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The film is the engaging life story of Beatrix Potter, the world famous creator of Peter Rabbit (one of the best loved characters in children’s literature) and one of the best selling authors of children’s books of all time. Like most ladies born to gentility in the Victorian Era, Beatrix (Renee Zellweger) lived a sheltered and restricted life with her parents in London. But gifted with a lively imagination and a talent for drawing and inventing tales, she created her own world populated by her furry “friends”. Unlike most girls of her time she was not interested in proposals for marriage of convenience. Instead, she was determined to have her book of stories and illustrations published. But even her own mother did not believe in her art or her capabilities. No publisher would publish what they called her bunny book, until the publishing company of Frederick Warne and Sons decided to give it as a project to the youngest son Norman (Ewan McGregor) who was raring to join the company. Though callow and inexperienced, Norman took the work seriously as he collaborated closely with Beatrix. It was 1902 and Beatrix’s first book The Tale of Peter Rabbit instantly became a best seller. Working together, Norman and Beatrix fell in love. Thirty-two-year-old, resolved spinster Beatrix wanted to marry Norman to the vehement objection of her snobbish parents who thought someone in “trade” was not good enough for their daughter. Beatrix would realize that life has strange twists and turns.
Much of the charm and appeal of this well crafted bio-pic lies in its simplicity. The pleasant story is well told with general ease and smoothness. There are no hidden messages or disguised sub-texts. The beautiful love story has a touch of sentimentality that helps endear the lead characters to the viewers. There is very good casting. The performances are excellent. Zellweger underacts but comes across as an independent minded Beatrix. McGregor’s character Norman may be clumsy at times but retains his innocent charm. The two leads have great screen chemistry. Other stand-outs are Emily Watson as Norman’s liberated sister Millie, Barbara Flynn as Beatrix’s insensitive mother and Matyelok Gibbs’s comic doddering chaperone. A nice touch of Director Chris Noonan is his occasional animation of Beatrix’s creations as she sees them. The cinematography is breathtaking, and has captured the indescribable beauty and serenity of the Lake Country District of England.
Beatrix Potter lived about a hundred years ago but some of the values of her time as shown in the movie are still relevant to us today. Here was a woman who was talented and wanted to rise above the conventions of her time to make something of herself but was unappreciated, met with indifference, perhaps considered odd, even laughed at behind her back. Today there are women in the same predicament though perhaps in a different situation. To them, Beatrix is an inspiration. Strong willed, she never gave up her dreams, continued to persevere until she succeeded. Aside from being lauded for her literary achievements, she should also be appreciated for nurturing the seed of women empowerment. Another negative value shown in the film is the attitude of some as being superior to others because of social standing and wealth, like Beatrix’s parents. And Beatrix condemns this as pure pretense. When Beatrix settled in the Lake District, she decided to buy out farm lands near her property so she would prevent these from being urbanized by developers. She wanted to preserve the beauty of her surroundings so as to enable others after her to savor it, too. Eventually she bequeathed to the British people her estates and farms through a Land Conservation Trust so these places will be forever preserved in its natural, untarnished beauty. Besides appreciating Beatrix Potter as someone who used her talent in service of others by writing and publishing books for children, we also commend her as a “feminist” and environmentalist.
(Date Reviewed: 13 April 2007)
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