The story opens in London in the 1930s, as an eccentric explorer (Richard Griffiths) returns from his adventures with three orphaned baby girls to be raised by his niece (Emilia Fox), while he goes off on another long trip. As the girls become teenagers, they enroll in a theatrical school hoping to earn enough money to support themselves: Posy wants to be a ballerina and Pauline (Emma Watson) wants to be an actress, but Petrova just wants to fly airplanes.
Adapted from a well-loved children's book, this made for BBC film suffers from a script full of holes and poor direction. We meet a houseful of characters but never get to know any of them well. Their dialogue is lifeless and lacking in real emotion; except for the wonderful Ms Fox they merely take turns tediously reciting their lines and each scene falls flat.
Emma Watson ("Harry Potter") looks nervous and awkward and her character, like the others, is superficial. She's supposed to be a great actress, but this isn't shown; Posy is supposed to be a gifted dancer, but again, we just have to take their word for it. Pauline, the aviator, is ignored altogether. Recommended only for those who enjoyed the novel.
Adapted from a well-loved children's book, this made for BBC film suffers from a script full of holes and poor direction. We meet a houseful of characters but never get to know any of them well. Their dialogue is lifeless and lacking in real emotion; except for the wonderful Ms Fox they merely take turns tediously reciting their lines and each scene falls flat.
Emma Watson ("Harry Potter") looks nervous and awkward and her character, like the others, is superficial. She's supposed to be a great actress, but this isn't shown; Posy is supposed to be a gifted dancer, but again, we just have to take their word for it. Pauline, the aviator, is ignored altogether. Recommended only for those who enjoyed the novel.