女士。
特拉維斯:我是來見迪士尼先生的。
多麗:哦,您先請……特拉維斯女士,請不要這樣!
特萊維斯:迪士尼!
湯米:特拉維斯女士?特拉維斯女士!很抱歉,沃特。
迪士尼:沒關系,湯米,把門關上。我從來不讓別人看到我抽煙,我不想鼓勵壞習慣。請坐。
特拉維斯:我才不會坐在一個騙子、小人、大忽悠的座椅上!
迪士尼:帕米拉!
特拉維斯:請叫我“特拉維斯女士”!
迪士尼:特拉維斯女士,是什么讓你這么生氣?
特拉維斯:企鵝。企鵝讓我非常不高興,迪士尼先生。動畫制作的跳舞企鵝。你……你用音樂引誘了我,迪士尼先生,對,你就是這么干的,那對謝爾曼兄弟是把我搞得暈頭轉向。但是在卡通這個界限上我是不會動搖的。寸步不讓!
迪士尼:那只一個片段而已。
特拉維斯:你跟我保證過,你保證過這部電影不會是部動畫片。
迪士尼:它就不是啊。
特拉維斯:那,是真企鵝?
迪士尼:不,企鵝是動畫制作的,但是,演員們,你看,演員們是如假包換的真人啊。特拉維斯:我真是個蠢老婦人。(留下合同)祝您今天開心,迪士尼先生。
迪士尼:(發現特拉維斯并沒有簽字)帕米拉。潘!
特拉維斯憤而離開美國,回到英國的家中。迪士尼隨后發現了特拉維斯的真實姓名,并了解到她的故事,隨后追到英國,試圖再次說服她。
Disney: Well, I think life disappoints you, Mrs. Travers. I think it’s done that a lot, and I think Mary Poppins is the only person in your life who hasn’t.
Travers: Mary Poppins isn’t real.
Disney: Oh, that’s not true. No, no, no, no. She’s as real as can be to my daughters. And to thousands of other kids. Adults, too. She’s been there as a night time comfort to a, you know a heck of a lot of people.
Travers: Well, where is she when I need her, hmm? I open the door to Mary Poppins, and who should be standing there but, but Walt Disney?
Disney: Mrs. Travers, I’m sorry. I’d hoped this would have been a magical experience, for you and for all of us, but I’ve let you down. And, in doing so, I’ve broken a 20-year-old promise I made to my daughters. I’ve been racking my brain, trying to figure out why this has been so hard for you and I. And, well... you see, I have my own Mr. Banks. Mine had a 46)mustache.
Travers: So, not true that Disney created man in his own image?
Disney: No, no. But it is true that you created yourself in someone else’s, yes? Have you ever been to Kansas City, Mrs. Travers? You know Missouri at all?
Travers: I can’t say I do.
Disney: Well, it’s mighty cold there in the winters. Bitter cold. And my dad, Elias Disney, he owned a newspaper delivery route there. Thousand papers, twice daily. A morning and an evening edition. And Dad was a tough businessman. He was a “save a penny any way you can” type of fella. So he wouldn’t employ delivery boys. No, no, no. He used me and my big brother Roy. I was, uh...I was 8 back then. Just 8 years old. And, like I said, winters are harsh. And old Elias, well, he didn’t believe in new shoes, until the old ones were worn through. And honestly, Mrs. Travers, the 47)snowdrifts, sometimes they were up over my head. And we’d push through that snow like it was 48)molasses. The cold and wet seeping through our clothes and our shoes, and skin peeling from our faces. Sometimes I’d find myself sunk down in that snow, just waking up, because I must have passed out or something, I don’t know. And then, well, it was time for school, and I was too cold or wet to figure out 49)equations and things. And, well, then it was right back out in the snow again to get home just before dark. Mother would feed us dinner. And then it was time to go right back out and do it again for the evening edition.“You’d best be quick there, Walt. You’d better get those newspapers up on that porch and under that storm door. Poppa’s gonna lose his temper again and show you the buckle end of his belt, boy.” Now I don’t...I don’t tell you this to make you sad, Mrs. Travers. I don’t. I love my life. I think it’s a miracle. And I loved my dad. He was a...He was a wonderful man. But rare is the day when I don’t think about that eight-year-old boy delivering newspapers in the snow, and old Elias Disney with that strap in his fist. And I am just so tired, Mrs. Travers. And I’m tired of remembering it that way. Aren’t you tired, too, Mrs. Travers? Now we all have our sad tales, but don’t you want to finish the story? Let it all go and have a life that isn’t dictated by the past? It’s not the children she comes to save. It’s their father. It’s your father. Travers Goff.
Travers: I don’t know what you think you know about me, Walter...
Disney: You must have loved and admired him a lot to take his name.
Travers: I...
Disney: It’s him this is all about, isn’t it? All of it, everything. Forgiveness, Mrs. Travers. It’s what I learned from your books.
Travers: I don’t have to forgive my father. He was a wonderful man.
Disney: No, no. You need to forgive Helen Goff. Life is a harsh sentence to lay down for yourself. Give her to me. Mrs. Travers, trust me with your precious Mary Poppins. I won’t disappoint you. I swear, every time a person walks into a movie house, from Leicester Square to Kansas City, they will see George Banks being saved. They will love him and his kids. They will weep for his cares. They will 50)wring their hands when he loses his job. And when he flies that kite...Oh, Mrs. Travers, they will 51)rejoice. They will sing. In movie houses all over the world, in the eyes and hearts of my kids and other kids, and mothers and fathers for generations to come, George Banks will be honored. George Banks will be 52)redeemed. George Banks and all he stands for will be saved. Now, maybe not in life, but in imagination. Because that’s what we storytellers do. We restore order with imagination. We 53)instill hope again and again and again. So, trust me, Mrs. Travers. Let me prove it to you. I give you my word.
