Bridget Jones's Diary - nowhere near the edge of reason (Part 3)

ON looking through this month's Total Film magazine, the best bit is towards the back advertising "Next Month Coming Soon.." It looks as if RZ will be on the front cover "Bridget Jones' Diary. Worth the weight. RZ counts her ciggies and knocks back the booze as the BIGGEST BRITISH COMEDY OF THE YEAR ARRIVES" (I like that bit). On sale Friday 30th March.

Karen, LOVE the title!;)

BIGGEST BRITISH COMEDY OF THE YEAR ARRIVES" Not that I wish to dampen enthusiasm but this is surely not a particularly overcrowded field:-)

LOL!

You people have no appreciation for hyperbole.;-) Ann, we'll look forward to the article!

Hyperb*ll*cks ;-)

I probably missed this, but do we know what label the soundtrack will be on? Karen, I just love your music page. I must have this album! Love the title of the new topic BTW. And so true...

VCR alert for the West Coasters: Colin is seen and heard in a BJD clip on Entertainment Tonight, er, tonight.:-) The one stinkin' night I miss it . . .will get more details.

From Jackie (thanks!): It shows Colin at a picnic, paper plates in hand and someone says something and he says "Daniel Cleaver". Then a woman says something about him being good enough for "our little Bridget." Colin says (and there's a closeup) "I think I can say with absolute confidence- absolutely not". Then follows a bit with Bridget in a boat and Hugh Grant standing with his feet each in a different boat. Of course he does the splits and falls in, surfacing with a wet cigarette in his mouth. (Colin appears to be in another boat.) ********** Consensus: gorgeous!:-)

Argh!! How do I keep missing these snippets? They used to rerun ET late at night but no more. *boo hoo* Then a woman says something about him being good enough for "our little Bridget." Colin says (and there's a closeup) "I think I can say with absolute confidence- absolutely not". That's from the book. The Tarts & Vicars party. Una to Mark (p.171) Consensus: gorgeous!:-) Hoorah!!

Meredith: Haven't seen anything about the label for the soundtrack and have been searching around. Was thinking it might be Polygram, as that was the parent company of WT and is still in the music biz.

Have combed through my TV Guide and ET is rebroadcast here tomorrow afternoon at 2. That has to been the repeat showing. Am putting fresh tape in VCR for all the Bridget promos. Mari, was Colin's name mentioned? Or was it just RZ and whatshisname?

Yes, Colin is mentioned right after RZ and *before* Huge Gnat.:-) HG's big line after falling into the water is "F**k me!" BJ responds, "you stupid ass." I hear it's a funny scene.

Colin on a boat. Does he wear a bathing suit? Sounds very promising. I hope you get it all on tape Karen. Are you set up to put the clip up on your BJD page?

CF & RZ are in one boat with HG rowing towards them ... then this is where it gets confusing as CF just disappears from the screen. HG tries to board RZ's boat, yelling "I'm the king of the world" then tips over into the lake.

Ugh, my mistake - CF doesn't disappear from Bridget's boat, he's on another boat w/ Natasha? But, it did seem as if the clips shown showcased HG's comedic talents.

RZ on the cover of UK's Marie Claire magazine out today, headlining an article "the new Bridget Jones on Sex and the Singleton Girl". Cover shot looks very good.

OOOHHH!! It's hotting up. Thanks for all the tantalising snippets everyone.

Friend of mine (who I "forced" into watching P & P now at least semi-hooked) emailed me: "Watching ET tonight -- they had a little clip of BJD and CF is going to be wonderful."

RZ will feature in this week's Sunday Times (an interview about BJD).

Oooooh, cannot wait for repeat showing. Thanks for clarifying, Marianne. I thought it odd that Bridget and Mark were in the same boat. Sorry, Moon, I don't have the ability to snappy from video. Maybe I'll ask around. How about inside the magazine, Mark? Anything good? Thanks for the heads up, Bethan.

*doing the dance of joy* For once, I was in the right place at the right time having tuned into ET last night (now I know why I endure night after night of crap stories such as 'Dani the Download Queen'). It was v.v. nice to hear CF's name mentioned. Hurrah! My impressions of CF's MD based on this micro-clip: - Tall. Big shoulders. - No fluffy hair in this scene. - Mr. Darcy lives! Same character, different costume (hope this impression is proved wrong by rest of film). Agree with Marianne, Hugh Gnat (keep 'em comin', Mari) was funny and was very un-foppish. Am glad the Tarts and Vicars party made the final cut. It's one of my favorites. *counting the days until April 13th*

Eileen, thanks for the above but why do you hope your impression of Mr. Darcy is proved wrong by the rest of the film, we want Mr. Darcy, don't we?

(Ann) we want Mr. Darcy, don't we? We do? I want Mark Darcy, not simply a Mr. Darcy reprise (though one could argue there's enough similarity already). If all he does is bring Mr. Darcy back in 21st century costume, I'll be very disappointed indeed. He has more range than that!

How about inside the magazine, Mark? Anything good? I'm sure Mark won't mind if I answer on his behalf! Well spotted Mark! I've already had a quick browse at the newsagents (I can see why they encase magazines in cellophane so you actually have to buy them!) Skimmed the interview. RZ talks about filming sexy scenes with HG, and HG improvising lines. Is asked what she thinks of Englishmen. Replies that they are "funny and charming". Journalist writes that this is no surprise as the only other Englishman RZ got to know very well was CF, "superbly cast as the aloof Mark Darcy". Also says that that the movie has a terrific cast and "contrary to expectations, it is very, very funny". Cast includes Neil Pearson (Young Paul's dad in "Fever Pitch")...can't think who he would play. There's a competition to win tickets to the premiere April 10th.

Thanks for the above Bethan. One question, was the journalist who wrote this interview a woman, only if it is its the first comment on CF's MD by a woman, I think. I just wish she had said "superbly cast as the aloof and SMOULDERING"!!

Heard the teaser for tonight's Access H'wood noting a story on 'Renee Zellweger's controversial role'. Must be referring to BJ and the whole non-Brit thing. Tune in! 8-D

Ooooweeeee!! Have seen the ET clip and rewound, paused, slo-mo'd numerous times. That first picnic scene, sort of reminiscent of another *picnic* scene (wonder if Una made tabbouleh??), yes, he is Mr Darcy. Hands down, exactly Mr Darcyspeak Celia Imre (Una) is saying to Bridget (who you can see from back is in bunny outfit) 'What a shame, Bridget, you couldn't bring your boyfriend. Bridget, what's his name? David, Darren...' Then MD says his thing. The blue-white checked shirt is OK, but definitely liked his rowing outfit. Dark crew-neck sweater and shirt. Yummmmmmmm!! BTW, this pic is from the boat scene: and you hear RZ speak twice. "Don't you dare" (a few times, while the huge gnat is crossing over into her boat) and then after he falls in she is laughing and calling him a stupid ass. Her accent is v. la-di-dah.

This is the picture that accompanied Baz's article last Friday, thanks to Aishling:

Ooooweeeee!! Have seen the ET clip and rewound, paused, slo-mo'd numerous times. Snappies! Snappies! WE-WANT-SNAPPIES!!!

(Eileen) If all he does is bring Mr. Darcy back in 21st century costume, I'll be very disappointed indeed. But don't you think that's what HF had in mind? If not, they could have had any ole Brit bloke play MD.

Karen and everyone thanks for the info. on the BJDclip, you are so lucky to have seen it. Karen did you like Colin's portrayal of MD and are we all going to like it. Does he look good and does he smoulder. Finally do you think he will be eclipsed by Hughie who has a more comical role, I know you will be impartial!!

Does ET ever put their clips on their site? I am absolutely desperate to see it ;-)

The Access Hollywood segment was much longer and was definitely bits and pieces from the film trailer that will be shown in the theatres (the voiceover with story plot, title, etc.). Showed nearly everybody! Colin is shown maybe 5-6 times (once in checked shirt, others at literary party wearing lovely suit from RV premiere). There's one shot where Bridge walks away from him and there's this gaze after her. Not THE LOOK, but nice. No dialogue. We get to see all the others, from Geoffrey asking her about dates to Jude and Shazz, even Tom doing the karoake (sp?) with her. A few others were shown who are probably Magda and Jeremy and ???? Also full shot of Bridget in Playboy bunny outfit. Unfortunately it builds up to the man she's interested in and then it's nonstop Hugh. :-( Very very cute. Can't wait to see the entire trailer.

And, Ann, Colin's manner at the T&V party clip was very Meryton Assembly. It sort of reminded me of "I'd sooner call her mother a wit." But from what I remember of the book, MD was very sympathetic to BJ at the party, telling Una to get Bridget something else to wear and siding with her against Natasha.

Oooh, I just saw it on Access Hollywood. CF as MD is lovely! That sideways glance you mentioned, Karen--vintage P&P, as at Netherfield ball and Darcy first realizes Lizzie is in the room! Then later when he's talking with her (at the party for his parents?), he looks so serious and concerned I half expected him to ask "what has been done to recover her?";-) Yum! Hughie's parts are funny. As they're driving away on their mini-break, he guns the car's motor and does a growl, growl type thing with his mouth, in time to the motor gunning. Hey, we knew HG was not going to take a thankless second-banana role so I'm not surprised he has the juicy bits and that they're emphasizing the comedy. Hard to get a feel for how Mark will turn out based on what we've seen. It really looks like a lot of fun. There's a part where she's talking about gaining inner poise while turning on the blender and of course the top isn't on right and everything splatters all over the place. Then she and Shazz side by side on the exercise bikes. They showed quite a bit of footage, as Karen said. Agree that this has to be from the full trailer. Bet they show it with The Mexican this weekend (Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt). Great exposure. Renee sounds great to me (but am not good judge of accent, obviously). She looks very loose, animated, expressive--seems like she really had fun with it. LOL at the saucy bunny wave she does arriving at Tarts & Vicars!!

Have been reviewing Tape One of P&P and is not 'I'd sooner call her mother a wit." But that glance is the same as at the Meryton Assembly when Lizzie overhears his snub and walks past him. It's that look. Then later when he's talking with her (at the party for his parents?) Could be. All the little lights. she's talking about gaining inner poise while turning on the blender and of course the top isn't on right and everything splatters all over the place. But right before that, she's pedaling up a storm on the exercise bicycle, gets off and promptly falls down. the saucy bunny wave she does arriving at Tarts & Vicars!! Did you catch the Rolls convertible behind her? MD's car, perhaps? Except there is somebody behind the wheel. Maybe his driver. The Access Hollywood announcer described BJD as about a "portly" girl. Omigod! Did HG look sleazy to you? In the boat scene, he might even be drunk. And then there's his shirt again. Did all but one button come off?

The shots of Colin on AH were great. Two of just him to begin and then the one with the look out of the side of his eyes reminiscent of the P&P "dangerous Darcy shot." He's really looking good.

Did you catch the Rolls convertible behind her? MD's car, perhaps? Except there is somebody behind the wheel. Maybe his driver. Possibly. Can't be Sleazer Cleaver, can it, just dropping her off and refusing to accompany her into the T&V party at the last moment? Of course in the book it's not that way . . . Did HG look sleazy to you? More than usual?;-) Not really. I think the audience needs to believe that she could fall for this guy; I'm sure the sleaziness increases as the film progresses.;-) Next to Mark Darcy, though, he looks like a bum. The first scene we see MD in (outdoor shot in checked shirt)--is that part of the picnic/boat ride scene? Though you said he wears in sweater in that . . . Am no longer worried about his hair being too poofy. Looks good to me, v.v. natural. Thanks to Eileen for the heads up on this, BTW!:-)

Checked shirt is the BBQ (formerly Tarts & Vicars Party) at the Alconburys. Yes, I thank Eileen and my VCR thanks Eileen. :-)

ATTN: Check out the Observer on Saturday. Found this hint: Free in tomorrow's Observer...Unique monthly sport magazine Steve McManaman, Kelvin MacKenzie, Magic Johnson and much more. Plus Peter Preston on Rupert Murdoch at 70, Amanda de Cadenet's fresh start, Alexander McQueen tells all, Gaby Wood on the new Bridget Jones film

Thanks for all the info on BJD. Things are really hotting up. They're going to give this the full promotion. Sounds very, very promising! Hughie's parts are funny. As they're driving away on their mini-break, he guns the car's motor and does a growl, growl type thing with his mouth, in time to the motor gunning. Hey, we knew HG was not going to take a thankless second-banana role so I'm not surprised he has the juicy bits and that they're emphasizing the comedy. Oh very true. He wouldn't take this role as a favour...there'll be a lot in it for him. MD is more of the straight man...doesn't fool around. But it is a *romantic* comedy...hope the trailer stresses the *real* romance as well as the comedy. Sounds not. Unfortunately it builds up to the man she's interested in and then it's nonstop Hugh. : Boo! One thing sticks in my mind is a comment that Sharon Maguire made about the film being about loneliness, and also Baz's comment about the scene where MD tells Bridget he likes her just the way she is. Good "funny" films need an underlying seriousness. Hughie may provide the tomfoolery, but I think there'll be a lot more to this film. (cf the excellent "Frasier"...very funny, but often poignant, very good on relationships)

We shouldn't worry too much, as trailers can oftentimes misrepresent the actual movie. All they're intended to do is attract people. With BJD, they're using Hugh. Showing him to be Bridget's object of desire. Her perfect guy...and then "but is he?" is the tone.

the karoake (sp?) Well, don't look at me... ;-) ***** Snappies! SNAPPIES!!!!

In the boat MD is wearing a navy blue crew-neck (polo neck?) sweater. A "wooly-pully". Picnic scene he's wearing subtle-checked (gray?)long sleeve sport shirt.Sounds just like Mr. Darcy in this one. V. funny scene with HG in the boat. Only two scenes with MD in the ET segment.

Hee Hee, I just watched an advert for Max Factor Makeup and guess what at the end it said as worn in the forthcoming BJD film!!

Link to Sunday Times article on BJ (RZ really): http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2001/03/04/stistlstl02004.html There is a memorable scene in the movie where Bridget is about to have sex with her boss, Daniel Cleaver (played by Hugh Grant), and he is trying to get past her giant bloomers. "Modesty went right out the window," says Zellweger. "I mean, at one point the camera is right up my skirt and the whole crew is looking at my big pants." "He improvises all the time," she adds of her co-star. "In that scene, he was adding lines and making me laugh. I felt so big in that dress, and the poor man had to carry me across the room about 20 times. I'm sure he's still seeing a chiropractor to this day." Most surprising of all is that her accent turns out to be flawless. "I just wanted to get it right," she says. "The book meant such a lot to so many women that I didn't want to be the one to bodge it up." ~~~~~ Only one mention of Colin: Zellweger is now officially a singleton, and says she finds British men funny and charming. Mind you, that is probably because, apart from Grant, the only other one she really got to know was Colin Firth, who plays Mark Darcy. Her enthusiasm for all things British extends beyond men. As we finish talking, Geri Halliwell walks into the lobby of the hotel and, in the way famous people do when they have never met before, they kiss as if they were twins separated at birth. It turns out Halliwell has written a song for the film's soundtrack. "Oh my God," Zellweger screams, after the former Spice Girl has made her way to another table. "I've just met Ginger Spice. Bloody hell." But apparently, the best thing about London was Marks & Spencer. "I got so big, and I bought this great pair of trousers in there. And their chicken sandwiches!" she exclaims breathlessly. Ren�e Zellweger is Bridget Jones after all. The film is going to be v.g.

From the "I knew it" department: The movie was directed by first-timer Sharon Maguire, who says her leading lady seemed completely devoid of Hollywood ego. "Ren�e was keen on showing us her cellulite and flab," she says. "She developed a flat-footed walk, her thighs grew so big." In the end, the waif got up to a curvy size 12 (but she had to resort to falsies for the part, as the "girls" refused to play ball). "I didn't look at my naked body in the shower, that's for sure." ~~~~~~~ Even with the way Playboy bunny costumes are constructed, knew it couldn't be real! ;-D

Just recieved my Entertainment Weekly today and there's a small picture of RZ in bunny ears. The article is about the varios production studios. It says BJD will be Miramax's high hope for this year. We could've told them that.

The Sunday Times article is an edited down version of the Marie Claire article...exactly the same same text, only shorter. One example.....MC had "CF, superbly cast as the aloof Mark Darcy", the Sunday Times has "CF, who plays MD". Signs of editorial bias?! :-) Will try to check out The obsever. The new HF/BJ "book" is more household hints/how to live your life sort of stuff. Extracts not riveting.

Very large interview in The Observer, "A Bridget just far enough". by Gaby Wood. Not much about Colin but I like this bit "And in a twist of self-referential genius, Colin Firth plays Darcy, as an updated version of what we have come to see as himself - a Jane Austen hero, scripted once again by Andrew Davies" She also liked RZ's accent and the film.

Bethan, I noticed that omission in the Sunday Times, typical. One thing that surprises me in all these articles/interviews is that people seem to be surprised but pleased that Colin has been cast as the modern-day Darcy, to us it seemed the only possible casting.

Ooh! Have just been rereading the MSN.co.uk BJD NY premier competition gumph. "every single person who enters the competition will be entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to the UK premiere, including accommodation in a top London hotel. Now, if only I had some imagination ;-)

Ann, thought the Observer article was okay, but it's also typically Observer, rather "let's put it down, it we can". Too long (for me) to type, but the basic gist is "does the movie live up to the hype". Recounts all the negative rumours, and so-called set backs, and states how every new Brit film is met with a chorus of disapproval. Says that BJD was tested in, well, Reading and "now we can exclusively reveal that BJD is not a total embarrassment (British undertatement at its worst!!!!) Positives...Editor of "Empire" really liked it..."It's just really funny...I was surprised the guys I saw it with liked it so much". "Sight and Sound" ed also "was impressed...it was much more interesting than I thought it was going to be". RZ has a very posh Sloane-y accent and "impeccable comic timing". "It is a tribute to Sharon Maguire that the set of three films (4W , NH) seem seamless...you would never know that the film was by a first-time director". "Hardcore fans (of BJD) may not be so keen because a lot has been cut from the book" Richard Curtis hopes that the good stuff from the book is still there and they've fulfilled the brief of "what made BJD a phenomenon". There's a scene with Mark Darcy's family, and a scene in which BJ tells MD that he goes out of his way to make her feel a complete idiot. Enough for now. Must dash! Good that "Empire" likes it...needs positive endorsement from film mags and lads' mags to do well!

I take back what I said...the Brit press doesn't seem to be carving- up the accent.Thanks everybody for film reviews. (Karen)Even with the way Playboy bunny costumes are constructed, knew it couldn't be real! ;-D LOL. Don't try to sneak by 'ole eagle-eye- Karen' with your falsies;-)

*hee hee* That buxom ones does not get with a mere 15 pound weight gain.

The Observer article is online (no pics): A Bridget just far enough In our exclusive sneak preview of Bridget Jones - the movie, that is - we find the nation's favourite neurotic still wallowing in good old British self-loathing. All the more impressive for being played by Texan Renee Zellweger... Gaby Wood It is a truth universally acknowledged that nothing is more likely to strike fear and xenophobia into the heart of an English person than a national treasure being appropriated by an American. This can usually be avoided by ensuring that what we choose to call a national treasure is a figure so self-deprecating that Americans couldn't possibly want her. Sometimes, however, the plan goes astray. Enter Bridget Jones, the international bestseller. It is a truth universally avoided that nowhere is our curious mix of national pride and national shame more in evidence than in our film industry. We want to take Hollywood by storm, but we don't want Hollywood to take our jobs. We want to win all the Oscars, but every new British film is met with a domestic chorus of disapproval. Could all these fraught elements of the British psyche ever come together in a single project? Enter Bridget Jones, the movie, due out next month. The filmmakers were never in the position of simply making an adaptation of a mere book. From the very beginning, they were adapting a phenomenon. Screenwriter Richard Curtis says this actually made it easier: 'At least in Bridget Jones you kind of know what the big subject matter is. So it was convenient being able to say, "Well, have we fulfilled the brief of what made it a phenomenon?"' It also means, however, that fans were oversensitive from the start. Ever since 1998, when Working Title, the production company responsible for Four Weddings and Notting Hill, began their search for the Bridget of the silver screen, the media have been set to pounce. And when, after a full two years, they lighted not on Kate Winslet or Helena Bonham Carter or even the Australian Cate Blanchett or the flatteringly glamorous Cameron Diaz, but on... Renee Zellweger, the British newspapers had a field day. Zellweger is a Texan blonde, not a glamourpuss but a soft-centred, round-faced actress, best known at that time for her role as Tom Cruise's love interest in Jerry Maguire and, more recently, for her deadpan performances in the high-profile Hollywood comedies Me, Myself and Irene and Nurse Betty, for which she won a Golden Globe. Zellweger was a high school cheerleader who is said to have worked in a topless bar without taking her top off, and whose first acting job was an ad for Texan beef. She is, it would seem, as wholesome and un-Bridget-like as they come. In the words of a former school friend, 'You couldn't find anyone more American than Renee'. As it happens, Zellweger's mother is Norwegian and her father is Swiss. Nevertheless, as if criticism of the casting wasn't bad enough, rumours began to circulate early on about the quality of the film itself. The script was co-written by Helen Fielding (of original novel fame), Richard Curtis (of Four Weddings and Notting Hill fame) and Andrew Davies (of BBC costume drama fame, and Pride and Prejudice in particular). The film is directed by Sharon Maguire, of no fame at all. It is Maguire's debut feature; her ostensible qualification for the job is that - apart from directing TV documentaries - she, like Curtis, is a friend of Fielding's, and is acknowledged at the front of the novel. In fact, Shazza, a character in the novel itself, is a fictionalised version of Maguire. So, to all intents and purposes, she found herself turning her life and her friends into a movie, and casting Smack The Pony 's Sally Phillips as, broadly, herself. Inevitably the rumour mill began to turn: Zellweger was so bad Hugh Grant, her co-star, was threatening to drop out. Sets were being struck too early and had to be rebuilt. Scenes were re-written, re-cut, re-shot. Everything was way behind schedule. Whether or not any of this was true makes hardly any difference. Because it's just a symptom of what is always hoped: it is a matter of honour in England to prepare for the bitterest shame. If 'The Making of Bridget Jones's Diary' is ever filmed, it ought to be called Pride and Prejudice . The fact is that most films are subject to such complications. The rumours may have persisted, paradoxically, because the film is such a closely guarded secret. The PR firm in question has a stranglehold on it, and is letting few people see even an early or a shortened version. Sharon Maguire can be reached but not interviewed: she has been placed under a gagging order. The soundtrack, which features songs re-recorded by Geri Halliwell and Robbie Williams, is still being worked on. But a few intrepid adventurers, including The Observer, have succeeded in sneaking a preview. A leaked memo shows that the film has tested well in... Reading. And now we can exclusively reveal that Bridget Jones's Diary is not a total embarrassment! Zellweger has mastered the nasal sing-song of a self-defeating Sloane. Some may not have imagined Bridget to be quite this posh, and those who found Gwyneth Paltrow's accent in Emma, Sliding Doors or Shakespeare in Love jarring may think this one (trained by the same dialogue coach) unbearable. But, particularly in the voice-over, it does enhance the story's Jane Austen overtones, and Zellweger has impeccable comic timing. Her appalling speech as publicist to the inauspiciously titled book 'Kafka's Motorbike', and her stumbling reprise in front of Mark Darcy's family, will elicit a heartfelt cringe from the most stony-faced observers. Hugh Grant, her boss and 'fuckwit' lover Daniel Cleaver, plays a version of himself in which the familiar charm turns out to be entirely phoney. And in a twist of self-referential genius, Colin Firth plays Darcy, as an updated version of what we have come to see as himself - a Jane Austen hero, scripted once again by Andrew Davies. The film has been spoken of as part of a trilogy, with Four Weddings and Notting Hill as its predecessors. All three have been scripted at least in part by Richard Curtis, they share the same producers, they all star Hugh Grant, and all of them feature an American as their female lead. It is certainly a tribute to Sharon Maguire that the set of three appears so seamless - you would never know that this film was made by a first-time director. But, despite their obvious similarities, Bridget Jones is if anything an inversion of the others: the American actress, more of a focal point this time than Hugh Grant, has adopted an English accent; rather than being an exotic import, she is meant to be an unremitting home-grown loser; and Grant turns out to be a bastard - an effect which works precisely because we are used to thinking of him as the harmless hero. Nick James, editor of Sight and Sound, was impressed: 'It was much more interesting than I thought it was going to be, because no other country in the world would make a film about a woman who hates herself for being womanly in this way. I think the Helen Fielding/Richard Curtis crowd have changed self-deprecation into self-hatred. It used to be that the English gent abroad would always be self-deprecating, but there is a qualitative difference between that and self-hatred.' A turning point comes in the film when Bridget confronts Mark Darcy with the words: 'You seem to go out of your way to make me feel like a complete idiot every time I see you. And you really needn't bother. Because I already feel like an idiot most of the time anyway.' At another point she is jilted, with perfect irony, by Daniel Cleaver, when he explains his attraction to another woman: 'Lara... being American... well, it's something to do with confidence.' In fact, one of the central problems the filmmakers must have faced was how to portray self-loathing on screen. We are familiar with the Bridget Jones drill in print, but how do you deal with having to make her concrete? Is she really fat, for example, or does she just think of herself as fat? If she is not fat (as seems clear from the body weights given with each diary entry), then how can the way she feels about her body, an intangible self-doubt, be put across? Richard Curtis thinks that portraying a state of mind is 'the most interesting thing about adapting a book. It surprised us how much we had to portray her loneliness, and stuff like that. The book is her talking herself out of it, whereas in the film we found we had to show it at times, and that was quite interesting - it did change it, even though I hope that all the good stuff from the book is still there. I think that probably is the secret of adapting: how to stand outside a character who you've got to know from the inside.' Renee Zellweger chose to put on weight for the part. This in itself wouldn't necessarily reflect a state of mind, but a mishap unrelated to the film turned out to prove that she had somehow morphed into her character. While in England to rehearse her British accent before shooting started, she was subjected to a diet of omelettes, bacon, milkshakes, burgers, pizzas, Guinness, and lots of desserts. Eventually she put on a stone. Some months later, Harper's Bazaar wanted to feature Zellweger as their cover girl. They took some pictures, but when the editor saw the results she was horrified. Zellweger was pulled from the cover. The reason given was not that she was too fat, but that (in the manner of Bridget Jones) she 'looked uncomfortable' with her weight. Emma Cochrane, editor of Empire magazine, thought Zellweger just 'looked like a normal English person'. She too was pleasantly surprised by the film. 'It's just really funny,' she says, 'This film doesn't alienate the guys like the book did. In fact, I was surprised that the guys I saw it with liked it so much. But hardcore fans might not be so keen, because a lot has been cut from the book.' Cochrane has a good feeling about the film's prospects: 'It's being released in the same slot as Four Weddings and Notting Hill - the pre-blockbuster season - so they obviously have a lot of confidence in it, and there's every reason to suppose it will do well'. Zellweger, for her part, doesn't seem to have totally relinquished her Jones-like habits. When Hugh Grant got up on stage a few weeks ago to present her with a Golden Globe, the actress almost missed the occasion because she was in the ladies, trying to get some lipstick off her teeth. Bridget Jones's Diary opens on 13 April

I had just read the Observer review myself. Sounds good. Last night I also saw the first BJD posters in London. One's immediate reaction is that RZ is far too gorgeous to play the doubt-ridden BJ. She has an adorable face. But that's part of the point, I suppose - the fact that when one's self-confidence is down (chronically, in the case of BJ) it has little to do with one's external circumstances.

(Ben) One's immediate reaction is that RZ is far too gorgeous to play the doubt-ridden BJ. She has an adorable face. Have you read the book? Nowhere does it say that BJ is homely or worse. Nor is she 'portly' as the American TV said. It's all about self-image and a thin, pretty girl can have a poor self-image too. But as we said long ago, when RZ was chosen, she's perfect because she can emit that vulnerability we saw in the book. Gorgeous? No. Cute, yes. But that's fine, as a cute girl would naturally feel inferior to gorgeous types.

I have read the book, yes. I'd read the diary in the newspaper, and I read the book a couple of days after it came out. I liked it v. much. I suppose all I meant is that RZ is prettier than Helen Fielding. She (RZ) is a film star after all. And gorgeousness is in the eye of the beholder. This beholder thinks RZ is gorgeous!

Yes, you are entitled to think RZ gorgeous. Wait until you see *most* of her stuffed into that bunny outfit. ;-D

Is that the bit where she gets the fancy dress wrong? Can't wait. I was surprised about the bit of the review, by the way, that claimed most men didn't like the book. That's quite untrue, in my experience. All the men I know loved it. Mostly because it was funny. But also because it rang true. Men's insecurities aren't that different to women's.

Ben, stop! Stop before you say that men and women aren't that different at all... Every psychologist, psychotherapist and any damn psycho-something else has been working his b**ls/her t*ts off to convince the humanity that we come from different planets. Deny it and you'll deprive a sizable proportion of the world population the pleasure of passing large amounts of money around purely on the basis of how they perceive those differences.

God. Sorry. In that case I should warn you that I am planning to write a book called "Men are from Earth and so are women." Radical stuff.

God. Sorry. You're right. And you're forgiven... ;-) "Men are from Earth and so are women." You're still absolutely determined to destroy my illusions, aren't you!!! ;-D

Ooh, I like this -There's one shot where Bridge walks away from him and there's this gaze after her. Meryton Assembly you say? Yes, I like this very much indeed. Missed both snippets. Will try to do better next time.

LOL. Ben you are right....my -son-the-psychologist read the book (as well as the sequel [before he gave them to his mother for Christmas]), loved it. Agrees with you on men & women having similar insecurities. Looking forward to your book ;-)

Ahem!! Did the actual Times article have other pictures or the same shown at the website (Marie Claire cover and red PJs)? because the film is such a closely guarded secret. The PR firm in question has a stranglehold on it, and is letting few people see even an early or a shortened version. Makes me feel much better. Shouldn't take all those snubs personally. ;-D

UK tabloid The Daily Mirror reports today that, as the BJD film makers already try to secure actors for the sequel, Renee Z. refuses to agree.

UK tabloid The Daily Mirror reports today that, as the BJD film makers already try to secure actors for the sequel, Renee Z. refuses to agree. Is she holding out for more money? Or is she waiting to see how many millions in makes worldwide to also set points. She was Jim C. girlfriend, she must have have learnt something in that department. I can't imagine any other reason for refusing at this time. She agreed to be BJ when other British actresses were hoping for the part, now she better show good faith. (Karen), Shouldn't take all those snubs personally. ;-D Keep trying, Karen! ;-)

I assume Colin WILL sign, but I don't take it for granted. :-( Why would HG be back unless they have changed the story to leave it open-ended?

Here's the item from the Mirror. I'd bet all of it is made up. BRIDGET MOANS DIARY STAR SAYS NO TO A SEQUEL BRIDGET Jones has never been our sort of girl. She doesn't get out much, is a frump who moans about her weight and can't get a boyfriend ... so not our scene, dearie. Nor, it seems, has the fictional character endeared herself to Renee Zellweger, the unlikely American actress who plays the whinging English rose in the film based on the best-selling diaries. So much so that Renee, who appears opposite Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in the movie, does not want to repeat her role as chain-smoking, over-indulging and desperate Ms Jones. Bridget Jones's Diary is out next month and the 31-year-old is already refusing to sign for the sequel. The actress hated piling on (shock, horror!) a whole stone and smoking cigarettes for her role as the neurotic single woman and has told film bosses nothing can persuade her to repeat the role. Despite positive early feedback, Miramax boss Harvey Weinstein, who is distributing the movie, has ordered some scenes to be re-edited. "The producers, Working Title, are trying to sign up the sequel already even before Bridget Jones comes out," said an insider. "But Renee doesn't want to know. She hated having to stuff her face and didn't like living in London for eight months." During filming she would moan every day: " I'm so fat, I'm so fat." Renee said: "It gets dark really soon and it's cold. It was the no-exercise part that killed me."

I can't imagine any other reason for refusing at this time. I can: there's no script!! It's like buying something sight unseen. None of the principals would re-up without having seen a script. I'd bet all of it is made up. So do I. Early word on the film seems to be very good, and they don't know how else to fabricate a problem.

Despite positive early feedback, Miramax boss Harvey Weinstein, who is distributing the movie, has ordered some scenes to be re-edited. So if it's all made up, we don't have to worry about the Harvey cut, right?

Right. This one is in the can. They're alrady having press screenings.

(Me) If all he does is bring Mr. Darcy back in 21st century costume, I'll be very disappointed indeed. (Evelyn) But don't you think that's what HF had in mind? If not, they could have had any ole Brit bloke play MD. True, true; I've been arguing for years that the character of MD is nothing more than an updated FD *but* I was hoping for something more from CF than a complete reprise of his P&P2 performance. As a student of P&P2 ;-) I fully expect to see endless similarities, i.e., line delivery, looks, etc. (such as those already pointed out above). My point is, I hope CF adds something else to MD to make the role the same as FD, but different. Got it? I'm being as clear as mud ;-P As for the AH clip (which I also have on tape and must re-watch)--thought CF's face time was excellent but was miffed that his name wasn't mentioned in the voice-over as it was on ET. Would it have killed them to say 'in which Zellweger stars with CF and HG (or even HG and CF)'? Harumph. Movie looks v.v. excellent, though!

(Eileen)My point is, I hope CF adds something else to MD to make the role the same as FD, but different. Got it? I'm being as clear as mud ;-P No I understand what you mean....and I agree. We don't want character -clones. And actually, IMO sequels are seldom as good as the first one. Dilutes the original. I also like to hear him speak in the ET clip of BJD.

I'd say the Mirror is leading the charge for all press that weren't invited to that early screening (Empire, Sight & Sound, Observer). Mirror wants to trash the movie and has started anti-RZ backlash.

I see that the Film Unlimited site has picked it up, quoting from the Mirror--and then adding its own embellishments. They write she "apparently hated the part so much . . " and "apparently hated filming in London so much . . ." Apparent to whom? To anyone making it up as they go along? Does use of word "apparently" preclude a lawsuit, in manner of "allegedly" in mob stories?;-)

(Mari) Apparent to whom? To anyone making it up as they go along? Well, if they said it in the Mirror, then it *must* be true. *phooey* Shades of the 'HF didn't want RZ and wanted to play BJ herself' hoo-hah. Let's see how many more tabs/websites propagate this nonsense in the coming days.

OK...I don't take it back...maybe some of the press is going trash Renee after all. But they do that to Gwynnie too. Remember they said she was anti-British because she said she didn't like a dessert called"Treacle".

Decided to check the other tabloid and found this item: Geri Fame-ous HERE'S Geri Halliwell giving it some belly in the video for her new single It's Raining Men. She goes totally Eighties for the film, donning tracksuit bottoms, biker jacket and fingerless gloves, as my exclusive snap shows. The promo pays tribute to the era of yuppies and dodgy haircuts through clothes, clich�s and a storyline inspired by the popular Eighties TV show Fame. It even features a Leroy character plus an irritating troupe of actors dancing about on top of cars, echoing the series about a New York music and drama school. The song, released next month, is a remake of the Weather Girls' 1984 hit and features in the movie Bridget Jones' Diary, also out soon.

(Eileen)My point is, I hope CF adds something else to MD to make the role the same as FD, but different. Got it? It was always my impression that Mark D. had more self-confidence (except RE; whether Bridget really could like him) and a strong sardonic sense of humor, something FD hadn't managed to develop at that time. Also MD previously married and with a strong work ethic. Lots of points to differentiate the character, as no doubt ODB will.

Lucky girls! Ann, I do hope you plan to attend. And with your camera as you did for SIL. :-)

Go to it, Ann!

Thanks Ann. Where is the venue?

Hot off the wires... (note poor insertion of old item toward end) This is possibly response to tabloid items yesterday. Man-Hunting Bridget Jones Heads to Movies LONDON (Reuters) - Helen Fielding's best-selling novel about a dieting, smoking, man-hunting singleton hits the silver screen next month when "Bridget Jones's Diary" aims to captivate world audiences with a very British charm. Never mind that a Texan blonde gets to play the eponymous heroine -- the theme is British through and through. Hugh Grant plays the baddie, Colin Firth is the love interest and Bridget smokes and drinks for England. "No other country in the world could make a film about a woman who hates herself for being womanly in this way," said Nick James, editor of Sight and Sound film magazine. The movie of the international best seller which began life as a tongue-in-cheek newspaper column, opens on April 13. Behind the adaptation is the hit team who created "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill." Now Working Title, the production company, hopes the neurotic diaries of a single 30-something will provide its third low-budget British film hit. At the core of the book is Bridget Jones's die-hard attempt to get thin, smoke less, drink fewer alcoholic units and meet the man of her dreams. Hardly a modern tale, it nevertheless captured the public's imagination and became a must-read for a generation of modern career women seeking an old-fashioned happy ending. The Bridget Jones of Fielding's imagination opened each diary entry with a tally of how many cigarettes smoked, pounds lost or gained and drinks drunk. The quest was to get beautiful and find a man -- with plenty of navel gazing along the way. "How is it possible to put on four pounds overnight? Could flesh have somehow solidified, becoming denser and heavier (repulsive, horrifying notion)); alcohol units: two (excellent) cigarettes: 21 (poor but will give up totally tomorrow); number of correct lottery numbers: two (better, but nevertheless useless)" is just one typical entry. TEXAN ROSE? Yet it is an American, rather than a hip Londoner, who grabbed the lead and Fielding admitted to fierce jealousy that her screen character would have an affair with Grant, whom she describes as "hilariously wicked, sexy charming and delicious." Renee Zellweger, best known for playing Tom Cruise's romantic sidekick in "Jerry Maguire," is a corn-fed Texan with a moon face: a far cry from the English rose of Fielding's mind. Zellweger's mother is Norwegian and her father is Swiss, but critics will be listening hard to see if an American of European extraction has mastered the London accent. Her past credits include the comedies "Me Myself and Irene" and "Nurse Betty," which earned her a Golden Globe award. Fielding won't let Zellweger steal all the limelight. "I'm keen on the idea of turning up on set and in enormous sunglasses and a gold lame turban shrieking 'it should have been me!' and having to be led away and given a trinket," she told Sydney's Daily Telegraph. The script was written by Fielding, Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and Notting Hill) and Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice).

Now THIS is what I call a poster!!

Could have been a better image of Colin though, thanks Karen.

...and they say I'm picky! ;-D Anyway, Teletext picked up the other item. Liked use of "it's suggested." Shame they didn't say "who suggested it"...The Mirror Zellweger won't do Jones sequel Renee Zellweger is not interested in making the sequel to Bridget Jones's Diary, sources at Working Title claim. It's suggested she is reluctant to have to put two stone in weight on again and disliked living in London for eight months. A non-smoker, she also had to puff on herbal cigarettes which made her "smell like dung". Early previews of the movie are favourable with critics impressed by her Sloaney English accent.

"It's suggested" by the Daily Mirror. The "smell like dung" bit is straight out of Marie Claire. Feeble re-tread of a cobbled story. I reckon IF there's any truth in the Mirror's story, it could be proof of RZ backing the film. If it's a success, her worth for a sequel will shoot up. I'm sure she didn't love London and gaining weight and not exercising, etc, etc, but I guess she'd do the role again for its sheer artistic integrity - that and a (few) million dollars.

According to Annova, the soundtrack for BJD goes on release on the 16th March, which seems a little strange as some of the individual singles aren't released until the beginning of April, i.e. Gabrielle and Geri Halliwell's Raining Men.

Is it me or does Geri GingerSpice look like she's anorexic? I like that pic of MD, Ann (same as the one on cupid during that Valentine's Day promo). Hair: v.v.g., jawline: v.g., fit of shirt collar: v.v.g.! Also like that he appears to be peeking at the diary. Think this is the *official* poster? *hoping*

Hi all... (delurking on this board) stupid question, which I should know, but don't: when is this supposed to open up in theatres here in the US?

About the sequel, there was talk about the other WT hits (4Weddings and NH), but they've never chosen to pursue the sequel route with those (yeah, like they could get Julia to do another!). All hype, making it a huge hit before it even opens. I agree, Ann, it seems a bit early to release the soundtrack. I would think it would coincide with the release of the movie. Perhaps, they meant April 13 not March 13 as it is not listed at a couple of music sites I've checked. The item from Ananova: Bridget Jones soundtrack set to be a hit The soundtrack to the forthcoming film adaptation of Helen Fielding's bestseller Bridget Jones's Diary features exclusive tracks from top artists. The film is tipped to be one of the biggest international movie hits of the year. Tracks include new material from Robbie Williams, and Geri Halliwell's cover of The Weather Girls' 1980s hit, It's Raining Men. There are also contributions from Alisha's Attic, Shelby Lynne and Gabrielle. Bridget Jones's Diary premieres in the UK in April, while the soundtrack album is due for release on March 16 through Mercury.

Liz: check the Bucket for all the dates: http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/bjd.html and it's April 13th

The poster for Bridget Jones is now on the Tube in London. (has anyone reported this before?) It is the one with RZ sitting, legs out straight, with a ciggie in the ashtray to her side. Says something like "it's Monday and BJ wakes up in bed with a hangover and her boss". Sorry if that is not correct but have not time to go back to Green Park to check:-) Much better than tht creepy picture of CF - looks straight out of RV!!

tht creepy picture of CF - looks straight out of RV!! LOL! I thought it looked familiar... Btw, what are responses 85 to 88 supposed to mean exactly? I see nothing in 85 and I feel like an extra in a remake of The Emperor's New Clothes...

Allison, will you please email me, I have mislaid your address (re response 85).

Sorry I meant Echo.

Love the poster....Thanks boss. And sorry folks I like CF peaking around her diary,..cool.....maybe because I liked RV :-) See Eileen,a different perspective ...not like Mr. Darcy at all;-)

Allison, you're right about the RV pose! Still a clean looking poster and his presense for once is there. I hope they won't cut him out in the States, as tthey have done in the past and they could too unless he specifically had it written into his contract that he must also be included in the poster whenever HG is. That would have been a smart move.

(Moon) I hope they won't cut him out in the States, as tthey have done in the past I don't think he'll be cut out, as the advertising needs to emphasize there are TWO guys (Mr So So Right and Mr Fuckwit) interested in one girl. That's the campaign they should be waging. Mark Darcy's part is the mysterious stranger type as you can see in the bits of the trailer shown on Access Hollywood. The emphasis on Hugh but with Colin lurking about on the sidelines. Meant to bring this up before. In the articles, I liked how people had singled out scenes with Colin as being the most important (when he says he likes her as-is, or Bridget telling him that he makes her feel ridiculous). These are memorable scenes (serious concepts) that critics would focus on, rather than a drunken Hugh falling overboard whilst saying he's king of the world.

Mark Darcy's part is the mysterious stranger type as you can see in the bits of the trailer shown on Access Hollywood. OK, rub it in. You know I have not seen this. :-( Lucky you who can rewind to her heart's content.

Thanks for the poster, Karen. I think the "peekaboo" pose is very appropriate, but notice they used the CF and RZ pics from the website, yet substituted a more attractive photo for HG. No doubt he has approval on the publicity materials (they all may) and vetoed the one on the website, a more appropriate (but less attractive) peering-sideways look. I just wonder if CF has people looking out for his interests like that. I do love that he's on there, though! a corn-fed Texan LOL! They make her sound like a heifer.

Don't fret gals he is what he is. I guess he'll never change but thats why I like him.

(Evelyn) And sorry folks I like CF peaking around her diary,..cool.....maybe because I liked RV :-) See Eileen,a different perspective ...not like Mr. Darcy at all;-) Certainly not, the way you see it. ;-) I don't see 'gay' in this pose at all (no wrists flicking) and I also liked RV--loved seeing CF flouncing around, was ROTF. IMO showing CF in the Mr. D. aloof/smouldering/glowering mode on the poster would make him/his character look less appealing than this playful look. (Karen) The emphasis on Hugh but with Colin lurking about on the sidelines. Which is in keeping with the book, right? (Karen) I liked how people had singled out scenes with Colin as being the most important (when he says he likes her as-is, or Bridget telling him that he makes her feel ridiculous). These are memorable scenes (serious concepts) that critics would focus on, rather than a drunken Hugh falling overboard whilst saying he's king of the world. Good point!

Ooh, have had brilliant brainstorm for poster. Picture this: Small shot of BJ sitting on bed with diary open, superimposed on larger close-up of pensive Mark Darcy (head only). Perfect! Yet something about it seems familiar...

Suggest Bridget hold one stockinged leg up in air for nice central focus. Or else could have enigmatic Mark Darcy in shadowy doorway with Bridget sitting in lacy frou frou underwear or scary pants, whichever. ;-D

This isn't the same writer, but does this border on plagiarism? From reel.com: Zellweger Stars as Jones By Joan Tarshis Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding's hilarious, best-selling novel about a weight-watching, chain-smoking, man-chasing, gin-and-tonic drinking, pint-guzzling bachelorette makes its way to the big screen next month. Indeed. Renee Zellweger, best known for playing Tom Cruise's romantic interest in Jerry Maguire, stars as Jones. Mind you � despite that a blond from Texas is playing the eponymous heroine � the premise is terribly British. Hugh Grant plays the bad guy and Colin Firth is the love interest, while Bridget smokes and drinks and drinks and smokes in Jolly Ol' England. At the film's center are Bridget's desperate attempts to lose weight, smoke less, drink less, and meet her Prince Charming. The novel became a must for a generation of modern career women seeking an old-fashioned happy ending. In her diary, Bridget begins each entry with a total of how many pounds lost or gained, cigarettes smoked, and drinks drunk. The mission is to become beautiful and find a man. A typical entry reads, ``How is it possible to put on four pounds overnight? Could flesh have somehow solidified, becoming denser and heavier (repulsive, horrifying notion); alcohol units: two (excellent) cigarettes: 21 (poor but will give up totally tomorrow); number of correct lottery numbers: two (better, but nevertheless useless).'' What has surprised our friends across the pond is that an American actress, rather than a hip Brit, got the lead. Zellweger's past credits include the comedies Me, Myself & Irene and Nurse Betty, which earned her a Golden Globe award. Fielding has admitted to being fiercely jealous that her character gets to have an affair with Grant, whom she describes as "hilariously wicked, sexy, charming, and delicious." But, the author admits she won't let Zellweger steal all of Grant's attentions. "I'm keen on the idea of turning up on set in enormous sunglasses and a gold lam� turban shrieking 'it should have been me!' and having to be led away and given a trinket," she told Sydney's Daily Telegraph. The script was inked by Fielding, Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill), and Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice), and is being helmed by first-timer Sharon Maguire. Bridget Jones reunites co-writer Curtis with producers Tim Bevans and Eric Fellner, the successful team who brought us Four Weddings and Notting Hill. Now the trio hopes that the ramblings of a neurotic, single, 30-ish woman will give them hit number three. The movie, which was born as a tongue-in-cheek newspaper column, opens April 13.

(Karen) but does this border on plagiarism? Is there such a concept any more? It seems plagiarism went out the window when 'cut and paste' was invented. :-/

ATTN!! Full trailer is now available at the MSN site: http://entertainment.msn.com/bridget/default.asp Lots of Colin! You see when she first sees him at the party (he's wearing a dark turtleneck. He's specifically shown as Mr Wrong (in her mind) after the Mr Right intro. Then there's a darling bit, where he's at the door to somebody's apartment and calls Cleaver out. "OK, Cleaver, outside. [Cleaver: What?"] MD: Should I bring my dueling pistols or sword?"

Ooooh, and he throws a punch. Yippee! This is a 2:26 min trailer, as would be in the theatres.

And he says the lines about liking her just the way she is.

Oh Karen...the trailer is darling. I esp like the part that MD says: "To our Bridget, we love her...just as she is".Mr. Darcy's voice, for sure. Bridge's accent sounds good to me.She's got the Brit vowels down pat. Thank you Working Title....

Oh, bollocks, I can't view it! Apparently we have some security thingie here at work which prevents our PCs from downloading the viewing software. Don't they know people need a break at work? Honestly, this is something out of Dickens.;-) Tell us poor deprived souls more, please.

Ooh, v.v. cute indeed (note to self: begin each day by viewing trailer). *But* I think I see/hear a few things differently--it doesn't sound like MD's voice saying 'just as she is', though he definitely says 'To Bridget, whom we love' (could be my ears *klunking self on head*). Unfortunately, I'm sure it is DC, not MD who says 'should I bring my dueling pistols or my sword?'. :-( Oh, well, I still like the trailer. Agree with what the others say about RZ's accent but since I'm not British I'm hardly a judge. I like the what it does to her voice, though, which in JM sounded high pitched and little girlish.

It's what we saw on Access Hollywood and more. Starts out with the Still not married bit and how's your love life from everybody, with the "haven't had a sniff of a date for over 18 months" line. Then there's a shot at a party (could be literary bash), and v. possibly CF at center of shot at other end of room. Cue music: sounds like 1960s Frank Sinatra-y thing (or Gidget theme music) Car drives up to Snowshill and there's the Turkey Curry Buffet and Bridget being introduced to Mark (by mom). He looks v.good. Strange little incident with a taxi. Can't tell for sure whose voice that is saying "drive on. She's fine." Then there's that whole bit from TV we saw about starting a diary, making resolutions, not dating litany of bad guy types, holding up big pants, exercycling with Shaz, will develop inner poise (blender blowup)... Won't fantasize about boss (enter Hugh) and making date and rolling around on floor discussing enormous pants. Next we see Jim Broadbent as dad, asking her if she has a boyfriend, to which she replies "I have, father, and he's perfect." Voiceover about how she's finding herself caught between a man who's too good to be true (king of the world) and a man who is so wrong.... bunny outfit. Then we get the "I like you just the way you" are bit.... Music changes...oh, what is name of song. Every little thing she says and does... Cast intros: RZ (she's singing "Can't Live if Living is w/o you" v. drunkenly), THEN HG (a little dialogue about practicing french kissing with girls at school, Then CF (and dueling bit) -- shot of three girls and BJ saying "major dilemma" after punch thrown. Ends with answering phone. Sorry if it's so choppy. Had to keep pausing and writing and starting. Argh

One other thought: am surprised to see MD wearing sexy black turtleneck (*the* turtleneck!) instead of fugly diamond-patterned sweater in the turkey curry buffet scene. Guess they didn't want to overdo the nerd-dweeb thing. One can still hope for bumblebee socks, however. ;-)

Gaah! You're right, Hugh gets the pistols or sword line. *off to find Q tip* :-(

The song is from the Police *humming* 'every little thing she does is magic..' Just watched again (can't wait until these things are bigger than the smallest size post-it note). No longer think MD says 'to Bridget, whom we love'. Think someone else says the line *but* the camera shows smiling MD which is more important. Glad to see they have their priorities straight. ;-)

Grrrrrr. I cannot view it either. Probably due to hopeless internet peformance at this time in the UK. Am v frustrated gazing at blue MSN screen with nothing happening. Will have to get up v early tomorrow when I shall not be sharing my dial-up line with half of the southeast of England:-)

My wizzard line at work pipes it down so efficiently its like being in the cinema. Well, almost. A good two minutes. Now for the other 98.

The Police! Of course, I even own that one. *off to vacuum brain* Allison, try clicking on a lower connection type for viewing. If you have a 56K connection, try the 28K one. Was also v. surprised that Mark is not wearing hideously ugly sweater at the party. But glad is nice dark turtleneck. He should wear those more frequently, than basic black t-shirt we keep seeing.

Karen, thanks so much for posting the "full trailer" info. Rarely surf at work, but am so glad I "checked in". Brightened my day considerably! Will have to visit again at home, when, out of my "cubile" environment, I can crank up the volume. Have checked the Island Records web site, but they have no mention of the soundtrack. Wanted to pre-order from _somebody_.

(Eileen)I like the what it does to her voice, though, which in JM sounded high pitched and little girlish. Likewise in Nurse Betty.Renee should speak with a British accent all the time. V. flattering.I tell ya' it's those vowels.American accent has ugly vowels. Car drives up to Snowshill and there's the Turkey Curry Buffet and Bridget being introduced to Mark (by mom). He looks v.good. Doesn't mom say something like "You remember Bridget, she used to run around the lawn without any clothes on..." Bridget looking mortified. ..bunny outfit. Hilarious.Who hasn't appeared at a party dressed all wrong. Allison, it takes a little while to load esp. if your lines are busy. It would tell you if you didn't have the correct version of the video software. Good luck.

For some reason, the trailer works better for me from The Bucket than from the MSN website, LOL.I get interruptions (pauses) from the official website. Have to keep hitting the "Play" button.

HA! Have cracked code! Am overjoyed! Am bursting! Am drooling! Am probably also unemployed.;-) Love this. Superb trailer. Even if I had never heard of BJD or Colin (and oh, what an awful life that would be!;-), I'd go to see this. CF is . . . oh, my, my, my , my, my . . .When he says to her, "You see, I like you. A lot. Just the way you are." *Major meltdown.* And that shot at the end when they're raising a glass to Bridge at the dinner. . .*very* close to The Look. Mmmmm . . . .

Can't get the trailer but have just seen the video for Gabrielle's song & was surprised to see quite a bit of CF.

(Evelyn) For some reason, the trailer works better for me from The Bucket than from the MSN website, LOL.I get interruptions (pauses) from the official website. Am far from an expert on this but I think it has more to do with when you view the trailer vs. where you view it from. It was much clearer and flowed better for me this morning than just now. Sometimes it sticks on video while audio progresses so you think you're seeing everything. Must watch over and over! (Mari) *very* close to The Look. Absolutely. Very close without duplicating that which should never be duplicated, IMO ;-). How 'bout MD's expression when BJ's mom makes the intro? As Evelyn notes, Bridget looks mortified while Mark's expression is straight out of the Meryton assembly (and/or Netherfield Ball with Mr. Collins--take your pick).

Judy where did you see the video for Gabrielle's song and did they say when it would be released in the UK. I still think it is odd that the BJD soundtrack is being released on the 16th March before the individual singles, maybe it was a misprint by Annova but I am still going to check it out on the 16th March. I am so glad he looks and sounds so great, I am all anticipation. Thanks Karen for notifying us of the trailer and Allison I have been able to see it and I am in the South East also. Try what Karen suggested, it worked for me.

Ann it was shown on The Box a music channel on cable or satellite.It was new today & as yet there is no mention of the release date.There are some great shots of CF!

Oooh, I get The Box. Must check if same here. Which shots, Judy? The same as we've been discussing? That tears it! I'm definitely going to a mainstream movie complex this weekend. No esoteric Chinese films until I see that trailer up on a big screen, instead of postage size. Ann, that date has to be wrong. At the Gabrielle website, it says the single is coming on on April 2.

Nice trailer, from what I've been able to make out of it (too many pauses on this computer). Must run over to my good friend Pete-- who has forked over wads of cash to be be able to play feature-length films on his spiffy new computer.

Karen, someone at VV has seen the trailer at a Sony Cinema?

It doesn't look as if we are going to see Colin in his Barrister's Gown, does it? Oh well, mustn't complain, I love that grey polo neck!

I've just checked www.thebox.co.uk for the release date but the record isn't listed there yet.The first shot is head & shoulders & then it shows him in a reindeer jumper .(I wish someone had warned me about that -D)There's also one of him watching BJ with DC at a do.Another when he interrupts BJ & DC about to kiss.A few shots of the fight-crashing through a window,in a street high kicking DC & the punch.I'll have to watch the tape again as thats all I can remember.

Ann, the cinema chain isn't as important as which movie it precedes. I wish the person at VV had said. I do hope it isn't Chocolat (another Miramax release) as I don't care to see it again. ;-D A reindeer jumper? High-kicking DC? This is marvelous. Wonder if he learned to do that kick or was that the padded stunt double that Mark saw? *tingling* I cannot wait for this movie. Can't find The Box on my cable. Must've been dropped. Will tune in to MTV or similar.

Karen = I'm definitely going to a mainstream movie complex this weekend My thoughts exactly ! Thanks for the tip about lowering the connection speed, managed to see most of the trailer but it was very disjointed. Need to see a clearer view, oh how I need ;-) Love the Karaoke! A girl after my own heart. And mad 'inner poise' blender moment - d'you think we'll get the whole blue soup and marmalade episode?? Also thanks Judy for tip re the video..now must hog parents' cable! Meredith I've also been scouring the various sites to pre-order the soundtrack ..nothing doing at CD now or Amazon or HMV ;-( When is it to be released anyone?

Think I'll go watch the trailer at an internet place which has the very high-speed connections. Then the pic is bigger too and it really flows well. (Tracy) d'you think we'll get the whole blue soup and marmalade episode?? Fingers crossed, but I do expect we'll have to see foot in pot of mashed potatoes, as that is one of HF's most used anecdotes.

Meant to say thanks to everyone who filled us in on the trailer bits while I was plotzing over not being able to see it at first!:-) Good thing you thought to re-check the trailer, Karen; I figured it was just the same old, same old. Then there's a shot at a party (could be literary bash), and v. possibly CF at center of shot at other end of room. Yes, that's him. Looks like he's wearing a dress shirt and jacket, no tie. Strange little incident with a taxi. Can't tell for sure whose voice that is saying "drive on. She's fine." I think it's Tom in the back seat. Right before that, Shazz says something like, "mind your step," whereupon BJ falls down, drunk apparently. Voiceover about how she's finding herself caught between a man who's too good to be true (king of the world) and a man who is so wrong.... bunny outfit. Don't you love how one of the women says "I can't believe what some people find attractive," then they cut to Mark who manages, "um, er, (big gulp) yes." The look on his face--*he* is obviously finding the bunny very attractive!:-) Ends with answering phone. "Wanton sex goddess, here. Oh . . . dad!" How 'bout MD's expression when BJ's mom makes the intro? As Evelyn notes, Bridget looks mortified while Mark's expression is straight out of the Meryton assembly Her expression is pure Ehle, when the mortified Lizzie says, "Ma-ma, he willl hear you." I love that grey polo neck! Oh, me too! Do you think it's a different one than in the pic that went up on the website early on? Love the Karaoke! A girl after my own heart. So you've karried a bit of okie in your time, eh Tracy?;-) Moi aussi.:-) d'you think we'll get the whole blue soup and marmalade episode?? Ooo, I hope so--one of my faves. I think one of the early reviews at AICN mentioned the funny dinner scene, so it seems they've kept it. Tracy, most of the scenes you mention in the video are not in the trailer, but they sure sound like goodies! I want my MTV . . .:-) Agree that RZ's voice takes on a v. nice timbre with the English accent--deeper than usual. But how does the accent sound to our experts? I have to say, I'm v.v. pleased with the bits we've seen so far! Hurry April 13--so glad that so many of us will be able to see it at the same time--a too-rare treat!:-)

Just in and I must thank all of you for your comments and Karen for the clip. I only saw it once but I loved it and plan to see it again... ! Will have to watch MTV too. Mari, her accent sounds good. I only found fault in the way she says diary. What do the Brits say? I loved the line about the duel, too bad Colin doesn't say it. (Cue in the music, I am ready to dance!)

