In the middle of recording the media section of the Beatrix Potter episode we started to discuss the 2006 movie, Miss Potter starring Renee Zellweger as Beatrix when we realized that we both had a lot to say about it.

“Let’s do a moviecast!”

So we did.film-158157_1280 poster

Cue the music! You should play this while you read the rest, plus there are a lot of movie bits that we talked about during the episode including the sad Sherlock Holmes hat. (We spare no expense for a multi-media experience over here at The History Chicks)

The cast:

Renee Zellweger as Beatrix Potter

Ewan McGregor as Norman Warne

Emily Watson as Millie Warne

Lloyd Owen as William Heelis

Barbara Flynn as Helen Potter

Bill Patterson as Rupert Potter

And the remarkable silent, face-acting of Matyelok Gibbs as Miss Wiggin

We agreed that the movie did follow the life story of Beatrix fairly closely (to hear that life story you really need to go listen to episode 64) and most of the deviations we accepted for the sake of the storyline. We agreed that the animation was a bit much and took us out of the story and we agreed that it was a beautiful movie…

…but some things we didn’t agree on. That’s the fun part, right? We really go into detail about this story of Beatrix from the time she sells her first “little book” through her heartache to her happily every after and all the childhood flashbacks in between. We talk about historical elements of the time period that pop up (this is a history podcast, after all) fairy beasts, classic art, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, the flora and fauna, Sir Nigel’s drinking problem, Victorian relationship bases and the Beatrix’s ever strengthening backbone.

It’s quite a tale.

Speaking of tales (or tails)…Rabbit’s Christmas Party Story was put together with six previously unpublished paintings after her death, including the one that Film Beatrix gave to Film Norman.

Painting Beatrix gave to Norman, never used in story or printed in her lifetime

Painting Beatrix gave to Norman, never used in story or printed in her lifetime

While it seems niether of us are big into card games, here are the Rules to Whist and a way to play it online

This kind of card trick doesn't have any illusion-coolness...it's just part of the game of Whist

This kind of card trick doesn’t have any illusion-coolness…it’s just part of the game of Whist

We talked about a painting that was shown in a scene with Beatrix and Millie. We couldn’t find the exact one, but this is pretty similar.

Abduction of Europa Jean Baptist Marie-Pierre (wikimedia)

Abduction of Europa Jean Baptist Marie-Pierre (wikimedia)

 

 

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