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Miss Potter Movie, Beatrix Potter Film Beatrix Potter Biography, Lake District, Cumbria UK
The Miss Potter film is about Beatrix Potter, one of the most famous names associated with the Lake District. It is released in cinemas across the UK from 5th January 2007, but seeing early showings at select London cinemas and what's considered the official premiere on 17th December in Bowness on Windermere, Miss Potter the movie is likely to focus much international attention on the Lake District.
Miss Potter, starring well known big film star names such as Renee Zellweger as Beatrix Potter (her likeness to Potter in the early 20th century is remarkably close) and Ewan McGregor as her publisher Norman Warne, with the supporting role of Millie Warne (Norman's sister) played by Emily Watson, the film is certainly blessed with an all-star cast and indeed good British supporting actors such as Barbara Flynn and Bill Paterson. Filmed on location in the Lake District (Yew Tree Farm in Coniston proved a more suitable location for Hill Top in the film, rather than Potter's original farm Hill Top itself which was too cramped), the Isle of Man and Cecil Court/Coven Garden in London. Directed by Chris Noonan (most remembered for his successful film 'Babe'), the Lake District, particularly Beatrix Potter country around Hawkshead, Sawrey and Coniston are preparing themselves for the welcome attention and inevitable increase in visitors that the film will bring.
Beatrix Potter Movie - Miss Potter Synopsis
The chosen focus period of the Miss Potter movie is of particular interest. It revolves around the early 20th century period of Beatrix Potter's life when she was beginning to see her tales of Peter Rabbit, followed by Squirrel Nutkin and other favourites selling well and bringing her a measure of success and hence independence, much to her parents distaste. Marketed as a love story between Potter and her publisher Norman Warne (the Hollywood tendancy perhaps), the film also draws attention to other issues within Edwardian England such as the restrictions on Middle Class and upper class women of the period, the control their parents had over their lives and the legacy of Victorian England's expectations that women should not have careers of their own. Issues like these appear to have been an attraction to Zellweger's decision to play the role of Potter.
Fans of Beatrix Potter and Beatrix Potter biographies will certainly be familiar with the definitive account of Potter's life by Margaret Lane, who wrote her book (The Tale of Beatrix Potter, first published in 1946) on Potter just a few years after Potter's death in 1943. Lane knew both Beatrix Potter and her eventual husband William Heelis (who she married in October 1913) well. This book is certainly worth a look to dig deeper into Potter's biography after seeing the film. It also digs deeper into the period of the film, especially on the constraints placed on Potter by her parents who frowned on any match with Norman Warne. Publishing was deemed as a most unsuitable profession, and this period of Potter's life saw much conflict with her parents, as Lane notes in her book.
During negotiations for the publishing of 'Peter Rabbit', Potter wrote to Warne apologising prior to a planned visit to the publishers with her father, "If my father happens to insist on going with me to see the agreement, would you please not mind him very much, if he is very fidgetty about things. I am afraid it is not a very respectful way of talking, and I don't wish to refer to it again; but I think it is better to mention beforehand he is sometimes a little difficult. I can, of course, do what I like about the book, being thrity-six. I suppose it is a habit of old gentlemen; but sometimes rather trying". (The Tale of Beatrix Potter', (1946), Margaret Lane. Published by Frederick Warne). See Amazon web link right for this book, and works by Beatrix Potter.
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