By: debbie lynn elias
The holiday movie season extends itself a bit longer with this final family film of the year – MISS POTTER. Based on the life of children’s author Beatrix Potter, “Down With Love” stars Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor re-team in what is another extraordinary and quite charming little venture. Under the direction of Chris Noonan, much as in the delightful Johnny Depp vehicle “Finding Neverland” which explored the life of Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie, here we are privy to the life, love and imagination of Beatrix Potter and her fanciful world of one of the famous rabbits of all time – Peter Rabbit. (Bugs, of course, being the other one!)
Beatrix Potter is 32 years old; a spinster in the eyes of society in turn of the century Victorian England (the last century, that is). A family of considerable wealth, the Potters had a life of privilege – a home in the city with multiple servants and a country estate in the beauteous Lake District. As a child, nothing gave Beatrix more delight than going into the woods and “rescuing” small animals which she then smuggled into the house as her secret pets and friends. Content to live at home with her parents Rupert and Helen Potter, Beatrix has always been, and even as an adult still is, happiest when “playing” with her lively little drawings and paintings of her “friends”, little bunnies, squirrels, mice, ducks and even pigs, most deem Beatrix to be a bit odd at best. Fascinated with rabbits and other small woodland creatures since age 10, Beatrix finds complete enjoyment and self-satisfaction in drawing her little friends and writing imaginary tales about their lives and adventures. And of course, in an effort to protect those real life creatures, Beatrix spends what money she has buying up woodlands, dales, glens and whatever open land she can acquire to keep it out of the hands of real estate developers and have it remain as nature intended. To her, this is far better than settling into loveless relationships with butt-ugly suitors deemed appropriate and acceptable by her well-to-do mother. With her own looks on the mousey side but for a smile that goes from ear to ear, hair pulled taut into a bun, and a personality ripe with strength, defiance and independence, Beatrix has no friends but for those on paper and in her imagination; except for her father. Despite Beatrix’s unconventionality, Rupert Potter has always supported his daughter’s artistic talents and imagination, probably due to his own love of photography which he squelched many years earlier.
Encouraged by her father, Beatrix goes from editor to editor shopping her little “bunny book” in the hope that someone will feel the same joy as she and see the potential for the joy it could bring to children. Editors Harold and Fruing Warne ultimately agree to take on the task of publishing this little book entitled “The Tales of Peter Rabbit”, not so much for the belief that it will be well received and make money, but rather as a bone to their younger immature brother Norman to keep him out of their hair and their more serious projects.
Moved by Norman’s intensely passionate interest in the little bunny book and in her, Beatrix soon finds herself regaling him with every detail of not only the story and her little woodland friends, but her life story as well. Working side by side as they bring the book to publication, the two ultimately fall in love. But as to be expected, the course of true love never runs smoothly.
Already nominated for a Best Actresses Golden Globe for her performance here, Renee Zellweger is Miss Potter. Despite her knack for portraying Brits (remember Bridget Jones?) however, going into this film, I was uncertain as to whether she could be Beatrix Potter. She proved me wrong. While her character starts out a bit slowly and a even a bit emotionally cumbersome, Zellweger is quickly embraceable. Her never ending smile is both joyous and believable, bringing you along willingly into her land of make believe and her struggle to make others believe in her way of life. Ewan McGregor is Norman Warne. One of my favorite actors, McGregor has the ability to embody any type of character in any time period. His greatest gift perhaps is that he always brings heart to the role. Be he cold and callous or wielding a light saber or singing and dancing his way through the Moulin Rouge, somewhere his character always has heart and here is no different. Charming as the timid and underappreciated Norman, his belief in the bunny book and Beatrix radiates from his face like the sun peeking through the woodland trees, as he listens to Beatrix with smitten intensity. And the chemistry between Zellweger and McGregor is undeniable as was proved in their first outing together, “Down With Love.” Bill Paterson is a delight as the loving and supportive Rupert Potter while Barbara Flynn successfully tackles the stern, disappointed and marriage-minded-mother Helen with often comedic aplomb.
Tony Award winning director, Richard Maltby, Jr. pens his first screenplay here, with an admirable result. With a gentle ease and staying relatively historically accurate, Maltby covers Miss Potter’s life from 1902 to 1906, during the creative and publishing phases of Peter Rabbit, sweetly framing the story within the budding romance between Beatrix and Norman and without losing or forgetting the very subject that made Beatrix Potter the icon she has been for over 100 years – Peter Rabbit. Originally writing the script over ten years ago, the end result has proved to be worth the wait with a family friendly film that has a personalized story to attract adults, romance for the women and Peter Rabbit and his friends for the kids. I would, however, liked to have seen more of the backstory involving Beatrix and her father, whose own imagination and artistic ability clearly had more of an influence on her than the film depicts.
Directed by Chris Noonan, the film is tightly shot with a lightness that permeates throughout in keeping with the essence of the little bunny and his creator. With an enjoyable balance of sweetness, innocence, drama and fun, some of the more dramatic scenes are offset by some light comedic moments involving Helen Potter, although I guarantee there are times you will be reaching for tissues to dry your eyes. True to Maltby’s story, Noonan concentrates on Miss Potter and without ramming it down your throat, sends home her sense of independence and the struggle she had as a single woman in Victorian times pursuing a career and an unconventional one at that. Particularly enchanting is the understated animation of Beatrix’s drawings coming to life whenever she talks to them. If she is happy, they frolic and play. If she is unhappy or in trouble, they run and hide, much as she wants to do when feeling that way.
At the core of the production, however, is the superb colorful hand illustrations of Peter Rabbit and his friends by Animation Supervisor Alyson Hamilton. Simplistic charming elegance. Also key are the picturesque Victorian settings compliments of production designer Martin Childs which are showcased by Andrew Dunn’s lush cinematography of the oh-so-green British countryside.
MISS POTTER – as charming and enchanting as her beloved “Tales of Peter Rabbit.”
Beatrix Potter: Renee Zellweger
Norman Warne: Ewan McGregor
Directed by Chris Noonan. Written by Richard Maltby, Jr. Rated PG. (92 min)
