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Dear Friends:
I am coming to you today on
behalf of my brother, Mark
Brock. He suffers from Chronic
January 8, 2014
Tearing Up All Over Again
cording her fights with the film's captures (particularly in the early
writers and, as you can hear scenes) the child's vision of a
Poppins were never really re from a sampling played during beloved parent. The young ac
solved. The film depicts a meet the closing credits, (a very nice tress who plays Ginty (newcomer
ing of the minds that I didn't touch) her demands were far Annie Rose Buckley) embodies
really believe while watching it from reasonable.
the attentive resoluteness of a
and, sure enough, that part is
All that said, I re-watched the child grasping for the comfort she
pretty clearly fiction. This is it trailer while reading up on the has sometimes felt in the embrace
Which brings me to the purpose of this letter, not only is a trans
self a Disney film and it feels back story, and teared up all of a parent who increasingly fails
plant major surgery, it is also extremely expensive. Even with
typically scrubbed and shiny, over again, rem em bering the her. That pain is real and, although
insurance, there are many expenses that are not covered and must
more sugar than medicine.
film's charms. For me, the film the film’s depiction of the connec
be paid out of pocket. He will be on a life-time of anti-rejection
But the fact rem ains that still works, though I'm at a bit o f tion between childhood pain and
medications. Mark will need to travel from Portland to Seattle and
Travers — a middle-aged Lon a loss to explain why. Here's my adult behavior feels oversimpli
relocate for at least 3 months at the time of his transplant. This is
doner who had no love at all for best shot.
where your help is desperately needed.
fied, Thompson makes you feel
the Disney mystique - did agree
I start with Emma Thompson. that pain too.
To help ease this financial burden, a fundraising campaign in Mark's
to allow Disney to make the film. She lifts this material beyond
In the film, Travers consciously
honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a nonprofit
Why? The deal she got (which what might otherwise have been recognizes how her past is influ
organization that has been assisting the transplant community for 30
included 5 percent of the film's a cheap comic contrast between encing her, and so does Disney. I
years. All donations are tax-deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive
gross) set her up for life, but was a veddy proper Brit, unimpressed doubt that happened. But some
in the Northwest Lung Transplant Fund, and are administered by
it only about the money? She by the "jollification" endemic to thing like that frequently happens
them for transplant-related expenses only. So please consider
fought hard for her vision for the Disney's world, and the folksy on an unconscious level in the
making a donation today.
film through the years of its pro mogul. Her Travers is fittingly artistic process, and it is magic.
On behalf of Mark and our family, thank you for your kindness,
duction, and insisted on coming complex; many of her biting criti Much of the fun of the film hap
generosity, support and prayers; Thank you, Kristina Booker, 503-
to the Hollywood premiere (as cisms o f that world are apt, even pens in scenes depicting the cre
281-6092
well she should have) despite while she is being rude and of ative process, when the vaunted
Please send donations to: HelpHOPELive
the fact that Disney did not invite fensive; she is a master at calling songwriting team of Richard and
2 Radnor Corporate Center
her.
out artificiality, and she delivers Robert Sherm an (beautifully
100 Matsonford Road, Suite 100
Even in the undeniably patri the film's best lines with a per played by Jason Sch wartzman and
Radnor, PA 19087
archal world of the early 1960s, fect, precise zing that makes you B.J. Novak) bounce out tunes that
outmatched by Disney in money, laugh out loud but also wince at were so beloved to me in my own
Make checks payable to: HelpHOPELive. Note in memo section:
for Mark Brock; For credit card donations, please call
power, and influence, Travers the thought of having to deal childhood, which was also char
800.642.8399 or visit helphopelive.org and enter Mark Brock in
was no victim. Nor, indeed, was with her. She isn't exactly a femi acterized by the failures of those
the “Find a Patient” box on the home page.
she a hero; she insisted on re- nist icon; she is quite unkind and to whom I was most deeply at
self-centered, as was the real tached. Perhaps I bought the de
Travers. But she is also wounded, piction of the prickly Travers (who
as many unkind people are. And insisted the film was not to be a
she is a satisfying bundle of con musical) gradually softening as
tradictions.
Zchon R. Jones, DC
these good-hearted men woo her
The film veers back and forth with "Let's Go Fly a Kite" because
333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212
between the battle with Disney those songs still reduce me to
(503) 284-7838
and Travers' troubled childhood. tears. And not until seeing this film
Although she saw herself as a had I ever consciously connected
Truly making a difference in the lives of
relentless apologist against arti the story to my own childhood
Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years.
ficiality and sentim en tality , pain.
If you or someone you know has been in an accident,
Travers was herself a reinven
It may well be that Travers, in
call us so we can help you with your needs. (503) 284-7838
tion. She was not a British m a all her selfishness and complexity,
tron at all, but was bom in A us responded to the music and good-
tralia as Helen G off (nicknamed heartedness of the Disney ver
are located on the
Ginty).
sion, even while bitterly protesting
com er o f MLK and Russell
She was deeply attached to it to the end of her days. She
Street, on the second floor
her father, Travers Goff, a char famously cried at the Hollywood
above the coffee shop.
ismatic banker and hopeless al premiere, and most people say it
coholic who perhaps nurtured was because she hated the film,
her imaginative spirit but also not because she was moved by it,
hurt the family and died while as this film suggests. But I suspect
Travers was quite young, leav both may have been true. In my
ing the family destitute.
experience, a person can relent
Pai kina Aren
During the troubled period of lessly insist on hard-headed real
her life depicted in the film, ism, and still be stirred by a hopeful
Travers' mother attempted sui vision of what ought to be pos
cide and the family was assisted sible, and be buoyed by a heartfelt
Russell St.
by a strong and brisk aunt who song.
S
may well have inspired the char
Darleen Ortega is a judge
acter of Mary Poppins.
on the Oregon Court o f Ap
The film somewhat clumsily peals and the first woman o f
traces Travers' objections to the color to serve in that capacity.
production to unresolved pain of Her movie review column Opin
her childhood losses and, despite ionated Judge appears regu
Advertise with diversity in
the clumsiness, the connection larly in The Portland Ob
Call 503-288-0033 ads@portlandobserver.com
resonates.
server. Find her movie blog at
Colin Farrell, play ingthe father, opinionatedjudge. blogspot. com
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
His lungs are failing and he is unable to
do many things that most of us take for
granted. Mark's doctors at University of
Washington Medical Center have told
us that his only option is a life-saving
double lung transplant.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 9
Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC
Portland Observer