Many thanks for the lead to the trailer, Karen. This Brit gives an A for the accent. I know it sounds ridiculous but when we previously got the five-second trailer with HG investigating the big pants and RZ just saying "No ... no ..." it actually did sound too posh. One word, I know, BUT the most telling Received Pronunciation vowel. However, my hopes went back up when one of the articles said "...if you found Gwyneth Paltrow's accent in Sliding Doors jarring...watch out, it's the same accent coach." GP (as I have said before) was perfect in SD, and from this evidence RZ is pretty close. Great trailer, though it's all a bit of a giveaway about who's going to get the girl, no? (I am aware that we knew already!) But it's looking bad for me personally. That scene where HG growls in the car is MY scene, but I suspect the best I can now hope for is a freeze-frame one day with me telling friends "that guy behind him...there, in the suit...did you see it?...no, no head, just an arm...it's me...honestly"

Thanks to Karen's Bucket, I have now heard the trailer and seen it until BJ says the bit about not having had a sniff of a date for 6 months and then the picture stops! So I can pronounce on the accent. v.v.good. Not too posh and perfectly Home Counties. In fact she has a very familiar voice and I cannot quite think whose voice it is. Pity I have not been able to see Colin ...

Speaking of accents and for the benefit of us Yanks, are RZ and GP using a regional accent and where exactly in England would we find that? Is their accents different from how JE talked in P&P?

The MSN site seems to have been revamped this AM, with new cast photos, including one with the aforementioned "reindeer" sweater (cannot believe it!) as well as other very dishy photos. Oh yes, I suppose I should look at the other cast photos... Have always liked HG, but putting him beside CF there is NO comparison in talent, looks, etc. People (in the US) may go to see the film because of HG, but they'll stay because of CF! And of course RZ is the "it" girl at the moment, deservedly so.

Speaking of accents and for the benefit of us Yanks, are RZ and GP using a regional accent No, all their accents are more or less RP ie Received Pronounciation - aka Standard english. The idea is that it is non regional but it is more likely to be spoken in the south-east. Being the UK of course we could have a whole discussion on what one might be able to deduce from minute variations in inflection, vowel tone etc:-) I would have put GP's accent in SD as RP but spoken by someone from the southeast of England owing to some slight, flattening, estuarine tendencies in the vowels (that is estuarine as in Thames Estuary);-) GP's accent in SIL was much more the sort of RP spoken by someone who has been educated at one of the more select girls' boarding schools. RZ's accent is appropriately between the two. v v good, v v clever voice coaches. See what a minefield it all is.

Being the UK of course we could have a whole discussion on what one might be able to deduce from minute variations in inflection, vowel tone etc:-) (Allison) From the brief sample in the trailer, I found RZ's accent better than GP's in SIL. (Look at what a dab hand I've become with the acronyms! Eat your hearts out Firthettes.) GP's was a bit TOO nasal and Estuary-ish - it was the kind of Sloane cockney beloved of hip, insecure London day school gals....not unlike Lady DI's accent. (Now THERE'S a minefield for you.) Mark's right - RZ's first 'o'-vowel was very distinctive. Can you blame poor Reese Witherspoon for being nervous? As if it isn't enough to have to act well. It's easier in a film, of course, but still...

Wow Meredith! Yes, they've revamped and added things from the production notes as well. I do like the little post-it notes (something I thought of using too), especially the one on Colin's page: Mmmmm Ding Dong Maybe this Mum had got it right. Maybe this was the devastating hunk I'd been waiting my whole life to meet...maybe not. That's the same turtleneck from the trailer. We just can't see the reindeer design in the shot. Fascinating discussion on RZ accent, but what was that area of North London Colin had mentioned in an interview? "And it's actually a little bit confusing sometimes," he adds, "'cos there's a great incongruity when she tells you something about her childhood in Texas. She says something like 'Dad lassoing mustangs and taking me to the rodeo.' And you think, 'What, in Croydon?'" Must have been joking. ;-D

On the Events selection, it mentions the blue soup. :-)

Also on the Events section in very small letters it mentions that the soundtrack will be available 3rd April - Island Records.

Thank you Allison, Mark and Ben for the Accent Address. ...all their accents are more or less RP ie Received Pronounciation - aka Standard english. Is that in contrast to what we call BBC English like in P&P? ..estuarine tendencies in the vowels (that is estuarine as in Thames Estuary);-) , ["estuarine vowels"...now how about that for impressing the folks around the water cooler, Mari;-) ]This accent thing could have killed the film in UK....so glad it "passes the mustard'. Eileen, do you see in your crystal ball more British films in the future for RZ?

Oh that reindeer sweater....too much...enough to say it won't replace the "wet shirt":-D Karen, I don't think those are posties...look more like polaroid shots to me. Allison, I find when the trailer stops, if you hit "Pause" , then hit "Play" it continues.I sorta play around with all those buttons.

Sure there are yellow post-it notes (with messages on them) plus the Polaroids. Thought I'd post these:

That second one is the suit he wore for the fight. Comments on the collar? ;-D

Looks like his barrister's collar! (she says hopefully.)

Thanks, Meredith, for the tip about the revamped site. Things are hotting up even further, as they say. (Karen) That's the same turtleneck from the trailer. We just can't see the reindeer design in the shot AhhhHA! Fugly diamond-patterned sweater has been replaced by kooky reindeer sweater--sexy turtle/polo neck from back, nerdy in front. Glad they kept to the spirit of the book here. (Mari) I think it's Tom in the back seat. Right before that, Shazz says something like, "mind your step," whereupon BJ falls down, drunk I think you've got it. (Tracy) d'you think we'll get the whole blue soup and marmalade episode?? (Mari) Ooo, I hope so--one of my faves. I think one of the early reviews at AICN mentioned the funny dinner scene, so it seems they've kept it. It has to be the scene from the trailer with the line 'To Bridget, whom we love, just the way she is'. BTW, any other opinions as to who says that line? It doesn't sound like CF to me. (Mark) Great trailer, though it's all a bit of a giveaway about who's going to get the girl, no? (I am aware that we knew already!) Usually I have the same complaint about trailers but with BJD, one can rationalize that the same kabillion people who read the book (thereby being aware of the ending) are the target audience for the movie. (Evelyn) Eileen, do you see in your crystal ball more British films in the future for RZ? Ummm, action in ball tends to stop-go and is only postage stamp size (must upgrade ball with faster modem--wonder if they're sold at gypsy store?) but I think I see something about the word 'edge'. Hmmm. All v.v. confusing ;-)

Is that in contrast to what we call BBC English like in P&P? All the same: standard, BBC, RP, Queen's english (latter little used now on grounds that queen no longer sounds like anybody else still alive). BTW I agree with Ann, that is his barrister's collar .... too...arghh... I am all overcome just thinking about it. Unfortunately (?) am off to Nepal of all places next week for a quick trip. That must be one of the few places on this planet which will never receive BJD so will be deprived of the delicious anticipation. Will be back in time for the opening here though.

(Ann) Looks like his barrister's collar! (she says hopefully.) To each his own, as my mother used to say ;-) Have been thinking about the storyline. We already know there's no Julio. It appears to me that the characters of Julio and DC have been merged, i.e., Mark rescues BJ from DC instead of rescuing Mama Jones from Julio. Don't think we'll see any blonde giantesses on the roof of DC's flat. The fight scene must be the climax, replacing the one from the book where Mark chases Julio through the bushes and gets all sweaty (BJ: 'let me tell you, it was damn sexy'). AAA's if this has already been figured out while I was in hibernation. Thanks for the pics, Karen! They look sharper here than at the MSN site. 8-D

Evelyn!! There you were, with the water-cooler crowd at your feet, and then.... "it passes the mustard". ....and they all amble off, shaking their heads. It cuts the mustard, or it passes muster. :-) God knows where these expressions come from (is the second something to do with the army?). I certainly don't see why passing the mustard should be any worse than cutting it. But there you are. p.s. It v. much looks like a barrister's collar.

Just filling in some blanks in case you missed them... Mark rescues BJ from DC instead of rescuing Mama Jones from Julio There is a Julian, a presenter from the Home Shopping Channel, but know little else regarding his relationship to plot. Don't think we'll see any blonde giantesses on the roof of DC's flat. She won't be blonde as the actress is a brunette (Lisa B???) but no reason to believe that Bridget doesn't discover them together after the Tarts & Vicars party. The fight scene must be the climax I don't think so. Did you read those *spoiler* bits from Mr Beaks?

(Karen) I don't think so. Did you read those *spoiler* bits from Mr Beaks? I did, but I can hardly recall the details (too many other things rolling around up there these days). I did know there was a Julian, but wasn't a conclusion reached that the character was nowhere near as significant as Julio was in the book? I recall Beaks didn't care for the ending...and didn't we read somewhere about speculation that the ending had been changed? Gaah, can't keep it all straight anymore. No matter. AAA's for being off-base about the story.

No need for AAAs, as some people didn't want to read the additional nonposted spoiler details from Mr Beaks about the ending. Couldn't remember if you had or not. But then again, it could've changed again. BTW, I really don't know the significance of the Julian character other than he would be someone Pam takes up with. (no scolding, Ben, on ending with a preposition as I could fix but don't care to) ;-D

April 13th is only 5 weeks from today...Karen, do ya want to start a countdown? *heheheheheheh* ;-)

More publicity for BJD - in the Times, today Section 2 a really funny article "Bridget's singular style - Where to get the Bridget Look etc. Apparently more than 20 designers furnished RZ's wardrobe.. I will check if it is online. Also Aishling tells me that HF was on GMTV this morning, afraid I missed it but Aishling has recorded it and will no doubt tell us more.

Well, it had better end just the way the book did, with MD giving BJ "pardon for"!

The Times article is online but it is a very long address, can you help Karen, it is in the Style & Fashion section, go to the Index. Picture of RZ in her red pyjamas and Annova have just announced the new BJD Official Website.

The accent is spot-on! Can't be faulted. Which will no doubt disappoint some of our less charitable reviewers! Reminds me of Kate Winslet/Caroline Quentin. The reindeer sweater must be a variation on the diamond patterned yellow/blue sweater of Turkey Curry Buffet fame. And that's definitely a barrister's outfit! Very sexy!

Sure thing, Ann, here's the article at The Times (no pics online). Note ending: Bridget's singular style BY TIM TEEMAN The unsorted urban chick is set to become chic with the movie release of Bridget Jones�s Diary For those inconsolable following the end of Sex and the City�s second series on Wednesday night, the imminent movie release of Bridget Jones�s Diary has a harsh message for wannabe Park Avenue princesses. OK, obsess about your weight, but accept the truth of being a size 12. Get drunk and bitter unattractively. Blousier is better. Somehow, Bridget Jones has become a style icon. In her eponymous first diaries, published in 1996, she was a crazy, endearing, middle-class girl who had enough trouble finding knickers in the morning. She had shoe and killer black dress fascinations, but that was it. Now, with the release of her movie, she is a demographic: Young, Urban, Distressed. More than 20 designers furnished Ren� Zellweger�s wardrobe in the title role. Her mussed-up bob is as ubiquitous as a Rachel from Friends. She looks inquiring, troubled, playful. But she overeats, substance-abuses, swears, (which separates her from Ally McBeal). She is the boho girl who gets on at Ladbroke Grove Tube, reading Pride and Prejudice while listening to Coldplay. Hail the unsorted urban chick. �She is the urban single thirtysomething who balances two extremes � absolutely not caring and caring too much,� says Melanie Rickey, the fashion features editor of Nova. �She can veg out with chocolate on the sofa in girly pyjamas, moaning �No one will ever love me�, yet knows she can brush up quite well. She�s in her early 30s, unmarried, childless and panicking.� Zellweger�s dedication to the role is well known: she drank Guinness and ate cake and weight-gain powder to reach a size 12 � though has now lost all the weight to return to her usual size 6. Katy England, the style editor of Dazed & Confused, says Bridget�s look will prove popular. �It�s great because we�re all a little tired of being a certain weight, having a certain look. Bridget is liberated from all that tiresomeness. I only hope the film doesn�t put the buckets of suffering she goes through down to her weight." Rachael Fleming, the film�s costumier, has already received requests for one of Bridget�s key outfits: a pair of red,penguin-patterned pyjamas purchased � shock � in an Oxfam store in East London. �This is girl next door gets it wrong,� says Fleming. �It�s a look that is going to be hugely popular with loads of female urban professionals. Bridget wants to be sexy in a city where most single men are either gay or assholes. Her clothes are either concealing or, if she goes for it, flamboyant � like a distinctive Vivienne Westwood number for a publishing party.� Zellweger�s beautiful choppy �do� has become Bridget�s �bedhead�, set to be this spring�s messy hit. �It takes more work than you would think,� says colourist Jo Hansford. �People are already emulating it. Denise van Outen and Caprice tried their own variations at the Brits. Rough-dry your hair, leaving bits damp. Do a zig-zag parting. Add dulling wax. Let it dry. Let the roots grow through. That�s Bridget Jones hair.� Like any W10-living PR professional, Bridget�s wardrobe veers towards the smart, styled boho-grungy. Her long, shredded-style black coat is by Helmut Lang, a favoured grey hooded top by Copperwheat Blundell. Who needs the tease of La Perla or fiddly kinkiness of Agent Provocateur with Bridget�s winning bedtime combo: a pair of pig pyjamas from Bella�s, an unselfconsciously retro underwear and nightwear shop in Islington, North London? Her regulation black day trousers and sober, smart separates are Joseph. A barrage of stretchy blue and brown knitted scarves are by Nicole Farhi. Zellweger�s least favourite outfit was a specially made bunny girl basque. Predictably, other pieces came from Jigsaw, French Connection, Warehouse, Hennes, Topshop and Marks & Spencer. �Young, urban, distressed sums it up,� says Fleming, who nevertheless reveals a happyish ending. The outfit Bridget wears in the denouement as she and ideal lover Mark Darcy finally connect is a simple, elegant, black knitted cowl-neck mid-calf dress by Karen Millen. Says Fleming: �The dress had to say �I�ve finally got it right�.� ~~~~~~~~~ Her regulation black day trousers and sober, smart separates are Joseph. A barrage of stretchy blue and brown knitted scarves are by Nicole Farhi. tut tut tut The book specifically mentioned these two as designers Bridget knew she should buy but couldn't afford.

In case you're been curious, this is Sharon Maguire: Pretty funny that she cast herself as a tall blonde. ;-D Now back to that reindeer pic (which I'll post again), aside from how youthful he looks (*a Mrs Stone moment*), which caption should I go with: Have you read any good books lately? or Maybe you should get something to eat (then he walks away)

Any thoughts on where they filmed this boating scene: I've put the other behind the scenes pics up on the Location page, but none are of Colin. :-(

ROTFLOL! That sweater *screams* of bargain basement, off-season sale! My mother would (god help her) would buy something like that in a heartbeat. Sequins would've made it even better (She's just come back from Mexico City with an assortment of ponchos for me and my brother). Love it.

Hotdog Magazine review, following screening - not very good only 2stars http://www.hotdogmagazine.com/reviews/cinema/bridget.shtml.

Toys for children: boy - Action Man, girl � Barbie doll. A generalisation, but for the most part it�s true. Without stretching the point any further, be warned that if you�re male, this film will make you either sleep, puke or kill. Some of you ladies might suffer similarly, although all of the females at my screening seemed to be having a right laugh. I�m not averse to girlie films, if they�re witty, funny, or entertaining in any way, shape or form, but this was a confusing experience which left me feeling like I was stuck at a particularly irritating and insipid hen-night. Ren�e Zellweger is admittedly very convincing, vaguely likeable and sporadically amusing. Hugh Grant is also good and rather than his trademark bumbling fop routine, he plays an arrogant bastard very well. Colin Firth makes the most out of an uninspiring character. But the performances can�t hide the fact that this is a painting by numbers fairy tale romantic comedy, with none of the wit, wry humour or belly laughs present in the book. Or so I'm told. In the interests of information you should know our reviewer consumed 84 calories, 6 units of alcohol, 4 nicorettes and thought about sex constantly during the screening. ~~~~~~~~~ Fairly ridiculous IMO even considering the source. Any Bridget responses, although I don't know if I'm going to bother putting this one up. ;-D

I'm *really* jumping the gun, but Amazon at least has the "e-mail me when the Video/DVD is available" option when you search for BJD movie. That's fairly recent. Of course, I signed up for notification. Still no soundtrack...

Mmmmm, just love the "here I go a-barristering" pic, so handsome. My cousin Guido has a pinstripe suit like that. From the Bada Bing label.;-) Karen, for the reindeer pic, how 'bout, "and if you ever saw him . . .you would even say it glows." Thanks for the opinions on the accent. Very glad to hear that it sounds authentic; otherwise, would have ruined credibility in UK. Mark, don't panic yet. I for one will ignore Huge Growl and instead focus exclusively on debonair passerby/RZ driver/bodyguard/bouncer.:-) Sharon McG looks a bit like Bjork. Ann, do you suppoose the readers of Hotdog Magazine mirror the demographics of Horse and Hound? LOL! Thanks for posting the review; sounds like this kid is more the Dude, Where's My Car type. Don't worry--I have more faith in Baz, Mr. Beaks, Empire, the Reading and NY test audiences, etc.

although all of the females at my screening seemed to be having a right laugh Exactly! Nuff said. Ren�e Zellweger is admittedly very convincing, vaguely likeable and sporadically amusing. Hugh Grant is also good and rather than his trademark bumbling fop routine, he plays an arrogant bastard very well. Colin Firth makes the most out of an uninspiring character. So the performances are okay...what's the problem? Although the guy obviously misses the point completely about Mark Darcy! One to be ignored (although I suspect that there will be others like it). This guy would snore through Pride and Prejudice, and would rate Dude Drive my Car as a 5 star experience!

Agree wholeheartedly about the accent v accurate. Mark - it's looking bad for me personally. That scene where HG growls in the car is MY scene I thought it sounded like your scene I suspect the best I can now hope for is a freeze-frame one day with me telling friends "that guy behind him...there, in the suit...did you see it?...no, no head, just an arm...it's me...honestly ...does this mean we'll have to cancel your first night party?? :-) Oooh just lurve those pics Karen. The boyish reindeer one has shades of Joe Prince d'ya think? Mari....yup I'm afraid I have been known to 'Okie'. It's not a pretty sight but it's a darn good laugh ..all together now 'Can't liiiiiive, if living is without yooooooooouu' ....and there we all were looking forward to your first night party

(Allison) ...am off to Nepal Take tummy medicine ...pleeeze. Or we'll never see you again;-) (Ben)"it passes the mustard". ....and they all amble off, shaking their heads. It cuts the mustard, or it passes muster. :-) God knows where these expressions come from (is the second something to do with the army?). I certainly don't see why passing the mustard should be any worse than cutting it. But there you are. Hey Ben...if you're gonna give a correction, I insist on the etymolgy of the phrase. None of this..."But there you are"..;-))) Karen) Any thoughts on where they filmed this boating scene: [Picture on response #173] Looks like Greenwich in the background.

(Mari) Sharon McG looks a bit like Bjork. I was about to say the same thing... Bjork + 10 years

Evelyn _ I don't think it's Greenwich, if you mean the Queens House (White House as I believe it hasn't got a dome. I'm thinking that it could be somewhere further west like Kew or Richmond (Kings Observatory?) - but then of course it could be somewhere else entirely outside London...I'm no help at all really am I? ;-)

. I'm thinking that it could be somewhere further west like Kew or Richmond (Kings Observatory?) Let's ask the resident expert... Ben...?

From the Independent: Radio highlights The Funniest Thing I Ever Heard (3.30pm R4 Mon) Every weekday afternoon, R4 is inviting listeners to phone in and select one of two stories in aid of Comic Relief. The first choices are John Sessions reading from WC Sellar and RJ Yeatman's 1066 and All That, and Josie Lawrence reciting an excerpt from Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding. ~~~~~~ that's 10:30 am Eastern. You can hear BBC Radio 4 online.

(Mari), Karen, for the reindeer pic, how 'bout, "and if you ever saw him . . .you would even say it glows." ROTFLOL! He's my favourite reindeer. ;-) Thank you all for such laughs. Are we getting in the mood??';-) Love the barrister collar. But you know I like men dressed formality.

(Mari), Karen, for the reindeer pic, how 'bout, "and if you ever saw him . . .you would even say it glows." (Moon) ROTFLOL! He's my favourite reindeer. ;-) Now that passes the mustard. :-)

(Moon) But you know I like men dressed formality. LOL! Do chains count? ;-) Agree with the general sentiment about that Hotdog (no doubt Freudian phallic symbol) Mag review. Last line says it all: reviewer consumed far too many calories, drank too many alcohol units and was too preoccupied with sex to get it. ;-) Know what you mean about the Bada Bing suit, Mari. My cousin Silvio has one also. (Mari) and if you ever saw him . . .you would even say it glows." *snort* Though I like the 'read any good books lately' line best, Karen. My sentiments will always lean toward the book.

I've always used lines from the book for the pictures, although I did make one exception for when RZ notices our v. talented and soon-to-be star across the street. Don't you worry, Mark, I'll be watching for your arm and not paying one iota of attention to the growler.

"Now that passes the mustard. ":-) LOL. Etymology of both in Odds and Ends #136 thanks to the Boss. Plus my response:-)))))

Mohammed Comes to the Mountain!!! A friend has just told me that Colin is going to be on the Today show on March 22. So that's when the BJD junket will take place and all will be in NY doing interviews and shows. Will have to scour the listings that week for the other shows (GMA, the View, Rosie, etc.) Doesn't Today broadcast with that window to the street?

(Moon) But you know I like men dressed formality. (Eileen),LOL! Do chains count? ;-) That was 2 years ago, and a very wild birthday party! LOL! I see you still remember it. ;-) Colin is going to be on the Today show on March 22. (Falling off chair), I will believe it when I see it! ;-))) I hope this is a show that my dish picks up.

Yes!!!! I'm going to the city (NYC)!!! Yes, the Today Show does have the window on the street, at Rockefeller Center! Thanks for the heads-up Karen!

Wondered if it could have been Chiswick House in the location shot as this has a dome and there is a lake in the grounds but rather think this might have a flat dome with no spire on top.

Karen, Thanks for the word on the Today Show. Will start taping daily soon, so as not to miss it! Wonder if Katie has ever watched P & P ... We're going to be in NYC on "premiere" weekend [Easter](seeing DFL among other things). Too late for the Today Show! To see CF, would make fool of self at Rockefeller Plaza in front of millions!

Huge Growl Grunt. :-)

Janet told me this article existed so I looked it up. More info on the soundtrack from USA Today on March 2: Bridget Jones's album When Bridget Jones makes the leap from page to screen next month, she'll be joined by a bevy of pop stars. The soundtrack for the film version of Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding's international best seller about a thirtysomething single woman with a decidedly wry perspective, will showcase other campy Brits and independent-minded women. All songs on the Island Records soundtrack -- due in stores April 3, 10 days before the movie's release -- are either originals or previously unreleased cover versions. Shelby Lynne, the winner of this year's Grammy for best new artist, will introduce a pair of new tunes, Dreamsome and The Killing Kind, the album's first single. A double dose of Robbie Williams will include Frank Sinatra's Have You Met Miss Jones?, while erstwhile Spice Girl Geri Halliwell will deliver the Weather Girls chestnut It's Raining Men. Other featured artists include Lucinda Williams, Tracy Bonham, Texas, Gabrielle and Island newcomer Rosey. The CD's multimedia bonus is an exclusive excerpt from the book's sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, as well as a "Bridget-O- Meter quiz" and interviews and discussions with Fielding.

Didn't I say it sounded like Frank Sinatra? ;-D

Colin is going to be on the Today show on March 22. He's finally smelling the mustard.......oops, coffee! :-)

Gabrielle's website has put up the music vid. They (real player and windows media) weren't working for me right now, but perhaps they will later. I've linked them from the music page. http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/bjdmusic.html

Have been watching the music video and the trailer on a cable connection. Mmmmmm much better. I think Eileen asked who says, "to Bridget, who we love." It is Tom. Can see perfectly lifting his glass in the toast. The music vid does have lots of Colin as Judy said, especially the fight scene: the karate kick, being tackled by HG and going *splash* through the plate glass window, and CF punching him. But the most incredible thing is it shows Bridget discovering DC's girlfriend in the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the tub with only a large book (or something) in front of her. Also, reindeer sweater is shown, as camera pans...

Can't wait to see the video. Thanks Karen. According to Gabrielle's schedule she is due to appear on GMTV on the 23rd March and she and the video will also be on Popworld Channel 4 Sunday 25th March. 9.30am.

I too can't wait to see the video. I tried both Real Player and WIndows Media versions but each missed differing bits out and weren't that clear - but did see reindeer so not all bad. Mari - I'm afraid I was BJ-ing it last night screeching 'It's Raining Men' at the top of my voice at a 21st birthday bash AND wearing big pants. If only there was an MD type lurking in the vol-au-vents the evening would have been complete ;-D Lastly - a reminder that Bridget Jones's Guide to Life goes on sale from tomorrow �2-50 (�2 to Comic Relief)

Happy belated birthday, Tracy! And, thanks for the talk show info.

Spoiler below? Thanks for the video links, Karen. Was lovely on my cable connection. I *assume* she's in bed with Daniel in that one scene? Poor, misguided BJ...

From what I could see, you assume correctly. :-( (Looking at my list, Tracy's bday is nowhere near now, but we one is coming up shortly.)

From Ananova: Harry and Bridget authors write for Comic Relief Student wizard Harry Potter and weight-obsessed Bridget Jones do not have much in common, but both are caught up in Comic Relief's red nose fever. Harry Potter's creator JK Rowling and Helen Fielding, who wrote the Bridget Jones diaries, have put pen to paper to produce short stories for the charity. The books are being sold for �2.50 each, with �2 profit going to charitable projects at home and abroad to coincide with Red Nose Day on March 16. Fielding's offering is Bridget Jones's Guide to Life, where the hapless Bridget offers top tips on how to give the perfect dinner party, handle all accounting and, of course, never put on a pound in weight. After the success of her two Bridget Jones diaries, Fielding was keen to help Comic Relief. She says: "I was honoured. I have been more than lucky with Bridget and was more than pleased to help." The books will be sold in supermarkets and bookshops across the country, with publishers, printers, type-setters and retailers all offering their services for free or at a discount.

My first reaction was that it was Marble Hill House, in Twickenham. (You can see the front of it here: http://www.guidetorichmond.co.uk/marblehill.html, and one of the rooms here: http://www.leisurehunt.com/info/mahihs.htm). But I'm by no means sure. Chiswick House is not so close to the river, and has the famous Octagon, not visible here. Other nice houses on the river in west London are Syon House and Ham House, but it's certainly neither of those.

p.s. I grew up in Richmond, within a stone's throw (well - a mile, anyway) of Marble Hill House, so I will do a bit of sleuthing on my next riverside walk. If I wasn't such a luddite I'd take a picture and somehow get it on this site. But since I have neither camera nor scanner, I can't. p.p.s. Can one of you tell me quite WHY CF in his coutroom get-up is even more attractive than usual, if such a thing were possible? Is it merely the effect of a uniform? Or is it more nuanced than that? In the interests of research, please picture the Firth in the following uniforms and then rank them as best you can: 1. Private soldier 2. Officer (Major, say) 3. Officer in Guards regiment (Blues and Royals, say) 4. Police constable 5. Fireman 6. Ambulanceman 7. Merchant Sea captain (white jersey with anchor, blue cap, pipe) 8. RN (Royal Navy) sailor (bell-bottoms, plain white shirt with blue collar) 9. RN officer 10. Lollipop man 11. Milkman 12. Fighter pilot 13. Commerical airline pilot 14. Scout leader 15. Huntsman 16. Village people (leather + chains) 17. Anything else.

17. Anything else. Garbage Man

The trailer shown on GMTV was BJ at the Fire Station sliding down the pole. Very funny. Neil Pearson is Peter Finch, Editor of the tv show.

Thanks for the offer to go sleuthing, Ben. But we have no evidence that the house in question is in Richmond or its environs. That may be a river or a small lake. It could be anywhere. (Ben) Can one of you tell me quite WHY CF in his coutroom get-up is even more attractive than usual, if such a thing were possible? The serious look and absence of ill-fitting collar. The pinstripe of that suit is a bit too pronounced (or badda bing) for my taste, but I won't complain too much. Is it merely the effect of a uniform? No, I'd take him out of uniform as well. ;-D

So one should add 18. Birthday suit

(Karen) Didn't I say it sounded like Frank Sinatra? ;-D Yep! (Karen) I think Eileen asked who says, "to Bridget, who we love." It is Tom. Can see perfectly lifting his glass in the toast. Yes it was me. Thanks. I thought it was Tom (after the umpteenth viewing).

Grr, windows media is not showing me the Gabrielle vid, though I can hear the music (v.v. nice). Has this happened to anyone else?

I had better (although not great) results with the Real Player option on my pathetic (noncable-connected) PC here at home. Didn't get the whole thing, but a couple of times it stopped on a Colin shot.

Here's the word from Miramax: the New York premiere for BJD will be on Monday, April 2. No other details available right now.

And WOT was the matter with Sunday night? Gaaah!!! What will it cost to change my ticket? This is not fair. Not fair, I say. Thanks, Mari, for prying the info out of Miraclejaws. ;-D

WOT, I don't beleive it, so near yet so far. thanks Mari.

And a little silly story about RZ and Bridget: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4150337,00.html

Wheee! It took a few tries, but Gabrielle video worked this time. Woohoo! Love the lovely Mark Darcy shots. Love the reindeer. Will have them rolling in the aisles.

I received an email from a person who has seen the Comic Relief book, as she works in a book shop. Said it is very good, too short and with an excellent glossary.

Not having much luck with the Gabrielle video. Media Player just gives sound and not video - just the Microsoft MP logo! When I click on Real Player, something called AOL media player is loaded, not Real Player. Does anyone else using AOL have this problem?

Karen, You must change your return! I will be in LA, I thought they would have the US premiere there, where the author lives! NOT FAIR! You must go Karen! No ifs or buts about it! :-D

Moon - thanks for the birthday wishes but as Karen says it's not actually for ages yet. ODBs comes before mine! Ben - 11. Milkman ROTFL 10. Lollipop Man ROTFLMAO Re Marie Claire BJ feature. Someone may have posted this before if so - sorry *must pay attention* But - there is a premium rate phone number to ring to be entered into a draw for tickets to the premiere or one of the first night screenings around the UK (London, Glasgow and Leeds). Call 0906 6166266 by 4th April call costs around 80p

Ooohh News Flash!! have just checked out CD Now and they've got the soundtrack on pre-order http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1644115305/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=BRIDGET+JONES%27+DIARY/itemid=1356847 No details of the tracks ;-(

Well Karen, depending on what airline?? $75 to $100 to change ticket..... You have to go and take pics!!! I'll even send you digital camera (hoping Bill won't notice I took camera again...)

I'll take him in or out of uniform, Ben. Thank you.

Moon, the La La Land premiere is probably later that week. That's what Miramax usually does for major releases, NY then LA. Tracy, thanks for the ordering info for the CD. And I'm glad to hear it's still raining men in your neck of the woods.;-) I think I had better stick to the torch songs . . .Can't liiiiiive, can't liive any moooooooooore . . .. OOF, have just woken up every dog in neighborhood.:-)

Moon, the La La Land premiere is probably later that week. That's what Miramax usually does for major releases, NY then LA. Mari, please let me know when your friends at Marimax (;-) give you the date. Karen, you can always come to LA and do it together. :-D)))))))

Moon! Email me! We must get together when you're in town! Karen-- I'm guessing the change may be $75 (on United Airlines). American, I think, charges $100 for changes. I have a feeling the BJD LA premiere will be in Westwood, Moon. This is good news, as I can walk easily down from campus to camp out, etc.

(Moon) please let me know when your friends at Marimax (;-) give you the date. PFFFT! Moon, I was lucky they didn't call Security on me like last time.;-) She's ba--aack.;-) Was able to watch the Gabrielle video. Nice to see fresh shots of MD.:-) Is that him doing the karate kick? That scene is dark and I couldn't be sure. Must have been part of Cornell's training!

LOL, Mari! But we must have the LA date! I have a feeling the BJD LA premiere will be in Westwood, Moon. Westwood would be great. I much prefer it to the G Chinese Theatre. I will e-mail you Winter.

Anybody want to crash a conference in Santa Barbara? ;-D From the Financial Times (3/13): The Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara boasts fresh ocean air and breathtaking views. Hopefully, those organic features will combine to produce enough oxygen to support all the hot air at this week's Talk Innovators and Navigators conference, a star-studded confab organised by an unlikely team: Talk magazine and UBS PaineWebber. The fun kicks off tonight with opening remarks from "Queen of Talk" Tina Brown and PaineWebber chairman Don Marron. But the evening's main attraction will surely be a conversation between General Electric chief Jack Welch and New York mayor Rudy Giuliani on "How to run a Multi-Billion-Dollar Corporation". (Sadly for the mayor, some corporations pay better than others, as Welch's Dollars 16.7m pay package demonstrates.) The talking continues on Wednesday and Thursday, including sessions on "Is Greed Killing Culture?"; "Hollywood in the 21st Century: How do Innovators Survive?"; and "Intellectual Property: Innovation in a World of Unwritten Laws". There will also be a sneak preview of Bridget Jones's Diary, an upcoming Miramax film. It isn't the most obvious fare for the brokerage but PaineWebber says it decided to be there to scout out media deals.

I'm wondering if the BJD press junkets are taking place in NYC or in LA (or both?). Has anyone got info. on this? Re: Santa Barbara conference: The talking continues on Wednesday and Thursday, including sessions on "Is Greed Killing Culture?"; "Hollywood in the 21st Century: How do Innovators Survive?"; and "Intellectual Property: Innovation in a World of Unwritten Laws". This actually sounds interesting (I'm writing a paper right now on intellectual property in the arts industry). Wish I could go.

Pitiful response to my uniform question. I still haven't worked out why the coutroom clothes were so alluring. Masterful and dominant, perhaps. Regina vs. Firthette: "I put it to you, Firthette, that, on the day in question, you did unashamedly, and uncontrollably fancy me, counsel for the prosecution, without any forethought whatever. Your defence - that you simply enjoy coutrooms - is clearly a tissue of lies."

There's a Hughie article in this month's Elle magazine. Front cover announces "Hugh Grant in black leather". The mag is wrapped up in a heavy duty polythene shopping bag with handles, and sealed with sellotape, but I still managed to prise it open and sneak a peak (never say buy!) Major photospread of Hughie in black leather jacket open to the waist revealing hairless chest. "Sexy devil Hugh - Hugh Grant is BJ's lover, and he's bad and v.v.sexy.....tanned, well toned body". Y-e-ee-u-ch! There's lot's of text but as I was squinting through a one inch gap I couldn't read any more. Not sure what my reaction would be to CF in similar garb. Funnily enough, I think I think I'd be very disappointed in him. To answer your question Ben, a barrister's outfit..the high white collar, the well cut suit..is far more alluring than an exposed bare chest and black leather. It's the aloofness, intellectual superiority, the apparent unattainability (but with some hidden promise)...it's the difference between erotic and "sexy". So it's all happening in New York! Interviews and premieres. I wonder if CF will meet up with JE and Alan Cumming. BTW CF's sister, Kate/Katie , was acting in New York recently, appearing in off-off Broadway productions...Chekhov, Ibsen, and something called "Finally" by US playwright Steven Berber, for which she got good reviews.

BTW CF's sister, Kate/Katie , was acting in New York recently, appearing in off-off Broadway productions...Chekhov, Ibsen, and something called "Finally" by US playwright Steven Berber, for which she got good reviews. Now Bethan tell, how did you find that out? Do you have inside information? Ben, re the barrister garb. It must be what's inside the suit that matters. I get to see quite a lot of barristers in my line of work (no, I am not usually in the dock) and I must confess they usually leave me cold. I agree with Bethan about black leather. Don't you think HG and CF are getting a bit oldfor that?

oh that "old" did not come out right it should have been very small with a sign saying IMVHO;-)

Pitiful response . . . with the exception of Karen, of course. With regard to the water shot, I thought it had been narrowed down somewhat. Where's the scene in the book? Can you remind me when the film is coming out in England? Moon: Marimax A Freudian slip?

Sorry. Now I missed all the other explanations. My research is complete. I'm afraid leather jackets over bare chests say "Wham". They surely go together with screaming 13-yr olds and shuttlecocks in tennis shorts (an old Wham trick, apparently). And what's with the leather trousers these days? I went to a party on Saturday, and met an old friend, now nearer 40 than 30, sporting a pair. If I'd been a little soberer, I'd've refrained from telling him that he was as well suited to the the leather trews as most Jerry Springer guests are to spandex. But I wasn't and didn't. He claimed his wife wanted him to wear them, but I simply couldn't believe that. She is a sensible and discriminating woman. It's one thing to look like an ageing rocker if you ARE an ageing rocker. But if you're a museum curator, it's surely de trop.

including sessions on "Is Greed Killing Culture?"; It has already killed it. See youth today. Moon: Marimax (Ben),A Freudian slip? Moi? Never Freudian always Jungian. ;-) (Bethan), It's the aloofness, intellectual superiority, the apparent unattainability (but with some hidden promise)...it's the difference between erotic and "sexy". Tr�s sexy!

Bookstore contact says that the Bridget Comic Relief book is all rehashed material. But is rather inexpensive and almost all goes to charity.

(Ben) shuttlecocks in tennis shorts (an old Wham trick, apparently). Really? Well I'll be damned... (Bethan) So it's all happening in New York! Interviews and premieres. I was afraid of that.

Marimax... A Freudian slip? No, just a deliberate flattery! ;-D

Is Greed killing culture? Maybe, but not before it's killed waistlines. shuttlecocks in tennis shorts (an old Wham trick, apparently). Really? Well I'll be damned... (Winter) Winter, you have a touching faith, if that's the right phrase, in Wham's credentials. These people will do anything to sell records. Who knows, maybe the Firth wears a wig? Just think: if he was the Hollywood film star you all crave him to be, he would already have had his first facelift. He'd have been through a couple of marriages, a fair amount of drugs and years upon years of therapy. He probably wouldn't be able to call his glutei maximi his own. How on earth could you wish all that on the man?

if he was the Hollywood film star you all crave him to be All????????????? Watch your language, young man! Or your glutei maximi might receive severe punishment.

How on earth could you wish all that on the man? Ben, you mistake our meaning. We like him at reach. We just would like to see him a bit more often and in roles that appeal to our cultural side. Mark Darcy was a role written for him and which to his own admission, he debated taking. Does that make any sense to you?

(Ben)Winter, you have a touching faith, if that's the right phrase, in Wham's credentials. Dear Ben, how could I not? George Michael and Andrew Ridgley occupied a good deal of my adolescent musings! Shuttlecocks or not, they hold a sentimental place in my heart. (Who was it for you? Debbie Boone, no doubt). ;-P "Has 'Wham!" killed culture?"

I feel like an MI6 spymaster. Have sent out one of my operatives (the bookstore person) to take a closer look at the plastic-encased Elle magazine contents. She has no qualms about ripping it open in the course of doing her job. Will let you know if there are any relevant details.

Don't remember if anyone brought this up, but I finally got to reading my copy of Entertainment Weekly (Jessica Alba cover) and saw this: Special Advance Screening for Bridget Jones's Diary, for the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco & Washington, DC. To enter, go to http://www.ew.com/freescreening

Debbie Boone? I must confess I hadn't heard of her. But I looked her up on Amazon, and she isn't too hard on the eye. What's more, according to one of her Amazon reviewers, "Debby Boone is a much finer singer than critics have claimed". Now there's an endorsement! No. My musings, such as they were, were more centred round one Lindy Ambrose, a luscious cellist I used to play with. And a few other assorted musicians who would send me puce with the merest hint of a glance. Took another look at that photograph, and the boating scene in the trailer. Marble Hill House? What a load of b*llocks. Couldn't possibly be. Idiotic suggestion. Must be a lake; but don't know where.

OK, ticket will be changed today.

Does that make any sense to you? (Moon) Sorry, Moon. No offence meant. But, like the appearance of daffodils in spring (they've just started to come out here), a periodic flaring up of the CF career debate is part of the natural order of things :-)

Sorry, Moon. No offence meant. Ben! Amici come prima, no offence taken I assure you. Bravissima, Karen! Have a wonderful time, take lots of pictures, and don't ask him about TIOBE. We want you in the best of moods. ;-)))

Thanks for the info., Marianne!!! Are you going? JanaH, are you out there? Shall we make this another outing?

ROTFLOL, Ben. I was only teasing about Debbie Boone. (Karen)OK, ticket will be changed today. It'll be worth the change fee, I assure you.

winter: Of course ... even without tickets I'd show up.

Let me know if they give an LA date. I can't sign up from Miami because they don't have a screening set up here. How provincial! Don't they know we travel? ;-) I hate not knowing dates!

Arena magazine (British lad-mag) features Embeth Davidtz this month - "shortly to be playing an office harpy in BJD" - article* accompanied by tiny picture of ED standing next to CF at some formal function, CF wearing a ghastly red tie with white snowmen on. Natasha's taste, perhaps? (Apolgies if this picture - and tie - is old news) *Article is, of course, excuse to show huge photo of ED in stockings

If someone in the LA area called the Miramax office out there, I'm sure they could give you a date for the LA premiere (if there is to be one). Renee is the cover story in the new April issue of Premiere magazine: "Sex & The Singleton Girl--Renee Zellweger Carries On With Bridget Jones." Big spread inside, but no pics from the film. However, there is a 4-page advertisement for Diet Coke (they're giving away a trip to London in their "Visit Bridget Sweepstakes") that includes a new pic of Colin from the film, plus the turtleneck one we like. In the new pic, CF looks like he's in the same turtleneck and coat, and holding up what appears to be a diary (giving BJ a new one, as we're heard?) Or maybe it's a can of Coke.;-) ;-) Back to the article, Colin is quoted: "On set," says Colin Firth, who plays the straight arrow to Hugh Grant's rogue in the film's skewed love triangle, "Renee was absolutely indefatigable and in good humor, even through three weeks of night shoots. She was friendly and available to everyone on a scale I've never seen from a major actor. I kept thinking, 'What's the catch, when's it gonna change?'" Like the rest of the company, he rallied around her when the British gutter press indicted her as a "Texan comic" who had grabbed a role a homegrown actress (say, Kate Winslet or Helena Bonham Carter) might have had.

Wow, Karen. I think your picture must be next to the word obsession in the dictionary! You put us all to shame.

Oooh, have just heard "Out of Reach" on Radio 2 for the first time. It was on the Richard Allison Show and he mentioned that there was a Special Screening last night, also mentioned that it starred Colin Firth. Would not comment on the film said "I will say no more", or something like that, I would rather he had said something!!

(Mark) Embeth Davidtz this month - "shortly to be playing an office harpy in BJD" Office harpy? Does this top family barrister now work at one of Bridget's places of employ? tiny picture of ED standing next to CF at some formal function, CF wearing a ghastly red tie with white snowmen on. Natasha's taste, perhaps? Possibly near end of film (Christmas time), where Mark and Natasha's engagement is supposed to be announced and Bridget fesses up. Sheesh if Embeth is doing publicity for the film, then they (British press) are saving the best for last. Mmmmmmmm ;-D (Mari) CF looks like he's in the same turtleneck and coat, and holding up what appears to be a diary (giving BJ a new one, as we're heard?) Definitely end of film and are together...finally. Quite nice and eloquent words from our boy re: RZ. Never lets you down, does he. ;-) I think your picture must be next to the word obsession in the dictionary! Good gracious, no. NO. No.

Love the fact that ongoing BJD publicity continues to include ODB (formerly known as 'the invisible man'). Good, good, good. (Karen, aka 'the obsessive' ;-)) Quite nice and eloquent words from our boy re: RZ. Never lets you down, does he. ;-) No, he never does. Though one would never expect to hear anything negative said about a costar, CF does have an original and sincere way of expressing his opinion.

And imagine how his big brown eyes would look while he is being so sincere!

Yes, he is always a gentleman. To be fair, Hugh made some very nice comments also, but I didn't feel like typing them out.;-) HG is the cover boy of the April Biography mag; no leather though.;-) Talks about how it was a "blessed relief" to play the cad Cleaver and that people mistakenly think he's the endearing bumbler of previous roles, but that he's actually closer to Cleaver. It's a very flattering article.

From the Mirror: RACHEL FACES BEAUTY BAN STUNNING actress Rachel Weisz was turned down for the lead role in Bridget Jones's Diary. Her problem? She was too beautiful for the role, according to the film's director Sharon Maguire. Sharon tells Harpers & Queen: "She was very funny. And of course she was beautiful - too beautiful for the part in fact." That doesn't say much for Renee Zellweger who eventually did get the part, does it now?

Yes and no. RZ is what I'd call "cute" not beautiful, although we know Ben would call her gorgeous. Rachel Weisz...ummm...never really thought about her looks, but she is not and IMO cute was necessary. Bridgt couldn't be beautiful, stunning or gorgeous. And besides, what has Rachel Weisz done that was "funny"? Without makeup...maybe

I can't think of any comedy she's done either, unless you count The Mummy, but there was nothing comedic about her role. I think RZ looks more like a regular person (or can be made to look like one) than RW, and she has a very down to earth, very accessible screen persona which I've never sensed in RW. Plus, of course, she is an excellent comic actress. I think they chose well.:-) BTW, in the Premiere article they mention/confirm that the early word on the film is good. Interview was done right before she returned to London for the "looping" sessions.

Now they are taking snippets from magazine articles and creating news items with those. From Ananova: Renee Zellweger's boobs refused to grow for Bridget Jones Renee Zellweger piled on the pounds for her next film role, but could not get her boobs to grow. The actress stuffed herself with junk food to fill out for her part in Bridget Jones's Diary. But her breasts didn't follow suit, so she resorted to a pair of falsies. Zellweger had to transform herself into a curvy size 12 for the film. The 32-year-old Texan told Ananova: "The whole thing was weird. I have never had so much food in my refrigerator. I didn't go around staring at my body in the bathroom but I felt good. I felt quite sexy about the way I looked. "I'm back on my Los Angeles diet now. The funny thing is that I never needed to wear a bra because I was so boyish when I was younger." Zellweger spent eight months in the UK making the film, which is released next month. Voice coach Barbara Berkery - who assisted Gwyneth Paltrow on Sliding Doors and Shakespeare in Love - helped refine Zellweger's London accent.

From The Independent (16 March): Help! I'm the real-life Bridget Jones Life was pretty unremarkable: she took pictures and went to the pub with friends. Then a newspaper column changed everything. For Bridget Jones, nothing would ever be the same BY BRIDGET JONES Tuesday 13 March Weight - 9st 2lb (fat because of heavy weekend away drinking and smoking to excess), alcohol units 13 (four pints of lager and two gin and slims to cancel out the fat content of the lager), cigarettes - more than 10 (lost count after the first three pints), fat content 236g (very naughty). Wake up this morning feeling depressed - not only have I broken my holiday diet and started smoking cigarettes after giving them up for Lent, but also, to my horror, I realise the opening of Bridget Jones the movie is imminent. My name is Bridget Jones, and until 1995 I led an unremarkable life. Then, The Independent started printing a weekly column by the phoney Bridget Jones (as I like to call her now), and my life began to change... Back in the early days, Bridget Jones wasn't a household name. My friends and I would get together and read "her" column and laugh about "my" stress of everyday life - wondering what hand my alter ego would deal me next. But as Bridget's popularity grew, her column would be promoted with big headlines splashed across the front page. They would read "Bridget Jones has a bad hair day" - on a day when I was genuinely suffering from not only a bad hair day, but also lack of rational thought and civilised behaviour (a hangover). I became more than sensitive to the issue. "Bridget Jones gets fired" was a particular joke among my colleagues. Numerous photocopies of the headline appeared, strategically Sellotaped to my drawers, desk diary and even the office coffee machine. My favourite headline was "Bridget Jones gets a raise" - you can guess the state of my manager's office by 9.30am. Sadly, on that occasion, life did not imitate art. At first it was a bit of fun, but with her increasing notoriety, brought about with the publication of her diaries in book form in 1996, it started to become a bit of a pain. It got to the point that whenever anyone asked my name, the response would be: "No, really", followed by inane giggling. It was a nightmare. In the pre-Bridget Jones era, I had been a confident, outgoing kind of a girl; now, I was struggling to carry out even the most simple daily tasks. I wasn't being taken seriously, and making appointments over the phone was like signing a cheque "Mickey Mouse". Visits to the bank, hairdresser, dentist and doctor's surgery became more and more difficult. What could be worse than having your name read out in a crowded waiting-room? "Bridget Jones," the doctor announces. The waiting-room echoes with suppressed giggles. I hold my head up high and follow the doctor. "Is that your real name?" he asks. "Mm." "Sorry, you must get this all the time." "That's OK." "So, what's the problem... smoking too much, bingeing again, or is it Mr Darcy? Ha, ha." The scariest thing, though, is that we do have quite a few similarities. I'm not as obsessive as the phoney Jones, although I do weigh myself every day. My weight goes up and down - ideally I should be about 8st 13lb - but I occasionally go up to 10st. I don't count calories; I'm more interested in fat content. According to Rosemary Conley, you shouldn't eat anything that contains more than one gram of fat. Unfortunately, that rules out eating most normal food, and it becomes a tough choice between rhubarb stewed in diet lemonade and a mouthful of air. I usually start the day with good intentions, an apple and a cup of tea for breakfast, but by 11am I'm absolutely starving and desperately searching for a shop that sells bananas. Unfortunately, the best alternative the local newsagents can offer is a Mars bar; with 30 grams of fat, it means I shouldn't really eat for the next three days. Lunch has to be a Shapers skinny salad sandwich from Boots. But I've never been ashamed about eating, so after work I ring a friend and we get a Chinese takeaway. I've joined the gym more times than I can remember. I tend to think that paying the membership fee alone will get you fit. I've made a few attempts to go along with friends, but unfortunately there's a pub en route and we always seem to end up there instead. I guess I do drink and smoke a lot more than I should. I try to ration myself to 10 fags a day, but on a bad day, I can smoke my way through up to three packets. I've found the best policy is, once you get into double figures, just to stop counting. I always make sure I combine a heavy lager-drinking session with gin slims, as it eases my calorie conscience. I've been on a diet for the past three weeks, but this weekend my drinking spiralled out of control. It started on Thursday, and by Sunday the total alcohol count was about 40 units. And after a seven-day religious break from fags, I was determined to make up for lost time. One of my best friends has been happily married for five years. She's currently in the middle of her pregnancy and although she's not exactly smug, she makes everyone else feel insecure about why they aren't settling down and have kids, too. She's so happy. I'm not desperate to have a kid, but with only a year to go until I'm 30, it's definitely on my mind - although I don't want to give up my career as a photographer, and my friends would say I'm not grown-up enough to have children. I don't really fancy Colin Firth [Ed note: she lost me here; am no longer sympathetic], but I've got a bit of a Mr Darcy obsession about Jude Law: he's gorgeous and often the major topic after four pints of lager and a couple of gins. However, I do actually have a boyfriend; I've been with him for three years, and we do live together, which makes my life slightly less tortured than the other Bridget's. Just when I thought the Bridget Jones phenomenon was losing momentum and I was happily regaining my anonymity, Bridget Jones the movie looms. Once again my name will be plastered over billboards; there will probably be a soundtrack released on CD, T-shirts printed and possibly even a Bridget Jones doll. It's fine when you're feeling sociable, but when you're fed up and having a bad day, it's hard work. The only solution to this problem is one of Bridget Jones's ultimate ambitions: I shall get married. "Bridget Gower's Diary" just doesn't have the same ring.

(winter) Thanks for the info., Marianne!!! Are you going? JanaH, are you out there? Shall we make this another outing? Yes, I'm heeerrre!! Winter and Marianne, I think this definitely smells like an occasion for an outing of the So Cal contingent! Chardonnay and Milk Tray anyone?

Bad news Ladies, no UK Premiere tickets! Have had a lter from UIP today as follows; "The Premierel of BJD has been confirmed fo5r Wednesday 4th April, 2001 at the UCI Empire London, and will be attended by the cast. The Premiere will be held in aid of Charity, but unfortunately the limited number of tickets that were made available for sale have been purchased by companies associated with the film. As I am sure you can appreciate, with this being a British production, demand has been huge". So there we are no ticket, boo hoo. PLEASE NOTE DIFFERENT DATE TO WHAT WE HAD THOUGHT. May still go and watch from outside, if you remember the RV debacle, we would have seen more of Colin if we had been outside!! Oh hum, I am glad it is so popular though. I was offered an opening night performance on the 13th April, but won't take it up as I can see it in Brighton then.

sorry for the typos.

Bad luck Ann. Just two days after the NY premiere now.

So the publicity is LA now, NY premiere and London. Very disappointed for you, Ann. We would still love it if you could go and take pix as he enters. Isn't Rachel W. Sam Mendes's girlfriend?

That's too bad, Ann. Would seem that the cast could now return to the US to do TV promotion during the opening week now without the conflict of a London premiere. But I'm sure that's no consolation for you. :-(

Yes, Ann, do see if you can go just to stand outside. You're Drool's official UK premiere reporter, after all! Mari, are you calling your good friend Prince Charles to see if he's going? ;-D

Looks like media got to see BJD in London last night too. From Ananova: Bridget v.g. says preview audience Bridget Jones got the seal of approval at its preview at the Empire Leicester Square. And American actress Renee Zellweger, going British for the first time to play Helen Fielding's creation, was given the thumbs up. The �25 million movie, which also stars Hugh Grant and Colin Firth as the men in Bridget's life, is being released in the UK in April. Film writer Ivan Waterman says of Zellweger: "A lot of people had doubts about whether she could pull it off. She is brilliant. She is just a great comedic talent." Lawyer Tony Kennedy from South West London said: "It was a very funny movie and quite touching at times. They captured the essence of Fielding's work so those fans won't be disappointed." The film was co-written by Richrad Curtis, the creator of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill.

"A lot of people had doubts about whether she could pull it off. She is brilliant. She is just a great comedic talent." Yes, yes, YES! *giddy laughter from those of us who knew it all along* "It was a very funny movie and quite touching at times. They captured the essence of Fielding's work so those fans won't be disappointed." Wheee! Guess all those rosaries and novenas paid off ('please let it be good...please let it be good')!

Bummer about the UK premiere, Ann. But, as you said, you probably have a better chance at a photo op by waiting outside. This is what we're always reduced to here--rarely can the public get in to a premiere unless you know someone. are you calling your good friend Prince Charles to see if he's going? ;-D LOL, Eileen! I think he'll show up if he has a guarantee that I won't be there to mow him down.;-) The poor man. Nice to read the Ananova reaction--thanks, Karen. I especially liked the "it's quite touching" part. Good to hear that they've retained that sense and that it's not just laughs. I'm a bit puzzled by the timing of all these events. Why would Elliott go all the way to LA for his interview if CF will be back in NY this Thursday for Today? Unless the Today interview is taped ahead of time in LA--in which case it will be conducted by one of the lesser lights, instead of Katie or Matt. I did check Today's website; they now have up the guest lineup for the coming week and he's on there, alright. And why are the two premieres so close together--April 2 and 4? Unless Harvey or Universal send a jet, they won't get back to London until the morning of the 4th. Cutting it close, not to mention the jet lag. I guess one possibility is that they all seem to have filming commitments coming up very soon. CF has a bit of time until late April, but RZ's film with Michele Pfeiffer starts filming mid-April (and she does *not* play the daughter, I just read!) and Hugh mentions in the Biography interview having to get started on About A Boy in April so that they can finish before the strike deadline at the end of June. Moon, BTW, I was thinking re: the free screening tickets--just put down an LA zipcode--that's how they determine the city you're closest to.

A review from the Singletons of the World website: Last night saw the largest preview screening for Bridget Jones's Diary the movie in London and Singletons of the World Unite managed to sneak in with the crowd to catch the show. The verdict? Well I won't beat around the bush - the movie had a great reaction from the crowd with people clapping and cheering at the end. Everyone laughed at the right bits and the general consensus seemed to be that Working Title had another hit on their hands. Fans of the book may be concerned at certain key scenes which haven't made their way into the final version - but this is a two-hour film, so something had to give. The screen version is more romantic-comedy than situation-comedy, and the homage to Pride and Prejudice a lot more obvious. Some characters get lost along the way entirely - there's a lot less of Bridget's friends. Renee Zellweger British audiences will no doubt be dismayed at the Renee's wholesale butchery of the English accent, but Ms Zellweger more than makes up in screen charisma what she lacked in the speech department. The accent itself turned out to be part Dick Van Dyke, part Sloane Ranger - quite the oddest English accent to be heard since Joaquim Phoenix had a go in both Quills and Gladiator. Hugh Grant Bridget Jones marks a true departure for Hugh as he gets away from his 'Tim, nice but Dim' image with an absolute bastard character in Daniel Cleaver. True, he camps it up massively - but it's clear that he enjoyed the filming and the audience loved every scene he was in (with the possible exception of the first sex scene - we're not quite prepared, it seems, to see Hugh getting hot and sweaty). Colin Firth Can the man do no wrong? Yet again, Mr Firth turns in a sterling performance as the wronged Mark Darcy. Pernickety viewers may think that Colin merely reprises his role from TV's Pride and Prejudice - but in this humble reviewer's opinion, Colin Firth is bound for leading man stardom as a result of this role. The best bit? The way Tom reacts to an altercation between Daniel and Mark The worst bit? Shirley Henderson's depiction of Jude - a totally incomprehensible performance. Rating? A high 3 stars

Colin Firth - Can the man do no wrong? *snort* Catherine has not read our boards. Colin Firth is bound for leading man stardom as a result of this role. Cannot get over this woman's wholesale slaughtery of RZ's accent. *sheesh* Lighten up. It's just an accent.

We have been saying that haven't we? And to think that he debated signing on to do this role???? (Have I said that before???;-))))) The accent itself turned out to be part Dick Van Dyke, part Sloane Ranger ROTF! No one ever said that about Gwynnie. It must be that high squeaky pitch voice that RZ has that makes it hard to do POSH. I can't wait to see this film. (Mari),And why are the two premieres so close together--April 2 and 4? Unless Harvey or Universal send a jet, they won't get back to London until the morning of the 4th. Cutting it close, not to mention the jet lag. I agree! I only wish that April 2nd had been in LA. Might there be a possibility, as the screenings put force positive reviews, that they might change the dates? You don't want your actors with jetlag when they are to be photographed. The only positive thing to this is that I might run into them at the airport.

Good review for BJD at Shadows on the Wall - hope this works: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/rcline/shadows/htm

ET alert! New scenes to be shown on Entertainment Tonight!

Sorry that link above does not appear to be working, can you help Karen?

ET: v. short. Some new scenes (including the e-mail/skirt episode ), but NO Colin. RZ to be interviewed on Monday.

