Heidi Thomas (1) (1962–)

This is relatively non threatening TV, relatively self-preserving. It is somewhat near religion, or at least it portrays religion favorably if distantly. The nuns, who are not the central characters really, are often actually less judgmental than the gossip girls, you know…. People do have vices on the show, but they tend not to be too evil or whatever—although I remember being distinctly threatened by the main girl when I watched this show, as she’s I guess the girl they sing all those scary songs about, right. I didn’t really watch much TV at the time….

And, Maybe!—some of the things I wrote, (in the deleted review), hey, maybe…. mildly unhelpful? Hiss at me, goosie, if you must! (The physical intelligence is the goose’s; it is distinct from the angelic intelligence of angelic doctors, and the great intelligence of the malefic spiritual beings….)

I guess also though what we might view with an unhappy eye as the irreducible danger makes an appearance: what with the pretty girl running away from the monastery, but everyone except the nuns still relate to her as the scarlet starlet, you know….

In a way, the plain but dependable girl is happier, she doesn’t get a Distant And Unkind But Powerful-Seeming Man, who wants her to call, even though “I’m always going to be still married”—but the plain and dependable girl still gets her man, and although she has a mother to contend with her ends up reasonably happy, you know. And without being routinely blown about by the winds of noisy attention, you know.

It’s certainly an Anglo TV show, but in another sense it breaks the mold of what TV is, you know (ie the imagination of the male white American, I guess).… (mehr)

I always loved the book 'Ballet Shoes' by Noel Streatfeild, so wasn't entirely sure what to expect from a made-for-TV film of less than 90 minutes . The story is about three adopted sisters who are determined to make their mark on the world: Pauline as an actress, Petrova as a pilot, and Posy as a dancer.

Emma Watson (best known as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies) plays Pauline, the eldest of the Fossil children. There were other well-known faces in this film, including Victoria Wood who wasn't entirely convincing as Nana.

Although, inevitably, a fair amount of the book was condensed or cut out, the storyline mostly stuck to what's in the book; the three sisters were very good, with Posy outstanding as a promising ballet dancer. I wasn't too impressed at a light romance being thrown in at the end - decidedly NOT in the book! - but that kind of thing appears to be compulsory, even in children's films these days.

Still, worth watching for a light evening's entertainment. The sets and atmosphere of London in the 1940s were very realistic.… (mehr)