Movie Review of Miss Potter (2006)

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Review #419 of 365
Movie Review of Miss Potter (2006) [PG] 92 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.50
Where Viewed: Regency Tamarac Square, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 9 March 2007
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
DVD Release Date: unscheduled

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Directed by: Chris Noonan (Babe)
Written by: Richard Maltby Jr.

Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Renée Zellweger (Cinderella Man) • Ewan McGregor (Alex Rider: Stormbreaker) • Emily Watson (Wah-Wah) • Barbara Flynn ("The Line of Beauty") • Bill Paterson (Amazing Grace) • Lloyd Owen ("Monarch of the Glen") • Anton Lesser ("A Touch of Frost") • David Bamber ("Rome")

Soundtrack: Download now from Nigel Westlake - Miss Potter (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) — or — order the CD below

Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
I grew up on Beatrix Potter as her stories were among the favorite in my small library. For reasons I probably need to go back and look into now, Jeremy Fisher was my favorite, not Peter Rabbit. I had no idea, however, that Miss Potter wrote her books so very long ago, became the world's best selling children's book author, did all of her own illustrations, and was a champion of land preservation of English countryside. Such is the story of her life as seen through the lens of Chris Noonan known for his direction of Babe from the screenplay by Richard Maltby, Jr. Having grown up a member of the English upper class, her every childhood need was met by a staff of doting servants and an over-bearing, over-protective, overly self-important mother. The film definitely portrays her father as the charming fair-minded one of the family. Who better to play the role of Beatrix than the lovely and enchanting Renée Zellweger?
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Renee Zellweger
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She has just the right degree of forthright fortitude combined with a proper glow and delicate smile to carry the 'unlikely to ever be married', nature-adoring author. As a child (played by Lucy Boynton), Beatrix begin her imaginative life story when she developed her gift for illustration. Her works were incredibly luminous, yet no one seemed particularly interested in helping her cultivate her talent. Rather they perceived it as nothing but a hobby enroute to her finding a proper gentleman someday, and settling down to run a proper household. This was the way for women of her class in the early 1900s. The very idea lacked any sort of appeal for her, however, and she preferred to immerse herself in imaginary relationships with her 'friends' ie. Her pen and ink and water color renderings of fascinating animal characters from the most beloved Peter Rabbit to Jemima Puddleduck. It was not until a small London publishing firm run by the Warne Brothers, Harold (Anton Lesser) and Fruing (David Bamber) agreed to publish her first book as a project to keep their younger and perceived less able brother, Norman (Ewan McGregor), out of their hair, that the door to Beatrix's future would open at last.
"…the film does an exquisite job of capturing the infectious zest for the imagination that was such a prominent ingredient of Beatrix Potter's life's work."
Norman set out immediately to prove to his brothers he could release a profitable book, while simultaneously appeasing the whims of Beatrix. He conceived a way to load her books with her wonderful drawings in full color yet keep them affordable so that everyone could buy a copy. This immediately propelled the book to popularity and eventually sales all over the world. Before she realized it, Beatrix had become a publishing sensation and Norman a fabulous success. Meanwhile, Beatrix and Norman grew quite close despite the need for social stations to work to keep them apart. Her mother, for example, was not pleased by their association indicating that trades people were not of the proper class for her daughter on more than one occasion. Norman's sister Millie (Emily Watson) also became Beatrix's best real friend. The two shared more in common than just their single status. Unfortunately, the lovely relationship between Beatrix and Norman would meet a tragic ending, forcing her to make some large and reflective changes in her life.
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From the point of view of historical biography, the film does an exquisite job of capturing the infectious zest for the imagination that was such a prominent ingredient of Beatrix Potter's life's work. Ms Zellweger is wonderful in the role though, at times, she does seem a shade over-enthusiastic. Ewan McGregor shares the same problem. Overall, though, both are quite good in their roles as is the rest of the worthy cast. Emily Watson stood out, as she usually does, adding much to what otherwise could have been a wallflower role. As for the film itself, perhaps is suffers a bit from being a bit overly biographical. This could have been made less so, by devoting some time to the effect of her books on the readers. Still, charming animation is used to bring her pen and ink drawings to life throughout the film and show what Beatrix might have seen when she looked into them. The film meanders along at a slow-moving pace with flashbacks to her childhood, but it's not until she moves to the Lake Country and buys a small working farm, that things really start to get cooking for her. It is here she asserts her new found wealth toward the cause of buying the farms to keep them from falling into the hands of developers she felt were bound and determined to convert all of the beautiful countryside into housing developments. More emphasis on her life here and subsequent marriage, at last, to real estate agent William Heelis (Lloyd Owen) too, would have enlivened the picture. Politely stated, the film could have been a bit more magical than it was. Even so, it's easy to love the film more for the story of a beloved children's author come to life than anything else. Beatrix Potter was an incredible person who gave so much joy to the world, and she was obviously far more worthy of praise for her forward-thinking policies than most of her fans might ever have known.
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Cast Members
Renée Zellweger • Ewan McGregor • Emily Watson
Barbara Flynn • Bill Paterson • Lloyd Owen
Anton Lesser • David Bamber
Director
Chris Noonan
Writer
Richard Maltby Jr.
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Miss Potter (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
Having grown up on Peter Rabbit it was delightful to get a look into the life of one of the world's greatest children's authors, Miss Beatrix Potter, via the lens of Chris Noonan's new film, Miss Potter. A member of the English upper class, Beatrix had every childhood need met by servants and an over-bearing mother. Her father cultivated her talent for drawing imaginative characters and telling clever tales. Renée Zellweger portrays the adult Beatrix beautifully in the film with only an occasional of over-enthusiasm. From the point of view of historical biography, the film does and exquisite job of capturing the infectious zest for the imagination that was such a prominent ingredient of Beatrix Potter's life's work. The film could have been a bit more magical than it was, still it aptly portrays the life of this incredible, forward-thinking person who gave so much joy to the world.
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