Thanks, Ann, here's the review. I got to it by selecting "previews" at http://shadows.wall.net/. I like the pic of CF there better than the one they're using on the poster. Three and a half stars out of four Fielding's mega-selling novel makes the leap to the big screen with the help of the talented team at Working Title, including the writer and star of both Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. And the result is another hugely entertaining Brit-com, filled with memorable characters and situations. Bridget (Zellweger) is a 30something Londoner who feels condemned to being a "singleton"--despite the valiant attempts of her mother (Jones) to set her up with former childhood playmate Mark Darcy (Firth, in a nifty bit of casting). Meanwhile, Bridget is developing a flirtation with her boss (Grant), while her loyal circle of friends (Henderson, Phillips, Callis) love her no matter what she does. There's nothing terribly original about the story--indeed, it's basically a 21st century reworking of Pride and Prejudice--but the character details make it great fun. As played by Zellweger, Jones is a pretty hopeless case, but we can't help but like her and root for her to find some happiness in her life ... somewhere! Her friends are drawn in broad stereotypes, but are still hilarious. And both Grant and Firth make the most of roles that subtly subvert their well-honed images. As the plot lunges toward it's predictable finale, there are all kinds of joys along the way--carefully observed comedy extremely well-written by Fielding, Davies (The Tailor of Panama and, erm, Pride and Prejudice) and Curtis (Four Weddings and Notting Hill), and adeptly directed by Maguire. No, it's not terribly demanding, and it's too busy setting up the happily-ever-after finale to even attempt a serious point about being single. But there are astute observations along the way, more than enough big laughs and, in Zellweger's ca able hands, a terrific look at a singleton on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Here's the picture: (Firth, in a nifty bit of casting). Huh? The part was written for him. Where do these people come from?

Missed ET tonight but evidently nothing new. Thanks for the heads-up re Monday's show. This link takes you right to the review: http://www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk/swbrijon.htm And both Grant and Firth make the most of roles that subtly subvert their well-honed images. What well-honed image is Colin subverting?

Sorry, have figured out answer to own question. Must be the image of Peter.

Ann, I received 'that letter' this morning booooooh! Will attempt to watch proceedings from outside - camera at the ready!

So Andrew Davies DID have input on the screenplay? He's listed everywhere, but I wondered, with Richard "I'm just a girl..." Curtis involved, if there is any trace of AD remaining. Not that I didn't love 4W and NH, but with ODB, am feeling maternal (NOT) and proprietary about the production, and of course, don't want it to be the Hugh Grant show.

Must be the image of Peter. LOL! So that's his well known image???

(Meredith) So Andrew Davies DID have input on the screenplay? From that one article I have posted about AD, it appeared that he only did a little work on it and wasn't sure he would even want screen credit. Said he was going to decide when he saw the final cut. BTW, they are listing him as screenwriter for the Tailor of Panama and I just read an article that Boorman tossed AD's script and LeCarre wrote it with Boorman; however, AD will get top credit because his was first.

Shame about the accent, if it's true. It does matter, I'm afraid, Karen - it's v. distracting. It's not a matter of principle: it's simply that it makes it a lot harder to suspend disbelief and enjoy the film. I think you'd find the same the other way around.

Just heard that the CD of the Week on Radio 2 next week is the soundtrack from BJD, also heard Out of Reach for the 3rd time on Radio 2. It will be good to hear some of the other tracks from the Soundtrack.

Sorry I made a mistake OOR is the "Single of the Week" and can be heard everyday on the Ken Bruce Show 9.30-12midday.

camera at the ready! Video, hopefully, Tracy?

Shame about the accent, if it's true. I doubt if it's true as no one else has dished out her "trying-to-be-cute-and-quoted" cheap shots. From what I've heard, she sounds decent enough and that is what matters. Regarding accents, we've beat that horse to death already.

From Rai, this one comes from femail.co.uk, which is the Daily Mail's site, and it gives us a good idea of the plotline. by Isobel Fox: Calling all Bridget Jones fans��she's back from the edge of reason and will be gracing a cinema screen near you soon. Based on the best-selling novel by Helen Fielding, the movie version of Bridget Jones' Diary is every bit as amusing as the literary one. It chronicles a year in the life of thirty-something singleton Bridget Jones, played by Texan Renee Zellweger, as she struggles with weight, work, men and her mother. Bridget gains 74 pounds (and loses 72), smokes more than 5,000 cigarettes and turns up at several parties where her married friends worry about her state as a single woman. That is until her charming boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) comes on the scene. Chiding her for wearing an obscenely short skirt to work, the pair embark on a relationship which after a heady start, spirals rapidly down hill when Bridget discovers he's been seeing someone from his publishing company's New York office. Refusing to let Cleaver get to her, Bridget decides on a drastic change of career, swapping publishing for TV news reporting. Her first bulletin from Lewisham fire station on Bonfire Night hilariously ends in disaster when he slides down the fireman's pole and lands on the cameraman, with the result that her bottom is broadcast live to the nation. Meanwhile second love interest Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) is lurking in the background. At first Bridget doesn't like Mark, in fact she can't stand him, mostly due to the fact he was rude to her at her mother's turkey curry buffet where he was wearing a hideous reindeer jumper. While at first the feeling is mutual, Darcy starts to evelop feelings for Bridget, which soon become clear on Bridget's birthday where her disastrous culinary skills means she ends up feeding her guests soup that's turned blue. But Darcy has competition � Cleaver also turns up at Bridget's flat after realising that he misses her and wants her back. Zellweger is perfect as Bridget. Having piled on the pounds for the role (and it shows) her natural breezy mad-cap style epitomises Bridget to a tee. Her English accent � perhaps slightly too upper-class � is convincing and doesn't slip once. Director Sharon Maguire made an excellent choice casting Colin Firth as the smouldering Mark Darcy, and a lean, long-haired Hugh Grant makes a surprisingly good anti-hero as Daniel Cleaver. Watch out for cameo appearances from Lord Archer and Salman Rushdie. Closely based on the events in the book, the film keeps up a level of humour throughout. There are certain points which are guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Like the time Bridget turns up at her relatives' tarts and vicars party only to find out that the theme party idea had been dropped. Or the time when her mother's new shopping channel presenter boyfriend is having his make-up touched up and he tells the artist to stop being so clumsy in words which are too rude to repeat here, but very, very funny. Bridget Jones is guaranteed to be this Spring's smash hit movie. More amusing than Notting Hill, it's light, entertaining and provides a couple of hours of escapism which are well worth the price of a cinema ticket. ~~~~~~~ Any Bridget responses????

BJD trailer featured on E Channel's Coming Attractions this weekend. Chekc your listings.

Sorry if the above was posted before-quickly scanned previous posts but didn't see it. I must have the shot of him grinning while his name is on-screen for a snappy. Interesting reading. I enjoyed this: The screen version is more romantic-comedy than situation-comedy, and the homage to Pride and Prejudice a lot more obvious British audiences will no doubt be dismayed at the Renee's wholesale butchery of the English accent Well, kind of expected this but have been lulled by other reports into thinking she was safe. Colin Firth - Can the man do no wrong? (K) *snort* Catherine has not read our boards. Darn, you beat me to it, Karen. ;-)

I received this e-mail today and thought you might be interested: Win a Trip for Two to London! Enter the "Find Yourself in Bridget Jones" Sweepstakes! Submit a photo of yourself by April 27th and you could be eligible to win a trip for two to London! (Travel provided by OneTravel.com) And while you're at it, tell us a story that illustrates how you relate to Bridget Jones. How to Enter: Visit the "Find Yourself in Bridget Jones" PhotoQuilt and follow the simple instructions to upload your photograph. Please submit only a photograph of yourself. When you submit your picture, don't forget to include your story. Click on the following URL or paste it into your browser address bar to enter, and for official rules. http://entertainment.msn.com/bridget/page3/ To make this even more special, you could become part of an image of Bridget Jones composed of photos submitted from all over the world! On March 27th, images from the PhotoQuilt will be collected and turned into a Photomosaic - an image of Bridget composed of selections from images submitted to the PhotoQuilt!

Director Sharon Maguire made an excellent choice casting Colin Firth Was it *her* choice?

Was at the cinema last night and there was a vv short trailer for BJD! That's the good news! Sadly ODB did not feature one iota. It was the scene with HG and RZ grappling on the floor when he discovers her "big pants" and says "I'm wearing something similar myself." CUT! Still although it was a mere snippet I can't wait for more. Hugh was very "Hugh Grant" as usual, hopefully this will not be the case as we get to see more of him. Like Ann and Tracy I also received the same letter about the premiere! Oh to belong to one of those "companies" they quoted.

Ha! A sight I thought I'd never see: BJD has moved up to IMDB home page under "coming soon". Since you all here at Spring were singlehandly responsible for even getting the BJD page there going and "populated" with info, I thought I'd point it out.

Thanks, Heide, for the heads up on the BJD trailer on Coming Attractions. Taped it in the wee hours of the morning and cannot stop rewinding it. Oooooh, so much better than on the computer (even cable connected type). Only one thing better (though lacking rewind quality) will be on huge screen in a movie with entire audience laughing appropriately. Loved the face after Mrs Jones introduces them at the party, and again when he responds to DC's comment about swords and pistols. Tried to match up the taco-stain picture with fight scene, but pattern of tie is not evident in photo, as it is in trailer. Is wearing muted pinstripe, not of the badabing variety. ;-D Wonder if they'll be a Behind the Scenes program? *fingers crossed* (am already worried re: punch; detect need for learned coach)

(am already worried re: punch; detect need for learned coach) LOL! Should we add that to need for expert tailor. ;-) How very lucky you to be able to rewind at will, Karen. I am waiting for that on screen experience. I know I will have to sneak back to the Theatre to see it again. Don't think DH would approve.

Darn, missed the E! coming attractions. Does anyone know if it will be repeated? Lizza, apparently they're showing that truncated (i.e., no CF) trailer in the theaters here, too. Wot gives?? Maybe they'll roll out the longer one as the time draws nearer. I have to say: the rowboat scene with HG looks very funny. I'm sure they were going for the contrast with Leo DiC's "I'm the king of the world" in Titanic, then here's this drunken ass in a rickety rowboat shouting the same thing. Well, *I* think it's funny.;-) Did anyone catch Joe Fiennes and Jude Law on Today this morning? Their interviews were pre-taped, done as part of their Enemy at the Gates junket, no doubt, and I'm guessing CF's appearance on Thursday will be the same thing. Was probably taped this weekend.

Here's the url for the program guide on E! Unfortunately, you have to look at each day for Coming Attractions; the show listing doesn't provide all the dates and times as it does for other shows. Also they put a new one up each Monday. Don't know if that means the program content changes as well. Next broadcast will be 3:00 a.m. Sunday night (or Morning morning), then Monday at 1:00 pm http://www.eonline.com/On/Guide/ (Mari) I'm sure they were going for the contrast with Leo DiC's Absolutely. There's also the double entendre of "I'm boarding you, Bridget." ;-D (Mari) Did anyone catch Joe Fiennes and Jude Law on Today this morning? Grrrrrrr You can lead a horse to water but....

apparently they're showing that truncated (i.e., no CF) trailer in the theaters here, too. Wot gives?? Maybe they'll roll out the longer one as the time draws nearer. Could they be thinking that no one would leave HG for CF??? How could they leave Colin out? And we thought they might try that on the poster, sheesh!

I believe it is in order to avoid spoilers and preserve the surprise ending. a A lot of people (in the US have not read the book.

I believe it is in order to avoid spoilers and preserve the surprise ending. I have to disagree. Trailers in this country give away not only the entire plot and ending but typically toss in the kitchen sink as well. Miramax probably hasn't felt the need to mass produce it and distribute it to theatres across the country, but will do television - the source of its target market.

Don't worry if you missed the Coming Attractions on E. They often repeat the trailers of films for several programs until the film opens. Wouldn't be surprised if it was shown again next week. And soon, gah! can hardly believe it, we'll see entire film in all his glory..er, its glory. Saw the short "big pants" trailer too but thought it was because my backwater town is always behind with the new stuff. I think that trailer does a disservice to the film...if I didn't know anything about Bridget Jones, don't think I'd want to see a movie about Hugh Grant trying to wrestle a girl's undies off.

(Heide) don't think I'd want to see a movie about Hugh Grant trying to wrestle a girl's undies off. But the guys in the audience might. ;-D

Very, very good reports on BJD in today's Times (Viewpoint in Times2), from journalists who attended the preview at the Empire. One male, one female. Two page spread, colour pics. Both say they were not looking forward to the film, were fed up with the whole BJ thing and expected to hate it. But they both really liked it..."it's good oldfashioned comedy".."unashamed happy ending"..."I had tears streaming down my cheeks when Darcy finally pulled his head out of the sand and smouldered in Zellwegger's general direction" (this from the male journalist!} RZ seems to be a big hit with them, and they seem to think "Hughie and Col" are okay as well. Is this available online?

It's most amusing to see the scenes I saw being filmed come together. The Times today mentions that Bridget "...serenading her empty apartment with a rousing rendition of Celine Dion's All By Myself made my heart melt in almost Capraesque fashion." Whilst the Gabrielle video shows HG & CF crashing through the plate-glass window of Kalispera (the Greek restaurant) - hence the need for elbow-padded body doubles - stuntmen no less. There must be 2, if not 3, fight scenes.

Now I'm really looking forward to it. (Here's the link to the Times piece: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,7-100906,00.html) When is the London contingent planning on seeing the film? How about a drink?

Here's a link to the second article by James Christopher: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,7-100913,00.html Liked this from the woman's article: (Colin Firth as Darcy may be wasted on US audiences, but to UK women he�s brooding masculinity personified). Wasted...not on all of us. ;-D Were the pictures all we've seen before?

(Lassie) I believe it is in order to avoid spoilers and preserve the surprise ending. a A lot of people (in the US have not read the book. Pardon me, but did you just beam down from the Planet Zarg? BJD was on every kind of bestseller list in the US; in fact, EOR is currently #5 on the Washington Post's list (just in front of SWTA). (Singletons review) Pernickety viewers may think that Colin merely reprises his role from TV's Pride and Prejudice Call me pernickety, then. Am prepared to suffer through it ;-D but in this humble reviewer's opinion, Colin Firth is bound for leading man stardom as a result of this role Hurrah! *turning cartwheels* *oof, can't do cartwheels* Moon, I can't remember reading that CF almost turned down the part of MD. Where did you see this? (Bethan) "..."I had tears streaming down my cheeks when Darcy finally pulled his head out of the sand and smouldered in Zellwegger's general direction" (this from the male journalist!} Hurrah again! Ooh, things are looking *very* good... Off to program the VCR for this afternoon's Coming Attractions on E!. Thanks for the tip, ladies. ;-)

Not that I'm complaining, but it seems v. odd that even your broadsheets are publishing reviews of BJD so far in advance of its opening. [Can understand internet nobodies jumping the gun.] All critics get to see the films earlier, but they don't publish them until the opening week. About your scenes, Mark. Am glad to hear that RZ is seranading an *empty* apartment. The thought of her seranading HG didn't sit well with me. What makes you think there are 2-3 fight scenes? Colin's wearing his v. pronounced pinstripe suit for all snippets I've seen. BTW, after he first punches HG in street, looks v. pleased with self. [Eileen, will need to slo-mo to catch all nuances of street fight.] Heide: For snappy consideration, I'd take the one where Tom is making the toast "to Bridget, who we all love." That may be THE Look from this movie. BTW, I think it not coincidental that Colin does the Meryton look at RZ. As Sharon Maguire is Shazz, she would be a *student* of the original and know it well. (He Said) What on earth was happening? How did this podgy clown reduce me to a puddle? I�m still trying to work it out. Fool. That is Zellweger's unique talent for which none of you figured out well in advance.

(Karen) As Sharon Maguire is Shazz, she would be a *student* of the original and know it well 'Natch. I'll take 1,000 Meryton looks and other FD-MD similarities in light of the fact there's no wet shirt. Thank goodness they saw fit to leave that alone!

(Eileen) no wet shirt Was probably in his contract. ;-)

Hmmm, was think about above, as Hughie goes into the lake (with shirt unbuttoned down to navel), am surprisd/shocked that no one has mentioned *his wet shirt* [not really]

From Ananova: Zellweger got her English accent from Ali G videos Renee Zellweger says she perfected her English accent for the role of Bridget Jones by watching Ali G videos. The US star had to learn how to speak with an English accent when she was in the UK last year making the film of Helen Fielding's novel. Ali, created by comic Sacha Baron Cohen, is known for his urban slang and catchphrases like 'innit' and 'booyakasha'. Speaking to Sky News, Zellweger said: "I watched a lot of sitcoms, news and Ali G." "I think it's a beautiful book. I think Helen Fielding did a great job. I know the book is very important to men and women and I wanted it to be right."

Eileen, I was talking about Pride and Prejudice, not Bridget Jones Diary.

Review from Screendaily: Bridget Jones's Diary Sheila Johnston in London Dir: Sharon Maguire. UK. 2001. TBCmins. Bridget Jones's bestselling diaries made the fictional thirtysomething singleton Britain's most successful under-achiever of recent years, and the screen version of her intimate journal bears all the signs of becoming the UK's biggest film hit since Notting Hill. Domestically, massive advance publicity and media attention will guarantee dazzling opening figures, while the reputation of the books in the US should secure equally healthy business there. If the film is to build this into solid longer-term box office, then it must establish itself as more than a chick flick with appeal to the obvious demographic. Instead, it will need to position itself more broadly as a modern social satire-date movie that can attract those men lured along earlier this year to What Women Want by the presence of Mel Gibson (but without a comparable male character for them to root for). The diaries have been published in some 30 countries, but in territories where the book has been less of a cultural phenomenon than on its home turf, the film's performance will, to a greater extent, be review-driven, aided by the names of Renee Zellweger in the title role and Hugh Grant as the second male lead. Prospects in all ancillary media are, as Bridget would put it, v. v. good. A character invented by journalist Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones herself is a none-too-effective publishing PR in her early 30s with a mass of addictions - cigarettes, drink, junk food and lottery cards - who aims to achieve happiness by losing weight and finding true romance. Her diary chronicling the ongoing chaos of her life and her farcically unsuccessful struggle to realise her modest ambitions made a low-key debut in 1995 as a weekly column in UK national newspaper The Independent, but gathered momentum after Fielding was encouraged to rework it as a book. When it did go into paperback it became a cult success, spawning a sequel, The Edge Of Reason. Like such American TV sitcoms as Sex And The City and Ally McBeal, and Hollywood movies such as Waiting To Exhale, its success has been generally attributed to the swelling numbers of single thirtysomething women experiencing difficulties in reconciling the conflicting demands of love and career. Structured much like the novel, the movie traces a year in the life of its heroine, beginning with Bridget's ghastly Christmas-New Year celebrations with her parents and their neighbours. During the following months, she has an ill-advised fling with her flirty caddish boss (Grant, offering an enjoyably acerbic variant on his usual bumbling screen image); observes her parents' marital problems after her mother makes off with a sleazy presenter from a home shopping channel; makes her own foray into television when she swaps her publishing job for a gig as a news presenter; spends many a long, boozy evening with her gaggle of sweet, but hopelessly dysfunctional, female and gay friends; and gradually warms to the subtle attractions of Mark Darcy (Firth), a stuffy, though ultimately charming (and extremely rich), human rights lawyer. Boasting the same production company (Working Title), star (Grant) and co-screenwriter (Richard Curtis) as Four Weddings And A Funeral and Notting Hill, Bridget Jones shares those two earlier films' comic tone and similar themes of the peculiarly British knack for self-deprecation and underachievement, both professionally and romantically. As in Fielding's book, there are also deliberate parallels with Pride And Prejudice, both in the name of the leading man and in the presence of Firth (who played Mr Darcy in the recent BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's classic) in this role. Grant also has his own indirect link with the original novel, which takes a passing potshot at the actor's real-life dalliance with a Hollywood hooker. Curtis's co-scriptwriter, along with Fielding, is Andrew Davies, distinguished for his television adaptations of literary classics, including that same BBC version of Pride And Prejudice. And the film's director - the documentary film-maker Sharon Maguire making her feature debut - is a friend of the author, acknowledged at the front of the novel, as well as being the model for one of Bridget's best friends, also called Sharon. The in-casting extends down to relatively small roles such as the lecherous tabloid news producer played by Neil Pearson, who UK audiences will remember as much the same character in the TV comedy series Drop The Dead Donkey. The writers Salman Rushdie and Jeffrey Archer contribute cameos as themselves. At times, this all threatens to add up to an air of smug and incestuous London media-set clubbiness, so the choice of an American actress for the leading role - greeted, when it was announced, with some hostility in the British press - turns out in many ways to be a shrewd decision. The film stands or falls by whether one accepts Zellweger's central performance and, sporting a credible British accent (if one several social notches above the level you would expect of her character), she lends Bridget an exuberance and sexiness undiminished by the fact that she gained at least 14 pounds for the role. Some fans of the book may find her too sweet and fluffy for the character (Bridget had a sharp tongue on her when required). Still, it's refreshing to see a weight-obsessed heroine who really is on the pudgy side, even if the actress is often shot in a way which does her no favours, with stringy hair and a flushed, bloated face. Grant and Firth are well-placed as the male leads, although in its anxiety to present itself as a romantic comedy, the film gives short shrift to the other supporting characters - notably Bridget's three best friends and sitcomy mother (Jones) - although Jim Broadbent stands out as her gentle, brow-beaten father. It could also be argued that, in cutting many of the books' topical references to current events of the mid-1990s, the focus of the film has been further narrowed. Maguire's comic touch is a little heavy at times, but technical credits are, overall, polished. Prod co: Working Title. Co-prods: Universal Pictures, Studio Canal, Miramax. Domestic dist: UIP. Exec prod: Helen Fielding. Prods: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Jonathan Cavendish. Scr: Fielding, Andrew Davies, Richard Curtis. Cinemaphotography: Stuart Dryburgh. Prod des: Gemma Jackson. Ed: Martin Walsh . Music: Patrick Doyle. Main cast: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Gemma Jones, Jim Broadbent

Just wanted to say Karen, that in answer to your earlier question, all the photos attached to the 2 articles are know to us except one of Helen Fielding, who looks very nice indeed, but mostly I am so glad that they have included the lovely picture of Colin and Renee and I must say that Colin does seem to be getting an equal amount of exposure as Hughie, which is wonderful. It is a 2page spread and very impressive. As well as the afore-mentioned photo there is the one with Rnenee in a restaurant smoking and the two CF & HG on the floor. By the time the film opens there won't be any need for reviews!

(Screendaily) Bridget had a sharp tongue on her when required *am thinking*

(Lizza)Like Ann and Tracy I also received the same letter about the premiere! Oh to belong to one of those "companies" they quoted. Find out which companies....and call marketing. They just might part with a set. This is all toooo exciting.Have changed my tickets too....but have a sinking feeling about London/NY premieres being tooooo close.Though Miramax did send Gwynnie over on the Concord once....yipes!

Ann has already explained which photos were used, but I want to practise some HTML. On the front of the Times2 section was a cut down from this: and inside the following three were used (+ the one of Helen Fielding): The ciggy photo was half-page-size.

v.g. Mark

(Lassie) I was talking about Pride and Prejudice, not Bridget Jones Diary. *scratching my head* Grr, just watched my E! Coming Attractions tape and they have changed the content. No BJD this week.

Working Title are handling the publicity for BJD very cleverly...creating an excellent buzz {although the liking for the film has to be genuine). They did the same for NH, which took �10million on the opening weekend in the UK. But I'd still be rather wary of our hostile, teeth to the jugular British critics. Over the page from BJD in Times2 there's a headline - "British actors bomb on Broadway" - a reference to the less than sympathetic reviews received by JE and Alan Cumming (hardly "bombing"). Further on, there's an article about how the new movie by the "past-it action hero" Steven Seagal has opened first at the US Box Office with $20million, while the Jude Law/Joe Fiennes hugely expensive war movie only took $14million. And JL/JF have not had good reviews - "Wiped off the screen by Ed Harris". So fingers crossed for Hughie and Col! :-) But so far, very good!

(Bethan)...a barrister's outfit..the high white collar, the well cut suit..is far more alluring than an exposed bare chest and black leather. It's the aloofness, intellectual superiority, the apparent unattainability (but with some hidden promise)...it's the difference between erotic and "sexy". You may well have a well-considered point, Bethan. My problem being, as I am a rather provincial American, is that damn silly wig barristers wear. What's up with that? What's the thing made of -- horsehair. If so, it must have certainly looked better on the horse. Even the delectable and handsome Mr. Firth can made that silly wig look good.

(Bethan) But I'd still be rather wary of our hostile, teeth to the jugular British critics Yes, good point--however, a bad review(s) will surely pale in comparison to a flood of good ones, no? *thinking positive* Am anxious to see how it fares with US reviewers. the new movie by the "past-it action hero" Steven Seagal has opened first at the US Box Office with $20million Yeah, I heard about that this morning. Haven't we sunk to a new low? :-D

But all the trades were quick to point out that Enemy at the Gate, which came in second, was on far fewer screens and had a huge per screen take.

Yes, Bethan, your critics are tough and your press does seem to emphasize the negative. Karen makes a good point--Enemy at the Gates actually did very well, playing on about half the screens that the other flick did, and in fact they are expanding it to a few hundred more screens next week. Its per screen take far exceeded the Seagal film. Again, the press seems to only tell half the story. As for Design For Living, the reviews were mixed, but certainly as you said, not bombing. Critics seem to either like this particular staging or they don't. There are traditionalists over here, such as at the NY Times, who feel that Coward's work should always be staged as it was in Coward's day. But, getting back to BJ, everything so far seems so positive, and I think James Christopher would be hard-pressed to call back his words about being moved to tears!:-)

In the April issue of Movieline, they have BJD spotlighted as one of their top 5 films to see next month: Helen Fielding's best-selling novel comes to the screen with Renee Zellweger starring improbably as the thirtysomething English diarist. As Zellweger fans, we'd go to see her play this 21st century everywoman in any case, but we're especially curious to check a few things out. How well has she done with the British accent on which she was coached by the same woman who gave Gwyneth Paltrow her perfect pitch for Emma, SIL, and Sliding Doors? And what does she look like with extra pounds packed on? Colin Firth, as Mark Darcy, and Hugh Grant, as Daniel Cleaver, are added incentives. Even if the film turns out to suffer from too many screenwriters and a first time director (Sharon Maguire, best pal of Fielding and the inspiration for the character Shazzer, neither of which explains why she's directing) there's plenty of entertainment value here.

Wigs and blancmanche. I'm slightly drunk, so I spoolgise in advance. 1. Wigbs. They add authority, in principle. I've no iade what they do tyo sexiness, as far as the female observer is concerned. A couple of years ago year I spent a week wathcing a (female) friend of mine taking on Cheri Booth (Mrs Blair) in a big labour law case. She was bedecked in a barrister's wig and was impresivelu weighty, IMHO. She also kicked Cheri's a*se, bigtime. The wig provided another thing to be ripped off in the heat of passion (not that it was - she is now happily engaged to someone else), and looked pretty cool. 2. Blancmanche. More discrimintaing judges may be able to tell (re:Times piece) the difference between high quality cleavage and "balncmanche" cleavage. In my current state I cannot. RZ is v. alluring in the BJD posters. 3. Repeated querstion: when is the London branch of this webnsite going to see the film? MarkG, as the insider, when are you going? Our American cousins are prepared to trudge 3,000 miles to see each other - are we to baulk at 1,000 yards???

Over the page from BJD in Times2 there's a headline - "British actors bomb on Broadway" - a reference to the less than sympathetic reviews received by JE and Alan Cumming (hardly "bombing"). Once again, your critics enjoy decapitating their own.The NY times and Daily News were critical of DFL. But USA Today gave it 4 Stars and called JE a "triumph as Gilda".Variety calls it a "sensational show".The AP and Clive Barnes of the NY Post were complimentary too.Sold out for the run;hardly a bomb. I will rest easy about BJD when all the reviews are in...on both sides of the pond.

Thank you Ben for elucidating on the subject of wigs and blancmanche. I thought the latter was a dessert. Now I have been enlightened, sort of.

From the Mar 20 FT: SURVEY - CREATIVE BUSINESS: Soundtrack albums By PAUL SEXTON For every soundtrack that enjoys the perfect commercial symbiosis with its parent movie, countless others come and go faster than a 30-second trailer. For every Four Weddings, there are 40 soundtrack funerals. But the achievements of the most prosperous film tie-ins live long in the memory of record companies, who fantasise about big, fat cash cows like Titanic (so huge it even spawned a sequel soundtrack, Back To Titanic) and the grandaddy of them all, The Bodyguard, all 30m-odd copies of it. That�s why Mercury Records has such high hopes for its companion release to one of this year�s most widely-anticipated flicks, Bridget Jones�s Diary, due at your local megastore on April 16, three days after the Renee Zellweger/Hugh Grant vehicle arrives at the multiplex across the road. London-based soul singer Gabrielle�s track �Out Of Reach� is out on April 2 as the Bridget theme tune single, and just to underline how such a tie-up can fuel promotion plans for an individual artist, she has bolted on a tour, starting on April 17. [...] But the Bridget companion will offer temptations such as never-before-available recordings by the likes of Robbie Williams and Geri Halliwell, who has taken it upon herself to remake the Weather Girls� �It�s Raining Men�, prominently featured in a street fight scene in the film. The success of soundtracks like this one is governed in part by how well the film overlaps with the fan bases of the artists who appear on them. Mercury UK managing director Howard Berman, one of the men behind the Four Weddings and a Funeral album, which sold 3m copies worldwide, says: �If there are two separate markets for this film and the soundtrack, they overlap enormously. The film is aimed at a very similar demographic to that which constitutes the core audience for artists like Robbie and Geri.� [...] �A lot of soundtrack albums underestimate the taste and intelligence of the public,� says Berman. �In virtually all cases of a successful soundtrack, it�s where there�s been a successful film and music has played an integral part in it. If you haven�t got music playing a significant part in the film, even if it�s a blockbuster, it�s very difficult to join the dots. �The score in Titanic plays an incredibly important part, and that fantastic Celine Dion song would have been a smash with or without the film association. In Bridget Jones, the music is almost a sub-plot.�

Check out "Bridget's" reviews of her reviews on Karen's page; I'm LOL! Hmmm . . .Yahoo US is listing BJD as opening in NY and LA on April 6, then nationally on April 13. Not sure if that's very out of date or very up to date.

I wish I was really an insider, Ben, but having mysteriously been left off the list for premiere tickets, I guess I shall be seeing the film on Easter weekend like many others. However, I'll be out of town. Why I think there might be more than one fight scene: one fight obviously breaks out in the restaurant, whereas separately MD offers DC out, prompting "pistols or cutlasses?" Also the knockout blow somehow looks like a one-punch fight, perhaps similar to the scene in The Edge of Reason, where MD goes downstairs to DC, slugs him, and then apologises to him and explains it had to be done. But I expect I'm wrong again. Love the reviews of the reviews, Karen!

Yes, Bethan, your critics are tough and your press does seem to emphasize the negative Our TV and theatre critics are okay, but I would quite happily ban most of our so-called movie "critics", who are merely destructive, especially when it comes to British films or British actors. I usually prefer reading US reviews...they are longer, more considered (you get the impression they've actually watched the film) and the criticism is constructive, not personally abusive. I really hope CF makes an impact in the States, and does quite a few talk shows. IMVHO, the only success that matters in the movies is success in the States. That's how careers take off. Not Hollywood megastardom, just appearing in decent roles in movies that actually reach the screen! (cf MLSF 3 screens in the UK, SLOW 2 screens, DQ and Londinium - no distributor...I rest my case! Go to it, Col! :-)) Signs are v. good for BJD though in the UK! Will BJD be a big opener in the States, or will it have a limited number of screens? BTW, the comment in the Times about kisses in the snow and the unashamed happy ending sounds very promising!

Cheryl - the blancmanche reference is from the Times piece (see links), which begins by being less than flattering about the heroine. Do film critics matter? I'm prepared to believe that theatre reviews affect audiences - though less than they once did, probably - but film reviews? There seems to be almost an inverse correlation between a film's commerical and critical success. The current spate of pre-opening publicity for BJD is not being conducted through conventional film critics, over here at least. Perhaps its fans should hope for a pasting once the "experts" get to see it.

You're quite right, Mark, there's the restaurant and there's the apartment (as in TEOR). While MD and DC are in the street, you can see Bridget, Shaz and Jude huddling in a doorway watching it all. Why would the other two be at Bridget's when Daniel's there and Mark calls him out? Lots of questions. No definitive answers. (Bethan) Not Hollywood megastardom, just appearing in decent roles in movies that actually reach the screen! I see you've finally come around, except I would hope for better than merely decent roles (important/starring roles in important films more like). Will BJD be a big opener in the States, or will it have a limited number of screens? As I predicted it shows all signs of opening v. wide (e.g., over 2000 screens). kisses in the snow Hopefully more than the kiss in the carriage. Films critics have no impact on the younger crowd in the US, but can affect the older people, who actually read and have developed taste. It also depends on the promotional campaign. (Ben) The current spate of pre-opening publicity for BJD is not being conducted through conventional film critics, over here at least. True, as would be any advance publicity. However, James Christopher is one of your real critics.

BTW, Jay Leno mentioned RZ in his list of upcoming guests for the next couple of weeks.

There's a review on Dark Horizons: "Bridget Jones' Diary" - A Review by 'Paul Fischer' (Positive, Very Minor Spoilers) At the start of the New Year, 32-year-old Bridget decides it's time to take control of her life-and start keeping a diary. Now, the most provocative, erotic and hysterical book on her bedside table is the one she's writing. With a taste for adventure, and an opinion on every subject-from exercise to men to food to sex and everything in between-she's turning the page on a whole new life. "Tuesday 3 January 130lbs. (terrifying slide into obesity - why? why?), alcohol units 6 (Excellent) cigarettes 23 (v.g.), calories 2472 9a.m. Ugh. Cannot face thought of going to work. Only thing which makes it tolerable is thought of seeing Daniel again, but even that is unadvisable since am fat, have spot on chin, and desire only to sit on cushion eating chocolate and watching Xmas specials". Thus are some of the memorable verbal utterances of one Bridget Jones, created by ex-journo Helen Fielding. Bridget is one of those wonderfully rich characters seemingly impossible to translate to film, but first-time director Sharon Maguire, with some help from Brit scribe Richard Curtis, has crafted an irresistible and deliciously funny film. Fielding's character epitomises all our fears, hopes, romanticism and upbeat optimism as we trip through life's seemingly eternal obstacles. Yes, she is a single woman of her time, trying to find love and career while fighting endlessly over her comic mistakes. But in this wonderfully rich satire on the pangs of single-hood versus 'smug marrieds', Fielding has struck a broad nerve that places this material beyond the simplistic realms of the 'chick flick' and into a wider context. On many levels, what makes the film incarnation of the novel work so beautifully, is its ability to travel beyond gender-specific clich�. We can all relate to many facets of Bridget's inability to communicate, be herself and play by the rules. A recurring line in the film is 'I like you exactly t e way you are', and this is a recurring theme. We all have our flaws and our idiosyncrasies, none of us are perfect, and in searching for that often elusive partner becomes a matter of acceptance. Bridget Jones epitomises our strengths and weaknesses, coupled with our hopes and ideals. She is a remarkable character. As played by Zellweger, an initially controversial casting choice, Jones comes alive with an added depth, humour and luminous quality rarely seen on screen. The actress completely embodies the character, and imbues her with subtle nuances that enhance the actor's skill. To watch Zellweger here is watching a screen presence, who is uproariously funny and yet gently emotive when not saying a word. This is Zellweger' s film all the way, and it's a masterful, brilliant performance. In some ironic casting, Colin Firth is playing another Darcy, both literally and metaphorically. Adept at being the stuffed shirt, Firth gives a subtle performance playing a difficult character. Hugh Grant excels at playing the prize villain of the piece, and does so with effortless, comic aplomb, while the rest of the film's marvellous British cast provides added support. Beautifully shot on location in London and featuring a strong soundtrack, Bridget Jones's Diary is funny, sexy, poignant and sharply observed, as only the Brits can do. Zellweger steals the film and through it all, comes off as both star and shining comedienne. This is one Diary worth reading more than once. http://darkhorizons.com/reviews/t010319a.htm#Rev2

Excellent review, except for one major lapse in judgment, in Popcorn by Jane Crowther: cast: Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Ren�e Zellweger,Sally Phillips Book-to-screen adaptations are notoriously difficult to pull-off. It's hard to mess with the collective imaginations of millions of readers and the results can range from the phenomenal, 'Trainspotting', to the unspeakable, 'Rancid Aluminium'. Lovers of Helen Fielding's hugely successful literary creation can breathe a sigh of relief, for the movie version of 'Bridget Jones's Diary' is faithful to its source, perfectly cast and even funnier than the book. Bridget (Ren�e Zellweger) is a thirtysomething 'singleton' who spends her days worrying about her weight, smoking too much and dreaming of the perfect man. But the only blokes she seems to bump into are her sexy, predatory boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), and haughty, dull family friend Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). So, armed with her trusty fags and her ultimate confidante - her diary - Bridget makes her way through a year of heartache, embarrassment and calorie counting. The casting of skinny Texan Zellweger as the supposedly tubby, English Jones caused a minor kafuffle pre-production, but her performance is a revelation. Although her accent occasionally wobbles, her conviction is absolute and the 'Jerry Maguire' star has never been funnier. She brings warmth to the sometimes brittle character and offers a welcome reality check to the acres of stick-insect waifs that usually populate films. Firth is also impressive as the glowering Darcy, but the real star is Grant, who's suddenly... well, frankly, gorgeous. He's deliciously sly and flirtatious, proving he can play more than posh, eye-fluttering wimps. Another element from 'Four Weddings And A Funeral' is the screenwriter - Richard Curtis - who provides a script bristling with wit, slapstick and spot-on, horribly relatable, observations. Hilarious, sweet and romantic, 'Bridget Jones's Diary' is must-see viewing for anyone who's ever drunkenly sung power ballads or had a scuffling scrap over a girl. Superb. http://www.popcorn.co.uk/cinema/review.jhtml?filmId=19668

There was an item about BJD on the radio just now. The guy who saw it liked it very much and interviewed Hugh afterwards. Nothing was said that I didn't already know (CF was mentioned though, WOW), except that I'll have to wait till the fall to see it!! Isn't this wonderful? They whet our appetite, then tell us that we'll have to wait a looong time.*grumble*

Hmmm, I'm a real misery...the reviews are great, but..... "the real star is Grant, who's suddenly... well, frankly, gorgeous" and "and haughty, dull family friend/stuffed shirt Mark Darcy"? Has Hughie been given all the aces?

I quite agree Bethan, normally I would be thrilled to read that " Firth also impresses" but it was somewhat negated by her saying Hughie is "gorgeous". Still it is only one person's opinion.

I would have thought the opposite from a British reviewer. Didn't think they considered Hugh a "hunk".

Yes, I know. Was all prepared to highlight the *impressive Firth* comment and then read on... Probably should've been forewarned that the reviewer was not all that knowledgeable, as she called Zellweger a revelation. Obviously, she's not that familiar with her work, possibly only has seen "Me Myself and Irene." ~~~~~~~~~~ And a treat for those who might want the new US BJD poster: http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/bjdposterinfo.html

This from a friend of mine. Lovely article about CF in current issue of "Elle" (may not be on newstands yet). First Buzz column: "Firth Among Equals". Think ODB may not be averse to becoming a big Hollywood star at all! v. interesting.

I called Miramax (don't ask *what* I called them;-), and the film is indeed opening nationwide here on April 13, no early opening for NY or LA. It will open on "1500 plus" screens; that's considered a wide opening, although the blockbuster popcorn type flicks typically open on 2000--2500. They can certainly add screens as they go. In any event, no one here will have any difficulty finding this one at their local multiplex. RE: Hugh's good reviews--well, we knew from the start that this would be the showier part of the two male leads. We're probably lucky that there's as much Mark Darcy as there appears to be, considering his small, albeit pivotal, role in the book. I'm sure Richard Curtis wrote Hugh a juicy role, as HG has helped to propel Working Title to some of their biggest successes. HG has headlined wide opening films all over the world; he has global name recognition. Plus, Hugh is very shrewd about his career; there was no way he'd take a second banana role to another young male actor. He doesn't have to. Those are the spoils that box office success brings, and it's the position that I think many of us hope that CF is eventually in--not "fame" or "success" for its own sake, but being in a position to have a pick at the best roles.

Thanks, Mari. 1500+ is very respectable for a non-alien-invasion-type movie, especially one whose audience is gauged to be women over 20something+ years (second class and undesirable). Can't wait to see the backhanded comments in the trades about the boxoffice prospects. Also can't wait to see this new issue of Elle!!

Wickham was never witty, funny and charming, I think they have made Hughie too attractive but even so how could anyone resit those lovely brown eyes. Thanks for the news about Elle magazine Meredith, is that the UK or the US?

kisses in the snow (Karen) Hopefully more than the kiss in the carriage. *heehee* Better watch those P&P spoilers, though...;-) (Popcorn Jane) Grant, who's suddenly... well, frankly, gorgeous. *cough* *choke* Pass this woman a new set of peepers! (Ann) Still it is only one person's opinion. Quite right Ann--hardly anything to become depressed about. There has to be a dozen reviews up so far and this is the *ONLY* one gushing about you-know-Hugh. (Meredith) Lovely article about CF in current issue of "Elle" Thanks for the tip, Meredith. Am still in search of April's Premiere and will add this one to my list. Think ODB may not be averse to becoming a big Hollywood star at all! Has to do with smelling coffee, surely. ;-)

gaah!

Thanks, Meredith! Did a quickie recon mission and I've got it here. It's the April issue of US Elle, Uma Thurman on cover. Nice article--but they've got him in the 3-year fugly sweater! Gah! Karen, I can scan and send; is long to type, but I can do that too.;-)

Mari scanned the following pics in from a Coke ad (note product placement in second pic). The print ad had very poor resolution but Mari did excellent job given the tiny and blurry one of Colin:

Ooops, wrong second pic. Titles nearly same. Will try again. Re: typing of Elle article Only if you have time. *winkie winkie*

It really isn't that long. Part 1: FIRTH AMONG EQUALS In the tradition of Anglo-hunk imports, Bridget Jones' heart throb Colin Firth has a few surprises up his sweater. If you're a woman who's even a little like Bridget Jones--and judging by the success of her self-titled diary (actually written by Helen Fielding), it's a good bet you are--then when you lay eyes on Mark Darcy as portrayed by Colin Firth in the upcoming movie, you'll be as confounded as the chronically hopeful heroine herself. Thick-haired, square-jawed, steely-eyed, Firth's Darcy thrums with alpha-male magnetism when Bridget (played by Renee Zellweger, with a plummily perfect English accent) spots him at a Christmas party. She gazes at his self-possessed mug, imagines romance, possibilities, love. She glances from his steady, kind eyes, to his strong neck, his broad shoulders, his . . .reindeer sweater?!? It's the first comic jolt in a performance that Firth molds into a slow, hilarious, oddly moving revelation. Mr. Right turns out to be Mr. Wrong, who turns out to be Mr. Not So Bad, who transmogrifies into Mr. This Can't Be Happening, who shape-shifts into . . .well, you'll see. "The discovery we make," says Firth, "is that this pompous individual ends up having a generous and entirely sincere side. That's what warms the cockles of our hearts." For Firth (and Bridget, and us), the key word is "discovery." Darcy, Firth says, "takes himself very seriously and therefore like anyone else who takes himself very seriously, is full of comic potential." "Colin was always looking for a surprise because that's what's exciting for him," says Sharon Maguire, who directed Firth and Zellweger (along with Hugh Grant) in "Diary," her first feature film. Firth agrees: "The greatest joy of acting is to reveal the hidden reservoirs in a character--much more than the obvious challenges of transforming yourself. The degrees of what you conceal or reveal--that's what makes the biggest call on your judgment and your ability." To be continued . . .

Part 2: What's unlikely to remain concealed after Diary is the silent strength that has earned Firth hunky-icon status in his native country. In '95, he played another Darcy, in the BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. "The nation's females went into a standstill," says the British Maguire. "Every woman in England fell in love with him." Herself included. "He played that hero so well," she says. "A patriarchal fantasy figure in a way; aloof, but burning with fire." Maguire detected a similarly quiet, white-hot intensity in Firth's approach to Diary. "I didn't think those kinds of men existed in life," she says, "but Colin is it." Since Pride & Prejudice, Firth has played a doomed husband in The English Patient and a scheming aristocrat to Gwyneth Paltrow's Viola in Shakespeare In Love, among other film roles. Those parts and a steady stage career (he will take the lead role in a London version of Hamlet this year) have brought the forty-year-old critical acclaim, but not the leading man lucre that, say, Jude Law and Ralph Fiennes command. Not that Firth spends time worrying about that. He lives in Tuscany and London with his wife ("which is really very gutting," says Maguire), Livia Giuggioli, whom he met when she was a production assistant on the set of the BBC's 1997 miniseries Nostromo (in which he starred). He also goes to Southern California to visit his ten-year-old son, William. (Firth and William's mom, Meg Tilly, were together for five years after meeting on the set of Valmont.) Though Firth admits he's had "very litle success in Hollywood," he's aware that Diary could change that--and complicate things in the process. "Brits absolutely devour Ameican culture," he says. "Yet there's a suspicion of Hollywood--an idea that it's vulgar and that if you court it you're selling out. Endorsement from America can be double-sided." Does he think Bridget Jones's Diary will bring him that endorsement? "It might. I've been at this point so many times before," he says. "But I enjoy the surprises. They keep me alive and going and kind of interested." --by Steve Friedman The End. (In addition to full-page fugly sweater photo, there's a small pic of Mark and Bridget, i.e., the turtleneck pic.)

Thank you, Mari!!! "I didn't think those kinds of men existed in life," she says, "but Colin is it." Yes! That's what warms the cockles of our hearts." It certainly does! ;-)

Fantastic article!! And it says that Hamlet will be *this year* She glances from his steady, kind eyes, to his strong neck, his broad shoulders All things we've scrutinized and admired. What's unlikely to remain concealed after Diary is the silent strength that has earned Firth hunky-icon status in his native country. We might have more visitors here. ;-D A patriarchal fantasy figure in a way; aloof, but burning with fire Oooh...and needed to take a dip to cool off. Not that Firth spends time worrying about that [not having leading man lucre] No, we do it for him. ;-D Thanks, Mari.

Yes, thanks very much Mari and Karen and everyone for keeping us up to date.

Well, am back from shopping spree with both Elle and Premiere mags only to find that *someone* has been v.v. busy! ;-D At least I'll have something to thumb through later. Can't believe Elle used the fugly sweater pic. *groan* (Karen) We might have more visitors here. ;-D Ooh, you might have to charge admission. ;-)

OK, today Radnor, PA, is closer to me. ;-D Have checked listings for next week and ALL morning, afternoon, and evening news and talk shows (Today, GFM, Rosie, View, Leno and Letterman) are having the three stars from Someone Like You, culminating with all three (Judd, Kinnear and Jackman) on The View on Friday, the day it opens...precisely what should be done for BJD. If you've seen the trailer on TV, it talks about Mr Right, Mr Wrong, etc., and the clip they showed on Leno last night was v. good. Not wacky Bridget, but an intelligent woman. Should be interesting. RZ is booked on Leno on Friday night (March 30) before the premiere.

the clip they showed on Leno last night was v. good. When did they sart showing the clips on Leno before the gueststar is on? I can't continue to miss these things! RZ is booked on Leno on Friday night (March 30) before the premiere. RZ does Leno and flies to NY for the April 2nd premiere, right? There is nothing in LA, right? HG will probably be on Letterman, don't you think? They usually promote on both shows. Where will Colin fit in?

Thanks Mari for *taking the time* to type out the long article;-) "Firth agrees: "The greatest joy of acting is to reveal the hidden reservoirs in a character--much more than the obvious challenges of transforming yourself. The degrees of what you conceal or reveal--that's what makes the biggest call on your judgment and your ability." That's what makes him a better actor than most. "he will take the lead role in a London version of Hamlet *this year*)" We *knew* it couldn't be 2002!!Time to call Riverside Studios. So we can start clipping coupons and playing the lottery:-)

I didn't think those kinds of men existed in life," she says, "but Colin is it." Nice one. Though Firth admits he's had "very litle success in Hollywood," Refreshingly honest. The usual line...I've read it so many times in interviews with British actors....is that Hollywood beckoned, but they said "no" (why?). Hamlet "this year"...from the horse's mouth. Good! Thanks for all the info, Mari and Karen!

Ben - When is the London contingent planning on seeing the film? How about a drink? I expect I'll see it on opening night but as it's Good Friday am unlikely to be in town as getting back home again to Kent will be hellish (Sunday services et al) but wouldn't say no to an 'nth' viewing a bit later with drinkies to follow *hic*

Have we seen that tiny pic from Arena here yet? Here it is (scanned by Threedeers):

(Moon) RZ does Leno and flies to NY for the April 2nd premiere, right? There is nothing in LA, right? Not that I'm aware of. Marianne, do you have any info on this?

What happened to my pic??? It WAS there, I saw it. Try again:

Sorry, my computer must be playing up! It seems to have a strange hiccup. If the pic is not showing in the usual HTML way (and I don't know why!!!), try this link: http://www.geocities.com/threedeers/Archives/bjdarena.jpg

WOW! now it's back again! Apologies, but it must have been geocities who had a hiccup.

Geocities does not allow "remote loading" anymore. That means you cannot post pics that reside at a Geocities site anywhere else but on that site.

I'm actually a newbie who has been lurking here for some time now. But, I saw a couple of postings previously where some posters were talking about the number of fight scenes in BJD. So, I went back and slowly replayed the last 30 seconds of the trailer. I realized that when Mark Darcy makes his "outside Cleaver" speech and then punches him out in the next scene, this is the same night as when Bridget has her "blue soup" party. If you look at what the characters are wearing at her party: Tom, Bridget, Shazz, Jude, and Mark they are all wearing the same clothing at her party, and then outside on the streets when Mark punches Daniel in the face. Did anyone else notice this or am I going completely crazy?

Geocities does not allow "remote loading" anymore. Oh, fantastic! :-/ So what do I do now? I guess Threedeers will have to upload to colinfirth.com directly. Or something. Bear with us... :-) Welcome to the madhouse, Ela! We're all crazy here... ;-)

It's the first comic jolt in a performance that Firth molds into a slow, hilarious, oddly moving revelation. Ooooh, don't you love this?? He lives in Tuscany and London with his wife ("which is really very gutting," says Maguire Could someone explain what she means by this? Over here, gutting is what we do to fish.;-) (Eileen)Can't believe Elle used the fugly sweater pic. *groan* I know. Maybe the Elle budget didn't allow for that newfangled invention, the photo shoot.;-) The uninitiated might look at this and think, "ok, here's this dude from MTV, now where's the 'Anglo hunk import'?";-) Actually, that's probably fine with CF. Moon, Karen was referring to the Someone Like You clip on Leno. I thought it was funny when Jay forgot SLY's title at the very end--it's *so* memorable. (Bethan)Refreshingly honest. The usual line...I've read it so many times in interviews with British actors....is that Hollywood beckoned, but they said "no" (why?). LOL! So true, Bethan, I was thinking the same thing. I don't think Colin has it in him to be disingenuous. Such nice comments from Sharon Maguire. I'm sure that having such a professional and non-egomaniacal cast on her first film meant a lot to her.

Gutting = (Brit?) slang for bitterly disappointing; deeply upsetting.

To make it easy, I'll just post it for you ;-D Hi Ela! Good observation about the clothing. But if MD is at the birthday party, did he leave and come back, finding drunken Daniel there with the rest? v. confusing

Karen: Hi Ela! Good observation about the clothing. Hear hear. If it's done like TEOR, I suspect DC turns up at the party uninvited, MD makes him leave the flat, knocks him out to the amazement of the onlookers, and apologises, before returning to the flat to be treated like a hero. And the Arena picture...again from TEOR, Natasha has Giles dressed in her choice of clothes at a wedding; I remember some sort of comment like "Don't put your wallet in your trouser pocket, Giles, it makes your leg look enormous" - so this relationship may have been transposed to MD. Because that is a seriously fugly tie. Like the sweater, hard to believe that MD chose it.

Karen, I agree with Mark - I'm assuming that Daniel arrives unexpectedly, a conversation takes place which ultimatly leads to MD punching Daniel in the face outside the apartment. What I don't get is haven't there been pictures of both Mark and Daniel lying face down on the pavement with shattered glass beneath them? Is this fight supposed to last a long time? Another clothing spot that I noticed in the trailer - when Daniel and Bridget are on the ground and he makes his remarks about her huge panties, she is wearing a black dress right? About 30 seconds later when the trailer is talking about how Mark is "Mr. Wrong", she passes him at a party wearing the same black dress. So, I'm guessing that both of these things also happen on the same night? Can you tell that I watched the trailer about 20 times, and each time that I watch it, I still laugh and giggle uncontrollably whenever Mark Darcy has any scenes - especially the fighting one at the end!! Go Mr. Darcy :)

The Hollywood line..... I don't understand the general consternation that CF, or any other actor, should shy away from Hollywood stardom. We live in an age where you are somehow deemed mad not to take all the fame and money on offer. Some Firthettes have said CF should court Hollywood roles more assiduously in order to get the good parts. But (i) these are not always the lead roles - in fact, they're often not the lead roles - and (ii) maybe there are better roles beyond Hollywood anyway! Don't get me wrong - anyone who pursues an ambition is to be admired, and the English are too often disingenuous about their lack of it. But why need it be Hollywood? As an actor, there are other goals. The most admired actor of his generation in England is Ian McKellen. He's done a few films, but not much. Perhaps this is only because he's not been offered things - perhaps all this time he's been anxiously waiting for the call. But I don't think so. If you have regard for someone surely the most important thing to wish for him is that he's content in what he's doing. I am genuinely MYSTIFIED about the projected ambitions for CF when (i) you don't know that he wants these things - in fact, the most natural thing to assume is that he IS content in what he's chosen to do, and (ii) it would be quite understandable if he was wary of Hollywood in the first place.

Ben I agree with you. We do not know his ambitions for himself - only what we read on the media.

Ben, you are absolutely right. As a man of 40 and an actor with 16-17 years of experience he certainly knows what is best for him. Hollywood is not the end all.

No one said it was the end all, but it's an option that he'd be short-sighted, IMO, to exclude. And no need to be mystified either; everyone is entitled to an opinion, even you all.;-) Oh, let's just listen to Colin, in this new interview : Dark Horizons Presents... Colin Firth: Darcy Returns in Bridget Jones's Diary Colin Firth/Bridget Jones Diary Interview by Paul Fischer in Los Angeles British sex symbol Colin Firth became a star following his pivotal turn as the cool Mr Darcy in the TV version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Now, in the eagerly anticipated screen version of Bridget Jones's Diary, Firth plays another Darcy, reluctantly falling for the film's pudgy central character (Renee Zellweger). For Firth, this movie affords the classically trained Brit the chance to send up his famous literary character. Adept at playing the proverbial stuffed shirt, it clearly an unstuffy Mr Firth who talked to Paul Fischer in Los Angeles about the two Darcies, coping with unexpected stardom and dealing with the British press. Q: Colin, how reluctant were you to play yet another Darcy? A: A little bit concerned. Concerns like that are answered by just accepting it and doing it. It had to be a good script and had to be done in the right spirit. As far as I'm concerned, the exercise was almost entirely tongue-in-cheek. Q: Were you satirising that [Austen] character? A: I was having fun with it for my own sake. I didn't want to satirise the FILM by satirising it and appropriate it for that reason. For it to work as a romantic comedy, you have to invest something in it, but nevertheless, the whole Darcy thing has followed me around to such an extent now, that it has made far more sense to have fun with it than try to vainly shake it off. Q: You seem to be very good at playing stuffed shirts. How much of those characters are within you? A: The business of acting is taking parts of yourself and reorganising them a little bit. You take some very gregarious and passionate aspects of your character, put a mask on it and see how that comes out. I find the results of that kind of thing rather interesting. I think those conflicts and paradoxes in people ARE fascinating; you know, the unhappy clown or the little speck of good in the cruel person or the reserved man who's in fact passionate. I think those things ARE fascinating and very polemic to the English. Q: There was a lot of initial controversy surrounding the casting of Zellweger. A: I was neither aware of it nor would I have any tolerance with that, I think it's absolutely ridiculous. She's a good actress, which is far more important than actually finding out where you were born. I know there IS an issue of being specific about a culture, but if someone has a talent for acting on the scale that SHE does, one of those talents is the ability to recognise and appropriate a culture, other than her own. Q: Why do you think Mark Darcy falls in love with Bridget? A: I think that, again, there are all sorts of contradictions in that relationship, and on the face of things, you'd think they were nearly opposite: He has poise where she has none, he is pompous where she has low self-esteem, he is taciturn, where she can't stop talking. But on some level, I think they're quite similar. He recognises her agony in certain social situations because he shares that, and I think he also recognises her vulnerability. She's also wry about her own clumsiness, which he finds appealing. Q: I read that you decided to lose weight for this movie. A: No, I did not decide to do that at all. What happened was, I was threatened with the prospect of having to take my shirt off, which was a chilling thought. So I thought that rather change profession, I will get a trainer and try and do something about it. Actually, what was going to happen was that during the fight scene with Hugh [Grant], it was going to culminate with our shirts being ripped off from our rippling, sweaty backs and have our dynamic torsos unleashed upon the female population of the world and they would barely recover. Q: What was it like to fight Hugh Grant? A: It was a delicious experience. Hugh will tell you that I fight like a girl, which he's been saying a lot lately. All I can say in response, is that it takes one to know one. He was the first one to pull my hair; I would never have dreamt of doing that. And he scratches as well. So that should give you an idea of HIS character. Q: Do you think you're sexy? A: I don't find myself sexy, and I don't have an erotic experience when I look at myself in the mirror, or think about myself. But does anyone find himself or herself sexy? Q: But Pride and Prejudice did something to your image, yes? A: Well I DEVELOPED an image is what happened. I'd been working away in this business, to my OWN satisfaction, for a very long time before that, and I felt I was benefiting from an EVASION of an image, in that I didn't think I had one. Q: How did you cope with the media intrusiveness? A: There wasn't much to cope with. The media intrusiveness in terms of paparazzi attention was intense, but brief. It was new to me and attached very quickly to the fact that I was getting married, and I think I found it threatening because of THAT. If it were to happen now, I think I'd take it more in my stride, but I got paranoid, simply because I didn't want paparazzi at my wedding; I didn't want my wedding day spoiled with THAT. And they were absolutely determined to find out when and where I was getting married and storm the wedding. So that was unacceptable. Q: Did you avoid them? A: I did by taking pains to do so, by not being overheard, not talking on the telephone; you get paranoid. Q: Is it because of that that you moved to Italy? A: No, but it's because of that I enjoy Italy very much; I'm completely unknown there which I take great pleasure in. Q: Which parts of Italy do you love? A: My favourite spot is in Umbria. Q: In Bridget Jones, Bridget peruses a lot of women's magazines. Do you ever read any with your wife? What do you think about them? A: I have mixed feelings actually. I often find that if I'm at an airport and I want to and I want to read a magazine, however destructive it might be about projecting images that women might feel they might have to conform to, they are usually fairly free from racism and sexism and abhorrent political polemics that I cannot stand. But for that reason if you're trying to avoid English tabloid newspapers --- Q: Yeah but they're different to those magazines. A: True, but we have some truly noxious press in my country, and I think that the women's magazines are very harmless by comparison. I mean we had 15 journalists who came t Italy for our wedding and threatened and bribed the Portieri' of our flat in Rome. Abhorrent stuff. Q: So do you read much about yourself in the press? A: Less now. Basically if I enjoyed the interview and I fell that the journalist is a sensible person, then I might be inclined to have a look. But it's like reading about someone else, so it's almost not worth bothering. Even when the person is intelligent and well disposed, it's difficult to read what's written about you; it always FEELS reductive, because you don't ever feel that you could be defined in that particular way. Very often it's going to be wildly inaccurate. Q: Outlandish? A: Sometimes it's just EXTRAORDINARY fabrication. Q: Can you give an example? A: One paper serialised my LIFE after I did Pride and Prejudice and there was hardly anything in it that bore ANY relationship to my life. I remember friends of mine phoning me up and saying: I didn't know this and that about you. Part of this was they invented a story about a passion I supposedly had with an actress who I never knew and never met. They said I knew her but I didn't know her from Adam. Q: Maybe you just don't remember. A: Don't remember meeting and falling in love? Maybe not. The trouble is denying something like that just makes you seem terribly ungallant. Q: If they do the sequel to Bridget Jones, will you do it? A: That has to get the most resounding no comment'. Q: Why? A: Because I don't know if they're going to make one, I don't know if I'd be well disposed to it or not. The possibilities are endless. Q: Do you have plans to work more in the US? A: No, I don't have plans to work more in the States, though I'm open to it. America to me is a foreign country with an abundantly fertile film industry and of course I would love to profit from that. In one way or another, but I'm not going to cut off any ties and come here to seek work, because what I get from home, serves me well. Q: What are you working on next? A: A film version of The Importance of Being Earnest is going to start next month. Q: Any plans to return to the theatre? A: Yes, at the end of this year I'll be involved in an independent production of Hamlet.