迪士尼:可我覺得真正讓你失望的是生活,特拉維斯女士。我覺得生活讓你非常失望,而瑪麗·波平斯是你生活中唯一一個沒有讓你失望的人。
特拉維斯:瑪麗·波平斯是虛構的人。
迪士尼:不對,不,不,不。對我的女兒們來說她就是真實的人,對千萬其他孩子和成年人來說,她就是真實的人。她是無數人夜間的安慰。
特拉維斯:那么,當我需要她的時候,她在哪里呢,嗯?我也想開門見到瑪麗·波平斯,但是站在門口的人,不是你迪士尼還是誰呢?
迪士尼:特拉維斯女士,我很抱歉。我一直希望這次合作對于您、對于我們所有人會是一次美妙的經歷,但我讓您失望了,而這也導致我無法兌現對女兒們20年前的承諾。我撓破了頭皮想要弄明白為什么你我好好合作就這么難。然后……其實,我也有我自己的班克斯先生,他就長著一副小胡子。
特拉維斯:所以迪士尼并不是按照自己的形象刻畫人物的?(譯者注:特拉維斯就班克斯先生的形象與主創人員起過爭執,原因是迪士尼堅持給班克斯先生加上胡子的形象,而特拉維斯不以為然。)
迪士尼:不,不。但你確實是按照別人的形象刻畫你自己的,對吧?您去過堪薩斯城嗎,特拉維斯女士?您知道密蘇里這個地方嗎?
特拉維斯:我真不知道。
迪士尼:那里現在是冬天,天寒地凍。我爸爸,伊利亞斯·迪士尼在那兒擁有一個報紙派送站,每天送兩次,每次一千份,早報晚報各一次。爸爸是個強硬的商人,他是那種“能省多少就省多少”的人,所以他不雇送報員,不,不,不,他就用我和我哥哥羅伊當送報員。那年……那年我8歲,才8歲大。如我所說,那年冬天冷慘了,老爸伊利亞斯,在舊鞋磨穿之前,絕不會買新鞋。實話說,特拉維斯女士,有時候那雪積得比我頭頂還高,我們得不顧嚴寒從雪里推出一條路來。寒冷和潮濕滲透了我們的衣服和鞋子,我們臉上的皮都凍掉了一層。有時候我醒過來,發現自己埋沒在雪里。肯定是因為我在雪里昏倒了還是怎么了,我也不知道,然后就到了上學時間。然而潮濕和寒冷讓我沒法好好集中精力解方程式啊什么的,然后就又要走進雪里,在天黑之前趕緊回家,媽媽會給我們弄晚飯吃,之后又要出去為送晚報再重復一次這個過程。“沃爾特,你最好快點。你最好把這些報紙送到那條走廊上,塞到那扇擋風門里,不然老爹又要發脾氣,用他皮帶有扣的那端狠狠地抽你了”我……我說這些不是想讓你傷心,特拉維斯女士。不是,我熱愛我的生活,我覺得生活是個奇跡。我也愛我的父親,他是個……他是個很好的人,但只存在于為數不多的幾天里,那時我不會想著我8歲的時候在雪里送報,后面站著手持皮帶的老伊利亞斯·迪士尼。我真的好累,特拉維斯女士,用這種方式來回憶往事真的很累,您就不覺得累嗎,特拉維斯女士?我們都有悲傷的故事,但您難道不想給故事一個結局嗎?放下吧,不要再活在過去的回憶中了,好嗎?她來不是為拯救孩子們,而是為拯救他們的父親,也就是你的父親,特拉維斯·高夫。
特拉維斯:我不知道你覺得你有多了解我,沃特……
迪士尼:你一定很愛他也很尊敬他才會用他的名字作筆名。
特拉維斯:我……
迪士尼:這一切其實都是為了他,對嗎?所有一切,每一件事。寬恕,特拉維斯女士,就是我從你書中學到的東西。
特拉維斯:我不需要寬恕我爸爸,他是個非常好的人。
迪士尼:不,不,你需要寬恕海倫·高夫(譯者注:特拉維斯的真實姓名)。
你自己的生活已歷經艱辛,把她交給我吧,特拉維斯女士,請放心地把你寶貴的瑪麗·波平斯交給我吧,我不會讓你失望的。我發誓,從萊斯特廣場到堪薩斯城,每個走進電影院的人都會看到被拯救的喬治·班克斯,他們會愛他和他的孩子,他們會為他的體貼而哭泣,他們會在他丟掉工作時絞緊手指,而當他放起風箏的時候……特拉維斯女士,他們會欣喜若狂,他們會唱起歌來。在全世界的電影院里,在我的孩子和所有孩子的心目中,在之后幾代父母的心目中,喬治·班克斯都會備受尊敬,喬治·班克斯將會得到救贖,喬治·班克斯及他所代表的一切都會得到救贖。也許不是在現實中,但是在我們的想象中,因為這就是我們講故事的人要做的事,我們用想象力來重建秩序,我們不斷灌輸希望。所以,相信我,特拉維斯女士,請讓我向你證明這一切,我向你承諾。