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DVD - Miss
Potter
 DVD Movie Review
Title: Miss Potter
Director: Chris Noonan
Release Date: June 2007
www.misspotter-themovie.com
Filmed on location in the Lake District of England and the Isle of Man, This is an absolute 'MUST SEE' movie for any history buff or lover of scenic film.
The film tells the story of Beatrix Potter’s life
from the publication of her first book,
The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
When visiting The Lake District for the first time in July 2005, we went to The Hilltop Farm of the famed author Beatrix Potter. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Peter Rabbit stories, but I knew of them and when visiting the Cumbria area Lake District, there is lots of museums and souvenir shops touting Miss. Potter’s wares. When visiting the farm house we heard rumblings and rumors of a movie coming out in the future of the life of Beatrix Potter. It would star Rene Zellweger and it was not animated! Much of the filming would be done in the Lake District! Well, for anyone who has been to the Lake District of England, the film would be worth a viewing, just for the scenery.
I waited with anticipation for the movie to come out on DVD June 19, 2007. It came out a month earlier in the U.K. I watched the movie twice this week and was not disappointed! My wait was worth it. Scenes of London life at the turn of the 20th century are wonderful to watch.
Miss Potter grew up in an upper class, old money society of England that we rarely get to see on film outside of Sherlock Holmes reruns. She is an artist and writer who is discouraged at every turn by her Mother who wishes her to marry well and move out of the family home. Beatrix herself has other ideas and does not marry at all until she is 47 years old and a well established author with her own money which makes her decidedly independent.
Rene Zellweger English accent has come a long way since the Bridget Jones Diaries days. Her accent is now “spot on” according to my British husband. She plays the unpolished, dressed down Miss Potter to perfection and her joys and sadness’s are shared by the audience.
Ewan McGregor does a fine job as Ms Potter’s first love, Mr. Warren, a milk toast, mama’s boy kind of gent who assists Beatrix in getting her first book deal and provides her with first love and pitter patter of the heart. I can’t help but believe Ewan was chosen not only for his acting aplomb but for his last name, Mr. McGregor’s garden played famously in many of Potter’s works.
The mousy features of the actress, Emily Watson, brings extra life to her role as Mr. Warren's sister. She becomes a true friend and confidant of Beatrix Potter.
This movie is not a Hollywood epic, but it’s a sweet, feel good movie with lots of historic and scenic value. You don’t even have to be a huge Rene Zellweger fan to love this one!
Sound: 5.1 Dolby surround.
Running time: 92mins
Contact the author:
jfshaw@mylasco.com
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