Okay. Mystified is too strong. Puzzled, maybe. The interview is inconclusive. He would "love" to profit from America's fertile film industry, but it [America] is a "foreign country" to him and, before P&P, he'd been working away for fifteen years to his "own satisfaction". To me this does not sound like someone whose every happiness depends on a call from a big H'wood producer. (Forgive the hyperbole). In fact, he comes across as someone who is distasteful of celebrity culture, and all the instrusiveness and distortion it brings with it. He also sounds v. funny, which we knew already. I liked the bit about Hugh Grant.

My only interest in seeing CF do more "Hollywood" type things is being able to *see* more of his work. Sometimes, his stuff is pretty hard to locate! CF is, of course, free to pursue any interest of his own.

I love this guy's moniker; wonder what Ethel and Lucy are up to?;-) From Ain't It Cool News: Fred Mertz takes in a Screening of BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY Hey folks, Harry here with another look at an upcoming film from the amazing Fred Mertz... Fred has checked out the latest Miramax flick (coming April 6) and wanted to hate it. Me? Well Miramax just sent me a pair of panties with the stamp... "Property of Bridget Jones" on the right ass check of the Granny Panties... Now I'm not sure what the hell this has to do with the movie.... if anything... but if you are an attractive local lady and would like to see if these panties would fit you.... I'm going to be holding auditions --- kinda like finding the foot to fit that glass slipper... Meanwhile, here's a look at the film.... Bridget Jones's Diary I wanted to hate this movie. I'll admit, I heard all the rumors about Renee Zellwegger landing the part of the quintessential modern day self esteem challenged English woman because of her association with Jim Carrey. I wanted to get angry and scream "It should have been Emma Watson or Kate Winslet or Kate Beckinsale or even Dame Edna for crissakes!" because the thought of pawning off a corn fed Texas girl as a Brit just about enraged me. But then something happened. I saw the movie. I'll be honest, for about the first 40 minutes I was resisting Renee Zellwegger as the neurotic Bridget Jones...but then a scene hits you right in the face and all of a sudden you start to forget she's Renee and understand, she is Bridget. In a nutshell, there's a scene where Bridget discovers her boss/"boyfriend" (and I use that quote loosely) played by Hugh Grant (a ladykilling rogue who knows he's the cats pajama's) cheats on Bridget with a sexy long limbed American girl. Bridget finds the other woman in the bathroom and there's a shot of Bridget's reaction, where you just feel so much for her. After that, I forgot that Renee Zellwegger was in this movie. There was only Bridget. The film is based on the best selling novel of the same name by author Helen Fielding. Every woman's apartment I've been in who is in her 20's or early 30's has this book right next to the bed, like a bible. I haven't read it, since most men tend to stray to Nick Hornby for this type of subject matter, but after seeing the movie, I want to read the book. The supporting cast is nothing short of brilliant. Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver is so perfect as her sleazy, sex driven boss. He sends dirty emails to Bridget in the office and the wonderful thing about his character is that he is so sure that she won't scream sexual harassment because he just thinks he knows women, or even more, knows that he's their ideal. The greatest thing about this character is he's human. We see him vulnerable, we see him as a good guy at times and we see him as an absolute prick. Colin Firth plays Mr. Mark Darcy (hello, Pride and Prejudice anyone?) and he's Hugh's rival for Bridget's affections. When we first meet Mr. Darcy we hate him. He makes fun of Bridget and seems to cast a judgmental eye on her until later in the movie when we get a chance to see him through new eyes. Firth is one of the best actors out there. There is so much texture to his performance. It's wonderful to see an actor who can convey one emotion while his dialogue conveys the opposite. He's full of sub-text. This film is about how first impressions can change. It's about looking for love and trying to find that one person who accepts you for who you are. The way it deals with the relationship choices we all make and the mistakes we all make is very truthful in a funny way. The rest of the supporting cast, Bridget's friends, Mother and Father were so spot on. It's like watching a good basketball team full of role players all there to support the star player. The direction of the film was also top notch. I can imagine how difficult it was to make a movie out of a bunch of short journal entries, but director Sharon Maguire (a first time director I think) has a very sure hand. She weaves us in and out of scenes with great control and slows us down just when the audience needs it. Her attention to detail impressed me so much. The voice over narration seems to fit perfectly (it never stands out) and there's this wonderful moment when Bridget says something she shouldn't have said and instead of hearing Bridget say in voice over (oh fuck) she scribbles it across the bottom of the screen. I absolutely loved that moment. But what I enjoyed even more was that the entire story was from Bridget's perspective so the audience identifies directly with her. We feel her pain and joy and we really worry about her. A director who can make that work is something special. Romantic comedy is a dicey proposition in this day and age, but this is fresh and fun. My hat's off to you, Miss Maguire. Back to Renee--Her accent is spot on. She must have worked really hard to get this down. Yes, she did gain 15 pounds and she still looks gorgeous. I think all the weight went to her breasts. She's sexy and funny and when the movie was over, I wondered if Emily Watson could have done it the way Renee did. There's no doubt in my mind there will be bashers of this film based on her casting. For awhile I was going to be one of them. But give this movie a chance and more importantly give her a chance. She earned this part up on the screen and it's a much better than average romantic comedy with a lot of laughs and a lot of heart. It's a human story and it's not too often Hollywood hands us one of those. Go see this. Fred Mertz

Another v.g. review. Looks like they have a hit on their hands. Incidentally, can someone tell me the precise meaning of "stuffed shirt"? Pompous? Repressed?

Q: Do you have plans to work more in the US? A: No, I don't have plans to work more in the States, though I'm open to it. America to me is a foreign country with an abundantly fertile film industry and of course I would love to profit from that. In one way or another, but I'm not going to cut off any ties and come here to seek work, because what I get from home, serves me well. Me thinks the man doth protest too much. :-) (Ben) can someone tell me the precise meaning of "stuffed shirt"? Pompous? Repressed? Definitely pompous.

Love the interview. It was a hoot, especially the part about the fight scene and having to strip off their shirts and finding oneself sexy. Wasn't aware of the controversy surrounding RZ's casting? Who is he trying to kid? ;-D Q: Do you have plans to work more in the US? A: No, I don't have plans to work more in the States, though I'm open to it. America to me is a foreign country with an abundantly fertile film industry and of course I would love to profit from that. In one way or another, but I'm not going to cut off any ties and come here to seek work, because what I get from home, serves me well. (Donna) Me thinks the man doth protest too much. :-) No kidding! So happy to see that the movie got a good review at AICN and wasn't written off as some lowlife chick flick. Feedback should be interesting. Will probably be about Jim Carrey. Mark, yes that party scenario does work, although it did confuse me to see MD at the doorway, as if he was coming in (had jacket on, whereas at the table, his jacket was off). The source of the snowman tie could be Natasha, although it could be whoever (in this movie not book) gave him the reindeer sweater and he wore it to be kind. The movie portrays a year in the life. It starts with post-New Year, Mark wearing the Christmas present sweater. It should end at Christmas time, with the party where Mark's engagement to Natasha is being announced. Ah well, we shall soon know. Ela, I think there are more than one black dress or scenes in which she wears them. One is the literary party and another looks to be a date with Daniel, culiminating in pants struggle on floor. Isn't her hair different for those two occasions? Thanks, Mari, for being so industrious this a.m.

I see that Catherine (with her Dick Van Dyke neurosis) has been to the AICN feedback to urge people to her site to read the "British" view of the movie. http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/tb_display.cgi?id=8460#267889

Yes thanks Mari for the interview and wonderful review, the best one for Colin so far, I think. How many more days to go...

Hoooeeeeyy, all this news! First, welcome and thanks for your analysis, Ela. Make yourself at home--we've all got experience watching videos frame by frame (ask Bethan or Lizza about 'Nessie'). ;-D About the fight vs. fights--agree with Mark and Ela, MD challenging a drunk and unwelcome DC after the blue soup dinner party sounds logical. They must crash through the window (which they definitely do) while fighting in the street. I hope there aren't multiple fight scenes; if the two of them start hurling fists every time they come in contact it would get a bit old (and would surely have been mentioned by a critic by this point). Re: the interview--thanks for sharing this and 'Fred's' AICN review, Mari. Love this: Firth is one of the best actors out there. There is so much texture to his performance. It's wonderful to see an actor who can convey one emotion while his dialogue conveys the opposite. He's full of sub-text. Not that we didn't know this already... Lastly (for now ;-)), I didn't find any real surprises in the interview. He was 'concerned' about playing Darcy but not to the point of nearly turning down the role. That's my interpretation of his response. About that H'wood line: it's called 'don't burn your bridges'. Keep the offers coming from the UK while expressing an openness to offers from H'wood, a perfectly logical approach, IMO. (Karen) I see that Catherine (with her Dick Van Dyke neurosis) has been to the AICN feedback to urge people to her site to read the "British" view of the movie. Catherine needs to get a life. Talk about missing the point...

Thanks, Mari! Finally getting some interviews! The part about the fight and shirts off was so funny. Can't believe F Mertz loved the film. And now for my classic comment: why can't he get his shirts and ties together? ;-) Welcome Ela, good observations!

Thanks Mari for reviews and interview.I'm reminded of a quote he once told a journalist:"If you asked me that tomorrow, you might get a different answer." Sometimes he talks about roles he wishes he could have...next time he's happy with the ones he's getting.But we take him as he comes ;-)) ", I was threatened with the prospect of having to take my shirt off, which was a chilling thought" Aw,for a minute there, I thought we would get the "towel scene". No such luck:-(

Popcorn has an article/interview with RZ, with quotes from the huge gnat as well. Nothing at all new, really, except HG's comment about the British being defensive. ;-) http://www.popcorn.co.uk/news/story.jhtml?id=46068 More importantly, ET has put up some of the RZ interview that was shown last night (which I missed and plan to tape today) http://www.etonline.com/cgi-bin/get-article.pl?section=spotlight&table=Interviews&id=8746&page=all&publish=yes ~~~~~~~ Though I hadn't planned to respond, our discussions re: CF's career ambitions should be no more mystifying or puzzling to you, Ben, than say my own mystification or puzzlement over the lack of concurrence amongst economists who, using the same data and methodologies, will publish widely varying projections of key indicators. And then my mystification and puzzlement is compounded by the fact that they are largely all inaccurate/wrong and yet keep their jobs to go on projecting useless data for another day. :-) Since we cannot know what CF really thinks about the situation, then his contentment is also speculation. I have only commented on what *I* would like to see for him. He may not want it. If people would like to continue beating this one-step-closer-to-dogfood discussion, please take it to 143. Thank you.

Karen, I was a little disappointed with the RZ interview in that the voiceover noted that Hugh 'plays one of two love interests'. No mention of CF (would it have killed them? Grrrr). The scenes shown were mostly from the trailer, except a longer shot of BJ in her bunny girl costume, walking up the lawn to the T&V party was added. Renee explained the 'butt cam' and how her modestly disappeared. She was v.g., alot less giggly than I've seen her in past interviews. Julie Moran looked so heavily made up she reminded me of Nora Desmond! 'I'm ready for my close up now...'

Nice bit from the ET interview: Julie: One of the most beautiful moments in the film is when Colin [Ed note: on first name basis] says to you, "I accept you absolutely for who are." It doesn't matter that you're 10 pounds overweight, or this or that. What a wonderful message to be putting out to society right now. Ren�e: Right. She's just fine. She's smart and she's accomplished inso many ways. She's funny, charming and really likable, has a beautiful heart, and she's pretty.

Agree, it's a nice bit but it didn't make it to the broadcast. :-(

(Eileen) Agree, it's a nice bit but it didn't make it to the broadcast. :-( [ever the optimist, HA!!] They're saving it and Colin's interview for a Sweeps period. ;-D Item in NY Daily News gossip column about RZ and her current glamorizing trend. She'll be on the cover of the April Vogue. Doubt will have any else re: film. However it would've been IMO far better if they had Colin in spiffy suit (with well-fitted collar) to pose with her.

Thanks, Karen. I would put any reaction against RZ (and, to tell the truth, I don't remember much) down to the s*it-stirring British press. I am a big fan - she's a terrific actress and a babe. HG's remark about the submarine seems a little off-beam. One objection was about inventing fact, another about who to play a fictionional character. On dogfood.....I don't have to predict things, thank God. And to link the two...one economists' dictum is that actions reveal preferences. In that sense, CF's contentment is not entirely speculative. The fact that he's not been battering desperately at Hollywood's door all these years must say something.

Oh, and the hits just keep on comin'! Check out the 2nd paragraph (emphasis mine:-). This is from Roger Friedman at Fox News (many thanks to Chris R. for spotting): Earnest Cast Revs Up Before Strike Add Frances O'Connor, the wonderful star of Mansfield Park, to the cast of Miramax's The Importance of Being Earnest. Oliver Parker, who directed another good Miramax Oscar Wilde adaptation, An Ideal Husband, has just placed her in a group that includes Judi Dench, Rupert Everett, Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth. Firth, who steals Miramax's Bridget Jones' Diary, is the latest addition to the studio's repertory company.

Thanks Mari for the interview and Karen for all the links. This board is a veritable feast of delicious delights to dip in and out of, thankk you Ladies. The reviews are great. Mari , is the Catherine you mentioned the lady with the Brit BJD site? It was featured in The Sunday Times section "Doors" and says "Like the story, it is a one woman effort and not always as attractive as it would like to be, but for puppy dog enthusiasm it scores full marks." ASTONISH ME!!! IMO it is far inferior in layout, style, content and originality to our Karen's. It's rather akin to the RZ casting debate, in this case case too Brit is not best! Forget the "puppy dog" , we've got "Best in Show."

Yes, Catherine is the one with the www.bridgetjones.co.uk site. She's also the online editor for Empire. (very much the novice implied by The Times). ;-D Love Fox News' comment about Colin stealing the movie!!! Could this be the answer to all my prayers (not his, of course)? ;-D ~~~~~~~~~ From Neal Travis' column in the NY Post: EVEN Tom Cruise and director Cameron Crowe couldn't persuade Renee Zellweger to take off her top for a bedroom scene in her first big hit, "Jerry Maguire." The former girlfriend of Jim Carrey says she considers most sex scenes in movies distracting for audiences. Shooting even stopped on the "Jerry Maguire" set as she explained her objections against going topless, Zellweger tells the April issue of Premiere. "It's not like Cameron's big plan was to have this sleazy, gratuitous boob shot," she says. "That's not in him, and I'd do anything for him - with the exception of that." She thinks that, too often, sexuality in films takes away from the plot. "When a woman stands naked in a room, unless that particular moment is held up by the subject matter, all you notice is that there's a naked girl," she claims. Needless to say, there are no nude scenes in her upcoming "Bridget Jones's Diary," in which she stars opposite Hugh Grant. But there is plenty of Renee to see, because she put on 15 pounds to play the part, something not many other A-list actresses would be willing to do. "I'm so afraid that when ‘Bridget Jones' comes out, it'll all be focused on [the weight gain]. It was part of the character. I wanted to look like Bridget, and she smokes and she doesn't go to the gym," she adds. I guess Renee hasn't seen the press kit now being distributed for the much-anticipated movie. It manages to hint at both undressing and being a bit plump by including a pair of voluminous knickers, stamped "Property of Bridget Jones."

(Karen) Could this be the answer to all my prayers Never underestimate the power of a good novena (or was that rosary?) ;-) Let me see, how does that go again? Firth, who steals Miramax's Bridget Jones' Diary I could read that over and over and over and.... (will forgive Roger for inaccurately stating that CF is the 'latest addition' to Miramax's repertory co. Durr. Where the #*&^% has he been? Planet Zarg?)

Good news: have new and better version of snowman tie pic. :-) Bad news: suit has a definite pattern :-(

(Karen) suit has a definite pattern Ooh, do tell. Give it to us on the official 'badaBING' scale... Have just re-read the interview (you can tell am relegated to computer today with workmen climbing all over house). Besides the shirt-ripping comment, *this* is definitely the funniest part: Q: What was it like to fight Hugh Grant? A: It was a delicious experience. Hugh will tell you that I fight like a girl, which he's been saying a lot lately. All I can say in response, is that it takes one to know one. He was the first one to pull my hair; I would never have dreamt of doing that. And he scratches as well. So that should give you an idea of HIS character. LMAO! Love that man's sense of humor.

Agree, Eileen. The man is cool. Karen, I your links don't work? Is that me or them? What's wrong with the suit?

Agree, Eileen. The man is cool. Karen, your links don't work - is that me or them? What's wrong with the suit?

Woops.

The links don't work fro me either. Thanks, Karen, for keeping us up on the latest.

They're not links--it's what happens when you type the word news. Try it.

Never mind, then. I know it happened to me once. Maybe they are [broken] links!

No, they are not links but exactly what Eileen described. The color version of the pic can't be done right now, but I can scan in the b&w a little later. Am not terribly good with fabric terminology, but is a window pane type check???? Love that part of the interview too. This guy is as witty and glib as HG and deserves to go on our talk shows.

Karen, You mentioned a literary party that Bridget goes to in your post. Does this happen in the book or only in the movie? I don't have my copy of the book available, but I can't seem to remember if she went to a literary party. Anyone know if this takes place in the beginning of the book?

Yes, Bridget goes to a literary party in the book as well. See April 18 entry. As promised, here's the suit detail. Will have color tomorrow.

Suit, g.; tie, downright silly; fit of shirt collar, v.v.g.! *humming the tune to 'Frosty, the Snowman'*

Dorky suit....I hope it's just a sport coat. Why did they cut off those beautiful hands. Thanks K.

Haven't even focused on suit, tie, collar, etc. Am too busy sitting here running my cursor over that lovely cleft in his chinny chin chin.:-) Thanks, Karen.

Lovely picture! Can't imagine that the lovely and snooty Natasha would ever condone a tie like that. Makes one wonder what the situation is. We don't have long to wait!

In addition to RZ on Leno on March 30, we now have: Monday, 4/2/01, Hugh Grant on The Today Show* Tuesday, 4/3/01, Hugh Grant on The Late Show with David Letterman *Perhaps can drop by and make faces at through window. Ideas for home-made signs? WE WANT COLIN!!

*Perhaps can drop by and make faces at through window. Ideas for home-made signs? WE WANT COLIN!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Capital! Captial!

Ideas for home-made signs? But of course.;-) 1. Your 15 minutes are up! 2. Elvis has left the building . . .too bad he didn't take this guy with him. 3. Great hair--not! 4. Repent! The end is near! Grant dealt crushing blow! --Job

I will cut up my snowman tie as soon as I get home. The Telegraph is offering you the chance to "email Bridget Jones": http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=002291052247880&rtmo=rrrrrrrq&atmo=rrrrrrws&pg=/etc/etchome.html (If you can ignore the bizarre stuff about John Bayley - this man has made a life for himself out of the death of his better known, and more distinguished wife, Iris Murdoch. Rather sad.)

Aargh, aargh, is past 9 a.m. here in the east, and still no mention of the words 'Colin' or 'Firth' or even 'BJD' on the Today show. Have been watching since 7:30; sat through Laura Bush, Jennifer Love Huett, internet fraud, plus size fashions for women (didn't know you could wear camoflauge tee with spiky gold sandals even if not plus size), can recite my local news, weather and traffic backwards and forward...since this half hour is parenting and food allergies, it looks as though CF will be on in the final half hour. I hope.

Good Luck Eileen, keep tuning in, we're counting on you. Desperate to know what I am missing!! Just think of your payoff!

We haven't had plus size fashions yet but am getting worried.

We haven't had plus size fashions yet but am getting worried They're darling ;-) Thanks Eileen. Pays to have a Firthette in the Eastern time Zone. He must be on the last half-hour.

"Leave the best to last." Or however the song goes!

Turn off those VCRs, ladies, it's a bust. CF wasn't on. ;-( I was a bit hopeful in that one of the last segments was about magnifiers and other assistive devices for seniors--since we all know CF's fan base is comprised of very old ladies--but alas, he was bumped. *insert words too nasty to post* Perhaps his segment has been moved to next week?? *crossing fingers* Off to prepare my 'Isn't Hugh DEVINE?' sign for the day Huge Gnat is on the Today show (bet he won't get bumped). *pouting*

Have e-mailed the Today show asking if CF's segment has been rescheduled. Feel free to do likewise. The address is today@nbc.com.

This is v.v. disappointing. Any ideas how we can find out if it's been rescheduled? (I don't want to watch this every morning until 4/13!!) I've emailed them, but don't have an expectation of getting a reply.

Hey I've been lurking a while now, and I was really looking forward to CF's appearance today, but I checked the Today show's scedule on the internet, and for tomorrow they have Jennifer Love Hewitt. But as we all know, she was on today. Maybe they will have Colin on tomorrow. Who knows, but I was v. disappointed.

Since Jennifer Love Hewitt was scheduled to be on Friday, maybe Colin has been switched to then??? *disappointment has affected my judgment*

He's not listed in their detailed breakdown of tomorrow's show. One thing is certain, like Karen, I'm not tuning in nor taping 3 hours each day until the dawn of time (though did learn fascinating things about lactose intolerance *snore*).

Try calling Miramax. I tried calling the Today Show last week to confirm the appearance, but couldn't get past the recorded voice prompt messages. But maybe someone else may have better luck, or find a better number. I'll e-mail too, but I think that's useless. I'm sure he was not bumped. Rather, I think the scheduling info posted on the cyberspace sites that track these things was wrong. As I said from the start, the early scheduling of this (3 weeks prior to film opening) made no sense at all. They want the impact of having guest appearances right before the opening. So, I remain optimistic that it will happen. It just wasn't going to be Today.:-(

Thanks for answering what I posted at 143, should have checked here first.

Welcome Jennie and feel free to post. It appears we were thinking the exact same thing and our posts overlapped. :-)

*de-lurks, in a grumpy mood due to decided lack of Mr. Firth on Today show* In an effort to fill the gaping chasm left by the lack of ODB on TV this morning, I surfed over to the BJD site on MSN. They now have a page up for the soundtrack, with very brief soundclips from all of the songs. Hopefully, this link will work: http://entertainment.msn.com/bridget/page2/ Ben's list of uniforms had me laughing out loud at the office. It's a bit difficult to explain what's so funny when you work amongst the heathen masses who have never heard of ODB. *slinks back into oblivion*

Who's in NYC on the 6th of April??? I will be for my bday celebration (the big 33!!) can ya believe it??? Anyway, let me know who is around and lets hook up.. Karen???

Today Show: I'm hopeful that he will be in the lineup that is closer to the opening. That is usually the custom, and often stars are on sucessive days (if distributor's publicity machine is in high gear-which is obviously the case here). Meredith (with fingers crossed)

Imitation must surely be the highest form of flattery, as the UK Bridget site now talks about a Bridget Survival Kit, containing Chardonnay, chocolate, etc. Wonder if it's at all like the one I posted eons ago on the very first page? Thanks, Jennifer, for the heads up. Looks as if the Todd Rundgren song has definitely now been accepted. :-( Have new details: There is a Perpetua and she's played by Felicity Montague The minibreak (boating scene) was filmed at the Stoke Park Club, home of the Stoke Poges Golf Club, where the golfing scenes from Goldfinger were shot. If you go to their website, there are pictures of the lake. http://www.stokeparkclub.com/spc/fishing.html Other locations were the Cantina (Shad Thames) where Bridget and Daniel have their first date; the Tate Modern (an evening with her friends); the Royal Courts of Justice, where Bridget attempts to get an interview (WOO WOO, Barrister Alert!!); a loft apartment in Clink Wharf (Daniel's home); and Wrotham Park, Barnet, which serves as the Darcy family home. In addition to Salman Rushdie, Jeffrey Archer and Julian Barnes, there will be Sebastian Faulkes and Alain de Boiton.

I e-mailed Today as soon as it was over. Got a !@#%*%@ form letter in return thanking me for my interest. Bullhockey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm still in a bad mood after being awakened by the shuttle hitting the earths atmosphere over my house at 2:30 A.M. yesterday morning and geting up at 6:30 this morning.

and Wrotham Park, Barnet, which serves as the Darcy family home. This is the Pemberley equivalent....a Palladian mansion set in 300 acres. Makes Darcy v.v.rich!

Would appear they've overdone it, wouldn't you think?

Would've been funnier had they used Lyme Park... :)

Just a quick repeat from #143--Colin is scheduled to be on Today some time in the next 2 weeks.

He's not listed in their detailed breakdown of tomorrow's show. One thing is certain, like Karen, I'm not tuning in nor taping 3 hours each day until the dawn of time (though did learn fascinating things about lactose intolerance *snore*). Eileen, I could not have said it better myself! I will have to have it written in blood before I sit through that show again!

Mark: Does this guy look familiar?

Would've been funnier had they used Lyme Park... :) LOL Laura, great minds & all that! Saw the pic and had that exact thought! :-)

(MarkG) *.../ I suspect DC turns up at the party uninvited, MD makes him leave the flat, knocks him out to the amazement of the onlookers, and apologises, before returning to the flat to be treated like a hero./... (Ela B.).../I agree with Mark - I'm assuming that Daniel arrives unexpectedly, a conversation takes place which ultimatly leads to MD punching Daniel in the face outside the apartment./... This was answered by Isobel Fox, in her March 17 femail.co.uk article, when she gave out oall those spoilers, one of which was: .../ Darcy starts to develop feelings for Bridget, which soon become clear on Bridget's birthday where her disastrous culinary skills means she ends up feeding her guests soup that's turned blue. But Darcy has competition�Cleaver also turns up at Bridget's flat after realising that he misses her and wants her back. The Article is on Karen's BJD Review page. :-) (Mark G.) .../And the Arena picture...again from TEOR, Natasha has Giles dressed in her choice of clothes at a wedding.../ I'm picking nits today -- you're thinking Rebecca, not Natasha (though I suspect the scriptwriters sort of squooshed them together in their heads...) You'll have to pardon me. get to all this a day or two late and require another day to give rise to any response...I'm exclusively limited to 1-hr/day library time now. :-{ KJ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topic 145 of 146 [drool]: Bridget Jones's Diary - nowhere near the edge of reason (Part 3) Response 394 of 464: Another clothing spot that I noticed in the trailer - when Daniel and Bridget are on the ground and he makes his remarks about her huge panties, she is wearing a black dress right? About 30 seconds later when the trailer is talking about how Mark is "Mr. Wrong", she passes him at a party wearing the same black dress. So, I'm guessing that both of these things also happen on the same night? Can you tell that I watched the trailer about 20 times, and each time that I watch it, I still laugh and giggle uncontrollably whenever Mark Darcy has any scenes - especially the fighting one at the end!! Go Mr. Darcy :)

Sorry about that. I'd better resign this stuff permanently...[:-( KJ

This is nice. Many thanks to Silvie for this report! There are loads of gorgeous pix of RZ in April's Vogue "Ren�e takes Paris'. No BJD pix (19 pages all in all) but some quotes from and about BJD & Colin: "....Vogue flew her to Paris for the couture only hours after her triumph at the GG (Best Actress-Musical or Comedy Nurse Betty) but there are way bigger triumphs ahead of Ren�e Zellweger. The long-awaited film of Helen Fielding's best-selling comic masterpiece BJD, in which she stars, opens this month on both sides of the Atlantic. And about five minutes after that, Zellweger will be one of the biggest female stars in the world..... ....Because it's her movie. With every step she takes, with every adorable clunky bad life choice she makes, with every glass of Chardonnay she slurps, with every word she utters (in her perfectly pitched London accent), she is Bridget Jones. Yes, yes, she's got two fabulous leading men to play off: Hugh Grant, cast brilliantly against type as the silver-tongued slimebag Daniel Cleaver, is sexier and funnier than he's ever been without that foppish trademark--uh, stutter--getting in the way. And Colin "Mr Darcy in Damp Shirt" Firth - Helen Fielding's real-life pinup - is as sardonic and smoldering and rocklike as Bridget Jones's possible saviour ought to be. They're both great; the film is great. But it's Zellweger's movie.... Helen Fielding is thrilled with her. "Bridget's very human, which is why women respond to her. She is not one of those women like Liz Hurley, who never have a bad-hair day. Ren�e is the kind of actress who can look ordinary sometimes and quite beautiful at others." It's easy to see why people love working with her. She'll work until she drops. When I call her leading men to ask about Zellweger, both of them fall over themselves to get across how unbelievably grounded she is, how nice, how normal. Acting is a notoriously flouncy profession "for actors of either sex," says Colin Firth. "But Renee's game for everything. All the time. There was no preciousness, no sort of 'I'm feeling a bit brittle today, so you better not come near me.' She's one of the least precious people I've ever met." (Precious, in British English, does not mean 'adorable', I should say. It means 'revoltingly babyish and self centered") Zellweger's biggest fear in prepping for her role, she says, was that she would be "the weak link. Especially with those guys, you know?" Hugh Grant had been her pinup for years, ever since she was at the University of Texas Austin, taking journalism classes and making the odd TV commercial. And she knew all about Mr Wet-Shirt Darcy from A&E's Pride & Prejudice. "But they were fantastic. Fantastic," she says. "And completely supportive. From the beginning."....

Thanks, KJ, I thought I'd read it somewhere. ;-D And she knew all about Mr Wet-Shirt Darcy Don't you wonder if she had to watch the series? She did read the book...after she got the part. And Colin "Mr Darcy in Damp Shirt" Firth - Helen Fielding's real-life pinup - is as sardonic and smoldering and rocklike as Bridget Jones's possible saviour ought to be. And steals the film! *now, I'm crossing my fingers*

Would appear they've overdone it, wouldn't you think? LOL! Correction, MD is v.v.v.v.v. rich!

Karen: Mark, does this guy look familiar? Not to me, but I'm so bad at faces it's going to turn out to be my brother or something. Seriously, I expect you're going to tell me that he was the stuntman in Colin's clothes, but if that's the case his hair was very different indeed for shooting. KJ: you're thinking Rebecca, not Natasha Yup, thanks for straightening me out - as I was writing "Natasha", I was thinking this is not quite right - they must be all squooshed together in my head too. Who had the billiard-ball bottom? Which reminds me, the Comic Relief book, as noted, is very short but of course very funny. There's a glossary of terms at the back which defines Jellyfisher, Smug Married etc, and gives the meaning of Aargh as Aargh. Mari, loved your Top Ten list at #143. Nos 7 and 2 were my faves.

Gabrielle was on GMTV singing "Out of reach " Live this morning!! Clips of Cf that you are all familiar with from video included. But the very best bit was the interview, in which G says what a fantastic movie it is etc etc and when asked whether she prefers CF to HG says "I am totally in love with Colin Firth at the moment." When asked what CF has got that HG hasn't (WE know the answer to that one!!!) She said "He's just soooo lovely. Sorry Hugh." Then I think she said something like "I had better stop now before I embaress myself." What a woman of taste! Wonder if I can wait 3 weeks after all. Counting the days..... hours.....

(Mark) gives the meaning of Aargh as Aargh. Hee hee. It works for me! (Lizza)Gabrielle was on GMTV singing "Out of reach " Live this morning!! Glad you folks had better luck than us yesterday! Sounds like Gabrielle has excellent taste, and is worthy of the title track honors! Here's another review, from Dark Horizons: Bridget Jones Diary �by Scott Mantz��� Dear Diary, Today is Saturday, March 17, and I just got back from having breakfast--alone. That was after last night, when I went to the movies -- alone. Then I woke up this morning -- you guessed it, alone. Well, I guess that's par for the course these days, since, even at the ripe old age of 32, I'm still a single guy. Not that there's anything wrong with that (or so I keep telling myself), but I suppose things would have been a lot different if I had stayed in Philadelphia (my hometown), got married, had 2 1/2 kids, bought a house, and called it a day. But no, I had to take my chances, follow my heart, move out to LA, and try to make it in this crazy business called Hollywood. Well, I'm still working on that last part, but one thing's for sure -- I never thought I'd still be single at 32. While most of my friends are either involved, married with children, or heading for a divorce (probably the latter), my sad state of affairs was driven home last night when I attended a special advance screening of Renee Zellweger's new movie Bridget Jones's Dairy. Not only did I really enjoy the film, but I actually related to it in the sickest possible way (and I'm a guy!). I also found Zellweger to be even more charming and adorable than she was in last year's little seen gem, Nurse Betty. She easily puts to rest all the scrutiny that she was under when she signed up for the role of the chain-smoking, Vodka-drinking, weight-obsessed British heroine from Janet (sic) Fielding's enormously popular book of the same name. Bridget Jones's (Renee Zellweger) life is a mess. She's overweight, she chain-smokes, she's a 32-year-old "singleton," and she likes to drink alone while singing "All By Myself" at the top of her lungs. But she's had it! She's going to turn her life around once and for all, and she starts by keeping a diary to keep track of all her New Year's resolutions. The first of them is to stop dating slimy men who only have their good-looks going for them, but before the ink is even dry on that one, she starts shagging her sexy, playboy boss (Hugh Grant) at the publishing firm where she works. Now she's caught in a bind -- will she keep dipping her pen in the company ink, or will she go for an already involved barrister (Colin Firth) who keeps showing up at the most inopportune times? Talk about decisions, what's a neurotic, confused, scatterbrained British girl to do? Think of Bridget Jones's Diary as a British version of TV's Ally McBeal (but without the eating disorder). She may seem like she's out of her mind, but compared to everyone else, including her "smug-married" friends and dysfunctional parents, she's the one who's better off. Besides, why is it anyone else's business how her love life is doing? What's wrong with being picky and waiting for Prince Charming? Who cares what other people think? If anything, they're just jealous! As Bridget, Renee Zellweger is simply irresistible. Hot on the heels of her Golden Globe-winning performance in Nurse Betty, she gives another range revealing turn that capitalizes on her girl-next-door appeal. After raising eyebrows for being cast in a role that many in the British press felt should have gone to Emily Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, or Kate Winslet, Zellweger rises to the occasion, packs on the weight (almost 15 pounds), and puts to rest any fears that she couldn't carry the British accent (Kevin Costner, take note). In fact, if I didn't know any better, I would never have guessed that Zellweger was from Texas. Hugh Grant is perfectly cast as Zellweger's too good-looking for his own good boss. He takes the sleazy role he played in last year's Small Time Crooks to the next level, and as a result, he seems to be having a blast. Colin Firth sulks through most of the film as Zellweger's other potential love interest, and despite being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person and saying the wrong thing, it's obvious that they were meant for each other. My only problem with Bridget Jones's Diary is with the ending. Like last year's Mel Gibson starrer What Women Want, it starts out strong and loses steam towards the end. While it stays true to the book, it still feels weak compared to what preceded it. Then again, Zellweger is so darn charming and funny, and after baring her soul (not to mention her expanded frame), it's hard not to be won over by her immensely appealing performance. Given the nature of dating in this crazy town, it's easy to understand why I feel so hopeless. But, like Bridget Jones, I'm not willing to compromise and settle ("settle" being the key word) down with the wrong woman just to keep from feeling lonely. Like Bridget, I just gotta be patient. It'll happen when it happens. Well, Diary, I guess that's enough self-deprecation and over-analysis for one day! I'm outta here!

Thanks, Mari and Lizza. "I am totally in love with Colin Firth at the moment." I wonder how Livia feels about this. ;-) I bet Colin will be escaping to Italy very soon.

Would appear they've overdone it, wouldn't you think? LOL! Correction, MD is v.v.v.v.v. rich! Is this the home where Bridget used to caper about the lawn with no clothes? I had a slightly different image in mind. ;-D (Mark) I expect you're going to tell me that he was the stuntman in Colin's clothes Bingo!! (Reviewer) While it stays true to the book Must be the one by Janet Fielding where Bridget drinks vodka and is overweight. But otherwise, v.g. review.

From a humerously, Shazz-like (just as you said, MFP) response to the all the Talkback on AICN from a person called Rhyakitty: ;-D "On a side note, I think Renee must have picked up every pound that Colin Firth lost. What the hell did they do to him? She looks fantastic (what great breasts!) but he looks like a cadaver. I want Mr. Darcy from PnP back, dammit!" http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/tb_display.cgi?id=8460#268741

I'm guessing that Chrissy Iley is a former Time Magazine staffer. From The Scotsman: http://www.leisure.scotsman.com/living/headlines_specific.cfm?articleid=3006

Blimey. I suppose I sympathise with a milder version of the Iley view. But to say... "True love may exist in a moment, but rarely lives happily ever after unless it�s in a fairy tale, and Bridget Jones is as dangerous as Cinderella. A woman I know in her thirties, single of course, saw the movie and enthused: "It gave me such hope." And what was she hoping for? That even if you�ve made a mess of your life, you could still get Mr Right? She didn�t even temper this with Mr. Right Now." is simply wrong. I know a few people for whom it's "lived happily ever after". More generally, I think it's also wrong to identify Bridget's insecurities - which are deliberately exaggerated, of course - as exclusive to women.

Bugger. Does this do it?

MERDE! Sorry.

I am totally in love with Colin Firth at the moment." (Moon)I wonder how Livia feels about this. ;-) I bet Colin will be escaping to Italy very soon. LOL.The hazards of the trade. What the heck, it pays for the pasta. Mari....your "Ten Reasons Why".....you should publish. Getting caught up in the Refugee Demonstration...has to be my fave. Irreverent, but hilarious.

I see Chrissy forgot to take her happy pill the day she wrote that. Am sure there will be many more like it, just as there were when the book(s) came out. (Rhyakitty at AICN) What the hell did they do to him? She looks fantastic (what great breasts!) but he looks like a cadaver. I want Mr. Darcy from PnP back, dammit!" And the 'girls' were padded, were they not? Could've fooled me, though, by the looks of some of the pictures we've seen. Judging from the stills, trailer, and OOR vid, CF looks far from a cadaver though. Or maybe it's just that his shirts fit.

My friends, of which I'm going to NYC with, haven't a clue as to who CF is... Now they were over my house last week, and I was explaining to them the coup casting of CF as MD... They didn't get it... So I pull out the P&P and say.."This is Mr. Darcy in P&P"... Show pic of MD. The braniac says, "Hey, that's the same person..." See what I have to deal with??? EVEN Rebecca (bless her 10 year old heart) was giggling... :) She said, "even I knew what mom was talking about..."

That article from the Scotsman sounds like something Germaine Greer?(sp) would write were she reviewing the film!! and although I liked the second DH review I would have preferred the word "smouldering" to "sulking"!!

The CD cover: Have been checking out prices and HMV in Canada may be the cheapest (US$11.84) plus US$2 for shipping; it shows a new release date of 4/17.

There, you see - isn't she gorgeous? I saw an Underground poster for the film with this photograph; they seem to have ditched the one where BJ is bending over showing off her "great breasts" (Rhyakitty quote, before someone bites my head off..). Is it meant to be significant that HG is looking at the camera, whereas CF is genuinely interested in the diary?

The other poster, Ben, is the advance poster. It didn't have any of the detailed production info. In the US, we had one with her peaking over a list. Too bad they're going with this one too. I had hoped for another one. I liked the British quad far better for MLSF. :-(

Ooops, the UK poster is slightly different. It's the concerned Darcy/giggling Bridget pose:

Finally saw the trailer on the big screen last night (watched 'Enemy at the Gates'). Very embarrasing to find myself squealing the moment I realized what the trailer was...

Like the US poster better. MD looks a little paranoid in the UK one.

Lucky you, Winter. I too saw Enemy at the Gate yesterday and asked theatre management if they were showing the BJD trailer. They actually checked with the projectionist who said it was preceding The Mexican and Hannibal. Unfortunately, the timing was not good so couldn't get a peak, which they said I could do.

(Evelyn) MD looks a little paranoid in the UK one. Looks as though he's thinking *WOT?* I like them both. However, if his head was turned any further people would mistake him for Linda Blair. ;-)

UK Alert!! Free tickets to advance screenings of the movie on BBC1's website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/djs/movie_lounge_form.shtml 12 locations, but no dates given. Go register!

Karen-(slightly OT) I'm sorry, but IMHO even a glimpse of BJD trailer would not make it worth sitting through "The Mexican". Ugh! ;-) Enemy at the Gates...hmmmm. That might be worth a try!

I like them both. However, if his head was turned any further people would mistake him for Linda Blair. ;-) That is very funny. That film still terrifies me. "The sow is mine!" It was on telly here the other night. I turned on all the lights in the house afterwards. Thanks for posting the proper English poster. Also agree that the US poster is better. Apart from anything else, you can't see RZ in our one. In every picture, in every scene in every film he's in, in every appearance on telly, wherever he is, HG wears a black jacket on top of a blue shirt with a big flapping collar. I hope he has more than one.

so couldn't get a peak Before I get mountains of mail or postings re: geological formations... ;-D

I don't like the lipstick color on her... Oh and Ben, you should see the cover of Premiere Mag this month.. Oh here it is;)

I doubt if Ben will be noticing her lipstick color. And no more hiding behind Rhyakitty, Ben.;-) I think CF looks so handsome in the UK poster, Linda Blair notwithstanding (good one, Eileen!). *Make it stop, Mother, make it stop* Why does Colin have 3rd billing in the UK, but 2nd in US? Gift from Harve? (in lieu of Huge paycheck?;-)??

It's tiny. However, I can just make out a pouting face in the middle, and strategically placed strands of windblown hair...... So thank you. I'm off to Dorset (SW England) for the week-end. Very foolishly, I have promised someone I will go swimming in the sea at Lyme Regis. If I am still alive on Monday, I'll talk to y'all then. Have a good w/e everyone.

No more hiding, Mari, I promise. :-)

Well there is an even sexier pic INSIDE the mag, but can't find it on the website... so sorry... swimming in March at Lyme??? (you'll be drunk right???). Have good weekend... (if a cold and wet one)

Karen thanks for the advance screening tip! Have registered and am keeping everything crossed...and it's very difficult to type ;-)

Thanks Karen - entered twice PLUS entered a Saturday morning kids' phone-in comp for premiere tickets courtesy of Gabrielle

From Ananova: Zellweger signed up for Bridget 2 Renee Zellweger has been lined up to star in a sequel to Bridget Jones's Diary. The makers of the �25 million movie have been so thrilled by the reaction to the comedy at previews that want to make a follow up. Zellweger is understood to have been optioned for the sequel along with co-stars Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, who play the men in Bridget's life. A senior source at Miramax, which co-produced the film, told Ananova: " We think Americans will go in a big way for Bridget and we could be into a three-part series."

Three parts!? I missed one! ;-)

Let's hope it won't be a case of too much of a good thing... ;-)

The trailers have started on tv tonight. Boat scene.

I saw a trailer on TV tonight. Very short and NO Colin! I don't know if this one was cut down to be short or if this is the only one that's running. The elevator scene ("ding dong!"), HG asks RZ out, the boat scene, and RZ answering the phone. Anybody else see a better version (i.e. with CF) of the trailer?

Zellweger signed up for Bridget 2 Renee Zellweger has been lined up to star in a sequel to Bridget Jones's Diary. The makers of the �25 million movie have been so thrilled by the reaction to the comedy at previews that want to make a follow up. I'm sure this could happen. Sequels are big business, and if you've hit on a successful formula, which the public like, why not repeat it? And there's a lot of potential storylines out there for BJ. And I also think it does actors no harm to be involved in sequels...they don't get typecast any more...just get more (and better) offers! Ther's an option on all 4 Harry Potter books, with 3 more to come! A sequel to BJD would be quite a modest undertaking (but not a three-parter ....quit while you're winning!)

Miramax is trying to get them to commit now before the movie breaks records ($$$), and the stars as for points. I am obtimistic that if Renee signs Colin will. (Throwing that thought out into the universe as in mantra) ;-) Thanks for that article, Karen. Sometimes I fear if we all discover our inner Bridgets, it�s the same thing as the total submission, as the inner yashmak. And I always thought that having a "Bridget moment" or as I call it "pulling a Bridget", was being clumsy, uncouth, not-with-it, etc. As in when I had to drive(just me!), my husband's v.v handsome British cousin to a dinner and was very late because of trying to match stockings, bag and lipstick to my very short dress and forget to stick wallet in handbag, then as I am speeding to the restaurant realised that the car(fancy Alpha Romeo), was on E and had to stop and get gas(full sevice of course!), and I had no money to pay! Cousin came to my rescue, but we were very late because I couldn't drive at the speed I had planned (no driver's lic. in bag). I said "I pulled a Bridget Jones" and luckily he understood! LOL! That reviewer never got that part of Bridget.

The option for future pics would've been in the original contract and THAT may have been the reason CF would've hestitated IF he did so. Another thing: a sequel need not be based on TEOR; it could be entirely new, especially since a part of the plot is similar to Brokedown Palace (but comedic). We could have MD in LA and Bridget with him. Then of course, RZ could be with her dog and remain fairly thin, as no fatty or carbohydrate-laden food exists in LA. ;-D Have the Snowman Tie pic and another of Colin, plus there are bunch of others going on the Gallery page shortly, including one of Bridget and dad with paper crowns and two others of the friends. And I like this one far better than the other one taken during the same scene (poofy hair); sorry about the quality.

Thanks, Karen. Those are my favourite coller shirts but the tie is not knoted properly. Will I ever see a perfect fit? ;-) BTW, there is nothing wrong with wearing a snowman tie to a Xmas party. What happened to everyone's sense of humour? Don't throw your tie away, Ben. :-D

Somehow I can't picture Fitzwilliam Darcy with a snowman cravat. ;-D

Lucky for us, for him and Jane Austen, they did not exist back then. ;-D

Since these are taped, we can be reasonably sure they will be aired. All times US Eastern: Friday 4/6/01 5:00 pm VH1 Behind the Movie Saturday 4/7/01 2:00 pm E! Behind the Scenes - Bridget Jones's Diary Sunday 4/8/01 3:00 am E! Behind the Scenes - Bridget Jones's Diary (according to my check of E!'s schedule, the Behind the Scenes show is aired as follows: premieres Saturday, 2 pm, with additional airings Friday 8 am (may be following Friday); Saturday 3 am; and Sunday 3:30 am. For the VH1 program, don't you think we'll see more than just Gabrielle's music vid? I suspect Geri Halliwell's too and possibly all the others on the soundtrack.

From Yahoo UK news today: Stars In Dublin For Bridget Jones Premiere A host of stars are expected to arrive in Dublin for the Irish premiere of Bridget Jone's Diary on April 6. Amongst them are rumoured to be the film's leading lady, Renne Zellweger. Currently in LA, Zellweger has confirmed that she'll be flying to London for the world premiere of the film on April 5. While it hasn't been confirmed that the star will be attending the Irish premiere, insiders have revealed that she would very much like to make the trip. 'She's never been to Ireland' a source close to the star said 'and she thinks this is the perfect excuse to make a visit'. Zellweger's co-star Hugh Grant is also expected to be in attendance. Grant has already been this side of the Irish Sea and by all accounts is more than happy to return. While the film is set to become one of the year's big successes Zellweger has already stated that she will not film a sequel 'I was overweight for eight months and I don't want to go through that experience again' she said. ~~~~~~ Given the number of typos and errors, should we believe any of this? Neither is confirmed. Of course, it would explain why US TV blitz is not that week. If US premiere is April 2, then it is the World Premiere. London's premiere was to be April 4th

If US premiere is April 2, then it is the World Premiere. London's premiere was to be April 4th I hate to be a Nervous Nellie, but that's awfully close. We haven't seen a mention in print of the US premiere. I'm on Renee's side. Quit while you're thin and a successful Bridge. Critics invariably compare sequels to the first one. And a thin Bridget makes it like any other comedy. I've never liked Minnie Driver as much as the chunky gal in Circle of Friends.

At this point, I think any BJD sequel is wishful thinking on the part of the Miramax bean-counters. Let's get through the first one; sequels usually never measure up to the originals. And none of them are going to sign on without first seeing a script. I had to LOL at Miramax being suddenly elevated to "co-producer." IMO, all they did was be savvy enough to grab the US distribution rights; I can't see that they produced anything. Universal put up the money, and Working Title is the creative genius. Harvey, make yourself useful by booking the Concorde so these folks can make it to the varous premieres; just don't get caught smoking in the loo again.;-) ;-) Karen, thanks for the great news on the E! Behind the Scenes and the VH-1 show. Lots to look forward to, gang! Love how he looks in the Frosty tie shot. But where's his "corncob pipe and button nose"?;-) A jolly, jolly soul, for sure!:-) Agree that the second pic, sans poofy hair, is the better of the two from that scene, Karen.

Here's a pretty good review from Sight and Sound (published by British Film Institute). They are usually very critical as far as I know. There are 4 pics (not new), 3x Zellweger, and 1 RZ + Colin. No HG. http://www.firth.com/bjd/ss0401.html ----- Karen, whatever the quality, the picture is adorable.

Forgot to mention that the Sight and Sound article is a MAJOR SPOILER and gives away a lot of scenes.

closing tag

"Zellweger seems more of an outsider trying to fit in, with traces of American gaucheness poking through the skin of the performance and the accent just a little too studiedly posh" Pssst...hey Leslie, the director and dialect coach are Brits.

I like all the spoilers...the plot is definitely P&P. The fight sounds hilarious, and the ending is just what we want to see! Thanks Renate! And thanks also to Karen and Mari for keeping us all up to date. I'd imagine that the publicity for BJD in the UK might step up a bit in the next couple of weeks...maybe some newspaper/TV interviews.

Query: Is it better to be gauche or corn-fed?;-) I think I'd rather be gauche. It sounds so . . .French.:-) LOL! Major spoilers, alright. (I like the book ending better, for obvious reasons, but this will be cute. LOL at the homeless opener.) Thanks, Renate.

Thanks for typing up that v. long review from S&S, Renate. The end part labeled Synopsis probably came right out of the UK Production Notes. I really hate these reviews that feel the need to write about SATC and AMcB...but a good review is a good review, and the back-handed compliments about RZ I suppose was inevitable. The homeless opener was captured by my onsite photog at Liverpool St Station as you recall. Cannot wait to see clumsy street fighting scene. I guess it will not be ballet-like as in CTHD. ;-D

Whoa, can this place build up any more steam? The momentum is amazing. VCR don't fail me now. Oh that boy is so darn cute. (Gaby honey, get in line.) If he can just project an ounce of his humor and charm that we see in that Dark Horizon's interview he's going to do so well. Just keep the lovely long fingers hands away from the nose. He's managing to keep up with Hughie's notices. May even be ahead by a nose after that "steals the movie" comment. (wipes a tear of relief away) Hmmm, dying to read the Sight and Sound article but think I will heed Renate's warning and wait. Thanks though to all for the flood of news.

Thanks for the link, Renate. My god, those are beyond spoilers... that's nearly the whole damn movie!

Karen!!! Your BJD site made the Guardian. They have you linked (see below) along with this preview: Bridget Jones's Diary UK release: April 13 The long-awaited adaptation of Helen Fielding's novel looks set to reign supreme as this year's Notting Hill. This expert London-set romance re-orders old ingredients like Hugh Grant and co-writer Richard Curtis and inserts an obligatory American star in Renee Zellweger. The cash tills will be ringing through 'til autumn. Happily the film itself winds up rather better than one might have guessed. At heart, of course, Bridget Jones's Diary offers your standard twittish romantic japery, not to mention a tourist-trap depiction of London (snowy streets every Christmas) that should be prosecuted for false advertising. But there's a genuine heart to the film, embodied in particular by Zellweger's pitch-perfect performance in the lead role. From an early scene crashed on the couch singing along to the radio as Frasier plays on the telly, her Bridget rings out big as life; a sympathetic soul you can't help rooting for. Meantime the plot is buttressed by an on-song supporting cast - Jim Broadbent as her lugubrious dad, Colin Firth as an icy lawyer and Grant as a rakish publisher who describes himself as "a terrible disaster with a posh voice and a bad character." During the movie's production, Texas-bred Zellweger had to get to grips with the necessary weight gain, duff British food, duffer British weather and the break-up of her relationship with Jim Carrey. She reportedly claims to never want to make another film in the UK again. On seeing the end result homegrown film-makers will be desperate to change her mind. Maybe they can even lure her back for the sequel.XB Useful sites Official site Unofficial site Bridget Jones fansite

From Richard Brooks' Biteback column in the Sunday Times: Fans of the Bridget Jones books and columns may well be disappointed. Shazza and Jude, her bestest friends, who are based on Helen Fielding's real bestest friends, Sharon Maguire and Tracey MacLeod, have been cut down to size in the movie. Most of that chitchat with her girlfriends about drinkies, ciggies and weight has been jettisoned for, you guessed it, much more lurv interest. Well, I suppose if you've hired the costly Colin Firth to play Mark Darcy, and Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver, any movie company would want its money's worth. Yet several women who have seen previews of Bridget Jones's Diary, which opens at Easter, are a mite disappointed. "It's the girlie talk that makes the books," one told me. "Where's it gone?" The movie's script went through several hands. First Fielding, the Bridget Jones author, had a go. Then both Andrew Davies, of Pride and Prejudice fame, and Richard Curtis added their bits. The end result is much more Curtis-like, with clear Four Weddings and Notting Hill touches. Fielding lobbied for her mate Maguire to direct. She had only previously done commercials. In fact, she acquits herself very well, as does Texan Ren�e Zellweger as Bridget. But Maguire has surely been asked to carry out the most selfless of director's cuts. She has brought the scissors not just to Jude's significance, but to her own as Shazza. The producer, Eric Fellner, of Working Title, assures me that "the girlfriends are quite content to be edited out". Chardonnay all round.

Thanks, Mari, but whatserhead's site is before mine and if you click on the pic, only her site is shown with the official one. But there's a genuine heart to the film, embodied in particular by Zellweger's pitch-perfect performance in the lead role. Exactly.

Re. the Guardian and Sunday Times comments... both sound like a feeble attempt at pre-release flak. But it looks as though they're struggling to find anything really negative to say about BJD. And the men all like RZ...which is v.g. for the Box Office (can't quite imagine the same reaction to Helena B-C or Emily Watson!)

Just caught my first glimpse of a BJD poster! Quite exciting really. I think it's the first time I've seen CF on a billboard (like a real Movie star :-)), apart from miniscule unrecognisable photo of glowering Wessex. Also RZ features in tomorrow's Telegraph...interview about how she 'became' Bridget.

Karen, it's par for the course, i.e., not what you know but who you know. It's connected with Empire so of course they're listing it. I still think it's grand that yours is listed also. Agree with you, Bethan, that their attempts to find something negative are coming off as half-hearted--I think they like it in spite of themselves!:-) Based on what we've seen so far, I'm optimistic that the UK reviews will be v. good. Well, I suppose if you've hired the costly Colin Firth to play Mark Darcy, and Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver, any movie company would want its money's worth. It works for me!:-) I doubt if many woman will feel shortchanged by Firth and, yes, even Huge. The end result is much more Curtis-like, with clear Four Weddings and Notting Hill touches. Nothing wrong with that (of course I might feel differently had the changes not worked to CF's advantage;-)

There's a video clip of Gabrielle being interviewed on GMTV the other day where, in response to a question as to whether she prefers Hugh or Colin, she says she's "totally in love with Colin Firth at the moment." http://www.gmtv.co.uk/the_show/vault/movie_clips/index.cfm

hired the costly Colin Firth to play Mark Darcy, Ooh, how much? And can we afford him? (Bethan) Just caught my first glimpse of a BJD poster! Didn't you just want to rip it down and take it home? But it looks as though they're struggling to find anything really negative to say about BJD. Agree too. We might have to watch for the BJD backlash. Hopefully it won't come until after the opening. If it comes stay tough, girls. Watched Breakfast With the Arts today but no mention yet of Colin's interview.

And I should clarify that there was no mention on BWTA of Colin's interview for next week's show.

(Heide) Watched Breakfast With the Arts today but no mention yet of Colin's interview LOL! I had it on in the other room (which I never do) just in case. ;-D Speaking of television, another HG appearance scheduled: Wednesday, April 4, on Rosie. Is Rosie taped?

Am all unnecessary and of a flutter, have just seen the video for Geri Halliwell's "It's raining men" on MTV. The song's not quite up to the original Weather Girls version but who cares given the content of the video! The video is very "Kids from Fame-y" but there are clips by the truckload ladies, and very carefully edited for major impact e.g. "tall (cut to shot of brooding MD), blonde (BJ herself), strong and mean (the Gnat)" Also towards end you get some great fight clips again carefully edited .. "It's raining men! (thwack! unfortunately it's MD who gets a thwacking) Hallelujia, it's raining men! (crack! MD goes a-sprawling on the pavement) Please forgive if someones already posted details but am so pleased I've actually seen some clips at last :-) Get those VCRs cued!

