Miss Potter

Director: Chris Noonan
Cast: Renee Zellweger, Ewan (Yummy) McGregor, Emily Watson
Language: English
Location: UK

Everyone should have grown up with the mischievous tales of Peter Rabbit, if not Gemima Puddleduck, and enjoyed the light hearted and simple tales they wound for us. Now that we 'little bunnies' are all grown up, the fascination passes to the author, Beatrix Potter, and we wonder at how such stiff Victorian society could have produced a woman with such fluid and innocent imagination.

The tale is very much a portrait, played beautifully by American Renee Zellweger (who is very much becoming an adopted British actress considering her other iconic work as Briget Jones). If you read a few of the articles, you will find that Beatrix Potter is a bit of a mystery to biographers due to her utmost want of privacy. Thus, we must always allow for embellishments to be made by script writers to flesh out what appears to be a very private person. After all, what are the movies for except to allow us our fancies? (Don't answer this, please!)

The movie follows the life of 'Miss Potter' from the beginning of her published career with Norman Warne as her adviser and overseer (played by Ewan McGregor), to the work that occupied her to the end of her life, the conservation of the farming community in the Lakes district where she retired from London life. Throughout the movie there are lovely flash-backs to an inspiring and blossomingly (if that is a word) imaginative child-hood. Emily Watson plays Millie Warne, Norman Warne's 'spinster' sister and Beatrix's friend and confidant.

The movie contains both the comical and the tragic, but retains the feeling of warmth that Potter cherished in her work. At times, it is clear that there are undertones of the struggling feminist in Victorian England as well as the rebellious crossing of class structures. Fortunately these are kept as undertones and do not hinder the development of the story, and are kept within the bounds of being relevant to Beatrix's life.

The part of Millie is a little eccentric at times, but as the movie does not attempt to be factual or serious it is perfectly delightful to watch Emily Watson's performance. The parents are played to perfection by Barbara Flynn and Bill Paterson (both of who are in BBC production 'Wives and Daughters'), who maintain the realities of their position in Victorian society, concern as parents, and their comical roles in perfect balance. The chemistry between Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellweger is delightful to watch, and they paint a pretty picture for us. Chris Noonan (of Babe fame) directs beautifully, capturing both the environment and the character to give a both visually stunning and emotionally evoking film.

A delightful movie to experience.