"Miss Potter": Beatrix Potter (Continued)

There is much humor and good feelings in “Miss Potter”, as well as drama as when Beatrix Potter’s parents battle her over her wanting to marry Norman Warne, a tradesman they consider beneath her station in life.  A compromise is reached, and Beatrix agrees to go on vacation for the summer in the Lake District as a test to see if she really wants to marry Norman.  But before the summer is up, Beatrix gets news from Norman’s sister, Millie, (played outstandingly by character actress Emily Watson) who has been like a sister to her as well, that Norman has fallen sick.  By the time Beatrix makes her way to the Warne household, Norman has died and is already buried.

Beatrix Potter recoils from this tragedy by using her new found wealth from her successful book sales to buy a farm house in the Lake District called Hill Top, and so she finally breaks free from her parents to live on her own.  It is here years later Beatrix finds love once again with Willie Heelis (played by Lloyd Owen), the local solicitor who helps her in purchasing additional lands with her wealth, and they marry.  So Beatrix lives the second half of her life as a farmer and conservationist, and is happiest when working with the animals on her beloved estate.

Chris Noonan directed this exquisite Biopic, a true time capsule of a movie.  It was his first since he made the popular movie 10 years earlier “Babe”.  Both movies feature breathtaking countryside photography. 

Nigel Westlake creates the beautiful musical scores, with the wonderful theme song “When You Taught Me To Dance” which is sung by Katie Melua as the end credits are being shown.

“Miss Potter” is a wholesome family movie to be enjoyed over and over.  It inspires us to follow our dreams and work hard at our craft, and not let negative people have influence over our perception of life as an amazing, worthwhile adventure.

is a good depiction of this remarkable lady.  One misrepresentation is the colorful Christmas scene, for in reality the Potters were Dissenters who did not celebrate Christmas (even though Beatrix wished they did).

Another discrepancy was the fact that Beatrix Potter was actually 37 when she tried to have her first book published, not 32.  She even paid to have it published privately before the Warne Brothers Publishing house agreed to publish it. 

Beatrix Potter did not move to the Lake District permanently until she married Willie Heelis in 1913 when she was 47 years old.  Until then she only visited her Hill Top farm intermittently.  So “Miss Potter” portrays Beatrix as a little more modern than she really was.  Also, she never met Willie during her childhood because the Potters did not start vacationing in the Lake District until Beatrix was 16 years old, plus she was five years older than Willie.

On the DVD of “Miss Potter” there is a special feature entitled “The Making of a Real Life Fairytale” which presents interesting background material of Beatrix Potter’s life not covered in the movie.  More on "Miss Potter":Beatrix Potter