Bethan: Just caught my first glimpse of a BJD poster! It seems to me there are three different poster styles in use on the tube - only one with CF & HG in. The one I last saw used the tag-line: Aloof. Unavailable. Ice-queen. Aloof. Unavailable. Ice-queen. Aloof. Unavailable. Ice-queen. Hmm, fancy a shag, though... The WHOLE tag-line was in handwriting, unlike the last one Karen put up here, and just RZ in the picture. Posters everywhere, & don't forget the supermarket Diet Coke promotional tie-ups ... can TV ad trailers be far away?

Thanks for your breakdown of the Raining Men vid, Tracy. Didn't think Geri 'hie me to the eating disorders clinic' Halliwell could match the original. Too bad MD takes a beating but we know who gets the girl in the end. ;-) As for the spoilers contained in the article Renate posted--was there really any doubt about the overall direction taken for the ending? ;-) Anyone here seriously think BJ would end up with Huge Floppsy Gnatman? Still, am all curiousity as to how many shoulder grinds we'll see...;-D (Biteback) Then both Andrew Davies, of Pride and Prejudice fame, and Richard Curtis added their bits. The end result is much more Curtis-like, with clear Four Weddings and Notting Hill touches. Huh? Which endings to 4W and NH did he see? If the ending is more Curtis-like then there will be some happily-ever-after-married-and-pregnant-or-with-children shots. (Bethan) But it looks as though they're struggling to find anything really negative to say about BJD. And the men all like RZ...which is v.g. for the Box Office (can't quite imagine the same reaction to Helena B-C or Emily Watson!) I couldn't agree more. A question to those who pays attention to this sort of thing: when can we expect US reviews? This week or early next?

(Eileen)Still, am all curiousity as to how many shoulder grinds we'll see...;-D Having given up on shags...I say we'll see one...a "chaste" one.

Get those VCRs cued! Posters everywhere ...Diet Coke promotional tie-ups ... can TV ad trailers be far away? Probably not - but very soon *I* shall be far away, I'm afraid... Don't laugh! Hubby planned this hol nearly a year ago and what a terrible coincidence... Did he know the date of the premiere before anyone else, do you think? Oh, I am absolutely p***ed off. Ladies in the UK, please video as much as you can! I shall be after favours when I'm back... ;-) (May I remind you I can copy videos, but only European PAL.)

Amazon now have the soundtrack on pre order for �11-99

Who, I want to know, who edited that music vid? They didn't show HG sprawled on the ground? Grrrr But sounds very funny. Am sure Hughie takes some cheap shots and lands some low blows for our boy to get laid out like that. (OK, am not going to do commentary on next Oscar de la Joya fight) Anyway, hopefully, we'll see it on that VH1 program.

It's ok if he gets knocked down as long as he lands in my lap. :-)

Looks like there is only the one fight but that it covers a lot of territory on Bridget's street: "London's Globe Tavern in Borough...provided the exterior. For the neighborhood, production designer Gemma Jackson and locations manager Adam Richard found a street with a vibrant, bustling character--replete with busy fruit market--reflecting Bridget's personality. Jackson then adapted existing shop facades into a trendy Fragipani, a minicab office and Mr. Ramadas' newsstand. The Greek restaurant into which Mark and Daniel's fight erupts was created from scratch. Jackson's creations were so realistic, that several times during filming, members of the public attempted to buy a newspaper from Mr. Ramadas' shop or book a table in the Greek restaurant."

It's ok if he gets knocked down as long as he lands in my lap. :-) I'm afraid you have to join a long queue (line)...

Just saw trailer on US TV for the first time. V. short compared to lovely trailer at web site. During "True Lies" on Fox. Hmmm...wonder if they will show it during Oscar (much too late for me to stay up). I was so surprised, I dropped the remote control. Didn't catch much, but it's "starring RZ and HG". Shouldn't surprise me, I suppose, since we don't know who CF is here in the US. However, there was a TDH man who said "Outside Cleaver!"

How to deal with the slighting of CF: Tell yourself that it's OK that he loses the fight in the video, and it's OK that he doesn't appear in the US TV trailer, and it's OK that the magazine photos only show the one with the geeky reindeer sweater. People will go to see this to see RZ and HG. And they will discover CF. And when your friends tell you that this incredibly handsome man was HG's rival (and a far better actor playing a nicer character with better hair etc. etc. YOU can say: HAH! Told you so!!!!!! and feel v. smug.

You are SO right, Kate!

Thought Renee looked elegant at Oscars, tho' only vv short glimpse. Huge Flopsy is well rid of previous escort who was vv rude in Brit interview and clearly completely off the wall!

From today's (London) Evening Standard: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/hottx/top_review.html?in_review_id=374780&in_review_text_id=320515

Cute article, thanks, Ben! Even in the jumper, he is raw sex in a jumper). Well we knew that didn't we? ;-) LOL!

Ben you are a veritable Star!!! What a wonderful article, I won't elaborate in case the comments are spoilers for those who haven't read it. "Raw sex in a jumper." You read it at drool first. Ben, I can only surmise that your excellent piece of sleuthing was inspired by an Astenesque wander on the Cobb at Lyme Regis!! I also think that the author does not exactly belong to the same "club" as those of us who post here! This is a discussion that will run and run....... Thanks for such a gem.

Ha ha ha . Moon just found your post. We were both obviously drawn to the same comment!! Can't imagine why

I fear my DH will be very upset with me if I drag him to see this film. "You're not starting that Darcy thing again!" I don't know if I can put up with another round of Colin bashing from him. ;-)

Mine chuckled with joy at the "Colinless" trailer we saw recently in the cinema!

Loved the article as well, which really points up two potential flaws in this movie: (1) Daniel will be portrayed as a good guy toward the end and (2) Colin should've gone into the lake. Cannot abide the thought that a *wet-shirted Hugh* will be drooled after. Those complaints aside, I too had to pause at the comment "he is raw sex in a jumper." ;-)

(Karen) Looks like there is only the one fight but that it covers a lot of territory on Bridget's street As long as they don't fight through all four seasons...;-) (Kate) People will go to see this to see RZ and HG. And they will discover CF. And when your friends tell you that this incredibly handsome man was HG's rival (and a far better actor playing a nicer character with better hair etc. etc. YOU can say: HAH! Told you so!!!!!! and feel v. smug. Precisely, precisely. Watch for those ads to change after the movie opens...;-D

I only read the article after posting it. Can't really comment, except to say my eyebrows were raised by the extended speculation about their respective "sizes". Is there really an inverse correlation between niceness and size? Not having researched the question, I'm not really equipped, if you'll forgive the word, to say so. Does sort of make one wonder where one lies on the scale, however. BTW, the water was BLOODY cold. I got a lot nicer during that swim.:-)

(Moon)I don't know if I can put up with another round of Colin bashing from him. ;-) Tell him you've switched to Hughie.Really, you girls are so uncreative. You don't have to tell the truth *all* the time ;-) (Ben)Can't really comment, except to say my eyebrows were raised by the extended speculation about their respective "sizes". Is there really an inverse correlation between niceness and size? Hey Ben...."size" matters ;-)

Ben did you miss our discussion hotfoot from 3DOR about Colin's feet last year?

Yes. I'm glad to say that I did.

We knew you were on the case! Interesting to see if TES gets any letters or feedback re this article!

BTW, the water was BLOODY cold. I got a lot nicer during that swim.:-) DUH!!! It is only MARCH last time I checked my calendar.... (I would liken that to jumping into the North Atlantic here in Boston in January... damn stupid if you ask me....) :) BTW, Ben, the chills and flu-like symptoms will be appearing very shortly.. (says she who just got over flu!)

Great article, Ben! I was pleased to see CF discussed on an equal basis with HG, who seems to get more attention. But, really, "good enough for any viewer who was just about to fall for Colin but might change her mind." and "We will never, ever be able to decide." That may be the "bulk" of the viewers, but some of us have decided, and are not about to change our minds!! Too bad the movie isn't coming out around Christmas--think of the merchandizing tie-in for reindeer jumpers!!

(Ben) BTW, the water was BLOODY cold. I got a lot nicer during that swim.:-) ROTF! (Eileen)As long as they don't fight through all four seasons...;-) Ahh, you people are *on* today! RE: Daniel turning ok-ish at the end: what a sell-out. Can't have people leaving the theater actively disliking Huge, now can we? It was probably a condition of him doing the film. I smell a rat. And a sequel. . . For all you people whining about CF being slighted (me? I never whine;-) this was in yesterday's LA Times, front page of Living section, pics of Helen (poor thing!)and of BJ and Mark. Thanks, Leslie, Jana, and Donna: By Ann O'Neill All Helen Fielding craved was a "haven" in Los Angeles and a little peace and quiet following a grueling international book tour promoting her clever "Bridget Jones" novels. So she plunked down $1.38 million in November 1999 for a hideaway in the Hollywood Hills. Just three months after escrow closed, the leaky roof collapsed during a rainstorm, bringing the ceiling down with it. Echoing a scene from her second "Bridget Jones" book, the British author was left with a gaping hole in her home. So Fielding is doing what any red-blooded American would. She's suing. "It's life imitating art," she said recently. "If Bridget had brought a house in L.A. this would have happened to her." Fielding's Bridget is an endearing, never-married, weight-obsessed 30-something who consumes cigarettes, chardonnay, self-help books and men who are bad for her. She has a knack for getting into excruciatingly embarrassing situations, which she records in her diary. In England, she's been as popular as the Spice Girls. Bridget's romantic misadventures have been dramatized in the upcoming film "Bridget Jones's Diary," produced by the people behind "Four Weddings and a Funeral." It stars Renee Zellweger, who pudged out for the part, and Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, who didn't. The film, due in theaters April 13, is a hoot - especially the fistfight between a caddish Grant and a brooding Firth. Fielding's next step toward becoming a bona fide Yank was to hire a publicist, who wasn't keen on allowing her client to speak to anyone wanting to ask about the lawsuit. Anyway, we had already met the 40-something Fielding a few weeks ago at a spiffy Talk magazine lunch at Asia de Cuba. Initially guarded, she warmed up as lunch progressed, spearing us a slab of chicken and telling war stories about her days as a journalist. There was a decade at the BBC and a couple of newspaper stints. She said she quit one London newspaper job in a huff after the editors injected "poison" into her profile of James Gilbey, the Princess Di swain at the center of the "Squidgy-gate" scandal. "I woke up the next day with no job," she said, laughing. Fielding, an Oxford graduate, found work at another paper, the Independent, writing features and then a regular column about an urban working "singleton," a much nicer word than "spinster." Reluctant to reveal too much about herself, she created an alter ego - Bridget Jones - in 1995. A year later, the columns became the basis for "Bridget Jones's Diary," a novel that borrowed heavily from Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." People constantly compare her to, and confuse her with, Bridget. Even Fielding isn't quite sure where the line can be drawn. Last year's sequel, "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," offers continued parallels between the author's art and life. For starters, there's a running joke about Firth, who stars in the upcoming movie in the role of suitor Mark Darcy. Firth, who also played Mr. Darcy in the BBC's adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice," is an object of desire for Bridget and her friends: "We all fell silent then, watching Colin Firth emerging from the lake dripping wet, in the see-through white shirt. Mmm. Mmmm," Bridget writes. Later, Bridget interviews Firth in Italy. Although Firth is eager to promote a new movie, Bridget is fixated on the lake scene: "When they had to do another take, did you have to take the wet shirt off and then put a dry one on?" Fielding's current domestic difficulties also were foreshadowed in the book. Gary, a London contractor, takes $3,500 from Bridget and knocks open a wall, never to return. Her diary records the catastrophe: "Gaaah! Gaaah! Gaah! Is bloody great hole in side of flat! Is left open to outside world in manner of gaping precipice and all the houses at the other side can see in." She sics a barrister on Gary. The sequel ends with a hint of what is to come for the author. Bridget contemplates moving to Los Angeles with her man. "It's very warm and sunny there, and they have swimming pools," Darcy pitches. Bridget capitulates: "Hurrah! Am going to America to start again, like the early pioneer.... Will be fantastic in California with sunshine and millions of self-help books.... and Zen and sushi and all healthy stuff." Fielding has dived into our swimming pools and eaten our sushi. But she's also run headfirst into some less glittering facts of L.A. life: Somebody's always happy to take your money. (Incoming millionaire singleton! Ka-ching .) And it's not always sunny and warm. It can rain buckets, which it did on Feb. 21, 2000, the day the ceiling of her new house fell in. Gaaah! Is bloody great hole! And the poolhouse in sinking, the toilets back up, and the heating system and front gate don't work. Gaaah! Fielding became a real live litigating Angeleno last month when she filed her legal papers in Superior Court in Santa Monica. According to the suit, she told her real estate agent she needed a house in move-in condition so "she could continue to write, entertain persons in the publishing and movie business, and concentrate on her professional and personal life." Instead, she claims that she was duped into paying an inflated price for the house and that real estate agents covered up structural flaws by patching up cracks and water stains. Named as defendants are the agents involved in the transaction and Prudential John Aaroe & Associates, Pickford Realty Inc. and Reliance Home Inspectors. Fielding seeks unspecified damages, alleging that she "sustained lost earnings" and had to seek counseling. Peter Solecki, general counsel for both real estate entities, declined to comment. The home inspector, George Baral, said it would be difficult for him to spot defects if someone had taken pains to hide them. "If they cover the spot on the roof with gravel, then the visual inspection cannot determine that there might be a leak there," Baral said. "The water goes in through places you can't really see." Welcome to the City of Angels, luv.

To say nothing of snowmen ties!!

Aw, Ben got there first with the ES article link. There's another BJ article in the paper though no CF references http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/lifestyle/fashion/top_article.html?in_review_id=374775&in_review_text_id=320510. I couldn't believe my luck when I bought the paper this evening (as usual) and found himself on the front page, so as you can imagine I had a very enjoyable journey home, pity about the drooling though, it does upset fellow passengers I find ;-P~~~~ The online piece doesn't give any pix ( which I'm sure we've all seen before but any excuse eh?) so in true Tracy fashion I shall now, for your delectation and delight, louse up my scanning ..here goes... The front page... Humph not sure about that order!!! .....that's better!

Rats...see I told you I'd louse it! .....that's better!

(Tracy) There's another BJ article in the paper though no CF references Never mind..."a picture is worth...." CF's pics are interesting. Is the first one one a new one? You did great, Tracy.Thanks.

So HF's suing in Santa Monica, huh? ;-D (note: need to get roofers here before April showers or will be in same boat as HF) v. much like the emphasis on CF in the LA Times article. Ann O'Neill must be a fan with v.g. taste. She knows the books well and she knows P&P. Could The Evening Standard have found more hideous pictures? Well, yes, I'm sure they could but YEEEEEEEECCCCCH. That cover one must be from his Fever Pitch portfolio. And come on, Huge looks like he's 17 years old. Thanks for the scans, Tracy.

I don't think so...I seem to remember it about the time of FP hence big hair I suppose. BTW what are "fathomless eyes" ? Huge Gnat "...without the sweetness loses the floppiness which for so long has misled so many of us into calling him a "floppy arse"...." Misled? Never, he'll forever be known as such to me ;-)

Just called TODAY . Show apparently goes through several changes before it goes on air. ( Must think I just fell off turnip truck) Could not tell me at this time if Colin would be on tomorrow. Best to call every morning . Show starts at 7 AM... Tel.lines open at 9AM ;-)

(Evelyn) Best to call every morning . Show starts at 7 AM... Tel.lines open at 9AM ;-) Shades of Bethan's contact at the BBC! Durr. IMO he'll be on closer to or just after the 4/13 opening (before TIOBE starts filming--there's about a 10-day window). Makes more sense since we ignorant Americans won't know who he is until the movie's out. ;-D (Karen) That cover one must be from his Fever Pitch portfolio. And come on, Huge looks like he's 17 years old. Agreed. Fix! Fix!

Oooweeee!! My BJD poster has arrived. You can read bits of the writing that forms the background. v. todger-related. One part at top says, "Will not fantasize [Am. spelling] about my boss Daniel Cleaver (he's gorgeous!). Mark Darcy is a bore and stiff. (if only!) Daniel or Darcy?" (Eileen) IMO he'll be on closer to or just after the 4/13 opening Assuming that he does it at all. But you keep calling, Evelyn. They're going to get so sick of you that they'll probably tell you. ;-D

One of my informants has called A&E and they've said the BWTA interview with Colin is Sunday *slitting my wrist* April 1.

Elliot didn't mention that at all. Have to squeeze Colin in between the opera singers if it's true. Could make a joke about the fat lady singing but shall restrain myself. Snippets of BJD interviews (no Colin) on the Oxygen channel tonight. Plus Oxygen (?) was shown at 7pm EST tonight - have not a clue if it's repeated. Just Renee, Hugh, Sharon Maguire and Helen talking about the film and bits of the same trailer. Film described as Bridget having to choose between two men - Hugh Grant and Colin Firth - a dilemma that every woman would love to have.

the BWTA interview with Colin is Sunday *slitting my wrist* April 1. Will be in LA! No way to tape it! Major help needed. Thanks, Tracy! Hair FP. What is wrong with the PR dept.!

Is this an April Fool's joke?

A very important date in my calendar. My wedding anniversary! ;-)

BTW, you should find Colin's quips reproduced in Tuesday's Telegraph, the Peterborough column: THUS Colin Firth on his Bridget Jones co-star Hugh Grant: "Hugh's been telling everyone that it's me who fights like a girl. But all I can say in response is it takes one to know one. He was the first one to pull my hair. I'd never have dreamt of doing that. He scratches as well. So that should give you an idea of his character."

Well, Moon, it's not signed in blood, but here's written confirmation that he will be on BWTA this Sunday. Many thanks to "Silvie": Yes, indeed, my producer informs me that it will be April 1st. And I talk about you fans in the interview. EF ******** Heh, heh, heh . . . .

Thanks, Mari! I'm always up for an April Fool's joke. ;-)

Dark Horizons has another interview by Paul Fischer, this time with RZ. But the strange thing is the last line which says the movie opens in the US on April 6. http://darkhorizons.com/news9/bridge.htm

Have I missed something or is this really news? In my local paper (Swiss)I read, Zellweger and Grant were said to be a couple. The original report is from the Star.

The Sight & Sound review that Renate arduously typed in is now online. It states up front that their "synopses give away the plot in full, including plot twists." http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/2001_04/bridget_jones.html (No, you haven't missed anything, Nita. Nothing's been posted here.)

I thought it was Portia de Rossi and Hugh Grant??? I can see how they can confuse RZ with PdR:)

Leave it to Laura to fill in the blanks on important celebrity gossip. ;-D

Leave it to Laura to fill in the blanks on important celebrity gossip. ;-D ] Hey, I read that here!!! :) (okay, I think I saw it on eonline;)) Tea w/ Ted... ;)

More TV appearances, plus additional showings of the VH1 special. Besides HG on Rosie, he's scheduled for: Saturday 4/7/01 2:13 am (central time) ABC syndicated show "Entertainers" (check for local listing) RZ will be on Letterman Tuesday 4/9/01

Cute pic of CF in a tux is now running with the online version of the Hugh vs. Colin story. http://www.thisislondon.com/html/hottx/film/top_direct.html

Yummmmm, now that's a picture that should be handed out for publicity instead of the big hair FP shot:

Why so despondent about the BWTA schedule, Karen? No cable TV in the hotel? :-( I will be at sis' so can probably watch this Sun. but don't know if I can tape. BWTA enthusiasts: what time are the interviews usually aired? Don't tell Elliot ;-D but I haven't watched the program since CF's last appearance. (Elliot) And I talk about you fans in the interview. **Very old ladies alert! Very old ladies alert!** ;-D

Cute pic of CF in a tux is now running with the online version of the Hugh vs. Colin story. It's darling...I also think it's a high schol pic. BWTA enthusiasts: what time are the interviews usually aired? *Usually* first hour is music.But I'd tune in at 9 AM and read the papers just in case.

Personally I am thrilled it is on on the 1st, it means I shall be able to see it first hand. Yippee. Incidentally there was an item about BJD on the This Morning programme today with new clips from the film, lots of MD and I just loved the scene where he tells Bridget that he likes her "just as she is".

(Elliot) And I talk about you fans in the interview. (Eileen), **Very old ladies alert! Very old ladies alert!** ;-D LOL! So who has been sending Elliot emails? It would be awfully wicked of him to name names. ;-)))

Have just seen my first TV commercial for BJD. Last night I taped Ally McBeal and there it was! It was a shorter version of the trailer, had a scene I hadn't seen before (likely a fantasy wedding scene) and showed her bottom getting patted in the elevator and saying 'ding dong' Mark calling 'Cleaver outside' was shown along with the two flying through the glass (ATTN Men: Action flick!), but that's it for him. No real emphasis on the two guys: one right, one wrong.

I don't know if any one else check with "Click TV" on the internet, but when I searched for "Breakfast with the Arts", it did not list Colin as on of the guests. It just mentioned that they were to have a orchestra playing on their show. Did anyone else notice this on their website? On a side note... Last night was just one of those nights were you are sleeping in bed and you suddenly come up with an idea... I know everyone was wondering if they ever did make a second BJ movie, how would they incorporate the whole Bridget interviewing Colin Firth scene. But, I was thinking, couldn't they make Bridget practice her interview on Mark Darcy (which would allow Colin Firth not only to say the same things he did in the interview in the book), but he could even poke fun at himself. Then, they could make it wear the "real" Colin Firth will not be able to have the interview with Bridget, thus solving the casting problem for a Bridget-Colin Firth interview! As you can tell, I spend waaayyy to much time thinking about fictional events - but, hey...aren't they more fun than what's happening in the real world ;)

Ela, I don't think most BWTA's listings ever show the interviews. In this case, the orchestral component is, for most people, the main part of the show. There can be two interviews, an Artist of the Week and something else. As far what would happen in a sequel, there's no reason Colin couldn't play himself. He would really look different in his Oxfam clothes, black trainers with white laces, and anorak--things Mark Darcy would never be caught dead in. Besides the entire sequel could take place in LA if it comes to pass... Of course, there's no reason to have any Daniel Cleaver in that one.

Monday, April 2 Bridget Jones's Diary World Premiere Ziegfeld Theater 141 W. 54th Street (54th between 6th and 7th Aves.) New York 212-765-7601 (Eileen)**Very old ladies alert! Very old ladies alert!** ;-D In a nod to our Oscar fashion discussion, let's call ourselves "vintage.";-) (Karen) No real emphasis on the two guys: one right, one wrong. Maybe they thought that would make it too close to the commershills for Someone Like You (which is getting some pretty mediocre reviews, heh, heh, heh;-)

(Mari) Maybe they thought that would make it too close to the commershills for Someone Like You No, that would require Colin to strip to the waist and show us those abs, as Hugh Jackman does. One can only dream... ;-D Way too much Hughie in the commercials...beginning to end.

(Karen) Have just seen my first TV commercial for BJD. Saw my first one last night too - was V.V. excited. :-) Missed the beginning though. Thought i heard RZ's voice and came running in from the kitchen and caught the butt pat. Wish i would have seent he wedding fantasy. Was it to Mark or Daniel?

Speaking of which, from Ananova: Dina Carroll to release new single, Someone Like You Dina Carroll releases her new single Someone Like You on May 21. The track is featured in the forthcoming film Bridget Jones's Diary. It is also included on the soundtrack album to the movie, which is available from April 16. Dina's version of the classic Van Morrison song - which appeared on his 1987 album, Poetic Champions Compose - is one of two new tracks to be featured on her first greatest hits collection, The Very Best Of Dina Carroll, released on June 11. The other new track, which is so far untitled and which features a mystery guest star, is currently being recorded and is scheduled for a single release on July 30.

I can't believe this just happened. I was talking to a friend I don't see very often, and out of nowhere he says: "I went to the cast&crew screening of Bridget Jones' Diary the other week." What??? Turns out he's Sharon Maguire's accountant. And has nothing useful to pass on, except: "It's very good actually, more of a girlie's film of course..." So still no premiere tickets burning a hole in my pocket.

(Mari) Maybe they thought that would make it too close to the commershills for Someone Like You (which is getting some pretty mediocre reviews, heh, heh, heh;-) Waddaya expect, given the great 'acting' *cough* 'talent' of Ms. Judd? ;-) Very old ladies alert!** ;-D (Mari) ...let's call ourselves "vintage." ;-) Gaah! I'll call myself neither. All those CF fans without grandchildren, raise your hands! *waving mine* (SB) Saw my first one last night too Were you watching Ally also? If not, what were you watching? And how the he** have you been? ;-D

Colin on Today show - Tuesday, 10 7:00 AM Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick perform a song from Broadway's �The Producers.� Also: Jane Seymour; Colin Firth; cooking �lite.�

Donna, what was the date? April 10th? And what is your source? :-)

Fantastic, Donna! Am all for more wild goose chases. Eileen, it shows up *again* on ClickTV as well now. *also raising hand*

Could be the Today Show was amazed by the all calls asking for Colin after his nonappearance last week.

Maybe they thought that would make it too close to the commershills for Someone Like You (which is getting some pretty mediocre reviews, heh, heh, heh;-) But a lot of press. On everyday on morning TV "Romantic Comedy of the Year"... Could be the Today Show was amazed by the all calls asking for Colin after his nonappearance last week. They know him *now*.No longer do they say: "Who"?

oooh, and on my birthday, no less.. Maybe he'll be in NYC the weekend I'm there... (Staying at the Plaza or Four Seasons???) think I can talk him back to brooklyn???? ;) I, too, saw the BJD commercial during Buffy (whilst folding laundry, Rebecca's response was priceless.... "oh dear, here we go again..." ;)) Actually, she thought it looked funny and laughed out loud when BJ answers phone and it's her father...;)

(raising hand) Just marked April 10 on the calendar. Not sure I can wait....

(Karen) Am all for more wild goose chases. Yes, so am I. I'll be more optimistic when I see it on the Today Show site (even then, it's still not a given until you hear it straight from Matt or Katie).

Quite true. Those other sources are *NEVER* right. :-)

Hey, Eileen, I'm raising my hand too! Have only a couple of years on that whippersnapper Firth. And what a cheeky fellow he is; needs some discipline, IMO.;-) ;-) Could be the Today Show was amazed by the all calls asking for Colin after his nonappearance last week. Maybe Elliott Forrest told him about his pushy fans; God bless us, every one.;-)They *did* say within the next 2 weeks. Super news, Donna, thanks! Evelyn, you're right about Someone Like You getting tons of press. Judd, Jackman, and Kinnear are all out there blitzing the talk shows. I've never seen Ashley in anything, to tell you the truth, but I thought she came off very well in her interview on Today, er, today. Articulate, nice. I still hope her film sucks.;-)

Great review in the May Empire. Many thanks to Martine for bringing it to us! Bridget Jones's Diary The cinematic adaptation of Helen Fielding's chick lit classic was an endeavour fraught with pitfall: the first person narration was never going to be an easy crossover to movies; the potential to alienate the male cinema-goer was massive; and the selection of Texan Zellweger to play Britain's favourite neurotic raised further suspicions. However, what first-time director Maguire, the writers and the perfectly-pitched cast have created is another great British rom-com that manages to be even funnier and more romantic than Notting Hill. The film's success is thanks in no small part to the three leads. Grant, as the deliciously dastardly Daniel, has never been better - far sexier as a posh cad and bounder than the usually foppish sweetie. Devilish and charming in equal measure - and with a dash of the Rupert Everetts about him - it's easy to see why Bridge can't resist his sleazy charms. Firth, meanwhile, is less of a showman, but appropriately revisits the haughty yet smouldering Mr. Darcy of the BBC's Pride and Prejudice, the subject of so much girlie lusting in the original diary; as aloof barrister Mark Darcy, he's six-foot of repressed passion just waiting to be unleashed. Zellweger, meanwhile, who rarely lets the accent slip, more than answers her critics, lurching from one disaster to the next, but still managing to balance her endearing daffiness with an irresistible sauciness - no wonder Daniel and Mark are fighting to get into her control-top knickers. Admittedly there are moments when her more embarrassing gaffes make you cringe, yet her character is in a sense the victim of her own success; it's easy to forget that, as much as she is an icon of modern womanhood, she is also a satirical, albeit deeply affectionate, take on that same creature. Large tracts of the diary - and no doubt many readers' 'best bits' - have, by necessity, been omitted. Moreover, Bridget's wonderful "urban family", Tom (James Callis), Jude (Shirley Henderson) and Shazzer, are greatly underused, and a sub-plot featuring Bridget's parents' troubled marriage seems truncated. But these are minor quibbles, and with at least one laugh-out loud moment every five minutes, several stand-out scenes (Geoffrey and Una's tarts'n'vicars party and Daniel's boating accident, to name but two), a swooningly romantic denouement and the sort of top-class support that you only seem to get in British comedies, what you have is an above-average chick-flick that even blokes will tolerate (cf. Ren�e's bunny outfit). V.g., as Bridget might say. Liz Beardsworth ANY GOOD? Resoundingly yes. Sometimes uneven, and a tad short, this is nevertheless one of the most genuinely funny romances for some time. With Grant, Firth and Zellweger on sparkling form, this will be the next big Brit hit. * * * * (very good) -------------------------------------------------------------------

Great review. Funny that Catherine's co-worker didn't make a big deal about the accent. he's six-foot of repressed passion just waiting to be unleashed Ooooooowwww must stand back and take this in. *eyes agog* BTW, have done more TV searching and the TV Guide site shows RZ on the Rosie Show on April 10th as well. She's also appearing on an early morning TV show here in Chicago on the 11th, as she wings her way west.

Question: I haven't been putting in the time/network for Rosie, as we have her on a different time (largely due to Oprah). Is she mainly on at 9 a.m. everywhere (except here) and on NBC or is she syndicated?

Rosie was on at 10 a.m. (could swear it was ABC, between Regis and The View) in NY and is on at 3 p.m on NBC in the DC area. She must be sydicated.

You have a chance to meet up with CF! There's a competition in this week's Heat magazine. Ring 020 7290 2799 with the names of BJ's three friends before this Friday 12noon, and you could win a night in a London hotel and a visit to a Health club (for a makeover), and then a trip to the Premiere and (the best bit!) on to a West End party with cast and crew. Heat says (of movie) "Don't miss, it's brilliant" It's being v. well marketed over here, but we don't have many (any?) big British films. "Someone like you" sounds like opposition in the US. Hope they start blitzing BJD soon but I guess that will be just before it opens.

RZ on the Rosie Show on April10th as well. She's also appearing on an early morning TV show here in Chicago on the 11th, as she wings her way west. They're extracting the juice out of poor Renee.She's earning her mils$$$. (Bethan)It's being v. well marketed over here, How? Mag contests? Talk shows do it in the US...morning, aft and night. Renee seems to be hitting them all.Way to go!

Oh my, the situation is even more bizarre. I get The View on ABC at (10) against Men are From Mars, etc. I tried looking for Regis (cause it's not listed any in the morning or afternoon here) and it's on at 1:13 a.m. I get Rosie at 3 as well. Looks like I'd better put a few more "check local listings" out there. And if anybody shows up on Regis, I can definitely tape it since there such a delay here.

Run to the official website and check out the latest. Click on the words under Renee: "Click here for an inside look at my life." Then wait for it to load, and click on Mark's face. LOL! Sooo cute. And another turteneck sweater pic! Yummmmm . . . http://entertainment.msn.com/bridget/

Well here in Boston we get Rosie at 4pm on CBS station, and in Rhode Island, she's on at 5pm on ABC. She's against Oprah in the Boston market.

*raises hand* Wow. Between the comment about "...6 foot of repressed passion just waiting to be unleashed..." and the lovely, lovely, lovely picture of him in the turtleneck, I may have to ask building management to turn on the A/C for me. What a delightful treat to stumble across during my lunch break. The drawing on the picture (at the BJD site) was very Wessex-like, however, leading me to once again bust out laughing at the office. *continues to fan self*

Wow! Has anyone seen that new turtleneck picture without the doodles on it? That is the BEST photo I've seen of Colin--worthy of replacing Mr. Darcy as my computer wallpaper. I clicked on downloads, but that wasn't one of the choices. Meanwhile, will spend all day v. distracted thinking about "6 foot of repressed passion waiting to be unleashed"

Beep, beep, beep. Firthometer off the scale, nurse! Five grammes of Diazepam, NOW. .....join as next week as mass Firthsteria epidemic breaks loose.

Oh, doctor, not even Firthodan can help now! MORE GOODIES below--extensive clips from the "Dueling Pistols" and "Blue Soup" scenes! WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! CODE BLUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! http://www.msn.co.uk/page/11-612.asp

LOL, Mari! Thanks for all the info. Devilish and charming in equal measure - and with a dash of the Rupert Everetts about him - it's easy to see why Bridge can't resist his sleazy charms. Oh no, please keep Rupi out of this. ;-) **raises hands** Plus takes it a step further: Younger than Firth. :-)

(Mari) MORE GOODIES Thanks for posting these links. Am ROTFLMAO! Unfortunately, the ideal speed for my modem is somewhere between slow and fast, but I won't quibble. Love the happy birthday fight scene. Is hilarious. (Jen) was very Wessex-like My thoughts exactly. How'd everyone like Hugh with his horns? Harhar. :-D

Thanks for all the finds, Mari and everybody.

(Eileen) BWTA enthusiasts: what time are the interviews usually aired? Last time, his interview began 25 minutes into the program. Therefore a good idea to follow Evelyn's advice: (Evelyn) But I'd tune in at 9 AM and read the papers just in case. ~~~~~~ (Karen) As far what would happen in a sequel, there's no reason Colin couldn't play himself. /.../Besides the entire sequel could take place in LA if it comes to pass... Of course, there's no reason to have any Daniel Cleaver in that one. Oh yes there is. Mark Darcy's gotta come bounding downstairs in only a towel fresh from the bath so as to punch Daniel in the nose. No Daniel, no punch ... (and no bath and no bound and no towel ... *darn!*) ~~~~~ (Eileen)Unfortunately, the ideal speed for my modem is somewhere between slow and fast, but I won't quibble. Love the happy birthday fight scene. Is hilarious. Unfortunately, because I'm working out of public machines, the prerequisite to download various bits of software before viewing means that I don't view ... (**sob!**) KJ

(Mari) And another turteneck sweater pic! Yummmmm . . . Since I didn't get to view that one either (same objection), Thank you, Renate for posting it and treating me to the picture nonetheless.     (IMHO, a bit too much neck on that turtle, however. I prefer Colin's to turtles' ;-D) KJ

Glad to see the promo pix are improving ;-)~~~~~ Thanks for all the wonderful goodies! My modem is sadly pants and so cannot see any lovely clips but sounds v.good - especially MD's lovely Happy Birthday rendition. (I forsee a plethora of wav files accompanying forthcoming birthday celebrations ;-o)

Mark Darcy's gotta come bounding downstairs in only a towel fresh from the bath so as to punch Daniel in the nose. No Daniel, no punch ... (and no bath and no bound and no towel ...*darn!*) In TEOR, there was the towel scene at Rebecca's country house weekend. So, IMO there is still no need to DC and we'd all be happy. (Eileen) How'd everyone like Hugh with his horns? Harhar. :-D I was more amused by the addition of hair on his hairless chest. ;-D Loved the new stuff at MSN site and how copied off both pics (full length, more chest, and more Wessex-like) for those without benefit of Flash software. Plus have a few images off trailer. Make sure Crash Cart is nearby. There's another of BJ and DC in bed too. It's on the Screening Room page.

For those having difficulty with the new clips, what's worked for me (and is v.v. technical, similar to kicking the sides of televisions when picture ran) is to close down the Windows Media player and keep reopening it. You get new connections to the server that way. On about the fifth try, it worked fine. Don't just stop it and hit play. Close it and reopen from the link.

Lovely to come home and find all this here! Karen, tried your excellent technical advice, to no avail. Must try bigger hammer! Sounds lovely, though. v. funny too: bugger, bugger (blue soup-not sure of UK spelling of bugger) Excellent additions to official site. Do y'all suppose they put up the new turtleneck pic in large "wallpaper" size? Mmmmm....

Oh nooooooooooooooooo!!!! Have seen another commercial. Colin's been cut completely out of it. Would appear the film is all about RZ and HG and no one else. Had a little teaser of the two in bed (toes intertwined, a little moaning), but they're actually watching cricket.

(me) Saw my first one last night too (Eileen) Were you watching Ally also? If not, what were you watching? And how the he** have you been? ;-D Was watching Dirty Dancing, and I've been just lovely - Thanks :-) *waving hand*

There are lots more BJD clips stored on that site. Here are the good ones, featuring Colin: (I'll give the slow connection speed here) I like you just the way you are: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip4_34.asx T&V party and boating: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip1_34.asx Blue soup (woo woo highly recommended 5 stars): http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip9_34.asx Others (non-Colin) Here's the one that supposed to make you sympathetic to DC: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip10_34.asx I have a boyfriend: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip5_34.asx Resolutions: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip3_34.asx Choices: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip2_34.asx T&V party entrance: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip8_34.asx Discussion in bed: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/msn/bridget_clip11_34.asx

Thanks, Karen! You're doing a great job. Have a great time in NYC with Evelyn, AnnW, Donna, etc. and give our regards to JE. And a big kiss to ODB when you see him at the BJD premiere! I will be in LA and look forward to reading all about it on my return. :-D

From Elliott Forrest's weekly update; I think we can take this one to the bank!:-) Breakfast with the Arts on A&E Sunday, April 1, 9:00 AM-11: 00 AM Eastern and Pacific (Check local listings.) Herbert Von Karajan: Famous Overtures Recorded at the Berlin Philharmonic in 1985 and 1986, the program features performances of Beethoven's "Fidelio", "Egmont", and "Leonore" overtures, as well as Brahms' "Tragic" overture. Rating - TV G Arts & Entertainment News: Legendary dancer choreographer, Merce Cunningham, talks about his last season. Celebrity Interview: Actor Colin Firth on BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY and yes, Pride and Prejudice. The A&E Artist of the Week: Deborah Voigt once again joins us to sing in our studio and talk about her life and career. Open Book: "RSVP" by Nan Kempner and "The Elusive Embrace" by Daniel Mendelsohn Elliott Forrest BWTA on A&E www.aande.com/breakfast elliott@aetv.com

Wot? Nobody saw ET last night? More promo for BJD featuring familiar trailer clips and more of Julie Moran's interview with Chesthairless Hughie. Was resigned to no mention of ODB when *ta-da* Julie's voiceover says (did not tape, am going from inaccurate memory) 'Hugh vies for Renee's affection with actor Colin Firth'. Cue quick clips of MD at T&V party and giving BJ that sidelong Mr. Darcy-at-Meryton-assembly gaze (both from trailer). Back to Julie live where she elaborates her discussion with HG about his weight loss and work with a trainer, saying 'both Hugh and Colin had to lose weight for their roles while Renee had to gain. Hugh told me that he would fight Colin for lettuce leaves at lunchtime while they watched Renee pile in the food.' Was thrilled to hear CF's inclusion--helped me curb my disappointment when I saw the CF-less commercial later that night. They're making the movie look like the HG-RZ show. Grr. Hopefully we'll see revised commercials after the movie opens, to include scenes with 'actor Colin Firth'. ;-) Thanks for the BWTA confirmation info, Mari. Am on pins and needles to see how much head scratching and nose pulling there will be! ;-D

BIG WONDERFUL HAPPY NEWS!!! Colin and Livia have just had a little boy and have named him Luca.

...wonder why they didn't name him 'Darcy'? ;-D For details (and there aren't many), go to the CF topic!

Karen-Thanks so much for putting all the links to the clips on The Bucket. I looked all over for the fast speed, but now you have it. Why do they work so much better from your link, than from the "source" as it were? Never mind, probably too technical for me. Just so happy to see all of them. Better and better...Am trying hard not to get too excited--but dare I say it? This looks like a darn good movie, even if I weren't mildly obsessed with one of the stars. ;-)

Great for Colin and the cast, not so hot for the film. Thanks to Rai: Daily Variety March 30, 2001 HEADLINE: Bridget Jones's Diary BYLINE: LAEL LOEWENSTEIN As the Bible of thirtysomething single women everywhere, "Bridget Jones's Diary" is one of the most eagerly anticipated book-to-screen adaptations in recent memory. Informed by author Helen Fielding's droll observations of a year in the life of her weight-obsessed, love-starved heroine, the novel hit a bull's-eye with women on both sides of the Atlantic. As a film, however, item misses its mark, failing to capitalize on the staccato rhythms and sardonic wit of Bridget's inner life. That said, pic's pre-sell value is solid enough to suggest initially healthy B.O. that could continue to generate decent returns, even as it will inevitably disappoint some of the book's devotees. Introduced in a series of columns in the U.K.'s Independent, Fielding's lovably imperfect Bridget, with her incessant calorie counting, cigarette smoking and wine-swilling, inflected the British vernacular with a personal lexicon that divided her community into "Singletons" and "Smug-marrieds." Little surprise, then, that the unlikely casting of American thesp Renee Zellweger over British actresses caused a row not seen since Tom Cruise donned fangs to play the vampire Lestat. The good news is that Zellweger delivers as Bridget, and her fellow actors, including Hugh Grant and Colin Firth as the men she must choose between, are exceptionally well cast. The bad news is that despite being edited down to a bare-bones 90-odd minutes, forcing the elimination of key characters and scenes and the underdevelopment of others, pic manages to feel, paradoxically, as dramatically flabby as the 10 pounds Bridget cannot seem to shed. Things start off promisingly, with Bridget alone in her flat comically crooning along with the radio. Awash in red flannel pajamas and wine-induced haze, cheerfully oblivious and singing "All by Myself," Zellweger breathes full-bodied life into Bridget. Opening title sequence is the movie's best bit. Soon she's off to a holiday turkey-curry buffet where, for the umpteenth time, family friends barrage her with questions about her love life. Though her irrepressible mum (Gemma Jones) is scheming to fix her up with a childhood friend, party guest and top barrister Mark Darcy (Firth), Bridget, who suffers from foot-in-mouth disease, botches the encounter. Needless to say, it is not a love connection. It's not that Mark Darcy is so awful; it's just that he's a sartorially challenged snob who loftily dismisses Bridget's attempt to make conversation. She much prefers mooning over Daniel Cleaver (Grant), her cad of a boss who has finally begun to take notice of her Ally McBeal-length skirts. After a blissful and sex-filled courtship with Daniel, Bridget makes an unfortunate discovery that ends their romance. Not to worry, suggest her Singleton best friends Shazza (Sally Phillips), Jude (Shirley Henderson) and Tom (James Callis): There's life beyond Daniel. Surprisingly, there's been interest from Mark Darcy, who's apologized for his earlier behavior. In a thoroughly overstaged sequence that transpires at Bridget's 32nd birthday party, there's a showdown between Mark and Daniel leaving Bridget in a "Pride and Prejudice"-type dilemma of choosing between two men. Above sequence, which is not in the book, has the effect of visually underscoring the conflict and further delineating Mark's and Daniel's own bitter history, but it reduces her friends to a simpering chorus. Other sequences memorable from the book are re-created with mixed success, including Bridget's arrival at a "Tarts and Vicars" party in full Playboy bunny regalia, mortified to discover the party theme had been changed, and an infamous scene that finds Bridget trying to scurry up a fire pole. Zellweger is a tireless sport about all of this. And despite the initial furor over her casting, her best roles (in "Jerry Maguire" and "Nurse Betty") have indicated a sweetness, vulnerability and comic timing that make her perfect for Bridget. Gaining some 20 pounds, the actress has transformed herself into a lumpy, fleshy everywoman. Sadly, Stuart Dryburgh's lensing and Rachael Fleming's costumes go a bit too far in making her look unattractive. As to her accent, Brits may complain about its authenticity, but Americans will be thoroughly convinced. Grant and Firth are impeccable. Firth, whose performance as Mr. Darcy in the BBC's "Pride and Prejudice" was the model for Fielding's Mark Darcy, brings unexpected depth to his role, while Grant, for once, thankfully gets to play against type. And perhaps it's no small coincidence that both actors are mentioned in the book. Documentary director Sharon Maguire, the real-life model for Fielding's Shazza, has shown an uncertain hand in her first feature. Script by Fielding, Richard Curtis ("Notting Hill" scribe) and BBC "Pride and Prejudice" writer Andrew Davies could have benefited from using elements of the book's diary structure, a framework it first adopts then jettisons inexplicably. Pic also seems to suffer in some scenes from a lack of color correction.

Heads up! It looks like Entertainment Weekly has sent out the free screening passes!! I received one in the mail yesterday, and am all giddy with delight--Thursday, 7:30 pm, at one of the more "posh" (so they say!) theaters in Wash, DC. Hopefully, everyone who registered on line will receive theirs soon! I am v. v. excited!!

Ahh, here's a good one! Hollywood Reporter Bridget Jones's Diary By Mark Adams LONDON --"Bridget Jones's Diary" is a film full of wit, warmth and honest, knowing humor, topped off with a plethora of excellent performances. This Bridget Jones has the style to win over U.K. audiences and almost certainly the charm to wow the American boxoffice. Renee Zellweger was the subject of much media scrutiny (in the United Kingdom, especially) when cast as Bridget -- a single thirtysomething Brit in a postfeminist world looking for love while trying to mind her alcohol intake, watch her weight and cut down on the smoking. How could this young American possibly play a beloved English character? It is called acting, and she gives a splendid, often heartwarming performance. "Bridget Jones's Diary," begun in 1995 as a British newspaper column by Helen Fielding, was turned into a best-selling novel a year later. The story of Bridget, her hopeless love life, her alcoholic binges and her inept attempts to develop poise struck a chord, and the film adaptation, nicely directed by newcomer Sharon Maguire, an acclaimed documentary maker, manages to blend subtle charm with almost slapstick moments. Bridget has simple ambitions: to lose weight and find true love. The film opens as this London-based publicist for a successful publisher visits her parents at their countryside home for their annual Christmas party. They try to set her up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), the visiting son of their neighbors. She is initially impressed, but when he snubs her, she returns to London realizing she is destined to remain a "singleton" and vows to keep a diary and find herself a "nice, sensible boyfriend." The trouble is that Bridget instead falls for her boss, the dashing, sexy Daniel Cleaver (played with twinkling, sly charm by Hugh Grant), who to her surprise starts sending her flirtatious e-mails. Over dinner one night, Daniel reveals that he and Mark attended college together and that Mark had an affair with his fiancee. Bridget and Daniel start an affair, but Bridget's euphoria is dampened somewhat when her mother announces that she is leaving her father for a presenter on the Home Shopping Channel. When Bridget catches Daniel with an American colleague, she again vows to take control of her life. She starts a new career as a presenter on a TV current-affairs program. Then, at a dinner party, she bumps into Mark, who surprises her when he tells her that he likes her -- and likes her just as she is. She is even more surprised when he turns up at her flat to help prepare a birthday meal for her friends. Unfortunately, Daniel also turns up at the flat to lure Bridget back, but Mark challenges him to a fist fight. In a wonderful scene, the two engage in a hilariously clumsy tussle, which even sees them stumbling into a Turkish restaurant. Zellweger is excellent as Bridget. Never once does she let her accent slip, and she displays a great capacity for physical comedy. She put on weight for the role and easily slips into the endearingly inept character of Bridget, bringing to the role a real sense of sweetness and vulnerability. Grant and Firth look slim, trim and attractive. Grant especially seems to relish the chance to play a bit of a bounder, marking a real contrast to his more endearing roles in "Notting Hill" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral," while Firth slowly allows the tenderness and depth of his character to be revealed. The script credit is shared by three writers -- Fielding, Andrew Davies (who scripted the television adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice") and Richard Curtis ("Notting Hill") -- yet appears seamless. It's full of wonderful jokes and moves along at an easy pace. The great thing about Bridget is that she is a terribly honest character who wears her heart on her sleeve. She lives in a real world (unlike her American counterparts in "Sex and the City") and struggles through as best she can. Production designer Gemma Jackson does a great job of presenting a vision of London that is tinged with romance, and excellent use of locations helps present a charming view of the city.

(Daily Variety) even as it will inevitably disappoint some of the book's devotees. Sounds like the author is one of the book's devotees. Firth, whose performance as Mr. Darcy in the BBC's "Pride and Prejudice" was the model for Fielding's Mark Darcy, brings unexpected depth to his role Lael has redeemed himself (herself?). And perhaps it's no small coincidence that both actors are mentioned in the book. *snort* Harhar! Firth is put on pedestal while Grant is mentioned in Devine context. Much prefer HR's review. Hurrah! Here's to many more like it! *clink*

Third kudo in a row today for CF! From Fox News (thanks, Chris): Bridget Jones's Diary follows Memento into theaters next week, and it's the second terrific release of 2001. Already this year is shaping up as 100 percent better than the last. Bridget features three outstanding performances by Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. For Renee, who almost hit it big last year with Nurse Betty, Bridget should put her over the top � and then some. Zellweger gives both Gwyneth Paltrow and Meryl Streep a run for their money with her convincing English accent. For Miramax, which had a blah year in 2000, Bridget should be the start of a comeback that will include Gangs of New York, Four Feathers, The Shipping News, and Pinocchio.

From the Daily Express THE BJ DILEMMA - Would you go for HG or CF? (Am missing out Hughie bits!!) Thumbs up for Colin..by Virginia Blackburn "Oh my word, I'm quivering. It's nearly 24 hours since I saw Colin Firth, aka Mark Darcy, smouldering his way through BJD and I still haven't calmed down. I haven't been so moved by any screen presence since - well, since I watched CF aka Mr Darcy smouldering his way through P&P. Colin Firth and Mark Darcy, you are a welcome return indeed. Face it, MD is everything most women have dreamed of. Quite apart from the fact that he's tall dark and handsome, he's clever, successful, modest, socially aware, and above all, he's kind.... Your quality piece of beefcake...when he's yours he's really is yours....MD is a real man. We want a real man who's able to face his responsibilities without whining, without needing space, who is not afraid of saying "I love you".. ...MD is there for Bridget,and best of all they become friends before they become lovers. Real men get to know their women before they make their move....But the best thing about Mark is that although he's not initially effusive, you know there's a cauldron of passion simmering underneath. When he and Bridget finally get to kiss, you know it's an earth shattering sort of kiss. Mark and Daniel are both yummy, but only one comes up trumps...bastard or brilliantly attentive lover? Please. As if. You mean you don't know who you'd choose"

Thanks, Bethan (not bad for one finger typing). you know there's a cauldron of passion simmering underneath Ann's prayers have been answered (as if there was ever any doubt;-))! When he and Bridget finally get to kiss, you know it's an earth shattering sort of kiss. Translation: ++ shoulder grind. Woohoo! ;-) I've also watched all the snippets Karen kindly consolidated at her Bucket BJ page. Though the video is choppy, they look terrific. Love them all, but my fave has to be the 'overproduced' fighting birthday party. Am not making any plans for the week after Easter, as will be sitting in movie theater!

Thanks, Bethan; Virginia Blackburn has v. good taste.:-) Reminder for US viewers: RZ on Jay Leno's show tonight.

Eileen - Am not making any plans for the week after Easter, as will be sitting in movie theater! You took the words right out of my mouth ! From 143 - checked out newsagents but can't find copy of 'Film Review' did however spot 'Total Film' as I was leaving whioch appears to have big BJD feature...will loiter inconspicuously tomorrow and report back. BTW have bought copy of May's Empire mag - as well as review featured here a few posts ago there is also a piece on RZ, usual stuff- weight gain, voice training di-da-di-dah! A few pix which we have seen before I think except this one.....

Hello, just delurking to say I posted a Guardian interview of Firth over at #143.

O-H-M-Y-G-*-D!!!!!! LOOK WHAT I GOT IN THE MAIL TODAY!   I'M SO EXCITED!!! Oh! it's real! I got it from Etertainment Weekly/Time Inc.!!! Is there anyone out there, living in or near DC, that want's to go with me? Email me. Danil@mindspring.com

gah! will try again! O-H-M-Y-G-*-D!!!!!! LOOK WHAT I GOT IN THE MAIL TODAY!   I'M SO EXCITED!!! Oh! it's real! I got it from Etertainment Weekly/Time Inc.!!! Is there anyone out there, living in or near DC, that want's to go with me? Email me. Danil@mindspring.com

Whew!!!!! okay, must go back and read the rest of topics. Just wanted to share my good fortune.

This is from Jeffrey Wells's column on reel.com. He's not a film critic, but writes a twice-weekly column on the industry. Diary of a Pudge-Bod I caught Bridget Jones's Diary, the Ren�e Zellweger comedy based on the popular novel, Wednesday night. Miramax is opening it April 13. Lacking anything else to write about, I thought I'd venture some opinions. First, the important news: I laughed. Not constantly, but every so often, which I presume will placate Miramax and the film's first-time director, Sharon Maguire, since it's not supposed to be constantly comedic. Jones is first and foremost a bright and bubbly chick flick, set and shot in London and surrounding environs, which should be enough for its mostly-female target audience. It's about Bridget, a sad-sack, slightly overweight London girl in her early 30s (Zellweger, looking suitably porky and speaking with a believable British accent) who clearly needs to make changes in her life � lose weight, stop smoking, cut down on drinking � for her general betterment. I was with Bridget and the movie during the first ten or fifteen minutes, when it was all about her loneliness and self-loathing and late-night TV watching and compulsive ice cream eating, which are maladies familiar to most of us. But I checked out when she announced her specific goal, which was to land the right cute, eligible guy. Not again, I muttered to myself. Locked down in front of another woman's movie, the kind that makes you feel pensive and confined while it's playing, and more than gratified when it's over. I don't find much story tension in girl films of this sort. The fact that women can have it both ways if they're so inclined or lucky enough � hook up with the right guy and be supported (or half-supported) and, if they want, become baby-makers, or make it as a self-supporting professional with a presumably fortifying relationship on the side � kind of removes the do-or-die aspect. It's not that I don't think single, slightly overweight women have it rough, but, well, we're all miserable and unfulfilled on this or that level � right? What's so special or touching about Bridget Jones? Nothing I could fathom. They made the movie because of the popularity in England of Fielding's Bridget Jones column (in London's Independent) and then the novel, but it didn't feel sufficiently heartfelt or peculiar. The story struck me as the same old girl-wants-boy, girl-seems-to-lose-boy, girls-sees-through-boy, girl-hooks-up-with-guy-she-never-appreciated stuff. Didn't I just see this in Someone Like You with Ashley Judd? (Which uses, incidentally, the same Van Morrison song on the soundtrack.) Why don't women in these stories ever decide to chuck it and become lesbians? (Two of my ex-girlfriends have gone this route.) Why do the endings always feel like a gloss? Why don't they ever use sad or even bittersweet endings? Jones is briskly written (by a couple of guys, Richard Curtis and Andrew Davies, as well as the author of the original novel, Helen Fielding) with a nice effervescent quality. One problem is that Maguire uses that annoying trick of having Zellweger/Jones say to another character what's she's thinking (but not actually saying), then cutting to the remark she really says to them. But the line becomes blurred after a while with Zellweger saying awkward, outrageous stuff in actuality, and eventually you begin to not believe it. Then the disbelief takes over totally. Hugh Grant has the Gregg Kinnear part � did I just say that? Kinnear plays Judd's initially very attractive boyfriend in Someone Like You (as Grant does here with Zellweger), but I just realized that Kinnear has pretty much cornered the Hollywood market on weak and waffling. Anyway, Grant seems to have a talent for playing this kind of guy too. Colin Firth (The English Patient) is under-deployed as Zellweger's slightly priggish but more character-worthy suitor, but he's probably the best thing in it.

There is a big article in today's National Post about Renee, with very little about Colin. However you might be interested in what she said about a possible sequel: "Zellweger has brought some elements of her brief life as a London Singleton home with her. She imported all the faucets for her new home from England and she now prefers to take taxis everywhere, as she did in London. "I get car sick in limousines," she explains. She also runs with her dog and goes to the gym daily, activities she missed greatly during her days as Bridget Jones. Overall, though, it was, she says, an interlude in her life she remembers with fondness and may be prepared to repeat if a sequel is ever considered."

Hi it's the Scan-Queen again!! Today's Guardian piece (for text see Elaina's post on 143) contains a few movie stills, mostly posted at the Bucket Screening room, but I thought you might like this one ;-)

That picture is to die for. Thanks, Tracy. Looks like he's grinning, sweetie boy. Thanks for the articles above, ladies. I have a lot of fun reading the good parts, namely those parts so kindly bolded (is that a word) with ODB's name. Transcript of A&E's interview with Colin shown today is on 143. Danielle, I hope you find someone to go with. Will you go alone otherwise? I got my tickets too for Philadelphia but can not go that night. Think I can wait one more week where I will be joining the rest of you in giving BJD a great opening weekend boxoffice tally.

I'm finally going to contribute something to this board (other than a frantic, excited, miscued scan of a movie premiere pass). Firth and foremost, thank you all for keeping me up-to-date with all things BJD. CF was on BwtA this morning and was just beautiful! For all those who missed it, he came in with a dark gray suit and wine colored shirt. Some excerpts: EF: 'There is a connection here. (referring to P&P).' CF: 'There's not ever going to be an escape, is there?' EF: 'I don't wnat to give too much away, but you end up in a little fisticuffs with HG. Was that fun getting to punch him out?' CF: 'Absolutley. Yes. I'm sure he had as much fun as I did. I think we decided to step aside a little bit from teh old movie punchouts... the swings, the carefully choreographed, rather less than plausible...' EF: 'Did you land a punch?' CF: 'No, we just grappled at each other like a couple of 5 year olds. Which is I think what mist fights are probably like between adults. I think they're ridiculous things. I think we wanted tocapture that sense of the ridiculous between men who aren't use to fighting each other. This is a couple of suits throwing themselves at each other.' CF: 'Gosh. You've really done your homework (regarding Department of Nothing monologue for Nick Hornby), haven't you?' EF: 'Well, I have to tell you, working for A&E, the fans, YOUR fans have been writing me to ask you about certain things.' CF: 'Oh, I see.' EF: 'So, I have been doing my homework. But the fans from P&P are AVID and they want to know all about you.' It was about 8 minutes... onlly one hand to the face and NO nose picking! He smiled several times (no smouldering, though), and actually chuckled!

Oh Heide, I'm always so late on things! you already put up the interview! *snort* but to answer your question. i still have an available seat, but I'm meeting a few people met on the boards here and at DWG, so i won't be alone. thanks for asking.

SCORE!!! I just picked up 3 free screening passes for a BJD screening this Wednesday! One of the many benefits of living in LA is that there's bound to be a sneak preview of anything... Moon, Jana2, Marianne-- the passes have your names on them! Where are you?!?!

If that's an invitation, I accept. What are details?

Ooh, lucky girls. I suppose this board will be the place to discuss the movie in detail. Sob! May have to skip reading for awhile until I get to see it the 13th. Danielle, I'm glad you're going as well. I see you timed the BWTA interview. ;-) I thought it was much too short. Didn't you just love that fight scene in the clip? This is a couple of suits throwing themselves at each other.' Great quote.

