miss potter

we went to see Miss Potter last Thursday. What was unique, was it was the first time I went to see a movie with a blind person. Out friend Nikki loves movies. She's been blind since a very young age - she has some memories of seeing light, but no objects. She is currently working towards a masters in music therapy, and taking a course in sword fighting.

Marion, that's her guide dog, knew exactly when the movie was over & stood up because it was time to go. Nikki, recognized who the composer of the music was.


For more than a century, children have been enthralled by the stories of Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Jemima Puddle-Duck and the other creations of Beatrix Potter. In Miss Potter, Chris Noonan has put together a delightful film that shows us the woman behind these stories.

The story begins just as Beatrix is finding a publisher for her first book. Nobody thinks her little children's book will sell, but a publisher humours her and assigns the book to a younger brother in the company, expecting him to fail and move on to other interests. But he doesn't know he's supposed to fail; and works with Beatrix to get things just as she wants it, and the book is an immediate success.

Beatrix and Norman soon fall in love, but her parents object because he is a tradesman and beneath them in class. Beatrix's parents have inherited enough money that they don't have to work and spend the days being social climbers. It had been their hope to arrange a suitable marriage for Beatrix with someone from a family that would aid in their social climb. A publisher just won't do - even if he has plenty of money.

All the while, her books keep selling. When Beatrix asks about her royalties, she discovers that she is now a wealthy woman. In time she buys a house in the Lake District and begins her life of independence.

Some will find the movie slow. There is certainly little in the way of special effects, although the way the characters move in the paintings is well done. It's a beautiful film in it'se setting - the Lake District shots are wonderful. [It is still a picturesque part of England, in part, because Beatrix Potter bought farms to preserve the beauty of the area. Even in her day it was feared that the land would be subdivided and houses built, taking away the character of the Lake District. She gave to the British people 4000 acres in a land trust to be preserved for all time.]




official site
IMDB - Miss Potter
68% at Rotten Tommatoes