Miss Potter DVD 2006 / Directed by Chris Noonan / Starring: Renée Zellweger, Lloyd Owen, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paterson, Emily Watson

UPC 5414474352650

REGION 2 PAL DVD

MADE IN FRANCE

AUDIO: French 5.1, English 5.1

SUBTITLES: French

Total Runtime: 92 minutes

English Summary:

Miss Potter is a 2006 biographical drama film directed by Chris Noonan. It is based on the life of children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, and combines stories from her own life with animated sequences featuring characters from her stories, such as Peter Rabbit. Scripted by Richard Maltby Jr., the director of the Tony Award-winning Broadway revue, Fosse, the film stars Renée Zellweger in the title role; Ewan McGregor as her publisher and fiancé, Norman Warne; and Lloyd Owen as solicitor William Heelis. Emily Watson stars as Warne's sister, Millie. Lucy Boynton also stars as the young Beatrix Potter and Justin McDonald appears as the young William Heelis. It was filmed in St. Peter's Square Hammersmith, Cecil Court, Osterley Park, Covent Garden, the Isle of Man, Scotland and the Lake District.

The story begins with Beatrix Potter nervously packing her portfolio and narrating that she is a London spinster, and that her ambition to become a children's author meets with wide disapproval. She and her chaperone, Miss Wiggin, visit the publishing house of Harold and Fruing Warne, who decide to publish her book. Beatrix is thrilled and returns home, taking a drive through the parks to celebrate. However, it is revealed the Warne brothers think her book is ridiculous and will no doubt be a failure. The only reason they agreed to publish it is because they promised their younger brother, Norman, a project.

When Norman visits Beatrix, they make decisions about her book regarding size, colour and price. Norman admits he has never done anything like this before but has given her book a great deal of thought. Beatrix realises what Norman's brothers have done, but she and Norman become determined to prove them wrong. Norman takes Beatrix to the printer, and she has her drawings reproduced and copies of her book sold. Beatrix and Norman visit the Warne family, where Beatrix meets the wheelchair-bound Mrs. Warne, and Norman's sister, Millie. Millie has decided that she and Beatrix are going to be friends and is overjoyed that Beatrix is a spinster, as is Millie, who believes men to be nothing but bores. The family befriends Beatrix, yet Helen Potter, Beatrix's social-climbing mother, is unhappy about her daughter spending time in the company of tradesmen.

French Summary:

Miss Potter est un film biographique britannique réalisé par Chris Noonan, sorti en 2006.

Jeune femme de la grande bourgeoisie élevée dans la morale stricte de l’époque victorienne, Beatrix Potter va tout connaître : des affres de la création au succès aussi fulgurant qu’inattendu, de la soumission à la morale bourgeoise familiale à la liberté du grand amour. Séparée par la maladie et la mort de son fiancé, Beatrix surmontera toutes les épreuves sous l’œil amusé et complice de ses personnages, s'affranchira de ses parents pour vivre à la campagne et y rencontrer un clerc de notaire, fils de paysan, amoureux lui aussi de la nature et l'épouser.

Cast / Distribution

• Renée Zellweger as Beatrix Potter
• Lucy Boynton as Young Beatrix
• Ewan McGregor as Norman Warne
• Emily Watson as Millie Warne
• Barbara Flynn as Helen Potter
• Bill Paterson as Rupert Potter
• Lloyd Owen as William Heelis
• Justin McDonald as Young William
• Anton Lesser as Harold Warne
• David Bamber as Fruing Warne
• Phyllida Law as Mrs. Louisa Warne
• Judith Barker as Hilda
• Matyelok Gibbs as Miss Wiggin
• Lynn Farleigh as Lady Sybil
• John Woodvine as Sir Nigel
• Jane How as Lady Armitage
• Geoffrey Beevers as Mr. Copperthwaite
• Clare Clifford as Mrs. Haddon-Bell
• Richard Mulholland as Ashton Clifford