I had a brain lapse last night. I set my VCR to record BWTA this morning because I was out of town last night. I only set it for one hour, I didn't know the program was 2 hours long. I didn't get any of CF's interview. I'm glad I was able to read a transcript at least. Thanks for posting it.

Jenny I didn't know the program was 2 hours long. I didn't get any of CF's interview This is deja vu... Last time CF was on BWTA, I dragged my groggy self out of bed to watch the show out in the living room. Well, after the first hour with no CF in sight, I dozed off! Missed the whole damn thing, as it was broadcast right there in front of me.

(Heide) Didn't you just love that fight scene in the clip? I loved the punch in the face and the fact that it was Daniel being pushed into the restaurant and onto the table! Grappling like a couple of 5 years olds... I think NOT! I see that a lot of us have gotten passes for sneak peeks! Isn't it grand that we have people out there (YOU!) who get the inside scoop and allow us to benefit from it?!

Isn't it grand that we have people out there (YOU!) who get the inside scoop and allow us to benefit from it?! Yes indeed! Thank you all and also to Heidi for typing the transcript. Things were so quiet here yesterday I thought everyone had left town so it was wonderful to read details of the interview.

I can't remember who mentioned Film Review mag but it is worth buying for the CF article & yummy pics.Plusthe film gets 5 stars in the review section. Oh & the book with new cover was selling out fast this morning-))

*pouting* :-( I was stationed in front of the TV with tape in VCR until about 9:50 yesterday a.m. Had to bail as had other commitments, so turned off BWTA after they interviewed the blonde opera singer (thought for a moment we were misled again, but remembered reading in the past that they sometimes have more than one artist of the week). What time was CF on? Thank you Danielle and Heide for posting transcripts.

From yesterday's San Franciso Chronicle (Thanks, Murph). I've bolded the salient parts ('cause Heide likes 'em that way;-) and there's something for Mark here, too.:-) Los Angeles -- The weight. It was the weight thing, of course, and then there was the English accent, too. Renee Zellweger put on quite a few pounds -- revealingly, she doesn't know how many -- and worked for months in London on the accent, sometimes masquerading as an office worker in a publishing house to see if people would buy it. "I've done dialects before, but nothing as intensive as this," she says, "and never changed my appearance so much." She did it all for the new romantic comedy "Bridget Jones's Diary." She plays the title role and always understood it was going to be a big responsibility. In some respects it was more than she bargained for. Certain English journalists, for one thing, did not take kindly to an American actress -- and a Texan at that -- impersonating Bridget, who has become a national fixture. Why not someone like Kate Winslet? Helen Fielding's comic creation first seeped into the British consciousness as a tossed-off newspaper column. Fielding turned it into a novel, but it was not until the paperback was printed that it really took off. The book and a sequel crossed the Atlantic, and now the movie will open April 13, made by the same company that did the highly successful London comedies "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill." There is a family resemblance among them. They all pair Hugh Grant with an American star, first Andie MacDowell, then Julia Roberts and now Zellweger. Colin Firth from the TV miniseries "Pride and Prejudice" has been added to the mix with scintillating results. Bridget Jones carries the banner for all those single women in their 30s who go through life with self-image hang-ups, who think somehow they've never got it quite right. Things haven't worked out for these singletons the way the media promised they would. It's starting to dawn on her that she may never find the right man. Her faux pas have made it into the language: People who muck up will say they are having "a Bridget Jones moment." Bridget is by no means fat but nevertheless obsesses about her weight, keeping track of it in her diary. Zellweger, who is 31, showed up in a clingy, emerald green, low-cut, long summery dress for an interview at a Los Angeles hotel. She is once again very slim, even sinewy, but there are some topics she definitely would rather skip over in the weight department. Such as exactly how much she put on for the role. "I don't know," she says. "It was in stones. It's kinda weird doing stones." Didn't anybody tell you? "I don't remember. I didn't pay attention. In fact, I had a weigh-in with the physician who was overseeing the process and I told him, 'Don't tell me. I don't want to know.' " The best guess is she put on about 15 to 20 pounds. She does know how she did it. "I had more of the things I probably would normally eat," she says, "a lot more, really. You usually stop with the pizza and not have garlic bread with it, too, but I would." Was it tough to lose after the filming was done? "I thought the first lap around the track was like to kill me, and that's the truth. The 13-year-old dog was way out ahead, with arthritis and a bad back," she says, referring to her constant companion, the collie-golden retriever named Dylan that she calls Woofer. Weight is not the only thing Zellweger put on. She put on the staff of a London publishing house where she pretended to be a relative of the boss doing a temp job but really was there to practice a middle-class English accent. Nobody recognized the star of "Nurse Betty" and "Me, Myself & Irene." "I got a couple of sideways glances every now and then." While Bridget may not always make the best choices in clothes, Zellweger lets on that the extra weight didn't bother her personally. "Oh, it was great. I got to upgrade at Victoria's Secret. It was a thrill for me, and I foolishly brought home all of my under things. They're now rotting away in my drawer." But the six months in London turned into "an unbelievably strange dichotomy, " she says. "Completely creatively satisfied, voluptuous and sexy and womanly. That was all exciting. And alienated and pretty lonely and confused sometimes." In "Bridget Jones's Diary," she has several scenes around the house in her underwear, and director Sharon Maguire says, "We were very proud of her cellulite." The goal was to make her look like a real person, even mousy at times. "There was an occasional worry that she might not be as attractive as she should be," Maguire says. "But if the character didn't have a bit of a weight problem and wasn't worried about her hair, she'd be less likable." Maguire should know. A documentary filmmaker, she is one of author Fielding's best friends, intimately knows the scene the movie depicts and was the model for one of the characters in the novel (Shazzer). Fielding says "Bridget Jones's Diary" is a variation on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," where the heroine is torn between suitors. It is no coincidence that Firth is mentioned by name in the diary nor that the character he plays is a solicitor (i.e., lawyer) named Mark Darcy. At the time the diary covers, Firth's TV miniseries version of "Pride and Prejudice," in which he played the haughty Mr. Darcy, was taking the country by storm. In the film, Bridget is drawn to her boss (Grant) at a publishing house but is turned off by the uptight, snobbish Darcy. When Firth saw his name in the newspaper column he had no idea he would one day be in the movie but was flattered and amused. "I congratulated myself: I've made it into folklore." He is resigned to the fact that the miniseries has provided the signature role of his career. "If I changed professions and became the first astronaut that goes to Mars, the headline would be 'Mr. Darcy Goes to Mars.' I will live with that for the rest of my life." Firth says he was "enormously entertained" by the novel, when usually the stress of single life -- the multiple partners, the drinking -- are treated with great solemnity. "I think in some ways a much more melancholy example of somebody like Bridget Jones is Princess Diana. We're looking at a thirtysomething in a very disappointing marriage with a husband who didn't treat her very well. She has eating disorders and is lonely, and it becomes a kind of national soap opera to see how her life's going to turn out. But nobody found anything very funny in it. In 'Bridget Jones,' there's this kind of wholesale relief that all these people with these problems are able to laugh collectively about them." The publishing executive played by Grant is something of a scoundrel, and the actor likes him all the better for it. "I've played too many nice guys in the last few years," he says. "I'm sick of them. Everyone else is sick of them. " Grant, 40, admits that he was one of those who had doubts about casting an American as Bridget. "I can't pretend I didn't raise an eyebrow," he says. He knew that Zellweger was "a very good actress and that she had the right qualities, the vulnerability, the likability. But I did think that's a very difficult stretch. It's very hard, even if you're the greatest actor in the world, to cross the Atlantic, Brits doing Americans and vice versa. Tricky." Zellweger brought the accent off, Grant now says, but "there was a phase at the beginning when she was a little bit like Princess Margaret." Americans doing English accents "tend to become members of the royal family very quickly. " Then, there was a brief phase "when she seemed to have had a slight stroke. A little bit slurred. But even the most brutal British journalists, who are kind of snooty, have seen screenings in London and have had to eat humble pie. She's impeccable." Grant's own conversation is filled with irony and self-deprecation. The latter may be one of Bridget's problems, but it's expected of an English gentleman. Grant is noticeably buffed up in the film. "I'm probably in a midlife crisis right now that I went through about a year ago. I've got to do something about this because I'm going to seed, and the producer of this film lent me his trainer. The idea of me and a trainer just doesn't quite gel. She's actually rather an attractive Swedish wrestler. She comes to the house three times a week and takes me to the park and she sort of throws sticks on me like a dog. And then we go up to the house and she wrestles me on the floor of the sitting room." Grant says it has made him thinner. "Firth got so jealous of how thin I was that he started dieting as well. So we had the absurd situation on this film of having two very queenie actors both on diets, both taking forever to come out of their trailers, while the rest of the actors were scarfing pizza." Zellweger's reaction to the flak in the British press about her casting was very much like her reaction to her weight gain: She just filtered it out. "I heard about it and read about it initially, because it was my job to do research at the publishers and to cut it out and file it away. But beyond that, once you start filming, your world becomes really, really small." Her days in London were a string of: "Get in the car with Mark (her driver) and work and do the whole day, and get in the car with Mark and go home and prepare for the next day and go to sleep and get in the car with Mark and go to work. It was pretty much your day." There were reports in the media at the time that Jim Carrey, with whom Zellweger was involved after "Me, Myself & Irene," and she each were occasionally flying back and forth between Los Angeles and London to see each other. Zellweger called the ring he gave her a friendship ring, not an engagement ring. Of her London experience, she says, rather ambiguously, "There were no guys. There was no time for guys." When someone asks if anyone hit on her, she replies, "Guys don't really hit on you in England as much. Even Hugh will tell you this. They're not bold in terms of coming across the room and going, 'So! I'm here!'." Zellweger has not always appeared comfortable with her stardom. "Every now and then there's a 'My God, my life is so weird,' you know? I'd say my perspective has changed. I understand it now and I see it from a different point of view. I understand the job. I'm grown up, and I'm finding it easier to enjoy some of the things that are so strange about it, particularly the movie star side of things. "I am finally coming to a point where I can look at my life as more than an accident. I can look at it and I can say, I love what I do and I'm lucky to get to do what I love. And I'm creatively satisfied above all. I mean, the adventures that I have, this whole London thing. When did that happen to anybody ever in life? Amazing. The commitment that it requires and sometimes sacrifices that it calls for are bound by how enriching the experiences are, and I am able to look at it and say, 'Yeah, that's really great. I work hard, and I'm on time and I know my lines and I know what my part is.' " That's not an acting lesson. That's a life lesson.

As promised I loitered with intent and eventually purchased a copy of May's Total Film...which contains a review (Four Stars) plus a huge feature and pics. Like I say it's big so I'll post in chunks Part 1..... LIVE AND LET DIET by Alan Morrison The English girl is an American, the two timing bastard is that nice boy from Notting Hill and the director is the author's best friend. the makers of Bridget Jones's Diary aren't playing by the rules as they take the hit novel from page to screen....... SHE�S THE BYWORD FOR THE CHAIN-SMOKING, CHARDONNAY-GUZZLING, CALORIE COUNTING, THIRTYSOMETHING MODERN WOMAN. It�s been five years since BJD stormed the bookstores and made women feel better about their own social disasters. Now, fag in hand, the nation�s favourite singleton has cinemas in her sights. In a year that�s packed with big screen adaptations of best selling books - BJD would appear to have the rom-com market sown up. It�s based on HF�s word-of-mouth hit novel, it�s got the 4W/NH mark stamped upon it courtesy of screen-writer RC and actor HG and the buzz from early test screenings is excellent. But the filmmakers didn�t make it easy for themselves. Even though the basic story is simple enough � unmarried woman swithers between Mr Right (who seems to be Mr Wrong) and Mr Wrong (who seems to be Mr Right) � the fact that it�s all recounted in a diary format gave them a few headaches. And when they snubbed any number of British starlets in favour of American actress RZ, they set themselves up as targets for the usual UK middle-market tabloid brouhaha. RZ, however, proved to be made of sturdy stuff. Passing herself off as one �Bridget Cavendish�, she put her English Literature degree to good use and worked incognito for several weeks as a publicity assistant for a London publisher. Meanwhile she chowed down on the pizzas and downed the pints in order to match typical Hollywood behaviour. But, then again, it�s a long way from the juice bars of Beverly Hills to the wine bars of Sloane Square. BIRTH OF BRIDGET HF: �When I started writing BJD in February 1995, it was a column in The Independent which I wrote anonymously and assumed would be stopped after six weeks for being too silly. The other journalists were writing about New Labour and Bosnia so I wrote about why it takes three hours between waking up in the morning and leaving the house.� SM: �Helen didn�t tell me, even though I�m a friend of hers, that she was writing it because she was quite nervous. The first time I got to hear about it was when it appeared in the newspaper. We were both at a party and � it sounds quite wanky and name-dropping � Nick Hornby asked her: �Did you see that thing in the paper today, BJD? I thought it was rather good.� H blushed bright red and admitted it was her. Then it became her regular column piece, so all our lives were cannibalised and written down.� HF: �Everyone involved was surprised by Bridget�s success. I was actually doing the column to finance the writing of my second novel, which was an earnest tract about cultural divides in the Caribbean. About nine months after I started it, I was having dinner with my book editor at Picador, moaning about how boring the Caribbean was. She said:� Why don�t you do Bridget instead?� I said OK and that was it. When the diary came out in hardback it sold quit well but didn�t get on the best-seller lists. It was only when the paperback came out that it went to No1 and stayed there, unaccountably, for 6 months.� CF: �While the BJD thing was running in The Independent, someone pointed it out to me and said �Did you realise you�re beginning to be mentioned regularly in that column?� So by the time it was a book, I was well aware that the whole Darcy thing was part of it. It�s very unusual for most people to find themselves referred to in a work of fiction. I found it very odd, but definitely appealing and flattering. In fact, the interview that takes place in the book�s sequel is something that I participated in. We did it as a kind of performance.� RZ:� I�d seen a new York Times book review saying that it was phenomenal, so I went down to the book store, read it, shared it with my friends and laughed about it. Bridget�s experiences as a young woman are so universal. Then I read somewhere ages ago that they were going to make a film from the book. It was just a piece of information that came in and went right back out again. It never occurred to be that I would be considered for it. I assumed it would be a British film made in Britain with British people. And that would be that. ............

Total Film piece Part 2 GETTING DRAFTED HF: You have to let the film be it�s own thing � quite separate from the book � which is partly why I stood back when the film got into production. Film-making is a completely different job from novel-writing, and I�m not a film-maker. With a novel you can create a lot of irony, detail, complication and depth of character just with a lot of words which aren�t necessary to the plot. In a screenplay every line has to work incredibly hard. You only have 90 mins or so to engage the audience with the story, so you cant muck about too much. SM: They must have seen every director in London and America by the time I came on board, and some fantastic names were being bandies around. At the time, I�d just stopped making documentaries and was doing commercials, so I didn�t figure it would ever fall to me. Helen kept saying:�You should do this because you understand it� and I was saying:�Yeah, yeah, it�s out of my league.� But they did see me three times for it and finally, when the film�s producers, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner at Working Title, decided they wanted it to be a small, guerrilla, independent-type project, they thought they�d be safe enough with me. They were taking a risk, but my passion for it won out I the end. I suppose I understood it because I had been a part of it, being one of Helen�s friends. And I realise now that I needed all that passion because, 3 years later I�m still working on it most days of the week. HF: I wrote a couple of drafts o fthe screenplay before the production got uinderway. Since then I�ve added ideas when they�ve asked for them, so quite a lot of my lines and jokes are in there, both from the book and various drafts. SM: Helen has done her drafts, and they were really good. But she had a contract to do the seciond book and so she cut herself off and went to LA to write it. That�s when AD took up the reins. So I worked with himfor a while on the script and then he also had a cut off time; but when he left it was in better shape. It then went to Richard and he did a comic pass at it, but very much collaborating with Helen. RC: My memory is that the film kept getting better with each draft butr as it did so, it was getting better dramatically rather than necessarily getting funnier. There was a feeling that H�s first draft had actually been the funniest, so it was my jiob to reconcile the fdrama and the comedy. SM: The fun of BJ is her inner voice and that�s what her diary is, the words going on in her head. She�s very much a character who has an outward persona, which iis that she�s a bit od a nitwit who f***s up all the time. But she has an inner irreverence that belies her outward appearance, so it was absolutely essential to have a voiceover. CASTING CALL HF: The strange thing about having a book made into a movie is that the characters wxist in my hgead. I know what they look like and sound like and where they live and what it was like when things happened to them. It�s quite disconcerting to see it all made flesh with actual human beings. The only movie star I cast in my head was Mr Darcy � or CF as he is so often called. When P&P was being screened on the BBC, Bridget had an enormous crush on him, so I created the character of MD as a surreal fantasy/reality-blurring romantic figure. I see him as a sort of delicious Colin/Mark/Mr Darcy melange. CF: I did briefly wonder whether it was a good idea or not. Mr Darcy occupies a minuscule portion of my life as it�s something that happened 6 years ago. In the end my sense of humour encouraged me to do it. I think it�s more amusing if it�s me and it�s more amusing for me as well. Buy there are all kinds of self-referential layers that you�ve got to get through in order to find a character that�s playable. You can�t walk onto the set saying:�Right, shall I strike a Mr Darcy pose or shall I try to be Colin Firth?� I don�t think anybody can consciously play themselves. HF: I think Colin�s very good in the film. In fact I think they�re all very good. It�s great to see Hugh playing a sexy bastard. And Renee has a gentleness and sweetness of character which is very appealing. SM: But nearly everyone who worked n the film has a different idea of who B is. And nearly everybody who has read the book knows B: either it�s themselves or it�s their friend. So casting her was very scary. I figured that when she walked in the room, we�d know. She did walk in the room, and we did know. And we went:�Oh f***, she�s a Texan.� RZ: Eric Fellner told me a story about one of my agents who had suggested: �What about RZ?� and Eric said �That�s the dumbest Idea I�ve ever heard and don�t ever come to me with any more of your stupid ideas.� Then apparently we crossed paths at the Golden Globes 2 years ago and it went from there. SM: We were in the curious position of people saying: �They�ve gone for some American to make it more marketable.� Well, we weren�t thinking we�d make loads more money because Renee�s not in the Julia Roberts or Mel Gibson stratosphere. But she�s got this inner irreverence and she�s got this innocence and vulnerable exterior. She also has a very good sense of physical comedy and was so dedicated to getting it right. When I first met her, she said: �If I get this wrong, we�re so busted.� ON THE JOB RZ: I felt a huge responsibility to Helen Fielding not to blasphemise it on the screen. But how much work would I need to pit into a physical transformation? How much time would we need with a dialect coach in order to make that dialect evolve and be interesting and colloquial and legitimate? HG: I�m not a big researcher, although maybe I should be. The way I do characters is to go back in my life to a point where, had I taken a different fork, I could have ended up as them. To end up as Daniel is not entirely inconceivable given my history. If I�d gone from university to publishing, I could have done this. It could be me. RZ: Well, I went to work at Macmillan, the publishing house in London. I spoke to the woman who was head of the publicity department and explained what we were trying to do. And so she became my boss. During the day she would hand me things to file, then I�d make the coffee, clean the kitchen quite a bit, call round the newspapers to find out if they were going to run reviews. I had to go over the press released and rewrite them. Thank G*d they didn�t lose any clients...� SM: We used it as a sort of extended rehearsal period, but it was very unofficial because R needed to acclimatise and not feel the pressure of the film upon her. She just needed to be here and try to be English person. RZ: It was an invaluable experience for so many reasons. To physically sit there and know what her responsibilities were. To carry out the duties of her day so that, when we were ion set I wouldn�t be grabbing some prop that the set designer guessed belonged on her desk. In terms of the accent itself, it was a sink-or-swim experience. I had to be confident in making it come out of my mouth and not second-guessing everything that I was doing because I had an actual job to do. PLAYING FOR REAL SM: I was able to introduce Ren�e to the people who are alleged to be some of the characters. But we didn�t give it to her on a plate. We said:� 0 kay, work out who�s who and work out who�s the gay one.� We tortured her a bit but I think rich Americans should be tortured. RZ: I hung out with the prototype Daniel Cleaver, who is is still very good friends with all the girls that the characters in the book were moulded after. I�d watch how they communicated and the way they would joke about things. Sally Phillips: Because Sharon the director was one of the people Sharon the character is based on, I had the model there. Sharon didn�t mention the connection but I�d sometimes go out and we�d have the same hair. We�ve both got slightly uncontrollable hair. SM: Ah, but it is and it isn�t the Sharon character. There are certain things Shazza says which I�ve said, usually when slipping down a wall at a party. Helen always claims it was me who invented the term �emotional fuckwittage� as a disease that men suffer from. Everyone used to ask:� Who are you going to cast from Shazza?� And I would say ;� Oh, it has to be someone really beautiful , Catherine Zeta-Jones or someone like that.� RC: Nothing is a completely accurate description of anybody � it�s like shuffled cards of people Helen, Sharon and I know. It�s a compendium of characteristics that turn into another whole person. SP: I tried to bring out Sharon�s vulnerabilities. Together with the Tom and Jude characters, we felt like a chorus. The three of us were a foot shorter than Colin or Hugh, so it felt that they were the grown-up actors and then there were these three tiny friends. We were just referred to as �the friends�. �Can we have the friends over here? Send the friends back to the trailer for more food. RC: On 4W, Mike Newell taught me that when you�re writing a film, you have to read the script from the point of view of each actor, and you have to make sure that actor has a little story. That;s something that I would try to do with every part, at some point take a day or two just to pretend it�s the only part in the film. HG: You know, it�s always made me laugh that people have assumed that I, Hugh, might be like the characters I played in NH and 4W. That�s really RC, and I was just aping him in those films. He knew perfectly well that my true character is probably much closer to this guy, so I think it was a catharsis for him to be able to get the real me onto paper. And it�s certainly a relief for me to play something nearer my true self. ...........

Total film part 3 ON THE SET SM: I knew all the time that Daniel Cleaver was Hugh. But once we cast him, we realised it wasn�t going to be cheap any more because he�s no longer in the indie-guerrilla range of affordability. We still didn�t have huge amounts for making the film though. RC: Hugh has a bit of a tendency to fool around at the end of takes. That fantastic scene about the granny pants (which is in the trailer), where he says: �I�m wearing something very similar myself� and all that stuff that�s Hugh. HG: It�s certainly something I�ve done in virtually every film, but especially with Richard�s stuff. We got into that system on 4W and NH where I�d do four or five takes as per the script and then they�d let me mess around a bit. Very often it�s just embarrassing and we�ll all have to walk away with, red faces, but sometimes it comes up funny and it�s worth using. RZ: That was part of the thrill of that experience of working with him. Hugh�s so sharp and quick-witted. You never know where it�s going to go and you always apreciate where it ends up. HG: Something else that I�ve always wanted to do is shut the stuntman out of fight sequences. They�re great guys if you�re doing The Matrix or something, but they always come in and say: �Right Hugh, what you�ve got to do is land him a big right hook and then, Colin you flip your head back.� And you want to say: �No, f*** off� because no two guys � particularly professional middle-class Englishmen � would fight like that. It�s going to be spazz. And so we called our fight in the film �spazz wrestling�. That�s what we did � just crap fighting. TESTING TESTING ONE TWO SM: The biggest relief I�ve ever had in my life was when we first put the finished film to a test audience in New York and everyone laughted. Laughter is such as strange, chemical thing, and I jave a whole code now for measuring it. I sit there and write �BT� for Big Titter , �TT� means Tiny Titter, �BL� means Belly Laugh, �NL� means No Laughs when there should be laughs. RC: I started out doing Rowan Atkinson�s revues on stage and then sitcoms in front of a live audience. If and audience doesn�t laugh at something, you can take their word for it that it isn�t funny. When we recorded a Blackadder episode, it probably came out at 37 minutes and we got it down to 30 with the feedback. So actually listening to an audiences reaction is what I�ve always done. CF: I just hope that, if the critics like it, they�ll be honest about that and not feel that they�ve got to say something to counterbalance the fact that it�s popular. Some people don�t want to admit that they liked 4W or NH or the Full Monty just because everybody else likes those sorts of things. SM: I�ve been looking at it for so long � we�ve been on it for two and a half years - that I feel like I know all the jokes and don�t laugh at them anymore. But that time in America when, within the first few seconds, people started laughing, then we all started laughing. Just when I�d begum to think it was a tragedy�.. Final Verdict "Simple, joyful entertainment for all springing from a book about a woman who thinks her bum looks big in this. By making it a story first, a comedy seconds and a romance last, BJD manages to win as all three. It deserves to pack the punters in....including men! **** --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Am v envious of the US contingent ....isn't it THE NIGHT tonight???? I hope cameras are at the ready ;-)

...and we hope there's a tall, handsome, brand-new-second-time-dad there to be photographed. Thanks for taking the time to type all that in, Tracy. Loved HF's line 'Mr. Darcy, or Colin Firth as he's sometimes called'. LOL!

Pleasure Eileen I'm loving all these great lines about the fight scene - it's about time somebody did something true to life, I'm sure most of my male colleagues are only capable of "spazz-fighting" (hate the term, by the way, very non PC Hugh!) Also like the line "I see him as a sort of delicious Colin/Mark/Mr Darcy melange" Misread first time, thought it said blancmange........Yummy!

OK, all you HG fans, now's your chance to chat *live* with him in about 30 mins. time (at 6 p.m. EDT). Go to the MSN entertainment page (http://entertainment.msn.com/--sorry, this link's not hot 'cause I've forgotten how to do it and my handy html guide is not handy at the moment). BTW, they've got a link to a sneak peek of BJD which features the blue soup scene between CF and RZ (we've seen it already; am glad it's one with CF).

Just back from the Chat...only 30 minutes long...BJ related questions as follows What do you think of Renee Zellweger's British accent? I only think of her as English Renee, and now I find her Texan accent slightly unconvincing. How was the behind-the-scenes atmosphere while filming BJD? Any interesting anecdotes to relate? The atmosphere was extremely jovial and mutually supportive with the exception of myself, I became a neurotic grumpy bast*rd in an otherwise funny environment. Daniel Cleaver is a bit of a rogue, and a change from your normal character. Which character is most like you in real life, and which one did you most enjoy playing? I always assume that I'm lovable, pleasant, charming, and an affable character like "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill." Unfortunately that is not the opinion of producers of those films, they say this brings out the real me as they say. I wanted to know what it was like filming the fight scene in BJD with Colin Firth. Is it true that "Colin fights like a girl"? I don't want to be unkind to Colin because he did splendidly, but I spent several years in the SAS, the British Special Services, and I'm trained to kill so it was never a very even contest. ------------------------ IMHO It was pretty dull actually and short presumably as the premiere is in an hour or so's time.

Thanks Mari and TracyT for the articles. That chat with HG sounded like he was tryig to write a little comedy himself.

Loved the article from SF Chronicle. Did anyone see HG on Today this AM? I looked for someone with a sign reading "ISn't Hugh DEVINE?" but didn't see it.Bummer! HG's quips always seem a little "canned" to me. When Katie asked him about RZ and the accent thing, he used the exact same raised eyebrow comment from the article. He also described the plot in terms of P&P (think he watched BWTA yesterday???). HG did mention CF as being in the film, but that's all. And RZ on Leno on Friday introduced a clip with HG and said "my costar Hugh Grant." Absolutely no mention of CF at all!!! GAH! I just caught the end of ET, and they said that tomorrow they'll carry the story of the premiere and "stars Renee Zegweller and Hugh Grant." So is this on purpose, to keep the outcome a surprise? Or are RZ and HG just not as generous as CF when speaking about costars? I hope the reviewers don't absorb this and similarly ignore CF in their reviews!!

I saw HG's very brief interview on the Today Show. He did bring up CF and Pride and Prejudice, but Katie cut him off ... or did it just seem that way to me???

Oh, Tracy, thanks ever so much for typing out that loooooong article. "ET alert! ET alert," nuclear sirened self. Tomorrow night the NY premiere of BJD will be featured on Entertainment tonight!

Yes, Tracy, THANK YOU for entering that huge interview. We really appreciate it!

(Kate) And RZ on Leno on Friday introduced a clip with HG and said "my costar Hugh Grant." Absolutely no mention of CF at all!!! Yes, I suffered through Leno, too. (I miss Johnny Carson.) I wish everyone would refrain from their 'Colin-ectomies." It is getting on my nerves. . (Kate again)GAH! I just caught the end of ET, and they said that tomorrow they'll carry the story of the premiere � Oops, sorry, Kate, I now see that you scooped me on the ET info. One must be lightening quick around here�:-)

Don't get your hopes up about the NY premiere coverage. According to Miramax (as of Friday) Colin was not coming which, given the recent birth, is not surprising. Just wanted to prepare you--*no tears here tomorrow*;-) But, maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised. I think the chances are much better for the London premiere, as he can zip in and out in one evening and still make it home for the 1 a.m. feeding.:-). Tracy, thanks so much for typing out that long article; much appreciated! Has anyone seen the new commerical for BJD? I saw it tonight during ET; lots of Colin! We get the "I love you just the way you are" scene, plus about 3 different shots of The Kiss. Lovely!:-) Almost forgot: after the commercial, they announced that there would be a sneak preview showing of BJD THIS SATURDAY NIGHT. These are usually at about 7:30 p.m. or so, so watch your local papers for the theater ads on Friday.

Marianne, you are right about Katie this AM. HG didn't seem to avoid discussing CF on purpose. In the middle of the discussion of BJD, Katie brought up some other movie he's in, and then she veered back to BJD. She sounded disorganized--maybe her brain was on vacation?

I honestly didn't think Katie cut him off at all. He finished the sentence about the role that CF plays. Then she asked HG about About A Boy. When CF does his own interviews (like BWTA) then we don't have to depend on the kindness of strangers.;-) I posted a new interview from the Telegraph on 143.

WE SAW IT!!!!!! and We saw MarkG!!! Hi all, We've I(Lizza, Ev and I--and could've been you, Mari) just attended the WORLD PREMIERE of BJD. Yes, our boy wasn't there in the flesh, but what we saw on screen wouldn't disappoint at all. We moaned and groaned and clapped and whooped it up big time. Am sure that Harvey took notice. It's great and Colin has loads and loads of screen time. No worries whatsoever about the Floppsy one upstages ODB. And the ending is to die for. As Lizza is dictating, "life goes downhill from now on." ;-) Want any spoilers????? You will not be disappointed by the fight scene. Our boy is standing at the end. And you're going to be v. surprised by (a) the way he handles kitchen implements and (b) the "I like you just the way you are" scene. (the latter is the first proposal scene updated) Back to our new star MarkG. You're in the movie. We yelled and clapped as you walked by in your blue suit. Crispin B-C got cut; you didn't. Interesting tidbit, Harvey Scissorhands has continued to work on this movie. It doesn't start with the train station homeless scene anymore. We all can't wait to see it again and to get home to rewind on BWTA. Miss my VCR. Off to Keepsakes to claim the goodies. Tough cookies. ;-D More tomorrow from home. Lizza, Evelyn and Karen signing from the World Premiere of BJD. (Dominic West was at the premiere too; we no longer fancy him)

Thanks Karen, you lucky people, wonder if we will get in to see it tomorrow, no such luck. Well done Mark, you are a "star".

Singing: *I'm in the movie, I'm in the movie, I've gotta lotta what it takes to get along...* Girls, what was the audience reaction like? In short, is the film funny? Weird article in The Sun today, BTW. Headline: Hugh: I fancy quick fidget with Bridget (But I'd have to go on a bender first, says star) http://www.thesun.co.uk/life/13552512 Not really worth reading, IMO.

Ok, you gleesome threesome, rub it in some more!!;-) Hurry home, can't wait for the full reports. Mark! Just remember us little people, ok?:-)

Well done Mark!! You made it! Loads of BJD promo around. Hughie is on Parkinson, there was a clip about the soundtrack on BBCNews 24, and the film tie-in book is very prominently displayed! Interview with HG in Saturday Telegraph. He actually seems to rather resemble Daniel Cleaver in "real life"...and CF seems very Mark Darcy-ish in his Guardian interview (and he plays the piano!) More on the Premiere, please!

Article in the Electronic Telegraph today... He's back - without the breeches Colin Firth spent six years trying to put dashing Mr Darcy behind him; now he's playing a version of the same character in the film of Bridget Jones's Diary. He explains why to Elizabeth Grice. IS the curse of Darcy about to be lifted from Colin Firth now that he has bowed to the inevitable and agreed to a second incarnation as the unattainable sullen hero? For his sake, we must hope so. In any other circumstances, Firth would be spitting tacks to have the conversation veering towards Mr Darcy, a part that made him inordinately famous in the television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice six years ago and has plagued him ever since. But he has taken a gamble, and suddenly he is sitting back using the D-word with perfect equanimity. Colin Firth: as Mark Darcy, he's everything you'd expect - dark, difficult, devastating. And he glowers magnificently Agreeing to impersonate Mark Darcy in the film of Bridget Jones's Diary could be the smartest thing he has done. Helen Fielding's fictional columnist, Bridget Jones, has a massive crush on the Firth/Mr Darcy/Mark Darcy figure. Who else would Fielding and her panting fans have wanted to see in Mark Darcy's ridiculous hand-knitted reindeer sweater but Colin Firth? And what better strategy for Firth than to join in the joke? Firth has deliberately avoided frilly shirts and breeches since Pride and Prejudice. He has stood, a bemused and slightly appalled onlooker, above the hysteria that turned him into a heart-throb. "There's this other person called Mr Darcy who I have very little to do with," he says. "He's like a bizarre doppelganger that I've spawned who walks around doing things without me. I've not really allowed myself to get hung up about it. Life has gone on perfectly satisfactorily. It hasn't held me back. It dominates what gets written about me, but it doesn't affect me any closer than that." He claims that he didn't worry about compounding "the Darcy thing" by playing the very character inspired by him in the Diary because he wasn't being required to reproduce the role. "There was an ironic slant on it. It was an in-joke, a reference point. I think that's acceptable." Firth did have some worries about the film. Would it be boring? Would the script be good enough? Would the humorously cumulative effect of Fielding's prose translate into film? Had a film version anywhere to go? "There's a great danger in striving to make a designer hit just because all the elements are right," he says judiciously. "It's not necessarily going to work because the book has been a phenomenal bestseller." (The other "elements" are Hugh Grant as the love rat and Renee Zellweger as the neurotic Jones, plus a strong supporting cast led by Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones.) But Firth's real dilemma was this: how could he not act his own character, having been given flattering immortality in Fielding's book? Wouldn't that just have played into the hands of all those deluded women who confuse him anyway with hard-to-get, brooding Darcy? And wouldn't he have come across as a humourless snob? To his surprise, Firth is finding it a relief to talk about his part in Bridget Jones because at least it's current work. Usually, interviewers (exactly like Bridget Jones in The Edge of Reason) ask a few dutiful questions about his latest film but can't wait to hark back to Mr Darcy and the wet shirt. He could understand it, he says, if he were doing a long-running weekly Pride and Prejudice series and had signed a 20-year option. "But it has not been a part of my life for six years," he groans. " 'What's it like to be a heart-throb?' they ask. I don't think anyone on earth can meaningfully answer a question beginning: 'What's it like . . .' " Though he insists that he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night fretting about it, Firth is resigned to being shackled to Darcy for ever. "I can't think of a single headline in the last five years that didn't have the D-word in it. It would be so, no matter what I did now. Probably for the rest of my life. Even if I changed my profession." He alludes to Mr Darcy as if he were an embarrassing relative - and he has the same rather detached view of his part in the chaotic world of Bridget Jones. "I have to say it was not the most challenging hour of my life," he says drily. His enthusiasm is reserved for the brilliance of his co-stars, Grant and Zellweger, and the serious challenges of making "a very light film". "Hugh is a brilliant light comedian. It is a very substantial craft. Because of its lightness, its substance is often overlooked." Needless to say, Firth as Darcy is everything his fans expect him to be - dark, difficult, devastating. He glowers magnificently in the reindeer sweater. He admits his affection through clenched teeth. And, when the moment comes for him to be truly human, he strips down to his shirtsleeves and rescues Bridget's dinner party by knocking up an omelette. Amusing as all this may have been to film, it is clear that Bridget Jones's Diary lacks a certain relevance to Firth's life: he is a professional man with no social hang-ups, no cellulite and infinite job security - plus his wife of four years, Livia, is due to give birth any day now. He admires the phenomenon from a safe distance. "I don't feel it's about me. I don't weigh myself every day. I don't see the world divided into married and single people. I certainly don't see married people as smug. Fielding is very, very funny about those things - but I'm reading about somebody else." Apparently, he gets the same feeling when reading about himself in articles. "It's very little to do with who I feel myself to be when I go to Sainsbury's." Fielding first met Firth when she visited the set of Fever Pitch, where Firth played the emotionally retarded Arsenal fan in Nick Hornby's memoir of love and football. They met again over lunch in Rome when he agreed to be interviewed by her as Bridget Jones and soon lapsed into a double act of Bridget and Darcy. "She went into Bridget mode and I fell into it. It was a game, a little pantomime" - one that ended up as one of the funniest sequences in the diary's sequel, The Edge of Reason. Firth's friendship with Hornby has continued to be productive. Last year, he came out of the literary closet by contributing to an anthology of short stories edited by Hornby, Speaking with the Angel. The book was to raise money for TreeHouse Trust, the charity that runs the school for autistic children attended by Hornby's son, Danny. Firth has been "writing and putting stuff in a drawer" for years but The Department of Nothing is his first published piece. "Writing has not been a deadly serious secret pursuit before launching myself on the world. It's a hobby I enjoy - something I might do in Biro on an aeroplane." But he has found committing himself to print "a lot more exposing" than he imagined. Firth treats acting and writing as a way of continuing his lacklustre education by more enjoyable means. So, when researching his next role as a prominent Nazi lawyer in Conspiracy: The Meeting at Wannsee, he continued reading Holocaust literature all through Christmas and long after the film was shot. Here, he plays the part of a man who puts the case for mass sterilisation over a buffet lunch at a Third Reich gathering in 1942. "He talks about it as if it were a meeting to discuss foot and mouth disease," says Firth. "That's what's astonishing: these men cracking jokes, passing the cheese, looking at their watches . . . and talking about genocide. I think what is shocking is how you can get reeled in. Put yourself in that position: could you be one of the men round the table?" Later this year, Firth will embark on another personal journey of enlightenment as he prepares to play Hamlet at the Riverside Studios, with Geraldine James as Gertrude. "I'm 40 now. I would say it's getting to last call for me to do Hamlet." He admits that he has often thought we should "put Shakespeare away for 10 or 20 years" and then come back to it, "but so long as there are people like me who want to have a crack at it, then it's going to be with us". He admits that, as a schoolboy, nothing would have delighted him more than to see Shakespeare banned. "I would like to have been put in the position of being able rebelliously to discover Hamlet. Maybe if Hamlet were forbidden he would become like Eminem . . ." And maybe, if Bridget Jones were to see his Hamlet ("v. eligible bachelor", after all), she would grow up a bit.

Looks like Helen has a fella of her own in LA. Check out this site. New Mark and Bridget pic (yum!), a short review, plus see the section entitled Bridget's Circle for more on Helen and everyone associated with the film. http://www.peoplenews.com/bridget

(Karen) Dominic West was at the premiere too; we no longer fancy him Uh-oh, please explain. The inquiring minds want to know! :-) So happy you got to see the film. Did anyone introduce the film?

To Kate and others expressing a degree of 'bummed outedness' (love to make up new terms!) about talk show 'Colin'ectomies (good one, Lisa): don't despair. These are early promos. Am convinced that HG and RZ have their marching orders since the Powers That Be believe only these two have the ability to lure moviegoers to see this film (*we* know better). Am v.v. convinced that CF will figure more prominently once the film has opened. Unfortunately, given his status as a new father and his usual abhorrence of self-promotion, I seriously doubt we'll see any more of him on talk shows (in print, maybe, but not on the tube). Is it me, or is that pic from the Electronic Telegraph ghastly? *blinking my eyes* And it was taken before Luca was born. Maybe he is starring in the black plague thing after all. ;-) Congrats on making your debut, Mark! Ahahahaha! We knew you when... Glad our travelers got their money's worth and were able to see the premiere in lieu of ODB. I agree with Mari, he's much more likely to attend the London premiere tomorrow.

Re the piece at peoplenews.com: Bridget�s other paramour, Colin Firth, plays Mr Darcy (both the earlier version, in Pride and Prejudice, and the latest one, here) with the same brooding intensity that has always made me wonder whether he�s actually playing wink murder. By himself. Brooding - I understand, but wink murder ????????

Eileen Is it me, or is that pic from the Electronic Telegraph ghastly? *blinking my eyes* And it was taken before Luca was born. Maybe he is starring in the black plague thing after all. Maybe that's the infamous 'gangster' pic ;-)

(Tracy) Brooding - I understand, but wink murder ???????? And here I thought it was a British expression! I can tell you it's not a newyawk or newjoiseyism in manner of Sopranos. ;-) Maybe that's the infamous 'gangster' pic ;-) Ooh, could be--is he looking at his cuffs? :-D

Guardian interview: "Pride And Prejudice wasn't the most rigorous or challenging thing I've done," he says. . . I ask how he feels about the film, about the hoohah that is about to burst all around him. "I'm not confident about the film," he says bluntly. "I've no reason to be confident about the film. We all did our best." Telegraph interview: He alludes to Mr Darcy as if he were an embarrassing relative - and he has the same rather detached view of his part in the chaotic world of Bridget Jones. "I have to say it was not the most challenging hour of my life," he says drily. Are *these* the type of comments you think the producers would want to hear on a talk show? More to the point, would the person who said these things even be willing to go on? I'm not being critical of Colin, he has a right to express how he feels and I admire his frankness. But the guy is not a marketer. I'm delighted we even got him on BWTA, and I'd be surprised if he did any others. I do wish he'd treat "the Darcy thing" with much more of a sense of humor, though. IMO, it would take some of the wind out of the press's sails. On a lighter note, I saw yet another new commercial this morning for BJD, with lots of Mark again, and Colin's name mentioned 2nd after Renee's. They really zoom in on The Kiss.:-) I really can't fault the marketing on this, folks. If Colin doesn't want to put himself forward, then that's that.

Eileen, if you think the red sweater one is bad, get a load of the black and white one. I can post the link if you can't find it.

Hello, all. I'm sort of an old newbie. I haven't posted in about two years (about the amount of time since my son was born). Anyway, with the movie coming out I was preparing to mourn the loss of any new BJD, then I found this: Tuesday April 3 9:23 AM ET Bridget Jones Is Coming 2 a Fone Near U Photos Reuters Photo By Victoria Cutler LONDON (Reuters) - First the book, then the film, now the text message. Bridget Jones, the chain-smoking, weight-obsessed singleton conjured up by best-selling writer Helen Fielding, is set to commune with fans via daily text messages on the quest for inner poise, trim thighs and other key ``global topics.'' ``For singletons like Bridget, the phone is becoming a major means of human contact,'' Fielding said in a statement. ``Texting allows followers to hear from Bridget more often than they hear from some of their own friends.'' Finnish wireless entertainment publisher Riot Entertainment said it would launch the service on April 13 -- when the film version of Bridget's travails hits British cinema screens -- under a two-year global deal with Fielding. Last year more than six billion individual messages were sent between mobile phones in Britain. Riot Entertainment says plenty of text messagers will sign up for updates on Bridget's life and loves. True to form, no message will be too trivial. Calories eaten, drinks drunk, men snared and other such vital statistics will be relayed to mobile phone owners as content providers seek to tap into the booming market. More Obsessive Than E-Mail The Bridget Jones diaries, which began life as a newspaper column, were first turned into a best-selling book and the film version, in which thoroughly British Bridget is played by Texan Renee Zellweger, has its premiere in London this week. Texting was the obvious next step. ``Texting allows one to be much more obsessive even than email,'' Fielding said. ``You can be in communication with significant others anytime and anywhere (or not, which can be heartbreaking and obviously requires major analysis and discussion through further texting).'' The service is to include personality tests, an ``Ask Bridget'' service, Bridget Jones's Guide To Life and discussion of dieting, dating, self-help and thigh circumference. ``I have no doubt that after pioneering e-mail flirtation, Bridget has by now become an SMS (Short Message Service) junkie,'' Fielding added. The service will target women in their late twenties and early thirties, as well as ``curious men.'' Riot-E said 80 percent of this target audience were likely to be mobile users. ``Mobile phones are a perfect way to add another dimension to book characters such as Bridget,'' Riot-E CEO Jan Wellmann said. ''Mobile is flexible, dynamic and has an immediacy which is not possible with any other medium. Bridget can text others every day to report on the progress of her bikini diet or other urgent matters.''

Found a couple of pictures from the NY premiere... http://www.mirror.co.uk and http://www.sky.com/news/showbiz/story19.htm

Wink murder?????? Wink murder is a circle game. The players sit in a circle and one has been designated to "kill" the others one by one by winking at them. The others have to try to guess who the "killer" is without getting "killed". It produces a lot of serious looks and side ways glances. The "killer" trying to look innocent and do his job simultaneously. Everyone else looking suspicious before they "die". I've only seen children play but I'd volunteer to be in the same game with OBD. :-)

Nice report on the NY premiere, from Fox News (thanks to Chris). Check out the CF mentions. Seems odd that no press reports have confirmed the actual birth, no? Salman Rushdie Steals Film from Ren�e Zellweger� Almost Well, the fatwa issued by the Iranians all those years ago � a death warrant on the head of writer Salman Rushdie � obviously doesn't include Hollywood. Rushdie makes not a small cameo in the film version of Bridget Jones's Diary, which premiered in New York last night to much applause and smiles. Rushdie, let's say, holds his own with star Ren�e Zellweger in a couple of scenes that show off his comic abilities. Who knows? Maybe Rushdie is onto a new career. Certainly star Zellweger cements her rapid rise to fame with her star turn as Bridget Jones. With an impeccable English accent, Ren�e � who's from Texas, born of a Norwegian mother and Swiss father � lights up the screen (as they used to say). Just as Melanie Griffith did in Working Girl, Ren�e is the centerpiece of almost every scene in the movie. She is more charming than ever, and I would wager, set for Oscar and Golden Globe nominations next fall. At the premiere she worked like a dog, doing one-on-one interviews with press before getting anything to eat. "I haven't even talked to my mother," she said of the very elegant blond woman sitting with perfect posture on one of the uncomfortable looking couches. While Ren�e's mom waited patiently for her, her dad joined us. "Can you believe I was sitting next to my dad through that whole movie?" she asked. "It's pretty racy!" Her dad didn't seem to mind the very tame sex scenes, but "all that cursing!" Ren�e said, "I was blushing!" Next Zellweger will film White Oleander, the novel that soared to the top of the best seller lists when Oprah Winfrey picked it for her book club last year. "I just do two weeks' worth of work on it," she said, "then I pile into my truck and head east." East, as in New York? "No, east � to Texas! I'm going to see some friends there and hang out." If there's a strike in Hollywood come summer, Zellweger says, "I will support it any way I can." Hugh Grant, for the Defense If Hugh Grant were a witness on the stand, a good lawyer would rip him to shreds. He bobs back and forth while he answers questions, and looks from side to side. I don't know what he's guilty of, but it's something. Grant has previously played charming romantic leads in his films. In Bridget Jones, he's a cad, very unlikable, and a willing villain. When I asked him in person last night which character was more like the real Hugh, he said, "I wouldn't mind having a cocktail with either of them." His eyes then did this thing where they just rolled back and forth through his head like one of those car-window stuffed dogs. I'm told that his interview in the new Talk magazine, by Holly Millea, starts with the line "I'm too drunk to do this interview." Interesting, huh? Grant is also sporting a new buzz haircut and a very drawn, lean look in his face. Elizabeth Hurley, come home! Some other guests at the Bridget Jones premiere included Charlie's Angels actor Sam Rockwell; Erin Brockovich's Aaron Eckhart; Requiem for a Dream director Darren Aronofsky; twice-Oscar-nominated actress Sylvia Miles; and Saturday Night Live's great talent Ana Gasteyer (someone get this girl her own series, fast). Bridget Jones's Diary also stars Colin Firth, who did not make the party because his wife is giving birth in Italy. But Firth holds up his third of this triangle and makes the film a total success as a chick flick, date movie, romantic comedy. Studios are always searching for the next While You Were Sleeping or Four Weddings and a Funeral. This is it. Not uncoincidentally, Bridget is written by Richard Curtis, who also gave us Four Weddings and Notting Hill. Curtis has a formula, and I'll tell you what it is. He surrounds his main character with oddball friends who love and admire the person. It was Hugh Grant in Notting Hill and Four Weddings. It's Ren�e here. This Greek chorus shows the audience how to appreciate the hero or heroine, casting a warm glow over them. The zany comedy is then disbursed to the chorus, and to other minor characters (like parents) while the hero (oine)'s foibles are only exaggerated so much. In the case of Bridget, Ren�e plays her like Georgie Girl, Rhoda, and Lucy Ricardo all rolled into one. Her zaniness is lovable, and � you have the feeling � correctable by her suitor at some point in the fictional future. Bridget Jones will be a huge, huge hit precisely because Curtis has become a master of this formula. And rather than being predictable, his work is comforting, intelligent, and witty. How nice for all of us.

Congratulations, Mark!!! I'm so excited for you! Marianne and Jana and Moon and I will see the film tomorrow! We'll keep our eyes peeled for you. who did not make the party because his wife is giving birth in Italy. REally? In Italy?

Found another article from ThisisLondon.com, entitled "I am Jude in Bridget Jones' film! by Tracey MacCleod. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/html/hottx/film/top_direct.html Here's an edited version of the article: Both Colin Firth and Hugh Grant were wearing handmade suits and looking so impossibly lean, tanned and handsome that it was unsettling to be around them. Several times during the day I found myself just gazing at them, as though they were beautiful statues. Hugh's hair was so lustrous and big that I was convinced he had silver highlights, but it was just movie-star shininess. At lunchtime, conforming to Darcy-Cleaver type, Colin read The Guardian, while Hugh relaxed with The Telegraph. During the many rehearsals and takes of Bridget's speech, Colin and Hugh remained in their positions among the extras, even though they weren't on camera (apparently it's good acting manners to give your co-stars something real to bounce off). It's a tribute to Ren�e Zellweger's talent as a comic actress that we watched her stumble her way through Bridget's disastrous speech for take after take and it just kept getting funnier. With the main scene wrapped, the famous authors dispersed, some of them to real literary parties. I stayed on to watch the next scene, and got my big break, when Sharon placed me in the foreground. My task was to make small talk with Colin Firth and Salman Rushdie, while Colin, as Mark Darcy, gazed tormentedly over my shoulder at Bridget getting off with his arch-enemy, Daniel Cleaver. It was so fascinating to watch Colin doing real acting, like closeup magic, that I kept forgetting to make small talk. His face was such a mask of distracted agony when he turned back to me after watching Daniel leave with Bridget that I wanted to reassure him "It turns out all right for you in the end - I've read the script." Sharon had already warned me that the literary party scene had been cut down, but I caught two distinct sightings of myself, thanks to the clownish green suit - first, standing in the crowd next to Salman Rushdie during Bridget's speech (my embarrassed look when it goes wrong struck me as quite convincing). Then, during my scene with Colin, as I like to think of it, I'm firmly there, centre-screen, and looking a bit uncomfortable. But my hair looks nice, which is the main thing.

(Mari) Are *these* the type of comments you think the producers would want to hear on a talk show? I see your point but something tells me CF is too smart to diss the movie on TV (it's one thing to read things he 'supposedly' said and quite another to hear the words right from his lips). I do wish he'd treat "the Darcy thing" with much more of a sense of humor, though. I agree--according to these print interviews, he's approaching it in his usual 'I'm sick to death of Darcy' manner. C'mon Colin, what did you expect? Thanks for the pic links, Marianne. I was ROTF when I read this: (Sky News) Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger), who is obsessed with Firth's wet T-shirt scene in the TV series... Wet t-shirt?! Spare me! (Fox News) Bridget Jones's Diary also stars Colin Firth, who did not make the party because his wife is giving birth in Italy. It appears the publicists are still protecting his privacy. Italy, huh? Bridget Jones will be a huge, huge hit *pleaseohpleaseohplease* I was chuckling last night when I heard on ET that 'Spy Kids' beat out 'Someone Like You' in last weekend's BO. Guess all us romcom fans are waiting for the full axminster. ;-)

Forgot to mention--thanks for the explanation of 'wink murder', Caribou.

Brava Karen, Lizza and Evelyn ! How wonderful you were able to attend the NY premiere. And what great news that MD is in most of the film. MarkG, congrats on your debut. Now you can get your SAG card. At this rate, you might even get your own topic at Drool. :-) Went to the 'Peoplenews' link where it said that CF's favorite toys are books and cardigans. Cardigans? Think they are confusing Mr. Darcy with Mr. Rodgers. Received a notice from Amazon that the BJD soundtrack was shipped today. Goody. Am happily overwhelmed by the plethora of CF articles and quotes. Feel a bit guilty, however, like I am binging. ;-P

Where to start, where to start? About the comment that CF's wife is about to give birth, the source would be Tim Bevan and probably the Miramax people. I'll explain... Before the movie started, Harvey made a few remarks and then called up Tim Bevan who talked about all the people who should take credit for the film. He went person by person through all the studio types, then started talking about the TWO stars of the film and hurried to correct himself, by adding that Colin Firth couldn't be there because (and I'm not making this up nor does it sound like typical English ironic humor) CF has an Italian wife who is expecting and of course he had to be there as she's due any day (close but not exact). Harumph, made him sound like the Mark Darcy character who is subject to Natasha's finger-snapping beckonings. Audience reaction? Fantastic! Lots of laughing and clapping. It is very funny but TOOOOOOOOOOOO short. Frankly, they could've dumped what was left of the parents' scenes and added more of the friends. Definitely short-changed that more important aspect of her life. Also, they could've dumped the lake scene, as there's no buildup to the minibreak (endless weekends in front of TV watching cricket in darkened room). I know they've all been filmed (as have photos) but they've been cut along with so many other scenes (mobile in dumpster/rubbish bin, fluffy pink top from People Mag). Will have much more to say as have a ticket to the advance screening this Thursday (Yippeee!! Twice in one week) (checked paper mail first thing when walked in house for tell-tale envelope) Have to talk about that last kiss (as we did repeatedly last night over dinner). We will have to thank Fielding and Maguire for fixing the one horrible flaw from the BBC's P&P production, i.e., that last kiss. Now THIS is the kiss that should've been; no chaste little peck. (No shoulder though) He goes for the gusto and shows her that Mark Darcy is indeed not dull. Oh yes, we did see Hugh close up and Renee (sitting in her seat at the theater). Richard Curtis was right behind me, and we had to pass Harvey when going down the stairs. I didn't see Helen F, but Evelyn did. No other cast members were there, as a couple of the photographers shared their press release from Miramax as to who was expected to be there. One of the singers from the soundtrack (Jamie O'Neal) was there, dressed in what could only be termed true tramp style. And Van Morrison sings on the movie, not Dina Carroll who is on the CD (which I have sitting in front of me). Need to unpack. More later.

Thanks and welcome home, Karen. Harumph, made him sound like the Mark Darcy character who is subject to Natasha's finger-snapping beckonings. Harumph indeed. Apart from the inaccuracies of Bevan's statement, what does being Italian have to do with it? We're all bossy whipcrackers? ;-) Now I know where Fox News got the 'giving birth in Italy' from. *shaking my head* Hurry and unpack! More, more, more! And do tell, did you make little piggy noises when you walked past Harvey? ;-D

Karen, good to have you back and so glad to hear that it "passed muster" with you and the audience! Tell us more when you're settled in. (Eileen) what does being Italian have to do with it? Really! So it sounds as though . . .baby is not born yet?! "Due any day?" Don't you think they'd have said that CF became a new dad if it were so? Strange. Did Bevan say anything else about CF? And how did you manage to get in, you lucky dogs!

(Mari) Did Bevan say anything else about CF? Oh yeah! Couldn't believe he brought up the comment from the Evening Standard article (the one about donkeys) re: Colin and Hugh. Said that we'd get more proof about the validity of the statement insofar as it pertained to the Huge Gnat in the next Talk Mag. *boo hiss* And how did you manage to get in, you lucky dogs! How do you think? We said Colin gave us his seats as he wasn't going to be using them. ;-D (Eileen) did you make little piggy noises when you walked past Harvey? ;-D No, but I forgot to make v.v. positive comments about our boy as I walked past (e.g., "gosh, has anyone thought that Colin could be the next Tom Hanks?) ;-D

Couldn't believe he brought up the comment from the Evening Standard article (the one about donkeys) re: Colin and Hugh. Huh?? Don't recall that one. 'Splain.

You expect moi to get 'splain that? ;-D Try the article about being a Colin or Hugh girl (9th paragraphy) or think Linda Fiorentino and Mr Ed: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/hottx/top_review.html?in_review_id=374780&in_review_text_id=320515 ~~~~~~~~ Don't think I saw this one here yet, but seems the studios will promote him even if he won't himself. From Yahoo/wire services: Colin Firth laments Darcy syndrome LONDON (Reuters) - Actor Colin Firth has spent years trying to live down the role of Jane Austen's Mr Darcy -- only to play a version of the same character in the film "Bridget Jones's Diary". Firth became an instant heart-throb six years ago as the dashing but difficult hero in a television adaptation of Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". Now the actor is once again starring as a Mr Darcy in the movie version of Helen Fielding's hugely successful novel -- a role that was inspired by his brooding turn as Austen's hero. "I can't think of a single headline in the last five years that didn't have the D-word in it," Firth was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday. "He (Darcy) is like this bizarre doppelganger that I have spawned who walks around doing things without me." Firth told the paper he had deliberately avoided the kind of roles that would require frilly shirts and tight breeches since "Pride and Prejudice". But he said he was not worried about compounding "the Darcy thing" by playing a character inspired by him. "There was an ironic slant on it. It was an in-joke, a reference point. I think that is acceptable," he said. "Bridget Jones's Diary" became an instant best-seller when it was first published in 1996. The story of the chain-smoking, weight-obsessed thirty-something Bridget's quest for love struck a chord with millions of readers around the world. Firth's performance as love interest Mark Darcy was a witty piece of casting. Not only is Bridget Jones obsessed by Firth's Mr Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice, but the novel itself is a loose reworking of the Jane Austen classic and Fielding modelled Mark Darcy on the real-life Firth. But if Firth seemed the obvious -- if not only -- choice to play Mark Darcy, the casting of the eponymous heroine was less straightforward. The film's makers attracted early criticism for choosing pencil-slim Texan Renee Zellweger over a host of British actresses to play the very English Bridget. The movie also stars Hugh Grant as the love rat who first captures Bridget's affections.

E! News Daily just showed the NY premiere with RZ and HG, and the "I like you just the way you are" clip. Afterward, the person said the film "also starred Colin Firth." Next up Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood.

