Pottering and Miss Potter

A showery day, and gloomy to say the least. But have managed to prune and rid the front garden of dead wood and leaves. Next week is going to be a busy one as I am working nights on Monday, bee club on Tuesday, Theatre on Wednesday, out with Jonney Highfield on Friday which will be fun and Nu's hen night (gulp) on Saturday! with working nights on Sunday , I am going to knackered!

Listening to one of Chris' Christmas Cds today. A 1930 review type collection thing, and not very interesting in itself, but two songs did catch my attention. "Get Happy" from the film Summer Stock , sung by Judy Garland, and The Way You Look Tonight sung by Fred Astaire in Swing Time. The Garland song just bursts with energy, it is quite joyful! and lifts the spirits quite easily. The way you look tonight was featured in many films, obviously My Best Friend's Wedding!, but interestingly in Hannah And Her Sisters, Peter's Friends and the final episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!! Astaire cannot sing, but his suave art deco tones seem just right for the song!

Miss Potter (2006) is quite a sweet little film, that never quite convinces in its portrayal of Beatrix Potter. Now I love Renée Zellweger , and was looking forward in how she captures the reality or indeed the guessed reality that was Miss Potter, but I found the characterisation a bit thin!...charming yes, but ever so slightly thin. I guess the information about the personality of Beatrix Potter is, in itself, scanty. From what I have read about her she is described simply as jolly and good fun, but I suspect little of the "real" woman is realy known. Perhaps this is why Zellweger is reduced to pulling her cute pudgy face into a pout and crinkling her eyes a lot. Having said that I enjoyed the film greatly. Ewan McGregor (not an actor I like) is incredibly moving as Norman Warne, her publisher and suitor, and Emily Watson, as Norman's wisecracking spinster sister is always worth the price of admission. An enjoyable evening.