George Banks

“	I'm the lord of my castle, the sovereign, the liege. I treat my subjects, servants, children, wife with a firm but gentle hand. Nobless oblige.	„
	~ George Banks

George Banks, more commonly known as "Mr. Banks", is the main anti-hero from the 1964 film Mary Poppins, portrayed by David Tomlinson.

Mister Banks is shown to be a wealthy banker in England and lives as a sophisticated socialite. His wealth is based on his impeccable work at thew bank which keeps him and his family living well, however his job keeps him far to occupied to spend much time with his children, Jane and Michael. With mister Banks a workaholic and his wife off trying to fight for women's rights the banks long ago came to the understanding that their children would need a full time nanny to take care of them as their house keep and cook could only do so much in-between their daily duties.

Synopses

The Bank's old nanny is seen quitting at the opening of the film due to the children's outlandish behavior. Mister banks auditions new nannies for the job and eventually hires on applicant Mary Poppins for the job. Though Poppins seems strict at first she soon proves to the children that she can turn edicate into a game and possesses some form of magic to her. Over time not only are the children affected but Mr. Banks as well. In an effort to become a better influence on his children George Banks brings them to work with him to try to teach them the importance of growing up and making real-world decisions. The children wish to give the money to a poor woman just outside the local cathedral and withdraw from the bank when mister Bank's boss, mister Dawes Sr., tries to take the money by force, putting George in an award positions when Jane and Micheal's fuss causes an economic panic about how badly the bank needs money. Mister Banks tries to go after his children but between the crowds and the panic he must attend to is unable to recover them. By the time mister Banks returns home Jane and Michael see how upset their father has become and give him their money to invest in the bank. Mister Banks realizes the sort of behavior he was trying to hold his children to as being unrealistic expectations for children and that the panic was partly his fault.

Mister Banks is called back to the bank late that night and from the day's troubles is certain that his job will be forfeit. Mister Banks leaves to take the long walk to the bank and sure enough when he arrives he is subject to reprimand. Stripped of his title, formally fired and unlikely to receive any sort of recommendation for future job applications, George Banks is left with no way to provide for his family. Mister Banks finally comes to terms with his lack of humor or imagination and begins laughing at one of his children's jokes. When asked why he laughs mister Banks recites the joke and explain that he sees how much of his family life he had given up while he was focused on his job, he then leaves singing, leaving the trustees dumbfounded. Moments after Banks leaves Mr. Dawes senior begins laughing uncontrollably as he finishing processing the joke. George Banks returns to his family a new man, one ready to devote his life to his children regardless of what the future brings.

Trivia

• He is similar in character to George Darling from the 1953 movie Peter Pan, and was inspired by P.L. Travers' own father, himself a strict, no-nonsense banker.