Re: asses, er, donkeys: remind me not to have Bevan introduce me at my next testimonial.;-) Told you HG would get the big Talk mag article; all that schmoozing with Tina Brown at the GGs. Or as Huge said on Today--they're all a very incestuous bunch. Gah! Karen, the new commercials (2 of them) feature lots of MD.

Bad review (gave it a D) by one of those guys who call themselves online critics: http://www.oneguysopinion.com/review.asp?ID=336

Renee's on Late Night on Thursday the 12th. (Is that Craig Kilbourn or Conan???)

Late Night is Conan. Checked my TV Guide for next week (which I got *yesterday*, K;-) and RZ is all over the place. Note that Colin is *not* listed in the Guide for Today on the 10th or any other date. Then again, last time he was listed and we know what happened.:-( Huge is on Letterman tonight.

So glad you girls got into the film. How exciting! You must tell us exactly where to look for Mark so we're prepared. I think Lisa's got a great idea, giving Mark his own topic. ;-) Looks like first comes the baby, then the labor. Or maybe Livy's having a litter. Will this photo of a very chic Renee at the premiere come out? Hmmm.

Thanks so much for the premiere coverage! How exciting that you attended. And that we won't be disappointed about the movie. My DH is concerned that RZ has "overdone" the weight loss thing, in manner of eating disorder perhaps? Hope that is not the case. Did she look healthy?

TV Guide online is still showing CF appearing on 4/10. Not sure if that's a good sign or bad sign.

FEATURE-British literary phenomenon hits silver screen By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Move over Ally McBeal (news - Y! TV). There is a new neurotic thirtysomething single girl in town searching for Mr. Right amid a sea of wimps, workaholics and whingers -- and this time she is British. Actually, she is an American playing quintessentially English diarist Bridget Jones, who turned the British national sport of self-loathing into the surprise literary best-seller of the 1990s. If you are going to turn a national cultural phenomenon into a movie, it is probably a good start to hire Britain's most successful comic screenwriter -- Richard ``Four Weddings and a Funeral'' Curtis -- and two of the country's biggest heartthrobs, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. But skinny Texan Renee Zellweger as the calorie-counting, hard-drinking, smoking, disaster-prone Bridget Jones? And foppish, floppy-haired gentleman Hugh Grant as the bad guy? Talk about famous British irony. Zellweger, star of Hollywood films ``Nurse Betty'' and ``Me Myself and Irene,'' spent seven months in Britain soaking up its culture and accent and inhaling its traditional foods -- baked beans on toast and Kit-Kats -- to get ready for the title role in ``Bridget Jones's Diary,'' to be released on April 13. She won the part after a two-year search and a pledge to pile on 20 pounds that left Britain's homegrown talent out in the cold and caused xenophobic outrage in the press. Zellweger, who normally has the tiny frame that exists only in Bridget's wildest dieting dreams, called the reverse diet process ``boringly technical.'' But having reached her goal of about 130 pounds, she says it was liberating. ``You wake up in the morning with six zits and so what? Let's go! It was great not to have to care,'' she said. Welcome to Bridget's world: a hilariously politically incorrect tale featuring bottom-pinching cads, women who eat cake, disastrous dinner parties and bucketsful of English vernacular. While U.S. television's waifish Ally McBeal turns to therapists, theme songs and pajama parties to ward off her singles blues, Bridget Jones wallows in vodka, cigarettes and chocolate as each day that started with a vow to start a diet and take control of her life ends up going more pear-shaped. 'Will Find Nice, Sensible Boyfriend' The book, which started as a newspaper column, was a worldwide best-seller despite its peculiarly British mix of irony and self-deprecation. ``The excitement about making it into a film was tempered with healthy skepticism as to whether it was feasible. A lot of people felt it was perhaps unwise to attempt it given the book's popularity,'' said Firth, who plays rich, snobby lawyer Mark Darcy. Firth sent women across Britain swooning in 1995 when he played a smoulderingly sexy but arrogant Mr. Darcy in an acclaimed BBC television adaptation of Jane Austen's novel ''Pride and Prejudice.'' His Bridget Jones character is modeled on his Mr. Darcy in a love plot that the book's author, Helen Fielding, admits is a steal from ``Pride and Prejudice.'' But it is Grant who looks set to leave women drooling as he plays the kind of wickedly charismatic commitment-phobe who is as bad for women's health as chocolate bars -- and equally irresistible. ``I think it is the sexiest part Hugh has played. He's funny, intelligent and gorgeous and that's just what an irresistible cad is,'' said Fielding. Grant's role as the devious boss of the hapless Bridget Jones is a change of style from the fumbling, nervous characters of ``Four Weddings and a Funeral'' and ``Notting Hill'' that made him the personification of English charm. ``It was fun. It was a blessed relief not to be Mr. Nice Guy. I've done too much of that in the last few years. I was getting sick of it and I think everybody else was sick of it too,'' said Grant, who originally featured as himself in the book as the object of Bridget's fantasies. Can Grant, Zellweger and Firth charm their way into the hearts of an international movie audience? Yes, says Firth, because Bridget, while typically English, also has a universal appeal. ``I think there was a great collective identification with this character,'' he said. ``We all think our bums are too big, we all start the day thinking that this is when it's all going to change and today I'm going to impress everybody. And the same day we end up drowning our sorrows in a bottle of wine.''

But it is Grant who looks set to leave women drooling as he plays the kind of wickedly charismatic commitment-phobe who is as bad for women's health as chocolate bars -- and equally irresistible. Oh, give me a break!! It is utterly apparent from the first moment you see Colin that he's the one. This movie is not subtle. You know he's the good guy despite his ill-mannered behavior...and the comments Bridget overhears. Besides, there is nothing even remotely droolable about the wet Hugh. He looks like a scrawny, drowned rat. ~~~~~~~~ Should we take discussions of the movie over to the Spoiler topic? ~~~~~~~~ From the BBC, a male perspective on Bridget: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/film/newsid_1259000/1259869.stm

Viewing Tips: When Daniel picks up Bridget to go on the minibreak, you'll see the roar/rev engine bit, then the car pulls away. As it does, you will see Mark. He is the only one who looks like a businessman playing hookey from work, i.e., in a dark suit). ;-D

God, what excitement. Mark - congratulations!!!! How exciting. Please tell us, KR, exactly the scene we need to watch out for (and the preceding one)....Since we London-based correspondents will apparently NEVER meet up, this is the next best thing. :-) All the reviews - obviously I haven't seen the film yet, but I anticipate agreeing with the Fox News one (thanks, Mari) - Curtis is formulaic, but it's a formula that tends to work. I also anticipate putting RZ ahead of Julia Roberts in the American-actress-in-Richard-Curtis-film stakes, and well ahead of Andie McDowell. I'm really looking forward to the film now. p.s. opinions on the chintz curtains and corner of large portrait in CF's drawing room?

From Mitchell Fink's column in the NY Daily News (pic they have labeled RZ is really Kate Hudson) Single and Loving It Who needs Jim Carrey? Certainly not Renee Zellweger. Since breaking up with the rubber-faced funnyman last year, the 31-year-old actress has won a Golden Globe for "Nurse Betty" and now seems poised to attain even greater heights of stardom with her new movie, "Bridget Jones' Diary." Zellweger doesn't mind at all that she's a single woman. In fact, she draws many parallels between her and the character Jones, who is also single. However, while Jones fuels herself with cigarettes and alcohol and obsesses about her weight, Zellweger takes a decidedly alternate route. "[I'm] probably enjoying [being single] differently," she said at the party following Monday's Ziegfeld Theater premiere of "Bridget." "I'm enjoying it differently, but enjoying it very much." Zellweger was joined at the Henri Bendel-sponsored post-show party at the Altman Building on W. 18th St. by her co-star Hugh Grant, as well as Alan Cumming, Liev Schreiber, Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn, Ted Demme and Gina Gershon. It was the first time Grant had seen the film in its entirety. "I thought it was really good, really charming," he said. "It was a bit groovier than I thought." As to whether he could ever date an average-looking klutz like Bridget Jones, Grant said, "I quite like disaster girls, I always have. I like a bit of food spilled down their shirt, you know. It's sexy." http://www.nydailynews.com/today/News_and_Views/Daily_Dish/a-105951.asp

From the Page Six column in the NY Post, at least a mention of Colin: DON'T stand too close to Hugh Grant. At the Henri Bendel post-premiere party for "Bridget Jones's Diary," the stammering star accused us of eavesdropping as we waited to interview him. After first calling us "a bleeping wanker," Grant gamely talked about his fight scene with Colin Firth in "Bridget Jones," joking, "It was basically a fight between two middle-class Englishmen - i.e., girls."

Zellweger's got a 'Bridget' jones By Jeannie Williams, USA TODAY Bridget Jones's busy dating life: She calls herself a "wanton sex goddess" while in bed with her boss. She lip-syncs to All By Myself and dons a Playboy-type bunny costume with fishnets. She undergoes the humiliation of her date discovering she's wearing a heavy-duty girdle. Renee Zellweger does it all in Bridget Jones's Diary, plumped up by some 20 pounds. But at Monday's New York premiere, Zellweger was her petite self again, in chic Marc Jacobs suit, boots and ponytail, and still thrilled with the success of her golden Oscars gown. "I have to say I looooove my yellow dress!" she said. She giggled about that girdle scene with Hugh Grant, who is finally playing a cad. The whole experience of the movie "was so extraordinary, every day something new, something silly, something outrageous in terms of opportunities to be creative," she said. But Zellweger, whose last big romance was Jim Carrey, has no dating tips of her own to offer: "Oh, God, no, you don't want to ask me anything, honey! Not a thing. I'll just keep my nose out of that department for a long, long time!" Accompanying her at the premiere were her parents. Grant was in his new shortish, spike-ish haircut, which he hated at first: "There was a moment when I thought I looked like an East European female tennis star. But I now think in fact I look cool and hip and now and London." His publisher character lies and cheats, but Grant believes women "don't know what they want (in men, good and bad). They want a bit of both, that's been my experience." He admits improvising dialogue in the girdle scene ("big pants," he calls them). "It all sprung up because I did find them curiously sexually attractive." Grant does date: "I get out a bit. But I don't have any tips. I find I've lost my knack over the past 13 years (with ex-love Elizabeth Hurley). I just lie, flirt � bat your eyelids." Who is he dating? "None of your beeswax!" he says. Bridget Jones's Diary, from the novel by Helen Fielding, is quite a steal from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. And Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, Bridget's other man, is very similar to the brooding Mr. Darcy he played in that Austen TV miniseries. The handsome Firth regrettably was absent Monday; his Italian wife, Livia, gave birth last Thursday to a son, Luca, and he was at her side in Rome. (He has another son with Meg Tilly, his Valmont co-star.) Zellweger's casting was criticized because she's not English. But her accent is excellent, and Fielding said it's important that Bridget "has a real sweetness to her character. ... Renee has such a sweetness and warmth that comes across beautifully."

Film Review (the mag that Ann left on the plane) has given the movie 5 stars: by L�rien Haynes Bridget Jones's Diary is, you may be surprised to learn, actually better than the best-selling book. Whereas Helen Fielding's treatise on female singledom had a predominantly feminine appeal, Sharon Maguire's d�but feature broadens the novel's horizons and encapsulates not only a woman's loneliness but mid-life crisis, male bachelorhood and the plight of 21st Century sexual relations. If this sounds too serious, the film is not. Heavingly funny, tear jerkingly poignant it's no wonder this test screened better than both Four Weddings and Notting Hill. Thirty-something Bridget is (she thinks) overweight, undersexed and consuming inordinate quantities of Chablis and ciggies with her also very single friends Shazza (Phillips), Jude (Henderson) and Tom (Callis). By day she works for publisher Daniel (Grant), by weekend she is subjected to her parents embarrassingly dire attempts at matchmaking. Her life starts zinging when she woos Daniel with the ever-decreasing size of her skirts. Reading more into their eventual romping than necessary, she's gutted when Daniel lets her down. Back to square one, Bridget is coping with her mother's infatuation with a shopping channel presenter, her dad's (Broadbent) apathy and her own conclusion that her life may be over. Repeated encounters with a Mr Mark Darcy (Firth), however, begin to titillate, his brooding manner being the sun breaking through her sludgy clouds. The film has a retro feel, which is weird as it hearkens back to the early Nineties. Maguire presents an ensemble piece while making Bridget the fulcrum. Helen Fielding's insistence she direct was clearly a good move, grounded in Maguire's proximity to Fielding's life and life of her alter-ego Bridget (Maguire is actually the real Shazza, one of Bridget's best friends). Zellweger is a revelation. Her performance is 100 percent, in that she is Bridget. English, plump, vulnerable, prepared to wear costumes two sizes too small in every shot (true) as well as giving us a dose of bone fide cellulite - can you remember any other actress prepared to do that? Hugh Grant is equally impressive, perfectly cast not as a bumbler but a complete cad. The supporting cast is flawless: James Faulkner is hilarious as the randy Uncle Geoffrey, plus cameos from a sporting Salman Rushdie and Honor Blackman who provide great gags. Far more akin to Pride and Prejudice than the novel - and all the more funny for it - writer Richard Curtis achieves more with his script than in his previous work because the narrative is stronger than a series of comedy sketch ideas. Of course there are flaws, but these are outweighed by other material that entirely wins you over (BJ appearing in a bunny girl outfit at a formal English garden party). And the film is worth seeing for Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in full-blown fight mode alone. Though Bridget Jones's Diary will make you laugh, cringe and bury your head in your hands, the magic ingredient is that there is also a deep sadness here, an honest depiction of genuine loneliness and isolation. A sense of being thirtysomething and desperate that is simply not funny and, if identified with, will bring tears to the eyes. This is a great film, and one you're guaranteed to rush back to see again.

You know Livia giving birth last week should be indicative as to why he wasn't on the Today show???? So it sounds feasible that she did give birth last week. But don't understand why he would leave his newborn son for "press junket tour"???, isn't it a bit soon to bring a newborn on an airplane??? (of course this is Laura thinking out loud.)

Finally, confirmation! Unless, of course, Jeanne Williams is just copying what she reads on these boards.;-) Thanks for the news roundup, K. To anyone going to London for the premiere tonight, have a wonderful time, and I hope Colin is there to represent the male contingent! (Huge, oddly enough, is scheduled to be on the Rosie show here in about a half hour, unless that show is taped ahead).

Bevan's rationale for why CF wasn't at the NY premiere (think he must be hanging around with Trey Parker of South Park fame) demonstrates either that he was underinformed as to the baby's birth or told not to mention it yet (I see the news has been broken by USA today). Was thrilled to hear CF mentioned again on ET, with clips of the fight scene. So what if HG used his usual line 'Colin fights like a girl' when Colin was not there to give his standard retort 'it takes one to know one'? ;-) Laura, am guessing next week's Today show clip was taped (Mari originally surmised this but now, given the baby news, it seems logical that CF cleared his calendar after completing his obligatory promo activities).

From Empire, an excerpt from an interview due out today in Heat magazine, he apparently likes to talk more about CF than RZ: Hugh's a Naughty Boy? Hugh Grant is in a philosophical mood these days and the various interviews he's conducted for Bridget Jones have revealed his moodier side to the British Press. However this week's Heat Magazine obviously caught Hugh in a sparkier mood with the actor prepared to dish the dirt about being 40, dating actresses and working with Salman Rushdie. First up, the actor confirms rumours that the initial script for Bridget Jones didn't pass muster. 'It was just humdrum,' he says. 'I didn't think they'd managed to get the hmour of the book on the page...It seemed a bit dreary.' It took the rewriting skills of Richard Curtis to persuade Grant to sign on. Once on, Hugh admits he was keen to look his best for the film and wasn't above putting one over on Colin Firth to get his way. 'One of the clever things I did...was to persuade the costume designer to have this designer make me five suits which I then nicked from the film. The result was that she had no money at all for the other characters. That's why Colin Firth is in a rather cheap suit.' Once begun, the production seems to have gone swimmingly, with one scene in particular standing out in Grant's mind. 'I got [Salman] to play my favourite game on boring party-scene days which is 'pick and extra' - you have to pick one extra to have sex with. He loved it. I've never known anyone take a game more seriously...We also played 'pick a crew member' and that's really hard with British crews.' Now that he's relatively newly single it seems that every tabloid in town wants to link Grant with a new woman, but the actor's pretty cagey about future prospects. 'I'm not crazy about going out with actresses,' he says. 'They're too mad, too neurotic.' And if it ever seems that fame will turn his head completely - Hugh always has his parents to fall back on - 'They live in that world where people don't give a toss about showbusiness.' Hugh explains. '[A dinner party guest] said to my mother, "I hear you have two sons." And she said; "Yes. One's a merchant banker and the other's a film star." And he said, "How very interesting. Which Bank?".' [Ed note: very old joke, that last one] BTW, Salman Rushdie has more screen time than quite a few other characters.

Guardian has an article by Camilla Elworthy, the woman RZ worked for at Picador for those few weeks in training. Apparently she's at the literary party scene next to Jeffrey Archer, but I thought that was a very close up head shot. Says that she also went to the set and met Colin. Has put out a very generous offer at end: "Just for the record, I would be more than happy to repeat the whole experience with any other global superstars wishing to brush up on their admin skills - an application from Russell Crowe would be particularly welcome." http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,468254,00.html

Hot off the news wires: "Bridget Jones" film premieres in London LONDON (Reuters) - The eagerly awaited film version of "Bridget Jones's Diary" premieres in London's West End tonight. The film's stars - Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth - will all be there on Wednesday, as will Helen Fielding, who first dreamed up the character of the neurotic Bridget. "Bridget Jones" is the tale of a 32-year-old single woman -- or "singleton" -- obsessed by calorie-counting, cigarettes, alcohol and, most of all, being single. Although Bridget is a quintessentially English character, she is played by Texan actress Zellweger, best known for her role as Tom Cruise's romantic sidekick in "Jerry Maguire". Critics will be listening closely to hear whether she's mastered an English accent. And Hugh Grant abandons his usual bumbling, English upper-class nice-guy style to play a villain -- Bridget's boss. Colin Firth provides the love interest. Fielding's international best-seller began life as a tongue-in-cheek British newspaper column, where the diary of a modern career girl seeking an old-fashioned happy ending struck a chord with a generation of women. Each diary entry began with the day's vital statistics. A typical day would begin: "Alcohol units: two (excellent); cigarettes: 21 (poor but will give up totally tomorrow); number of correct lottery numbers: two (better, but nevertheless useless)." The film was created by Working Title -- the hit team behind "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill". Grant summed up the story's appeal for him: "It's love gone horribly wrong -- someone actually quite suffering. And I think that the fact that Bridget's sort of suffering really in this film is what makes it funny."

SNEAK PREVIEW ALERT!!!! Check your local papers. I live in NJ and saw an ad this morning announcing a sneak preveiw of BJD at lots of NJ theaters this Friday. No time specified. Thank you all for posting the reviews and articles. I saw HG on Letterman last night. Said very little about the movie, but did show the boating scene. At least the clip had the cuts to CF in the other boat, which is more than I've seen in trailers so far. Do you think it's too early to camp out at the ticket window of my local movie theater?

Hi Folks, Can't add much to what The Boss said about the premiere. It was Thrrrilling...And we had bonafide Miramax invitations too, Mari. None of this.. being hered in with the "fillers".We were there with Harvey, HG was in front of me coming out of the theatre, so was HF looking v. glam in a blue dress and coat to match...wearing strappy sandals, no hose (brrrr it was 30 degrees!) (Mari)And how did you manage to get in, you lucky dogs! (Karen)How do you think? We said Colin gave us his seats as he wasn't going to be using them. ;-D ROTF...."You gotta make things happen".... (Karen)It is very funny but TOOOOOOOOOOOO short. Frankly, they could've dumped what was left of the parents'scenes and added more of the friends. Definitely short-changed that more important aspect of her life. Also, they could've dumped the lake scene, as there's no buildup to the minibreak (endless weekends in front of TV watching cricket in darkened room). I know they've all been filmed (as have photos) but they've been cut along with so many other scenes (mobile in dumpster/rubbish bin, fluffy pink top Have to agree. They shudda asked us to plan the scenes. The film does have its shortcomings.Principally the sub-plot. Can see whay CF isn't too effusive as he was with SIL. But it is a cute film and ODB is gorgeous...in every frame. The last scene will elicit screams, trust me. Karen opted for the navy blue overcoat right then and there. Mark....you look gorgeous too, darlink! Look for the scene where Bridget is coming out ot the doorway with sun glasses..about to join Daniel in the convertible...as the car pulls away...Here Comes Mark!! Forgot to mention that Nan was also at the premiere...so you see Drool was well represented.(We had a mini reunion with Nan that morning). Thanks to everybody who typed up all the reviews and interviews. We appreciate it.

You can see the Geri Halliwell "It's Raining Men" music video online now. I've put up links at the BJD music page as well. It's Flashdance meets Fame, as I think Tracy described previously. Quite a few shots of Colin and culminates with fight scene. Can't wait to see this on TV... Low speed: http://194.129.36.69/asx/microsoft/gerihallow.asx High speed: http://194.129.36.69/asx/microsoft/gerihalhigh.asx

The London Times's report on the premiere. Check out Helen's boyfriend's occupation--I heartily approve of him, even sight unseen!:-) The New York premiere of Bridget Jones's Diary BY JOANNA COLES IN NEW YORK Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant, Dominic West, Alan Cumming, Frances McDormand, Donald Trump, Tara Fitzgerald, the singer Moby and the veteran television star, Barbara Walters, were among the British and American celebrities who gathered at the Zeigfield Theatre in New York on Monday night to celebrate the premiere of Bridget Jones�s Diary. Miss Zellweger, the American actress who was granted the role of the famous British singleton, only after she agreed to put on 20lbs, stunned the audience not only with her impeccable London accent, but also with her dramatic weight loss. Now skinny as a starling�s rib, and wearing a tiny black suit by the New York designer Marc Jacobs, it was clear she had lost at least a stone more than she had put on, giving Calista Flockhart, the tiny star of Ally McBeal, a run for her money as America�s most anorexic actress. �I miss London, I really do, I really do! I miss the Met Bar,� she said, adding that working incognito for an English publishing company as part of her research for the role, and then making the film with Mr Grant and their co-star, Colin Firth, was a wonderful experience. �It was unique, extraordinary, every day brought new opportunities,� she said. Mr Firth was unable to attend because his wife is expecting a baby this week. Sporting a spikey new haircut, Mr Grant seemed peevish and refused to speak to the British press. Asked briefly if he enjoyed playing the bad guy as a change from his recent role in Notting Hill, he snapped: �I�ve played the bad guy before you know. It was a welcome return.� The film was co-written by Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones� creator, who arrived at the theatre with her American boyfriend Kevin Curran, a writer for The Simpsons. Asked if he had managed to woo the real-life Bridget Jones, he said sheepishly: �I guess you could say that, she�s a wonderful woman.� The two now live together in Los Angeles. Ms Fielding, who was dressed in a blue suit by the British designer Ghost, and wearing a diamond necklace by Asprey, said it was important to her that Ms Zellweger had been prepared to put on weight for the part. Another co-writer was Richard Curtis, creator of the Black Adder series and Four Weddings and a Funeral. He said he was relieved he had not had to disinfect his feet before arriving in the United States, but he was worried about not being able to take food back to London with him. Looking forward to further projects, he added he was thinking of creating a new Black Adder series with Rowan Atkinson playing a college professor who hates students. Eric Felner, one of the film�s producers from the British company Working Title, pointed out that if the film is a reasonable success it will mean Mr Curtis� last four films, which include the blockbuster Notting Hill, will have a combined gross of more than $1 billion. The film was directed by Sharon Maguire, a BBC documentary maker who was the real-life inspiration behind Shazza, Bridget�s best friend. Ms Fielding always promised that if the book was ever made into a film, then her friend would direct it. The movie also includes several cameos of Ms Fielding�s friends including the authors Salman Rushdie, Julian Barnes and Sebastian Faulkes. Lord Archer also makes a brief if unflattering appearance. After the screening Barbara Walters, a famous singleton herself, said she loved the film. �Renee was adorable,� she said. �I shall give it a good review,� said Jonathan Foreman, film critic for the New York Post. He added that he liked Mr Curtis� eye for social detail though he feared an American audience might miss the subtlety. �My only worry is that the film has such a thick heroine. No American film would dare to insult its target audience like that.�

He[ Richard Curtis] said he was relieved he had not had to disinfect his feet before arriving in the United States, ... It was there, Richard. You just didn't see it ;-) but he was worried about not being able to take food back to London with him. What does he want to take back....steaks? jelly beans? He was also in front of us leaving the theatre. Sorta geeky-looking. Big British contingent attended.I figured they were Working Title. We saw Dominic West. We had just seen him in Design for Living.He is not as impressive (or good-looking ) as on stage.A little seedy...

Here's the BBC's review. 4 out of 5 stars, but . . . Cut from the same cloth as "Notting Hill" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral", this much-anticipated film of Helen Fielding's bestseller about the year in the life of a single thirty-something woman delivers the goods in almost every department. The public's affection for Fielding's Chardonnay-swigging chain-smoking lovelorn Bridget would be enough to propel the picture to the top of the box office charts. Throw in a delightfully witty script co-written by Richard Curtis, a deliciously unpleasant turn from Hugh Grant, and a cast filled with homegrown talent and the result is everything fans could have hoped for - and more. Casting Ren�e Zellweger as the neurotic heroine was a risky move, but it's one that pays off handsomely. Listen closely and you can detect traces of American in her plummy Home Counties accent, but that's a minor cavil compared to the gusto the Texan actress brings to her defiantly unglamorous role. Zellweger piled on the pounds to play the part, and her generous curves add an extra ring of authenticity to the proceedings. Colin Firth recycles his "Pride and Prejudice" portrayal as the aloof Mark Darcy, but it's Hugh Grant, cleverly cast against type as a scheming love rat, who steals the laurels in a role one suspects is far closer to his real character than the bumbling nice guys we are accustomed to see him playing. Director Sharon Maguire treads a fine line between broad comedy and touching romance, while cameos from Salman Rushdie and Jeffrey Archer show just how much Fielding's creation has permeated popular culture.

For the boston folks, you can win tix to see BJD next Thursday... http://ae.boston.com/movies/contests/bridgetjones/ You can sign up as many times as you like...

Very pro-Hughie coverage of BJD in Mail and Express (Hugh talks about wanting children, blah, blah)Front page pic of RZ and HG. Sexiness of HG is given heavy prominence, also seems to be stealing acting laurels in reviews. Excellent review in Mail for BJD, but refers to MD as "stiff and snooty" whereas Hughie is "distinctly sexy, v.attractive". CF/MD apparently "appeals to sensible homebodies with husbands who chair PTA's. Excuse me? On the other hand the Guardian has a piece about RZ working for the publishing firm..."She performed (on the set) the most wonderful and generous act a woman can do for another...she introduced me to CF) One to Colin. ye--eh!!! Interesting pieces in HG interviews in Telegraph and Heat about the script. HG says he refused to sign for the film because the script wasn't very good (Andrew Davies must love him) and said he would only do it if RC was brought in. RC re-wrote the script, writing the part of DC expressly for HG. Can't help wondering what the original was like...possibly a good ensemble piece (which CF wouldn't object to) with more time for the friends...less of a star vehicle for HG. HG was apparently paid $8million for the movie, considerably more than RZ! Thanks for all the reports, ladies!

From This Is London: Dear diary - Bridget's fab! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bridget Jones's Diary (15) Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant. Dir: Sharon Maguire. UK. 2001. 95mins. by Nina Caplan Rather like its daffy heroine, the film version of Bridget Jones's Diary is not big, clever or remotely grown-up - but it is tremendous fun. Ren�e Zellweger stars as the self-confessed 'spinster and lunatic', fretting about calories, fags, booze and, most of all, the hell of being a 32-year-old singleton surrounded by couples. With the slurred encouragement of her pals - like-minded, nicotine-crazy dipsomaniacs all - Bridget stumbles between her boss, the charming but unpleasant Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant, in the kind of slick, love-rat role that suits him best) and sombre but genuine family friend Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Firth, who played Mr Darcy in the TV series of Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice, was drooled over at length in the book, which is about as clever as this film gets. But clever isn't really the issue here: Bridget's idea of intelligence is asking Salman Rushdie (playing himself) the way to the ladies. She is the original ditz and Zellweger, despite the controversy which surrounded the casting of an American as quintessentially British Bridget, more than does her justice. She has carefully accurate vowels, big blue eyes, a vulnerable rosebud pout and a trick of crumpling her face into a hurt, lopsided smile when she is verbally assaulted by cheating boyfriends, smug marrieds and other villains. The direction by Sharon Maguire (real-life model for Bridget's foul-mouthed friend Shazzer) is suitably kooky, with a thumping soundtrack and plenty of incidents. The humour is very stereotypically British, circa Benny Hill - all social gaffes and inadvertently exposed body parts. It's a shame the film plays down the wall of matey solidarity that comprises Bridget's best friends Shazzer (Sally Phillips), Tom (James Callis) and Jude (Shirley Henderson). By way of compensation, however, Zellweger's Bridget is much less afraid of reaching the bottom of a jar of Nutella chocolate than her literary equivalent. Ninety minutes of calorie-counting would have bored audiences rigid, as the film's writers - Helen Fielding (who wrote the book), TV whiz Andrew Davies and Richard 'Notting Hill' Curtis (who seems almost exclusively responsible for Hugh Grant's thriving film career) - were no doubt aware. As for Zellweger, who went on a much-publicised Guinness-and-pizza diet to create Bridget's ample curves, she looks gorgeous on it. She is the first normal-sized female star in a film for quite some time.

HG says he refused to sign for the film because the script wasn't very good (Andrew Davies must love him) and said he would only do it if RC was brought in. RC re-wrote the script, writing the part of DC expressly for HG. Can't help wondering what the original was like...possibly a good ensemble piece (which CF wouldn't object to) with more time for the friends...less of a star vehicle for HG. Now we know why it took 3 writers to get this off the ground. Hugh made similar comments in an article here that the original script was "not funny." I think we speculated right from the start that RC would make it a nice vehicle for HG. Interesting the clout that HG has (but not surprising, given his past Working Title successes).

Richard 'Notting Hill' Curtis (who seems almost exclusively responsible for Hugh Grant's thriving film career) Truer words were never written. ;-D

She is the first normal-sized female star in a film for quite some time. And overdid the weight loss afterwards, IMO - and Meredith's DH's also.

Pictures from the London premiere: http://news.excite.com/photo/img/ap/bridget/jones/diary/20010404/lon110?r=/photo/r/010404/16/entertainment-6 http://news.excite.com/photo/img/r/britain/20010405/lon200d?r=/photo/r/010404/16/entertainment-6

Thanks, Marianne. Second one is much better.

Have just seen Rosie's interview with HG (taped yesterday) and H mentioned Colin's name twice, but Rosie didn't pick up on it at all. She also said she never read the book or knew anything about it. She was more interested in discussing her stitches and hand surgery than anything. They showed clip of the fight scene that was very long, probably half the fight in total, including the segment inside the restaurant with a bit of the happy birthday stuff. It was edited though as you didn't see Tom running inside the restaurant telling everyone there was a fight, a real fight going on. That got an enormous laugh from our audience - one of the biggest from the movie. Our West Coast gals will be seeing the movie later. Have fun and report back.

The Premiere was on Sky News. Caught a glimpse of CF smiling and relaxed walkingbehind RZ as she was being interviewed. Then brief interview with CF unsmiling, more tense looking (comment on dieting in last attempt to regain boyish contours). Then interview with HD also unsmiling (comment on being fat). Tried to record, but recorded Channel 4 by mistake. Was also longish item (I think!) on BBCNews24, but just as they said..."a report on the BJD Premiere" my son came in and switched over to football.

"Bridget Jones" premieres in London LONDON (Reuters) - Bridget Jones's little diary has leaped to the big screen at a star-studded premiere in London's West End. The film's stars - Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth - were all there on Wednesday, as was Helen Fielding, who first dreamed up the character of the neurotic Bridget. [...]

Thanks Marianne for posting the pics of the London premiere.Renee and Hugh look pretty good considering the number of hours they've logged on a plane. I like her dress...wow! Hey, ODB has a new premiere suit....look at those dimples. Hope Luca got 'em.

Sorry, didn't see Marianne's posting. Here's the second one which is bettah:

VCR ALERT for those in later time zones. CF interviewed at London premiere on Entertainment Tonight. Mentions the babe!

Hi, I'm back from the London Premiere. It was very exciting and although Colin was there we saw very little of him, just as he was coming our way someone called him aznd away he went. He looked so slim I hardly recognised him but caught a sight of a cheeky smile, he is so cute. Met Tracy, Jennie & Mark but what a crowd of people, more I would say than for SIL. So many ckleebs I can't remember them all but here are a few. Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie, Gemma Jones, Jilly Cooper, Geri Halliwell who got the biggest applause, Vanessa Feltx, Anneka Rice and Angus Deayton. Perhaps Tracy will remember some more, no wonder we couldn't get any tickets. One thing struck me though, its amazing how different the two actors are, Colin is so low profile compared to HG, at the end he came out early to a few whoops and some cameras whereas HG plays to the cameras, comes out towards the end to loads of cameras flickering and a deafening sound of whoops and yells from the crowd and he waves to the crowd and loves it. Its gre t to see so many posters all around London and to see ODB featured so prominently. Thanks for all the news and reviews everyone, can't say I like the BBC review though. Finally there is an excellent interview with Colin in May's issue of "SHE" out today, with new photos and in it he says he worries about going bald!!

PS - I have to say that Colin looks much better in the flesh than in any of these photos.

Glad to hear it, Ann. He looks a bit frightful in the photos. ;-) Sounds like a great bash in London. I'll bet you have a bit of jet lag yourself. Mari, thanks for the ET heads-up. I missed it though, dang. Hugh was terrifically funny on Letterman last night. Since Dave rarely mentions anything of relevance regarding promoting a film I was pleasantly surprised to see the clip. I vote for the Spoilers topic, Karen!

Karen, can you help, there is a terrific photo of Colin being greeted by Renee at the BBC Entertainment site, under Premiere pictures. Must go to bed, night all and yes Heide I am still jet-lagged but I just had to go up to London to support Colin, Hugh and Renee have so many fans.

Hey Ann you beat me to it - I knew you would... Also there were: Stephen Fry, Celia Imrie, Gemma Jones, Jilly Cooper, Geri Halliwell who got the biggest applause, Vanessa Feltx, Anneka Rice and Angus Deayton. Perhaps Chris Eubank, Neil Pearson, Tim McInerney, Salman Rushie, Rowan Atkinson, I think we caught sight of Richard Curtis scudding away in his limo after and Salman Rushdie(who walked away from the premiere, bodyguards in tow, to the post showing bash as did most) When they all went in we headed off for a celebratory Chardonnay and Creme Brulee combination and then chanced it by going back for the exits. True to form ODB was first out (even before many of the nobodies) , straight in his limo and off into the night ( for nappy change and feeds no doubt). As Ann says we couldn't have picked a worse spot insofar as ODB locations went ;-( but even so,I do have a few little prezzies for you. Sorry about the blurriness...unnecessariness strikes again I'm sure you understand ;-) Ann realises he is just out of reach ....OOHH He's getting nearer....SWTA poised in readiness *thinks* is it really healthy behaviour to send out hate waves to little old silver haired lady ...and then he was gone :-( more to follow...boy is it late but in the words of someone we know only too well "I shall conquer this"

Gnat ALert, Gnat Alert Unlike ODB The Gnat just signed everything in sight (including things we didn't want signing/sullying (eh Ann?) Hmmm, who's been attacking Huge with the garden shears then? RZ and HG did the rounds seemingly together .. she looked very slim, interesting choice of dress Oh and finally the voice of reason and sanity, that well known sage Vanessa Feltz shouted: "the film's great" so there you have it - proof positive that the woman's not completely deranged ;-) RZ

Thanks Droolies for the on- the- spot reports and the prezzies, Tracy. In the ET blurb tonight,Colin said in response to the announcer's report that CF was still glowing after the birth of his son..."It was a lightening trip, I'm off soon.." Going back to Rome, I guess.

Thank you all! I enjoyed all the pics of the premiere's and oooooooooh CF, sooooooo close! *shiver* I'll just have to rewind him in my mind when I see BJD tomorrow!

(Tracey) Hmmm, who's been attacking Huge with the garden shears then? Hugh said today in an interview that his hair grows really fast, he has to have it cut every couple of days. He's wearing this spikey new 'do because he is about to film Hornby's About a Boy. Great reporting ladies!

Glad to hear that you saw Colin, Ann, and that he looks better than most of these recent shots. Have been incredibly worried. ;-D Thanks for the pics, Tracy. Absolutely fantastic and proof positive to us that he hasn't come down with some awful facial distortion disease. Here are the ones from the BBC site: Some other celebs at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/film/newsid_1261000/1261115.stm

Don't know if anyone saw this but, I checked Clicktv and they showed that RZ would be making these apperances: 4/9 "Today" Show 4/10 Letterman 4/11 "Early Show" on CBS 4/12 Conan O'Brien 4/14 Roger Ebert (they discuss BJD) Hopefully these apperances are correct, unlike CF's supposed apperance on The Today show!!

You can see pix from ET's coverage of the NY premiere as well as some video options: http://www.etonline.com/html/photogallery/bridgetjones-prem/

Have just seen a great report on the Premier and interview with Colin on BBC News, have taped so that I can re-wind and slow-mo. Colin looks great and the reviewer said the two male leads were excellent. BTW I forgot to mention that we were interviewed by Capital Radio and asked who we were hoping to see at the Premier, not guesses for who we said. They then asked me why I liked Colin Firth and I was tongue-tied said something stupid like he is gorgeous and the definitve Darcy. There was so many other things i could have said like he is a brilliant and under-rated actor, has wonderful brown eyes and a voice to die for, oh well. Still Tracy did a bit better in her interview but no doubt she will tell you all about it. Also good report in The Independent - says Colin is devastating!! Tracy you have done a wonderful job on the photos, many thanks.

Ann, I was hoping you'd not mention the Radio! Yup I got my minute of fame live on Dr Fox's show on Capital Radio, (London main commercial radio station). We were introduced as people who had been there for hours in eager anticipation and then was asked who I had particularly come to see - naturally I said HG *ducking* - and when I had first noticed him. I said something like it had been coming on so gradually but I could probably date it from P&P ;-) I then got the inevitable.."Oh that wet shirt did it for you did it?" question to which I retorted ..yeeess but, there was more to the performance to that, more depth, a geat piece of acting..yada-yada..I somehow don't think he was convinced ( perhaps could have been the squealing in the background)! Still was glad they picked us pro-Colins - probably because we were looking less obsessive and starstruck than the red-head Huge fan next to us (who Ann wanted to kick BTW)...oh how wrong can you be! Agree with Ann - DO check out Elizabeth Wilson's piece in She magazine, some lovely pictures.

Thanks for the reports and pics Ann and Tracy. Sounds like you had a good time. I was channel hopping this morning but only saw one interview with CF by a wacky reporter from C4 Big Breakfast. R: Are you a hard bloke? CF: Yeah R: Think you could take me on? CF: Probably, I mean I have this sort of style, it�s designed to throw my opponent which is a girlie technique and I use that to wrong foot people and just when you think I�m a soft touch, you get a face full of greek food. This was followed by fight scene in restaurant.

Article on Sharon Maguire in the Telegraph (hope the link works): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=001837178341229&rtmo=fsVVfDos&atmo=YYYYYYYp&pg=/et/01/4/5/bfshaz05.html Love all the comments on the fighting - both CF and HG are very funny about it.

The report from Empire: The first big British film of the year premiered in London last night and quite an event it was. Half of Leicester Square was cordoned off as armfuls of celebrities piled into the Empire cinema for the British screen debut of Bridget Jones�s Diary. Bridget fans stood ten-deep behind the barriers outside ready to catch a glimpse of Helen Fielding�s neurotic heroine in the flesh. But the question on all of their minds was how will Renee Zellweger�s performance measure up? �I thought she was absolutely perfect,� Colin Firth told Empire Online. �She introduced herself to me in a British accent and I never doubted it. Before we even began shooting she was condemned with the unpardonable crime of not being English. But I think she�ll be forgiven because she�s answered it with a great performance. If acting�s about anything then surely it�s about playing something that you�re actually not.� Along with Hugh Grant, Firth plays one of Bridget�s two love-interests in the film and was greeted by much swooning of female fans as he swept aloofly into the cinema. Firth was happy to reminisce over his favourite part of the film, the fist-fight with Hugh Grant. �Hugh and I had a long period of bonding during our martial arts training for that fight. It probably reminded you all a bit of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The only difference being that they used treetops and we used a Greek restaurant. Grant was also remembered the scene with a certain fondness, �I�ve been wanting to kick the shit out of Colin Firth for some years and I finally got to do it,� he told us. When asked who had, indeed, proved the better man Grant adopted a confident stance, �Well let me put it this way. Colin did marvellously in a fight scene for somebody who�s clearly never been in a fight before. I on the other hand, had to hold back because, as you know, I used to be in the SAS and I was trained. I had to leave the SAS because I couldn�t wear the balaclava helmets, I can�t wear wool against my skin, I get a terrible rash.� Following on the heels of her two beaus was the woman herself, Renee Zellweger, looking decidedly more at ease than her bumbling on-screen persona. Despite her cool demeanour, Zellweger confessed to being terrified by how the British were going to react to her performance. �I feel a huge responsibility to Helen Fielding, because it�s not my character, I didn�t come up with it. It�s something she created from her life experience and I don�t want to be the one to screw it up. Enthusing about the role, Zellweger squealed with delight over her chance to try on the British accent and admitted to having adopted a number of quaint Anglicisms � �I asked a friend in the States if I could use her �loo� the other day. She had no idea what I was talking about!� Stephen Fry, Thora Birch, Stephen Daldry and Toni Collette were among the stars who turned out for the event along with cast members James Callis, Gemma Jones, Sally Phillips and Celia Imrie, screenwriter Richard Curtis and director Sharon Maguire. Salman Rushdie, who has a small cameo in the film, was also present. �I had a great time,� said Rushdie. �My only regret is there was one take of one scene where Hugh Grant kissed me on the lips and they cut it out. So my first screen kiss ends up on the cutting room floor.� Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding was the last to arrive. �I think Renee�s done a great job, she�s got a better English accent than me,� she told us. �It was very important that she put on the weight for the role, she still looks great but she is a normal-shaped woman in this film and that is really, really important. I think 'it�s very sporting for a Hollywood actress to put on all that weight and then allow herself to be filmed in her knickers.� But the prize for the luckiest man of the night has to go to 14-year-old Edward Spencer who ended up being Geri Halliwell's date for the evening. The singer - whose song features on the film's soundtrack - plucked Edward out of the crowd, giving him her spare ticket for the premiere. Pics next...

Thanks Karen. EXCELLENT fight comments. Not sure if you want it, but here's how to get the "Bridget look", apparently. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,142-109787,00.html Note book category.

Thanks for the photos and article Karen, however, ODB doesn't seemn to be photographing very well, although I do like the 3rd photo. Also there are 2 great new photo's in She magazine.

Hmmmmm?????

I would imagine (playing devil's advocate here) that poor Colin is exhausted!!! The birth of his son, the traveling, being away from wife and newborn, is exhausting!!! He'll photograph better when the high that he's on right now is gone... He is positively glowing, however. I've liked the pics I've seen.. And Karen, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO jealous!!!

No need to qualify, Laura, all those things must be contributing, in addition to the poor calibre of photographers, present company excepted...of course. ;-D Ann/Tracy: Is the SHE magazine spread the one that was referred to in one of the other newspapers, the gangster look????

(KarenR)Hmmmmm????? Proof positive that double posts ain't always boring...;-) Thanks to all for the great pics and reports. Very enjoyable. (AnnW)Finally there is an excellent interview with Colin in May's issue of "SHE" out today, with new photos and in it he says he worries about going bald!! All right, do you think it's time I should write to him and offer my professional help? :-P

Here's the review from Rolling Stone by Peter Travers referenced in the Telegraph (btw, this review says the movie is 112 minutes, but what is now cited is a mere 90): It should have been no man's land: a movie based on a best-selling post-feminist novel about a year in the life of a thirty-something Brit career girl trying to kick her addictions to food, cigarettes, booze and male fuckwads while her self-esteem issues grow massive and unwieldy, just like her thighs. Instead, Bridget Jones's Diary delivers frisky fun for bruised romantics regardless of age, sex or nationality. OK, Bridget has a weakness for sentimental hokum that the film shares. The surprise comes in the brash wit that stings when it needs to and in the eye for social irony that has drawn comparison to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. When Helen Fielding's novel in diary form was published in 1996, Salman Rushdie - yes, that Salman Rushdie - called it "a brilliant comic creation" and added, "Even men will laugh." Well, the movie will make men laugh, too, at themselves as well as at Bridget. If His Satanic Verses Majesty can loosen up, so can you, dude. Here are five reasons why. (1) Renee Zellweger is irresistible. As Bridget, she had me from hello. Never mind all that go-home-Yank resentment over a twiggy Texan putting on twenty pounds and a British accent to portray a character that another actress - say, Kate Winslet - could step into without the heavy lifting. Zellweger nails the role. Barbara Berkery, Gwyneth's dialogue coach for Shakespeare in Love, rounded Zellweger's vowels; a diet of pizza and milkshakes rounded everything else; and an undercover stint at a London publishing house made her comfortable in Bridget's skin as a book publicist. What's great about Zellweger, besides the fact that she has the sexiest squint in movies (take that, Benicio), is the way she blends strength and vulnerability. Whether Bridget is singing along to self-pitying pop anthems like "All by Myself" or answering the phone - "Hello, Bridget Jones, wanton sex goddess with a very bad man between my thighs" - only to find the caller is her mother, Zellweger never hits a false note. Some people stil don't cotton to this actress, even after Jerry Maguire and Nurse Betty. On the first season of The Sopranos, Tony's wife, Carmela, ended her friendship with Father Phil when the priest brought her a DVD of One True Thing. "I told you I don't like Ren�e Zellweger," snapped Carm, who will now have to revise her opinion. After Bridget, Ms. Z is A-list all the way. (2) Helen Fielding, the journalist who dreamed up Bridget for a London newspaper column, has touched a nerve. Bridget's problem really isn't being what Fielding calls a "singleton" in a world full of "smug- marrieds." It's her shabby self-image. One diary entry says it all: "I will not sulk about having no boyfriend, but develop inner poise and authority and sense of self as woman of substance, complete without boyfriend, as best way to obtain boyfriend." Bridget, like the John Cusack character in Nick Hornby's High Fidelity, is at war with herself. Wisely, the spirited screenplay that Fielding has crafted with Richard Curtis (Notting Hill) and Andrew Davies (Circle of Friends) takes time to catch Bridget's loneliness in a crowd. Rather than settle for a trendy Brit gloss on Sex and the City or Ally McBeal, Fielding cuts deeper. (3) Sharon Maguire, the documentary filmmaker debuting as a features director, doesn't duck showing the elements that shaped Bridget. The melancholy of her dad (the superb Jim Broadbent) and the flightiness of her mum (Gemma Jones, brilliant as ever) are part of Bridget. That's where the importance of chums comes in. Maguire, a friend of Fielding's, is the inspiration for Shazza (Sally Phillips), one of Bridget's best mates - Jude (Shirley Henderson) and Tom (James Callis) are the others - who stays loyal when lovers disappoint. There's no showing off in Maguire's direction; her gift is making the film feel lived-in. (4) The men aren't all pricks. Well, they are, actually, but the actors who play them compensate nobly. Hugh Grant, dropping his dither, is suavely hilarious as Bridget's boss, Daniel Cleaver, a sexist pig who sends her dirty e-mails: "Love your tits in that top." That Bridget finds this charming is part of her problem. Barrister Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) makes a more likely prospect, but his haughtiness turns Bridget off until he helps her save a disastrous dinner party that ends in a brawl between him and Daniel. It's a funny scene, bolstered by a casting joke: In the novel, Bridget swoons over the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice, starring Firth as Mr. Darcy, a character who, like Mark, is considered a snob until events uncover his secret heart. Firth risks audience indifference with the slow build of his performance, but the payoff is delicious. (5) The film's psychobabble-bullshit factor is laudably low. There is a happy ending driven by box-office logic, but you don't need to read Fielding's sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, published in 1999, to know that Bridget - a mass of lively contradictions - is too savvy to let herself be defined by a male fuckwit. Even men will laugh; they might also learn something. No amount of sappy excess can dim that defiant flash in Zellweger's eyes. Watch her closely. She does herself and Bridget proud.

From The Independent: A flawless accent, funny script and some filthy humour By Laura Tennant 05 April 2001 Will Renee Zellweger ever live down Bridget Jones? She may have shrunk back to a standard Hollywood size 6, but for a moment there she was just like me and 1,000 others � flushed, tired and emotional, spilling out of her little black number (provenance: High Street), frequently falling over and a very respectable size 12. It was a triumph of method acting, and we loved her for it. So, too, did her leading men, in a female fantasy in which Hugh Grant, looking devilishly handsome, turns down an American hardbody for Bridget's somewhat cuddlier charms. Based, of course, on Helen Fielding's cult novel, the movie traces the romantic misadventures of book publicist Bridget. Will she be persuaded by the caddish and unreliable Grant, playing her boss, Daniel Cleaver, or will Colin Firth, as the austere barrister Mark Darcy, win the day? Firth might as well have "good husband material" tattooed across his forehead, but despite this, or perhaps because of it, he makes a devastatingly sexy Darcy. And ladies, I mean devastating. The competition for Bridget between Firth and Grant may be the stuff of fantasy but Bridget's unerring ability to choose the wrong man is the reality check with which every woman in the audience can identify. And that's what makes this film something you'll want to add to your home video collection next to Four Weddings and a Funeral. Fielding herself was criticised for not "empowering" Bridget; why, some literalists asked, does she have to be quite so hopeless? Because she is the scapegoat by which all our sins of low self-esteem and secretly fancying bastards can be atoned. Cynics might suggest that this movie is pitched at an American audience, hence the casting of Zellweger (and the final scenes in an unlikely snowbound, Dickensian London). But the director, Sharon Maguire (on whom Fielding based Bridget's best friend Shazzer), and the writers, Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis, have done nothing to dilute the uniquely filthy and British quality of the humour and the book, or the professional standards of drinking, smoking and swearing maintained by Shazzer, Jude and Tom. Zellweger's accent is pretty much flawless and the script is extremely funny and often deeply rude (I wonder, for instance, how the lighthearted anal-sex banter between Bridget and Daniel will play in Salt Lake City?) [Ed note: not in US version but will listen closer tonight] The wonderful Jim Broadbent gives a subtle, unsentimental and strangely moving performance as Bridget's dad while Gemma Jones is suitably infuriating as her mother. At the screening I attended, the audience began laughing around the first frame and didn't really stop. I loved it.

More pics?? Wonderful! (Laura) I've liked the pics I've seen.. Me too! And I just luuuuurve that blue suit!

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk:80/dynamic/hottx/top_review.html?in_review_id=378527&in_review_text_id=324091 This Is London account of premiere Bridget: the premiere party pooper by Valentine Low and Richard Simpson Let's be honest: Bridget Jones would have hated it. Last night the fictional creation who is currently the most talked-about woman in the country had a party thrown in her honour. Not just any party, but a big, glamorous, flashbulb-popping kind of event, with supermodels and movie stars and big-name famous writers, all of them looking wonderful and glossy and not the sort of people who would stop to worry for one moment about whether their thighs were too fat. Awful, awful, awful. The sort of event which would make Bridget Jones run and drown her insecurities in the nearest bottle of chardonnay. The event was the premiere of Bridget Jones's Diary, the film of Helen Fielding's newspaper column-turned novel starring Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Ren�e Zellweger as the tortured, neurotic heroine. Oh, and starring Geri Halliwell too (or so one might gather from her idiosyncratic behaviour at the premiere, which involved dragging a young boy out of the crowd and taking him with her to the screening). It should have been Bridget's night, really. But somehow Bridget - with all her weight problems, her smoking and her notorious fondness for vodka - was nowhere to be seen. True, Ren�e Zellweger was there, and in the film she gives a masterful impersonation of Ms Jones. We have all read about how she piled on massive amounts of weight to make the movie - 20 lbs, according to some reports; two stone according to others - and managed to perfect a faultless, if somewhat Sloaney, English accent. That was then. This is now. When she turned up at the premiere at the Empire Leicester Square last night Ms Zellweger had managed to shed both (i) that unsightly weight, and (ii) her English accent. Instead her astonishingly petite figure was encased in an Azzedine Alaia hooped dress, and managing not to look in the least like a sausage whose skin had split at the edges (as BJ in her more figure-conscious moments would have had it), while her vowels were back to their natural Texan twang. So Ren�e Zellweger wasn't Bridget Jones, even if she did say she felt more like an English girl these days than an American one. Bridget Jones's creator Helen Fielding wasn't Bridget Jones either, even if she did reckon that Ren�e Zellweger with all that extra weight on was still a skinnier proposition than she was. Anyone who has the clout to get Salman Rushdie, Lord Archer and Julian Barnes to have bit parts in the film of her book has put their Bridget Jones days behind them. It took Fielding herself to put an end to the mystery as to the whereabouts of Ms Jones. What, we asked her just as the party at Mezzo in Wardour Street was in full swing, would Bridget have been doing right then? (The possibilities were endless, and awful, given the presence of everything that Bridget finds so hard to resist: wine by the caseload, several violent-looking cocktails, cigarettes by the score and a clutch of irresponsibly handsome men, led by Mr Grant and Mr Firth). MS Fielding had no doubt what her heroine would be up to. "She would probably still be trying to get in," she said. Quite what she would have made of it all had she got past the security is anybody's guess. The women would have been a challenge, even to someone more psychologically robust than BJ: undernourished types like Naomi Campbell (escorted by her Benetton racing beau, Flavio Briatore, Laura Bailey and the above-mentioned Geri Halliwell, who created something of a stir on her arrival in Leicester Square by waving her ticket about and shouting "Who wants to be my date?" A 14-year-old boy called Ed Spencer from Leicester shouted the loudest, and suddenly found himself pulled out from behind the barriers and thrust into the curiously privileged position of being Geri Halliwell's date for the night (well, the movie anyway). "I sat next to her during the film," said Ed. "We didn't really chat much, but then I didn't help matters by being terribly star struck. She loved it when her song It's Raining Men came on. She was clapping her hands and cheering, and we sang along together." Yes, but do they have any future? "She is too skinny, to be honest," said Ed. "I'm more of a Ren�e fan. She is just gorgeous. Geri looks like she has been dieting too much. If I gave her a big cuddle I could probably snap her in half." Stick insects and ex-Spice Girls aside, the party was, in a sense, a milieu in which Bridget Jones would have felt very much at home. It was all terribly Notting Hill, only not the Notting Hill of BJ and Shazzer and Jude getting drunk in 192, but the rather more sophisticated version of Alan Yentob, Salman Rushdie, Angus Deayton and Mr Notting Hill himself, Richard Curtis. Whether or not they live in W11 these days is debatable, but it is a racing certainty that they have all been to 192 at some time or another. With or without Shazzer and Jude. Rushdie, who actually had a speaking part in the film, seemed rather taken with his foray into acting. "I'm waiting for the scripts to pour in," he said. He had only one regret: "There was one take in which Hugh Grant kissed me on the lips, and they cut it out. My first screen kiss, and they cut it." The men might have been a problem for Bridget, however. No one who has read the Diary needs to have explained the significance of casting Colin Firth ("Fwaw, that Mr Darcy" in Pride and Prejudice, as Bridget Jones once put it) as the film's Mark Darcy, love rival to Hugh Grant's Daniel Cleaver. Irony piled upon irony: as one of the jokey captions on the wall at Mezzo read: "Minutes not spent fantasizing re getting off with Mr Darcy at premiere: 600." Not that Colin Firth was getting off with anybody. When one woman (Karen, happily married) went up to him and said "I know I seem a bit of a dodgy stalker but I have to say hello," he "visibly sighed and looked very pissed off". Karen, it turned out, was not the only one. "Every time I looked at him there was a swarm of women around him," she said. "He was a magnet." It's probably too late to ask now, but was one of them blonde, a bit overweight, smoking heavily, probably rather drunk and no doubt making a fool of herself? No reason, really. But it would be nice to think that she got in.

I'm really not quite sure what you people are talking about

More from Empire, although nothing solid: Renee Talks Bridget Jones 2 After widespread reports that she had ruled out the possibility of piling on the pounds for a sequel to Bridget Jones�s Diary, Renee Zellweger revealed to Empire Online that she may yet reprise the role. �We haven�t actually talked about it,� she told us at last night�s premiere for the film (4 April), �but wouldn�t it be wonderful?�. Director Sharon Maguire also seemed optimistic about the prospect of bringing the batty heroine back for round two: �I want to sleep for a long time and then I�ll think about whether I want to direct another one. But I think so." Zellweger had recently been reported as adamant that she wouldn�t reprise the role after having been forced to put on weight and chain-smoke herbal cigarettes during the production. She was also said to be unhappy at the idea of spending so much time away from the US. However, if the effervescent enthusiasm she demonstrated at last night�s premiere was anything to go by, Zellweger may well be slipping back into Bridget�s oversized pants. �But this time,� she said, �I�d have to make a trip to Victoria�s Secret first.�

You've beaten me to it! I was going to say...anyone who can scan, run to the newsagent and buy the Independent and She magazine. Colin hugging RZ makes the front page of the Independent... absolutely huge photo. But it's already in Karen's 787 posting! Also great photos and a terrific interview in She.

Times, Telegraph and Guardian all carry photos of CF,RZ and HG together (the Independent is simply *the* best!!). No mention at all of Baby Luca. Surprising...I'd have thought some of the journalists would have had the coutesy to ask about Livia Scanned the tabs...mainly Geri Spice. But the Sun carried a review in which the reviewer says she didn't use to like CF, but after seeing BJD she does now. Pics of HG with Geri Spice.

