Miss Potter - A Movie Review

Miss Potter - A Movie Review - Dreya's World
The Life of Beatrix Potter

This is a film about Beatrix Potter's life, starring Renee Zellweger as Miss Potter and Ewan McGregor as Mr Norman Warne. If you don't know who Beatrix Potter was (and I guess there may be some of you out there who don't) she was the Victorian author who was responsible for the Peter Rabbit (and more) children's books.

The film's a firm favourite in our house. We watched it again recently and it reminded me just why we enjoyed it so much - it's such a beautiful movie. The acting is great, the Lake District setting is tremendous and will always have a place in my heart, and the stories Beatrix Potter created and the way they're made to come to life, are truly wonderful.







Photo:
Beatrix Potter at Hill Top house, Summer 1913 - Public Domain

Understanding Miss Beatrix Potter

I don't want to give too much away to those of you who haven't seen this film, but I guess I should give you an idea of what it covers. Beatrix Potter had a Victorian childhood, in a family of good social standing and was brought up in an era where there were certain expectations of young women - mainly that they would get married to appropriately approved, wealthy young men, have children and run a socially acceptable household.

The film starts off with Beatrix as a child and shows her interest in animals and drawing, but quickly moves on to her life as a single young woman, or 'spinster' as they were known then. Her parents want to make a good match for her and have her marry a suitable young man, but Beatrix has different ideas, wanting instead to avoid marriage, have independence and generate her own income by publishing her little stories.

She pursues publishers with determination and eventually finds Frederick Warne & Co. are willing take her on - youngest brother Norman is given Beatrix's first book to oversee as an initial project for him, being new to the firm. Beatrix and Norman seem to hit it off and get on well, despite having to adhere to all the social niceties of the day. Norman goes on to introduce Miss Potter to his sister, Millie, played by the marvellous Emily Watson, who is also independently minded, and Beatrix and Millie become great friends.

The film focuses on the lives and relationships between these three friends, how Miss Potter becomes a successful and admired author, and eventually a landowner and farmer in the English Lake District, a place of distinctive beauty - and for me, a place of many childhood family holidays.

As a dramatisation of an author's life, this movie is warm and moving, with wonderful performances from all the actors involved - main and supporting cast alike. The characters from Beatrix's book are brought to life in a way that seems completely natural and most in-keeping with the story and the later setting of the Lake District is filmed in such a way that the countryside just glows and gleams in the light. Sentimental? Perhaps, but I just love it, it's magical and it's exactly what a film like this should be.

This is one of my favourite films, in the same calibre as 'Finding Neverland', and so I can't hesitate to recommend it to anyone one who hasn't seen it. You never know you may find yourself entering the world of Peter Rabbit and friends...
Miss Potter on Amazon

A sneak peek - But watch out for spoilers! The official trailer

Where to see more about Beatrix Potter