My god, I leave for 12 hours and there is a FLOOD of msgs. to catch up on...Great pictures, Tracy. Thanks for the reports, London crew... Well, I spent last night at the Los Angeles screening of BJD, where I met up with the lovely Moon, Marianne and JanaH. It seemed that there were other screenings going on that day-- "Josie and the Pussycats" just around the corner from us-- but WE were there specifically for BJD. It seemed that the other audience members couldn't care less, this was merely a free screening and it could've very well have been "Josie and the Pussycats." *Shakes her head in disbelief* OK-- A very cute, very funny movie indeed. RZ is adorable, despite the uncomfortable messes she gets herself in. And believe me, there are quite a few of them. HG is someone you will truly love to hate, and CF is in prime Darcyesque form. Now-- this was the problem for me, however: I've seen P&P2 so often, know every line that comes from CF's lips, know every expression-- that to be honest, I felt rather uncomfortable seeing him do the same in BJD. I know that most audience members who will see this won't get this feeling (as they haven't obsessed over P&P as much as we have), but it was too weird-- as if DArcy/Colin had been transported in time. But then you say, "wEll, that's the whole point isn't it? Mark Darcy IS Fitzwilliam Darcy." True, but I was expecting more character development beyond what I already knew from P&P. I felt the book (BJD) developed more. But then, the group of friends weren't as developed either in the film. WE SAW MARK G!!!!! We braced ourselves for the moment when BJ boards the convertible, and sure enough, it was our very own Mark! I was anticipating other people in the shot, but nope, it's just Mark, passing by HG and RZ in the car. Bravo, sir! But in the end, I was thoroughly entertained. I had quite a few belly laughs. It's playing here on campus TONIGHT for students (free!), so depending on my day, I may or may not go. Anyone (Jana/Marianne/Moon) want to add?

For those wishing to discuss in depth (with Spoilers), let's use the Spoiler topic: http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/drool/126/new

Ooops. Sorry if I gave away too much.

No, really, this doesn't apply to your posting, Winter. Was meaning to post that last night, but was too lazy (read, buried under masses of unfinished stuff) to go look up the Spoiler topic number). I gave away more spoilers than you. You wrote your impressions. Not the same. ;-D (that being the case, I didn't mind the similarities at all, but saw more)

From Christopher Null (and Void) at filmcritic.com. He gave it 3-1/2 stars though: http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/ddb5490109a79f598625623d0015f1e4/ea1b11302849ded888256a250003aa29?OpenDocument

Hi, I haven�t quite recovered from last night�s high. The movie was funny, sweet, and I want to drag all my friends to see it � starting tomorrow night. Thanks Winter for getting the passes. It was great seeing Winter and Jana again, and meeting Moon and her husband. I hope he enjoyed the movie. First of all, I was going to like this movie anyway, so I was very pleased with how it turned out. I do have a few quibbles with it though: 1) Not enough Mark Darcy 2) Too much Daniel Cleaver 3) Not enough of Shaz, Jude and Tom 4) Bridget�s parents, ugh, I probably would have preferred they build up her friends� storyline 5) Why no mention of �fuckwittage,� and �Pride and Prejudice� 6) This is just my opinion. At the ending credits, when they�re showing a children�s birthday party (and it does begin hilariously), when you see little Mark Darcy giving surreptitious looks at little Bridget Jones, and then she takes off her dress to wade in the paddling pool, he begins to look uncomfortable and tugs on his collar. All I could think of was: please, no erection, and this could be a pedophiliac�s dream. Sorry, if I upset anyone.

The Sun (in the Life section) has a really nice picture of CF, RZ & HG, and it's wishful thinking on my part that he's smiling. Here's the accompanying article, his and hers opinion. http://www.thesun.co.uk IS BRIDGET JONES WORTH IT? YES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Says EMMA SHRIMSLEY Sun writer BRIDGET JONES is the now famous thirtysomething who agonises over every pound she gains or loses, drinks too much, beats herself up over her infrequent trips to the gym, over-analyses relationships and constantly embarrasses herself. Oh my God. I am Bridget Jones - albeit a slightly less insane version. And if the screeches of laughter from every other female at the preview screening of the film were anything to go by, half the women in Britain will feel the same. Bridget Jones's Diary, which opens in cinemas on April 13, is based on the bestselling book by Helen Fielding. It's a chick flick which blokes will love too. The reason is that women will relate to Bridget and men will be fascinated at this insight into the sometimes bizarre workings of the female mind. The casting is also superb. U.S. star Ren�e Zellweger looks pleasingly podgy in the part - I should hope so too after all that Guinness, cakes and fast food, although it is a bit upsetting she lost the weight so soon after filming ended. The casting of an American to play everyone's favourite British singleton was greeted with scepticism but her accent is faultless. Hugh Grant is surprisingly caddish as Bridget's boss and love-rat Daniel Cleaver. This film could put his career back on track. And as for Colin Firth ... Well, I was never a fan before but watching him as the aloof Mark Darcy, all I can say is, I now am. And the soundtrack is great. It's a real feel-good, foot-tapping set of songs, including the Geri Halliwell cover of It's Raining Men. It's also a very, very funny and well-observed movie. For example, it's a well-known fact among women that if you shave your legs before a date and wear sexy undies, you will never see the bloke again. If, however, you don't shave and wear your biggest, least sexy knickers, it is guaranteed you will not go home alone. But watching this scenario played out by Bridget as she seductively writhes around on the floor with Daniel Cleaver, was brilliant. As his roving hands tease up her little black dress only to be greeted by a massive pair of bloomers, it is a classic comedy moment. Equally, the scene with her swigging wine in her pyjamas and singing along to All By Myself at top volume as she ponders her disastrous love-life, will ring bells with many women. Similarly, Bridget's run-ins with her "smug married" friends and her humiliation at the inevitable "how's your love life?" question is something we've all experienced. There are no great special effects, no epic battles and no tear-jerkingly moving scenes in Bridget Jones's Diary. Instead, there is an amusing and exaggerated look at the perils and embarrassments of your average 30-plus girl. It's the most enjoyable film I've seen in ages. NO -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Says GARRY BUSHELL Sun TV critic NO self-respecting bloke would endure a second date with Bridget Jones - and you shouldn't waste 90 minutes of your life watching the movie either. The woman is an absolute nightmare. Bridget, played by Ren�e Zellweger, is a dizzy, day-dreaming, self-obsessed lush who can barely string two words together. Think Ally McBeal with slitty eyes, hamster cheeks and cellulite. OK, you can see why middle-class metropolitan women who work in the media can relate to her. To them, Bridget is a vulnerable, confused every-woman. But to a man, she is a neurotic bore with poor dress sense who smokes too much and can't handle her booze. For guys the highlight of the film will be the fist-fight where barrister Mark Darcy (Colin "Mr Darcy" Firth) batters gormless big-head Hugh Grant. Although quite why two blokes with film star looks would brawl in the street over such an unexciting creature escapes me. In a departure from his normal roles, Grant plays not a stuck-up, floppy-haired fop, but a stuck-up, womanising cad, Daniel Cleaver. Beaver-eager Cleaver cheats on Bridget with a glamorous Yank, then mysteriously wants her back. A*sey Darcy, on the other hand, takes an instant dislike to her but inevitably falls for her too, despite being engaged to a bright, articulate woman barrister. Ho hum. Predictably, and the film is nothing if not predictable, Bridget doesn't end up on her Jack Jones. In the novel, Bridget is a lonely thirtysomething, desperate to settle down, whose only lasting relationship is with a bottle of Chardonnay. Imagine Coronation Street's Kevin Webster in a see-through blouse and control knickers ... The movie needs Bridget to be lusted and fought over, but doesn't give her the personality to justify it. Bridget is as dull as her winceyette pyjamas. She works in publishing, writing press releases, before inexplicably landing a job as an inept tongue-tied TV presenter. Not since Hilda Baker's Nellie Pledge has a fictional character been so stricken with foot-in-mouth disease. Bridget only attracts Cleaver's e-mail interest by wearing a short skirt, although it's difficult to see why a bloke like him would look on her as anything other than a one-night stand. Her mates are worse than she is - the foul-mouthed slapper, the obligatory gay guy ... they're like the antidote to TV's Friends. Seeing shallow people like this on the big screen just reminds me why it's a bad idea to frequent Soho clubs. Bridget is famously obsessed with her weight. Dramatically, the movie is as out of shape as she is and frequently as illogical. Much of the book's cynical wit has been jettisoned in favour of in-your-face jokes, while the showdown between Darcy and Cleaver at Bridget's birthday party - not in the novel - is straight out of soap opera. Punch-up aside, there is little in the movie for men to enjoy. Most of the laugh points come from shock. Like when Bridget's mum tells her: "You'll never get a boyfriend looking like you've wandered out of Auschwitz." Later Bridget asks Cleaver what he thinks of the situation in Chechnya, He replies: "I couldn't give a ****!" Roy "Chubby" Brown will not be eating his heart out. There is nothing wrong with cheap laughs, Lord knows, I've written enough of them. But it does irk when writers Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis are flagged up as such great sophisticates. Zak Dingle has more sophisticated burps. The one great thing about Bridget Jones's Diary is the film represents the complete defeat of feminism. Who knew today's women were so utterly insecure? But as a piece of cinema, it's as much fun as having your legs waxed. Fellas, if you've got 90 minutes to kill, do yourself a favour and watch Cockney comic Jimmy Jones instead.

me again ... found one with a big happy smile from peoplenews.co.uk http://www.peoplenews.co.uk/delivery/common/parties/index/party/0,2443,1-4560-24,00.html Single girls, smug marrieds, chocolate-covered strawberries and Colin Firth - where else could we be but the premiere of Bridget Jones's Diary? Star of the film? A gorgeous Renee Zellweger. Star of the night? Geri Halliwell in a jaw-dropping Julien Macdonald creation. Hugh Grant took his parents, as did Bridget author Helen Fielding; Colin Firth stayed close to his sister-in-law, who was deputising for his wife Livia, who has just given birth; everyone went on to party afterwards at Mezzo.

Thanks, Marianne. I think I have the good Sun pics up, but will doublecheck if I missed that one. Plus need to deal with PeopleNews one.... argh! Have more (including other candids) on the Premiere page: http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/bjdprem.html

Well done, Ann and Tracy! And interviewed on radio, too--Capital, Capital!:-) So glad he showed. Thanks everyone for the articles, reports and pics, and a big thanks to Karen who I know is working very hard to keep our Bucket running over!:-) A gentle reminder to those who have seen the film: there's a SPOILER TOPIC set up at 126 for specifics. By all means please continue to post your general impressions here; they're great fun to read.

Note the change in date. This sounds great--thought it was just going to be the music vids: VH1 Behind The Movie: Bridget Jones' Diary On Saturday, April 7 or Sunday, April 8 In this installment of Behind the Movie, VH1 prepares itself for a half-hour of fun with the highly animated, extremely "English" stars of BridgetJones's Diary.Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and director Sharon McGuire tease Renee Zellweger about her English accent, and the entire group talks about the strong musical soundtrack that that supports their new movie ... appropriately named after the best-selling book of the same name. From the new Shelby Lynn "Killin' Kind" video to two Sheryl Crow classics to never-before-seen movie scenesbolstered by Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" and a Geri Halliwell rendition of "It's Raining Men," this is a Behind the Movie that can't be missed. (Premieres from 11:30a-12p) ***** I just bought the CD; Record Town is selling it for $15.99.

In my capacity of Scan Queen here are the SHE pix: - The comment on the picture is, I hasten to add, a quote from CF on women and not and editorial on ODBs physique. - I think this maybe the gangster picture, I seem to remember from the Guardian article that they had told him to look at his hands to which he said no � you can�t get much further away from looking at your hands than this can you? � the obligatory arty, weirdo �let�s just show his nose� shot. Cute but I�d rather see the rest of him too! Thanks for posting the Independent pic � to me it seems as if RZ is congratulating on the birth of Baby Luca and ODB is well, just brimming with pride (or is that just my romantic/maternal side creeping in) more likely its RZ saying- " Well, done Col, you managed to avoid that dodgy looking bunch at the entrance " :-)

I *love* the Independent Pic! And it's even better when you see it on the front page in all its glory. I agree with you, Tracy (and all thanks to our Scan Queen...I still haven't mastered the art!)...RZ has to be congatulating dad on the new arrival...those are very warm smiles!

Thanks, Mari, for the info on the VH1 thing. What is it with these TV schedules and times!! Wonderful scans, Tracy. I see you labeled No. 2 his Gangsta pose. Could be, although I don't think a look like that would've landed him a part in Snatch. ;-D Agree with all about what was going on in the Independent shot. It had to be congratulatory as she hadn't seen him since it happened.

Meant to add...the She magazine interview is terrific. Possibly the best I've read (is it available online?). Love the way the interviewer wants to call him "Col" and finishes by saying "see you soon" (before remembering that's she interviewing him). She makes perceptive comments about him...and for once, I think the interpretation is correct.

You may already have these pictures from The Mirror and ITN. And all the coverage seems to be about Geri Halliwell :( http://www.mirror.co.uk/ http://www.itn.co.uk/news/20010405/entertainment/02bridget.shtml

The She article is not online...yet, but if someone will tell me what the title is, I'll post it (have text, no title) ;-D

Karen, the title - "Man of the Moment. COLIN FIRTH. Prepare to swoon. The man who made breeches sexy is doing a Darcy again - this time it's breeches off (gasp) in hot new movie, BJD." Interview Elizabeth Wilson. Photographs Sean Cook.

Have just gone back to recheck something...Was Moon's DH there? Surely, he didn't accompany her to a film with il Cornuto? ;-D

Oh, those She pics are to die for! I like his hair shorter like that; makes hm look young(er);-) Tracy, I thought the same thing about the embracing pic of CF and RZ--definitely a congrats! Here's a new review form Ain't It Cool News: Hey, Harry. Capone here with my take on the above-average BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY... I�ve never read Helen Fielding�s extremely popular novel about the single, weight-obsessed, neurotic 32/33-year-old Ms. Jones, but I think it�s safe to say that every woman I know has. About the only thing I knew about Bridget was that many Brits were very upset when the filmmakers of BRIDGET JONES�S DIARY decided to cast an American in the title role. There may have been more appropriate actresses to play this role, but Renee Zellweger is absolutely charming as Bridget and her accent is pretty steady as well. Zellweger doesn�t play Bridget as cute; she�s actually a hard drinker, trash talker and all-around social misfit. Men don�t find her particularly desirable, and even though this shouldn�t bother her, it does�immensely. The current object of her fantasies is her boss (always a good choice), played with reckless abandon by Hugh Grant, who does a great job of casting aside his costume-drama, good-guy image by being even more crass and vulgar than Bridget. He�s also screamingly funny and walks away with every scene he�s in. Colin Firth is lawyer Mark Darcy, who has known and mostly despised Bridget since they were children, but not surprisingly grows fond of her during the year of her life that is the timeframe of this movie. The flaws in BRIDGET JONES�S DIARY are many, but not enough for me to level it. Some of the staples in romantic comedies are firmly in place: the publically embarrassing declarations of love, the main character running through rain/snow to catch up with a fleeing lover; the wacky and sometimes unbelievable cast of supporting characters, including Bridget�s utterly weird mother and her boyfriend ( I could have done without the sideplot involving these two) and Bridget�s gay best friend. I�ve said it before (mostly recently in my review for SWEET NOVEMBER) and I�ll say it again: you can�t have a movie about a single woman without her having a gay best friend and/or neighbor. And while the situations in BRIDGET JONES�S DIARY threaten to sink the film, it�s the stellar performances that keep things above water. This is about the least glamorous role Zellweger has ever played, and I don�t think she�s ever been better, not even in NURSE BETTY (it�s a close call). Grant is just plain awesome. And Colin Firth begins as a two-dimensional uptight character, but his is the role that grows on you until ultimately we root for his success in wooing Bridget. The film is smart, funny, and biting in its honest and sometimes painful look at a woman who wants to be loved so badly that she sometimes walks head-first into heartbreak; and I liked it.

E! News Weekend tomorrow (Friday) will have a piece on Huge. Nothing on the premiere today (maybe they had it on yesterday).

According to the UK BJD site, there will be a live chat with Helen Fielding at 6:30 p.m. GMT (1:30 p.m. EST, 10:30 a.m. PST) on Friday, April 6. It also says: Got a question for Helen? Send it to AskHelenFielding@hotmail.com One question writer will be selected at random to receive a copy of the film's soundtrack. (but US residents will probabbly be deemed ineligible after the fact) http://www.msn.co.uk/Page/34-612-696.asp

You have to read those Terms And Conditions, Karen.;-) ;-) Access Hollywood tonight briefly showed Colin arriving at the London premiere--huge smile and a big wave to the crowd. Looked fabulous. I love that style of suit, not stodgy at all.

(Karen)Was Moon's DH there? Surely, he didn't accompany her to a film with il Cornuto? ;-D YES! He was there, in the flesh. Even laughed quite heartily in a few scenes. Esp. the book-launching party. He was v. charming-- offered to stand in line for us if we girls wanted to sneak out and get coffee to warm up! ...he didn't know il Cornuto was in the film prior to the screening. When Moon gets back, she can tell you whether or not he realized it.

I didn't get to meet up with Jen-Jen, but... oooooooooh Yummy! I saw 'our' Mark! okay, the top of his head and a nice blue suit, but it had STAR written all over it. Very funny movie!!! (Winter) It seemed that the other audience members couldn't care less, this was merely a free screening and it could've very well have been "Josie and the Pussycats." *Shakes her head in disbelief* I felt that too! It seems that very few of them read the book or had just laughed at only what they saw in commercials... GAH! I just wanted to stand up and shout at them! Going to back up to read the rest of this topic, then the spoiler topic, then to dream about ODB!

Crispin Bonham-Carter is in the movie! I spotted him. But because he has no lines, he doesn't show up in the credits. In the scene where Bridget quits and subsequently tells off Daniel, a co-worker named Simon approaches to get Daniel's attention. Crispy is standing next to him; he has v. short hair and is not wearing breeches. Then there's a reaction shot and you see him again. My audience tonight laughed a lot (although not as much as the "connected" audience at the premiere). There was an very audible groan and group "ooooohhhhhh" when Colin/Mark starts to take his jacket off to help her save her dinner party. I think every woman in that audience wanted to take him home with her at that point. And "The Looks" at the Ruby Anniversary party!! Am melting. ;-D James Callis' Tom was an audience fav, and eveybody really picked up on Shazz's one-word-centric dialogue; they anticipated it and ate it up. Projector stopped at the beginning of the end credits so didn't get a chance to watch them as carefully as should. So that will mean I have to go back again. Hoorah!

Okay... now that i've settled down. we didn't see (or rather, they didn't show the scene that was 'supposed' to be at the very beginning with BJ and the panhandlers). what i chanted on the way home (all 63 miles) from the theatre... DC is an @$$, BJ shows her @$$ and MD kicks some @$$! excuse my language! you may delete me or quote me (if no one else has said it), but i was delighted! and the almost kiss... and the kiss! *siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh* That wasn't a spoiler, was it?

(Danielle) MD kicks some @$$!...That wasn't a spoiler, was it? Hmmm, am thinking. ;-D Will take my comments to 126 though. But on the fight scene, ladies, do pause to admire Cornel's work. When MD is done beating the s$%t out of DC, he stands there, shirt partially out, partially clinging to scupted physique. Mustn't miss that. Far better than transparent wet shirt on scrawny rat.

DC is an @$$, BJ shows her @$$ and MD kicks some @$$! excuse my language! That is really foul, Danielle; you've just called these people . . .money?;-) (Shades of Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau in Swingers;-) RE: missing panhandlers and other scenes critics may have mentioned--I was reading the interview with Sharon Maguire and she says she was editing until Friday to get the film ready for the premieres this week! These critics aren't writing based on what they saw at the premieres; they saw it at press screenings weeks ago, and obviously changes were made until the last minute (not unusual, BTW). Was listening to the BJD CD and by far the best track, IMO, is the old classic, "Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart" from Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross. Could someone tell me if it made it to the final cut?

Re: Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross song Nope. I didn't hear it. The soundtrack CD is a fraud IMO. Diana Ross' "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is one of the more significant songs, along with Van Morrison (who is not on the CD), and Gabrielle's (which plays over a great sequence...you'll see). Thank goodness we got Chaka Khan. Hopefully, the DVD will have lots of deleted scenes. *fingers crossed* Here's something from the Guardian. Am not sure if it qualifies as a review. ;-D Nice but dim Bad news about the Bridget Jones film - it's so last century by Shane Watson Friday April 6, 2001 Seen It! Seen It! Right, first impressions of the film of Bridget Jones's Diary - besides, isn't life just like a fairytale, what with Helen Fielding becoming a multi-millionairess and going off to live in LA, and best friend Shazzer becoming a movie director of the story of their lives, and ex-boyfriend Richard Curtis laying the golden egg once again? Well, despite being blurry good fun etc and showing London in blurry marvellous twinkly light with snowfall on cobbles and suchlike, the overriding impression is that the Bridge we knew and loved has been mislaid. For a start she is as fat as a puppy. Yes, I realise that in real life the actress Ren�e Zellweger, even after gorging on Patisserie Valerie cakes and piling on a couple of stone, only cranked herself up to a measly size 10. But nonetheless, she looks bigger than everyone else on screen, with the exception of Colin Firth, and let us not forget that Bridget was neurotic about her body image rather than actually remotely podgy - weighing roughly nine stone, give or take bingeing. Secondly, presumably because to the untrained American ear there's Hugh Grant, and then there's Australian, Bridget has become terribly posh in her articulation. This needn't necessarily scupper her credibility (after all, no less than Dido the singer, as in the Dido sampled by Eminem, as in the chainsaw-wielding white American rapper, was herself a posh publishing assistant once upon a time). But there's something about the combination of pony-club vowels and pink hamster cheeks, that gives Bridge an air of Nice but Dim that she never had in the Diary. The original Bridget was appealing not simply because she was single and hopeless and liked her chardonnay by the crate, but because she was sharp, funny, occasionally angry and adept at illuminating the highs, lows, hypocrisies and contradictions of being an unmarried woman in the late 20th century. Fielding outed the female-in-limbo, and the reason Bridget took off is because, at the time of writing, this particular social group was swelling so fast that it was metamorphosing from sad social embarrassment (in manner of winos and sexual deviants) to small majority in search of a voice. Bridget was seized on not because she was a lovable loser with a nice line in slapstick but because her uncertain world spoke to a lot of women. In the interests of clarity, this significant part of Bridget has been largely discarded by the film-makers, the better to focus on the "sweet dopey girl who ultimately gets the guy" part of the story. Well, it's still great fun, and Ren�e is rather adorable, but you would have to be quite sad to identify with her character. Or is it that we've moved on in four years so that what seemed somehow liberating - naughty Bridget's sickie hangovers - now seems so last century. If Bridget was the heroine of the mid-90s struggling thirtysomething you can't help but feel she couldn't get away with it now. We know this because of the recent success of Channel 4's Sex and the City, a New York ensemble version of the same story: single girls seek happiness and fulfilment in mixed-up world. What's interesting is how the focus changed during the course of the series, from Carrie vehicle (the kooky one) to Samantha showcase (the empowered, scary one). Ever so gradually, our allegiance shifted to the point where it would not be overstating it to say that Samantha - thoroughly promiscuous, old enough to be your grandmother Samantha - had become the role model of the piece. This is the crux of the problem with revisiting Bridget in 2001. She played her part in rebranding the modern singleton, but now we've grown out of her - or at any rate out of the infantilised film version, decked out in flannel pyjamas covered in pink piggies - and we want someone with a bit more edge. When Samantha exposes the silly girliness of her circle, forcing them to fess up to their baby talk approach to sex and their pre-war assumption that some day a man will come along to rescue them from all this, you can't help but blush when you remember how you empathised with Bridget swotting up on subjects to impress Daniel. BJ talks mini-breaks ("head is filled with visions of us lying in glades by rivers, me in a long white floaty dress"); Samantha talks blow jobs and the taste rating of sperm. Sorry, but it's true. You wouldn't catch Bridget's creator in Caf� Rouge these days: she's moved on a long time ago, and maybe we all have. A bit. Aaaargh. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4166145,00.html

In looking at the latest review at the This is London site, it appears that BJD will actually be playing all over London (and maybe elsewhere) starting Friday 6 April???? There are tons of cinemas with times listed: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk:80/dynamic/hottx/film/top_film.html?in_review_id=377615&in_review_text_id=324094

Yep, the Ananova Event Selector found BJD playing at 264 venues in the UK.

Have checked out my local papers as well, it seems that although they quote from Thurs 6th when you read the showing times it seems that they're actually showing from 11th! Hurrah! That means that I DO get to see it early *leaping for joy* - have managed to 'blag' advanced screening tickets for the UCI Empire (where the Premiere was) courtesy of Radio 1 *leaping for joy*

It seems there are advanced sreenings next Wednesday and Thursday in most of our local cinemas. Yipeee! Agree with Bethan that the She interview was the best I have read. She really seems to get to grips with what it is in Colin's character that fuels his interpretation of the the Darcys, FitzW and Mark. Loved it.

From Thisislondon site: No mention of CF. Note: her new friend, HG! http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/lifestyle/londonlife/top_review.html?in_review_id=378675&in_review_text_id=324294

Let's put that into context. HG is currently unattached. ;-) So all those listings were sneak previews? Very good. Appeared to me as regular listings as our sneak previews are one showing on one night (Saturday night).

From one of those online reviewers; gave it 9/10. Talks a lot about the chemistry between Bridget and her guys. http://www.the-trades.com/column.php?columnid=649

Big advert for BJD in newspaper this AM. Sneak preview on Saturday night.

Just had to pop in and post before going over to the spoiler topic...I agree with Danielle, the audience in DC just did not appear to get the movie. Heathens, all! (excluding Danielle, of course!) I actually found myself stifling a few guffaws as the audience just sat there, slack-jawed. I even heard someone say she didn't think it was funny at all!?!? Aaaargh. At least my friends (who have never understood my Firth-mania) had the good grace to admit that he was absolutely divine in the film. And as for my opinion on Colin: To quote Bridget, "Mmmmmmm." Good job. MarkG, your Darcy-like stride down the street was the highlight of the scene--when are you sending out autographed photos?

Have put up the She article: http://www.spring.net/karenr/articles/she0501.html Thanks to Tracy for pics and AnnW. Let me know if I have it all, as am not certain.

This was just sent to me by the Survival people: Special charity screening in aid of Survival International introduced by Colin Firth Thursday, April 26th, 2001 at 8.45 pm. Doors open at 8.15 pm Odeon West End cinema, Leicester Square, London Tickets �15 in advance, �16 on the door Colin Firth, a long-term Survival supporter, will personally introduce a special benefit screening of his new film, Bridget Jones's Diary, in aid of Survival. As well as Colin himself, the film stars Ren�e Zellweger and Hugh Grant. This unique event has been arranged courtesy of Universal Pictures Working Title, United International Pictures and Odeon Cinemas. All profits from the screening will go to Survival's urgent work with threatened tribal peoples. Tickets, which are non-refundable, can be ordered by phone on 020 7242 1441, or online using a secure server at www.survival-international.org/film.htm. Tickets may be available on the door, subject to availability, but we advise that you book in advance as places are limited.

Last column of She article: He talks at length about the need to maintain a sense of humour in his profession (and he is genuinely witty,) but I suspect he veers naturally towards the earnest. He talks passionately about asylum seekers (he�s clearly spent time, not just money, trying to help them). At another point he tells me, �I could never read someone else�s diary�. He admits there are times when he would have kept �100 he found in the street, �but not now�. And when I ask if fidelity is an area where he finds it hard to maintain his integrity, he looks at me as if I�m mad and says an emphatic, �never�. Colin Firth is an old-fashioned guy. And that�s why he�s more convincing as a strong, silent leading man than as the snivelling toad (the Earl of Wessex, GP�s betrothed in SIL or the limp cuckold Geoffrey in TEP, much as it pains him � a serious thesp � to hear it. If big parts beckon, he won�t be disappearing to LA, although his son Will, 10, lives there with his mother, and Firth already spends a lot of time there. �I just can�t live there. I don�t hate LA, but if you�re an actor, it�s better not to be sucked into it�. Understandably, he won�t say much about Will. But when we get onto the subject of weeping buckets, he says he does cry and did so �not that long ago�. It�s pretty clear from the context that he was worrying about some aspect of his relationship with Will, although in typical Firth style, the only thing he�ll admit keeps him awake at night is �silly stuff, like parking on single yellow lines�. He works so hard at being ordinary that you forget the heartthrob stuff completely. Then it poleaxes you when you least expect it and you�re reminded that you�ve just spent the afternoon on a sofa with the fantasy figure of a large chunk of British womanhood. My moment comes when I go to say goodbye. Dressed in something black and expensive, he turns quickly towards me and for a nanosecond focuses his unsmiling attention fully upon me. It�s electrifying. I start spluttering like, well, like BJ �Bye, good to meet you, see you soon�, I yelp. A flash of panic crosses his eyes but he�s far too nice to do anything but smile. Of course, the only way I�m going to see him soon is if I start lurking around outside his home at odd hours. Relax Colin. You�re safe. I�d simply been Darcied. Again. See the film � you will be, too.

New review from Total Film magazine (4 stars): What's The Story? Paranoid about her career, weight, drinking, single status, parents' split, sex appeal, smoking habit and impending descent into loveless spinsterhood, 32-year-old PR secretary Bridget Jones makes a New Year's resolution. Next year there's no way she'll spend 31 December getting pissed up alone and singing along to miserable soft rock ballads. Next year she'll be thin, successful and will have grabbed a man who'll respect and love her. But getting off to an unpromising start, she begins to flirt via e-mail with her caddish boss, Daniel Cleaver... If the prospect of spending two hours with an insecure, completely average, office-bound single woman in London makes you scream in panic, then don't worry - you're not alone. The praise heaped on the book Bridget Jones's Diary by the women's press, the casting of Hugh Grant and the writing credit for Richard Four Weddings And A Funeral Curtis should make most blokes scarper: bundle them together and they ought to guarantee a male-free audience. Yet amazingly Bridget Jones the movie succeeds as a very funny rom-com. Not just funny to fans of the novel or Hugh Grant groupies or girls wanting an empathetic weep at the woes of the titular heroine... Just funny full stop. For everyone. If you had to speculate about how it's avoided being the intelligence-insulting mulch that Notting Hill was, the best guess is that this is not a solo Richard Curtis project. Sure, the Christmases portrayed are always white, Bridget's urban 'family' of bar-bound friends smack of those limp stereo-types from Four Weddings and the movie cherry-picks the most photogenic London locations without any concern for geographical accuracy - but Helen Fielding's original thirtysomething left-on-the-shelf angst shines through. No matter how much it's been polished for an American market (Jones vows to lose "20 pounds" rather than "a stone-and-a-half") or how often tweeness threatens to intervene, it remains refreshingly bitter and cynical in a way that Four Weddings and its tedious progeny never were. All worries that Yankster Renee Zellweger was the wrong girl for the job are dispelled in moments. With a spot-on plummy Brit accent, a tremendous capacity for pratfalls and those distinctly un-Hollywood extra pounds, Zellweger looks so ordinary that when she moans that she hasn't had "the faintest whiff of a shag in 18 months" you can believe her. Which makes Bridget Jones's Diary a date movie with a little bit of bite: an al dente romance with enough old-fashioned storytelling and big wobbly laughs to please anyone with a yearning to be entertained. And while not quite witty, observant or original enough to be the female equivalent of High Fidelity (which was a sort of male chick flick), it's definitely covering similar territory. It also, rather neatly, plays up Fielding's reinterpretation of Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice to the extent that Bridget quotes Austen's "universal truth" line while TV's Mr Darcy (Colin Firth) is cast as - a-ha-ha! - arrogant lawyer Mark Darcy. It's clearly no coincidence that co-writer Andrew Davies adapted Pride And Prejudice for the telly in the first place. Will it educate the masses that romantic doesn't equate with mindless? That Englishness doesn't necessarily mean stately homes and punting down the Thames? That film stars don't have to be so thin that their collar bones jut painfully from lollipop necks barely capable of supporting their own heads? Here's hoping the answer to all of these questions is yes... FINAL VERDICT Simple, joyful entertainment for all springing from a book about a woman who thinks her bum looks big in this. By making it a story first, a comedy second and a romance last, Bridget Jones's Diary manages to win as all three. It deserves to pack the punters in - including men. Cam Winstanley

If you No matter how much it's been polished for an American market (Jones vows to lose "20 pounds" rather than "a stone-and-a-half") or how often tweeness threatens to intervene, it remains refreshingly bitter and cynical in a way that Four Weddings and its tedious progeny never were. I think this comment brings to me a small concern. How do you really think this will go down in the States? Even my favourite 4W's had a smattering of schmulz and Notting Hill had it by the barrell load but this apparently has "bite", cynicism and filthy humour. How do you think that will play in middle America?

From Harvey S. Karten (the Compuserve guy and printed in the Arizona Reporter on 4/5/01): You can toss away your self-help books on the subject "How to Win a Mate," and for that matter you needn't keep the classic of the genre, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Thanks to Sharon Maguire's witty, warm, charming and goofy film, "Bridget Jones's Diary" we know the secret of winning the affection of others, and it's not those three little words. The eight words you need to practice are, "I like you just the way you are," the key quote in this wonderful, heartwarming movie. But oh, it's not that easy; the most difficult task of all is not simply mouthing the terms but genuinely believing them down to your core. How many of us are that healthy psychologically that we maintain such a love of our fellows? Not many at all: therein lies the whole problem with the title character played by a remarkable performer. Renee Zellweger, introduced to a large audience with her role as an awestruck maiden in "Jerry Maguire" and delightful as the soap-addicted waitress in "Nurse Betty," has fleshed out a significant accomplishment this time around in a British production which finds her able not only to charm everyone in the audience (this was never her problem) but in holding on to an English accent throughout the story. Here is proof once again that the Americans (remember "Sweet November" and "Say It Isn't So")--compared to our English cousins--seem to have little competence to make romantic comedy. Since most of us are hip enough to realize that other people do not automatically like us just the way we are, we work out in gyms, we take courses to improve our diction and knowledge, we spend half our paychecks lying on the couch spilling our guts to professionals who are probably making out their grocery lists while we chatter. The Bridget Jones created by Helen Fielding's best-selling novel is the sort who, at age thirty-two, overweight, drinking and smoking heavily, believes that she has no chance of outrunning her biological clock much less even meeting her soul mate unless she does something about her flaws. Remarkably, while self-improvement is cool--cutting down on alcohol, tobacco and food is perfectly appropriate--her presumed race toward permanent spinsterhood has little to do with her bad habits but everything to do with the lack of available men. This is the very reason that women are more likely to go for "Bridget Jones's Diary" than men, given that while Bridget herself is a klutz, the men n her life are worse. Just before Ms. Jones begins to commit her daily experiences to a diary hoping her book will somehow communicate what she needs to do, her mum (Gemma Jones) goes through the usual maternal rites of trying to fix her daughter up with eligible men. This time around, Bridget, who is herself a publicist for a major London publishing firm run by Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), is introduced to a man she grows to dislike for spurning her, human rights lawyer Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). While she resolves to look for a down-to-earth guy, she instead winds up with her clever, flirtatious boss, Daniel, who is accustomed to writing coquettish e-mail to her, commenting on the brevity of her skirts. "Is your skirt out sick today?" is a sample of the publisher's repartee, an exchange which eventually results in their commencing an affair. Almost simultaneously with the dampening of the undertaking, her mother announces that she has left her father (Jim Broadbent) and has taken up with an unctuous fellow who hawks schlock on home shopping channel. Fortunately for a typical American audience, English romantic comedy does not rely on the often prosaic talkiness so common to French films. Director Sharon Maguire has a keen sense of pacing and of comic timing, in one case flashing a series of still pictures across the screen to sum up Bridget's love life for the year. She never lingers too long on a party, a bedroom scene, or a vista of her title character's depressed musings along in her flat watching everything from the shopping channel to "Fatal Attraction." Though Maguire takes us sharply from one scene to another, the entire movie is seamless, with Zellweger appearing in almost every scene in a variety of clothing from a bathing suit in the dead of a blistery winter's night (filmed with machine-made snow, incidentally, in the middle of a London summer) to some stunning formal wear when she makes a bumbling speech at a formal reception. Side roles of Bridget's well-meaning but not-at-all helpful friends fit in neatly as does a cameo with Salman Rushd e at a publishing party which features Bridget meaning to ask Mr. Rushdie something of significance but ending asking him for directions to the loo. If men are not as attracted to this film as women, they're making a mistake in logic. Men would do well to think of their own vulnerabilities. Despite our macho walk and gallant talk, don't we all feel a little like jello inside just like Bridget--that we have no chance in the world to be liked simply as we are?

Special charity screening in aid of Survival International introduced by Colin Firth Good for Colin! He will start to become a National Treasure if he goes on like this;-)

Agree with Bethan that the She interview was the best I have read. She really seems to get to grips with what it is in Colin's character that fuels his interpretation of the the Darcys, FitzW and Mark. Loved it. (Allison) And the pics! I grabbed my copy of She and rushed to the till, with an enthusiasm I've not shown since the heady days of P&P! Has he discovered the secret of eternal youth? He doesn't look a day over twenty five. Loved the interview as well, and now there's the charity screening for Survival. A man without fault, seriously. :-)

(Allison)... but this apparently has "bite", cynicism and filthy humour. How do you think that will play in middle America? I will let you know when my middle-America (read: Bible Belt)newspaper review comes out. This is a newspaper that would not take an advert for "The Vagina Monologues" ...because they would not print the "V" word!

take an advert for "The Vagina Monologues" ...because they would not print the "V" word! What do they do for physiology textbooks down your way?

Karen - thanks for the Survival Screening info....*flexing credit card* - will soon know route to Leicester Sq with eyes shut ;-) Wonder if anyone else will be there?

Is She a UK magazine? Wonder if I can get it here in the US....Sounds like a must have.

Yes, She is a UK magazine. Beware, there is another by the same name in the US and you don't want it ;-D I've checked with a Borders and they do get it, but it should take awhile to get over here. Tracy, I know of one lady who has already ordered tickets. Her name is Pam.

I had my ace photographer hard at work at the premiere, so a treat for you all. Looks like Colin has a new watch! ;-D

Ooops

Karen - I know of a couple of others so Drool should be well represented

Okay, so what is ODB doing that makes his legs go like that? ROTF!

Howdy ya'll Boy have I picked a good time to return to Drool after a 4 month absense, ( due to a having a crappy computer ) Anyhoo, I want to call my Mom in the UK and have her send me the SHE Magazine, with this delicious Colin article. Can someone give me some details please ? Is it still on newsstands ? What month/issue is it ? Who is on the front cover ? What is the model on the front cover wearing and is there a headline on the cover that jumps out at you ? Sorry to be so anal about this, but my Mom ( God love her ) can screw up even the smallest task and, I want to make this as easy on her as possible. Thanks everybody

I got back about an hour ago from the sneak preview... WOW is all I have to say... I loved it. Yes, it was predictable, but I think that is b/c I'm such a P&P2 freak that I know all the dialogue, all the looks, all the mannerisms, etc. The screening was very lightly attended...its raining here on LI (NY) tonight, but I doubt that had anything to do with it. But as people were leaving, I heard many of them commenting, "they cut too much," "the book is SO much better," I'm definitely going to try to see it again next week when it comes out for real. I'm so glad that I didn't have to wait till next week!!!

Hi Bethanne, re the SHE magazine, it is the May 2001 issue, I don't know who the person on the front is but the headlines on the front page are many and here are some of them "Men onf "sex"..."Summer's Hottest Celebs Penelope Cruz and Colin Firth" (yippee) and "125 Great Fashion Finds under �50."among others. I hope your Mum finds it.

Bethanne, the May issue is everywhere at the moment....you can't miss it. And I'd say it is a "must-buy"! You better tell your mum why you want it though, the CF interview follows on from an article on "well-endowed men reveal why size *does* matter"! :-) Thanks for all the reports on BJD! My bottom-line feeling about BJD is that it is finally a massively promoted movie which gives CF international exposure as a good-looking romantic alpha male and will (*fingers crossed*) make him a bankable name for future decent projects. But it definitely sounds like a Hugh Grant/RC driven project though, more Notting Hill than HF!!

Thanks for putting up the SHE article, Karen! I'll have a look in shops here to see if they have it. I love those pics. Re: Watch. It looks like a Swatch Irony.

;-D

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/movie-10000157/ 83% Fresh on Tomatometer so far. v.g.

I managed to get a copy if SHE magazine and Film Review. You were right, it's worth buying.

Have managed to come down off cloud nine at last, can't add too much more about NYC Prem. than Karen and Evelyn so thorougly reported. We did see Jamie O'Neal in a sort of "Days of Our Lives " get up (Karen's remark unprintable!) She is on the soundtrack , which I was lucky enough to purchase before I left. I think I prefer US cover, but it's marginal!! Thanks to everyone who has been busy scanning away, linking and typing articles so it will take a very pleasurable few hours to go through, it's much appreciated.Off to get some magazines first!

And the award for most bitchily deranged reporter in a BJD article goes to ------- Shane Watson in yesterday's Guardian. "Bad news about the BJ film- it's so last century." For a start she (RZ) is as fat as a puppy. Yes I realise that in real life Renee Zellweger, even after gorging on Patisserie Valerie cakes and piling on a couple of stone, only cranked herself up to a measly size 10. But nonetheless she looks bigger than everyone else on screen, with the exception of Colin Firth ......." Honestly there is no pleasing some people! It would be unprofessional of me to comment on her appearance (courteousy of top of page) but I am sure we could have a whip round in order to purchase some products to remind her that NOT using John Freida or Vidal Sassoon on your hair is just sooooo last century Shane! Lizza * retracting claws* and smiling!

(Meredith: Is She a UK magazine? Wonder if I can get it here in the US....Sounds like a must have.) She magazine and Film Review are available online if (like me ;-) you just can't wait for it to arrive in US newsstands. I've used both Britishmagazines.com and magsuk.com I think ordering online is about a dollar more expensive than buying from a newsstand. In the past, britishmagazines.com has been very fast. It usually took five days for my order to arrive in Chicago, but my last order took two weeks...

You're in Chicago? Borders gets those magazines and there's the European Book Store (on State near Chicago Ave), City Newsstand (biggest supplier; on Cicero north of Irving Pk), plus the new chain of Superstands. Film Review can be ordered online directly ($8.95 includes shipping), but it said it could take up to 28 days to receive and by that time I should be able to pick it up here. http://www.visimag.com/acatalog/VI_DIRECT_Catalog_Film_Review_2001_19.html

My Miramax rep tells me the screening of BJD in Middle America Okla was terrific. They had to turn people away. Audience roared from the beginning credits.( My fave too. ..RZ lip-syncing "All By Myself" is a hoot) I'd go to see this movie even if Colin wasn't in it. But it definitely sounds like a Hugh Grant/RC driven project though, more Notting Hill than HF Who cares how one arrives at success ... We want Box Office$$$$$. Thanks Tineke... the super sleuther at it again...:-)

Have just seen the VH1 Behind the Music. They had Sharon Maguire, RZ, HG and Colin sitting on a couch talking about the movie, music and making of. Colin said about 2 words. RZ kissed both of them on the cheek at the beginning and Colin gave a cute little surprised reaction. Otherwise, he didn't do much else, except look bored, played with his hair, leant his head on his hand, etc. Everyone talked about the music they liked (even Hugh who said he wasn't into music), but not a word from Colin. It was mainly RZ who went on and on about Sheryl Crow and David Gray. Hugh was definitely the focal point. Sat between SM and RZ and they kept bringing him into things. Colin tossed in a quip about HG wearing scary pants at that moment, but that's about it. No wonder he said he can't distinguish himself on chatshows. He doesn't even try. Lots of clips from the film beyond the usual trailer stuff with a good portion of Colin. You see the glance backward after the snub at the turkey curry buffet and more. Must rewind. According to VH1's schedule, the next broadcast will be Sunday at 2:30 pm Eastern

Just finished watching E! Behind the Xcenes look at BJD. At least CF was featured as much as Huge and came off quite lovely. Even managed to smile and chuckle for a second. Definitely an improvement on the VH1 special. Nothing exciting though, there were some scenes in the clips that AGAIN weren't in the movie. Or at least i don't rmeember them... Am intending to go see it again next weekend to make sure, of course.

GAH! Xcenes should Scenes! but you all know that, right? Did not mean to make it seems as X-rated. GAH!

Omigod, have been so busy forgot the E! thing was on today as well. Will catch next showing very late tonight (1:00 a.m.) or Monday.

Oh, the E! Behind The Scenes show is a real keeper! Lots of Colin, on the set, off the set, in the film clips, and in the studio. MUCH better than the VH-1 show. VH-1 was utterly dominated by Huge's incessant talking about me me me me--I kept yelling--Shut the -uck up and let somebody else take a turn already!! I think Colin's look was not bored, but more resigned, like, I know I can't get a word in edgewise with this guy here, so what's the use. But he looked great anyway; all of it was fillmed in the studio, with generous clips from the soundtrack. On a more positive note, the E! show is great. They all get an equal turn because they're interviewed separately. Interviews with CF, RZ, HG of course, Sharon Maguire, and Helen Fielding, who explains that she wrote Mark Darcy expressly with Colin in mind. Lots of footage from the film--but it's from a "behind the scenes and how they filmed it" perspective, which makes it new. Some great shots of Colin off camera. There's a very telling bit at the end in which they ask each guy if he keeps a diary. Colin says, oh no, because it's great to be able to re-invent yourself throughout life so why leave behind evidence. He says this with the cutest smile and a twinkle in his eye. Huge--predictably--has yet another tiresome anecdote about how he once read an old girlfriend's diary which stated she didn't have any idea why she was dating him, she didn't even like him, etc. etc. Utter and complete fabrication and bullshit, of course, but it makes for a very quotable segment. Same with questions on Renee's accent--Colin answering straightforwardly, but Hugh telling the old "sounded like Princess Margaret at first" story which *is* funny but he's told it so often over here, I'm getting weary of it. Doesn't he know that some of us watch a lot of these shows and he could at least start to vary the witticisms?;-) ;-) And that's the difference between Colin and Hugh. Colin is a very--dare I say it--earnest guy who will attempt to answer the question at hand. Hugh will always provide the jokey one-liner, the witty comeback, the amusing anecdote because he knows that that's what gets printed, quoted, filmed, whatever and, in fairness to him, he knows that's what these shows want. He even had the savvy during the VH-1 show to phrase some comments in a way in which they could then easily segueway to the music or film clip--he even kept saying, "clip please." Well, anyway, a very enjoyable afternoon of Colin viewing and I'm looking forward so much to seeing the film tonight!

Thanks, Mari, for the rundown on the Behind the Scenes show. Cannot wait. However, with the VH1 show, don't you think they did ask Colin about what music he liked, but it got cut? Everyone else was asked. Colin probably mentioned those obscure groups/people in the Mojo interview that made Moon heave. The VH1 people probably blanked out as they'd never heard of them as well and certainly didn't have any video clips to supplement. My guess is Colin was too dull and when he answered, they cut it out. Let's not all blame Huge. Both Sharon and Renee kept turning to him to elaborate on a point. Yes, there's a difference between Huge and Colin. But we know Colin can be witty when he wants to. He didn't seem to want to. *wanna spaz wrestle* Colin says, oh no, because it's great to be able to re-invent yourself throughout life so why leave behind evidence. He says this with the cutest smile and a twinkle in his eye. LOL! But there's lots of print evidence of his deliberate attempts to confuse everyone. Doesn't he know that some of us watch a lot of these shows and he could at least start to vary the witticisms?;-) ;-) Yes, can't say Arsenal all the time. ;-D

(Karen: No wonder he said he can't distinguish himself on chatshows. He doesn't even try. ) Awwww, I felt kind of bad for him because I thought he made a few shy attempts at banter that no one really picked up on. Must be hard to be interviewed with Hugh upstaging you all the time. ;-) This week has been the first time I've been able to see any clips or interviews and I really can't wait to see this movie. Wish I could make it to one of the previews. Many thanks to everyone for the reviews and reports from premieres! Do you think re-reading the book before the movie would spoil it for me? From what I've seen it looks like the movie incorporates elements from the newspaper column and sequel. Is that right?

Re-reading thebook won't spoil it for you, Valerie. I re-read the book as soon as I had the preview pass in my dirty little fingers! Remember the script went through several hands and writers and some things in the book you just can't put in film. I still would like to know why some of the film takes from the press preview were cut out of our preview...

Not sure if this is going to work...but, I must first compliment all the wonderful postings at this as well as the other Colin related sites...now for my reasoning...i had the Bridget Jones Diar with Colin in the turtle neck as wallpaper, Husband messed around with the computer last night, and to my horror it was gone this morning. The wall paper that is. Please oh please whoever had that up could you put it back up again? I am dying here..lol. Or perhaps I am not looking hard enough..HELP

Great review by The American Dreamer, review can be foudn by going to the IMDB.

Agree with Mari. To me, Colin just looked resigned and a little bemused by the whole thing on the VH-1 program. Loved his posture. ;-) (Valerie) I felt kind of bad for him because I thought he made a few shy attempts... Me too though I don't think he's shy, just reserved. Anyway, he's smart not to attempt to compete with Hugh in jokes. Hugh's a delight but I'm getting a little tired of the same SAS story. Colin's got him beat in the smile department anyway and there were plenty of them. Did you see Renee stroke his cheek at one point? That said, I liked E!'s program better.

Well, it doesn't sound like he was as bad as in the Survival Appeal Infomercial anyway.Small steps.... He was brilliant in the Berlinale FF, remember?

Heavens, the BJD topic has certainly spawned a lot of posts! Love the lovely articles, reviews, pics, and reports from the London premiere (thanks ever so much, Ann and Tracy). The SHE interview was to die for. I agree, Bethan, it may be the best one yet. I somehow missed the VH1 show, but caught the one on E!, which was really worth taping. I was glad to see interviews with SM and Helen. Did anyone notice that some of the interviews with RZ, CF, and HG were held in the same room as the BWTA interview--interview junket central. Could this mean there are more CF interviews to come? (Pretty please?) On a surlier note, I am about to throw the BJD CD in the dustbin. Why, you ask? I cannot figure out how to defeat the dreaded 'click me" icon and just play the tracks on my CD rom drive. I can listen to all my other CDs on my PC without a problem. Has anyone else run into this problem with the CD? I can hardly believe that next week I am going to see Colin on the big screen as a leading man. It must be thrilling and, until then, I am living vicariously through all of you who have seen the film. :-)

RZ is on the cover of the Sunday Times Culture magazine. Two articles. First is on Working Title (talks about the NY premiere; party was a Greenwich Village loft) and the second is about Jim Broadbent. http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2001/04/08/sticulfil02006.html? BTW, I'm getting to like the soundtrack better, especially Shelby Lynne's Killin' Kind. The words are just so perfect.

Heavens, the BJD topic has certainly spawned a lot of posts! Love the lovely articles, reviews, pics, and reports from the London premiere (thanks ever so much, Ann and Tracy). The SHE interview was to die for. I agree, Bethan, it may be the best one yet. I somehow missed the VH1 show, but caught the one on E!, which was really worth taping. I was glad to see interviews with SM and Helen. Did anyone notice that some of the interviews with RZ, CF, and HG were held in the same room as the BWTA interview--interview junket central. Could this mean there are more CF interviews to come? (Pretty please?) On a surlier note, I am about to throw the BJD CD in the dustbin. Why, you ask? I cannot figure out how to defeat the dreaded 'click me" icon and just play the tracks on my CD rom drive. I can listen to all my other CDs on my PC without a problem. Has anyone else run into this problem with the CD? I can hardly believe that next week I am going to see Colin on the big screen as a leading man. It must be thrilling and, until then, I am living vicariously through all of you who have seen the film. :-)

Sorry about the twin posts.

Lisa, shut it down, and then start it (manually) from the CD Player option in Accessories (mine is under Entertainment; yours may be elsewhere). Heavens, the BJD topic has certainly spawned a lot of posts! Spawned? A typo, surely. ;-0

(Karen) Lisa, shut it down, and then start it (manually) from the CD Player option in Accessories. Boy, do I feel silly. I have always run my CDs directly from the drive. This is almost as bad as when I was first trying to post pictures on Odds and Ends....Good grief!

Just got back! At the airport, waiting to board the plane in LA, I see Colin on the TV!!! I run off insearch of close-up-is-he-really-being-interviewed?-moment. DH wanders where the .... has she gone, we are boarding now! LOL! Missed everything he said. :-( Good thing we have this topic! (Karen), Colin probably mentioned those obscure groups/people in the Mojo interview that made Moon heave. The VH1 people probably blanked out as they'd never heard of them as well and certainly didn't have any video clips to supplement. My guess is Colin was too dull and when he answered, they cut it out. LOL! Very good guess. I am surprised at RZ choice of David Gray, we like him very much. (Karen), Yes, there's a difference between Huge and Colin. (Heide), I don't think he's shy, just reserved. Colin and Hugh were born a day apart. Which means their horoscopes are very alike. ;-)

Just got back from seeing BJD, and I absolutely loved it! Laughed from beginning to end (and teared up once or twice too). Colin is wonderful (and looks mighty gorgeous too!), and people will really come to root for Mark Darcy. Cleaver is a too-smooth slimebucket from the start and the audience catches on a bit quicker than poor Bridge that he's a no-goodnick. Renee was unbelievable. Absolutely perfect. Theater was packed, only a couple of empty seats in the front row. Very, very enthusiastic response, continuous loud laughter throughout the film. Overheard lots of good comments on the way out. I cannot wait to see it again next weekend! Will take any spoilers to 126.

Yea!!! Seen it. Yippee!! Colin's best on-screen kiss since Valmont--and man! that's been a while. It's soooo nice to finally see him get the girl in a love-triangle. I'm sick of all of the terribly implausable movies in which the other guy wins! (AMITC, SIL, EP, etc.)

Wow, pant, pant - I have finally managed to catch up on all the posts at this topic. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to find articles and post information and pics. I just wanted to say what fun it was to see BJD with fellow Spring-ians. Winter, thanks so much for getting the passes. It was lovely to see you, Marianne and Moon again. Moon, how did your DH react when he discovered this was a CF film ;-)? I really enjoyed the movie although I wish that I could have let myself relax and just enjoy it more. I think I knew a little too much about it and found myself analyzing instead of just watching. That said, it really is a charming film and CF is to die for. Handsome, romantic and sexy so what more could I want ;-)? I agree with what others have said, though. I thought the film was too short and I really wish there had been more screentime for Bridget's pals and more time invested in developing their characters. Although I can't say I was too sorry that Shirley Henderson didn't have more lines. Sheesh - and some folks thought Renee's voice is too squeaky. SH sound like she's on helium. I also wish there had been a little more development in the Daniel Cleaver romance. It all seemed to happen a bit too quickly for me without enough of the requisite worrying, "will he call"... etc. I will say no more for fear of spoilers. And all that said, I loved the movie and can't wait to see it again :-). I'm so glad CF is in a winner that will get a worldwide release. Oops, almost forgot. MarkG, it was quite fun to see you on the big screen. We all let out a whoop and I'm sure the rest of the audience wondered what kind of pop idol we were cheering for :-).

There is a great picture of the end kiss, with a pic of EB & FD about to kiss. the address is: http://hem.passagen.se/lmw/bridget_jones_diary.html I'm not that skilled yet in doing the html stuff, so Karen, maybe you can pull the jpg and post it here? Its a great pic.

A larger version plus full article is here as well: http://www.spring.net/karenr/articles/filmreview501.html As much as I like this kiss pic, my new favourite is this variation of the reindeer pic: ;-)

Anybody know whether the E! Behind the scenes prog is to be broadcast in the UK ?

Just for comparison:

Almost too much promotion going on to keep up with. Yesterday, the Times magazine featured the costume designer for BJD on Renee's look, with this throwaway: �60,000 might sound a lot ... but when you're kitting out Huge Gnat ("a bit of a fashion queen") in Savile Row suits, Jermyn Street shirts and Paul Smith casual wear, "with a bit of Hermes and a bit of Gucci", there's unlikely to be tons of cash left for Colin Firth's Burberry suits. All I can say is ALL the best men in the film wear Burberry suits :-) And Radio 4's half-hour film programme, billed as a review of BJD, featured only a stupid 5-minute har-har slot on method acting, arising from Renee's stint at Picador, and a one-line review of the film: "I went expecting not to like it if only because of the all-friends-together cosiness of the makers, but found it impossible to dislike."

UK Alert. Apparently according to a friend there are some "never seen before"Colin BJD photos in The Mirror tomorrow, Monday 9th April.

Thanks for the tip Ann. Anyone in the Uk catch Huge Gnat on Parkinson? just finished watching the tape. What a *&^%$*!! Good Grief. The comments you have all made just recently about saying things for effect or as quoteable soundbites are true! The worst bit was when he went on at length about his mother inhabiting the voice/personality of their cat that has been dead for 18 years. Not funny at all. Perhaps his parents are used to being embarassed like this. Parkinson mentioned CF and the fight scene but the two clips shown were colinless! He also tried to get on another guests interview with more highly unlikely anecdotal quotes about him and doctors, and how one was always interested in whether everything was ok "downstairs" with him etc Ghastly! Give the serious, articulate Guardian reading Mr Firth every time! Huge did himslf no favours. In fact the best bit was Robbie Williams singing "Have you seen Miss Jones?" from the soundtrack.

Whoops! You know I meant to say "Give us the serious, articulate Guardian reading Mr Firth every time." I am personally glad Colin was not on Parkinson, but was gleeful at Huge showing his true colours to the Nation. He said that "I drink like a witch." I expect he went off to drown his sorrows!

(Jana2) SH sound like she's on helium. LOL! Shirley does have a weird voice, but after I'd heard Helen F read the part of Jude (sheep-like voice as it says in the book), I knew Shirley was just right. Unfortunately, her part was the most superfluous of the friends. The audience somehow connected with both Shazz's and Tom's characters. Not enough was given of Jude's to understand what she was all about IMO. (Jana2) little more development in the Daniel Cleaver romance...without enough of the requisite worrying, "will he call"... etc. You wanted more Huge? ;-D Without getting into details, that kiss is NOT actually the end kiss. :-) (Times mag as copyedited by MG) when you're kitting out Huge Gnat ("a bit of a fashion queen") LOL! Taped E!'s Behind the Scenes during the wee hours of the morning. Since they are interviewed individually, Colin does speak and does well for himself. Much better than the VH1 thing. You know how the MTV movie awards have strange categories? Doesn't it seem as though the fight scene is exactly the type of thing that would get an award?

(Jana), Moon, how did your DH react when he discovered this was a CF film ;-)? LOL! It was the realisation of why I had to see it on the night we had concert tickets. "How very sneaky". He loved the scene of the launch party (so did I), the big bloomies, the blue soup and the credits with the kiddies. He did find it unnecessarily vulgar at times. But, that's the most he's ever liked a CF film. I thought the film was too short and I really wish there had been more screentime for Bridget's pals and more time invested in developing their characters. I agree! It was great meeting Marianne and seeing both you and Winter again Jana. All I can say is ALL the best men in the film wear Burberry suits :-) Good point, Mark! Congratulations, you are quite visible. :-D (Karen), Without getting into details, that kiss is NOT actually the end kiss. :-) I noticed that too! RZ is wearing a scarf in that picture and she does not wear one at the end of the film. ;-) I am still trying to catch up on all the posts. I am off to mass to collect my palms.

NYTimes article on Renee (requires registration): http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/08/arts/08HASK.html "...she nevertheless manages to win, convincingly, the hearts of two breathtakingly attractive men: Hugh Grant as the infamous Daniel, Bridget's womanizing boss, and Colin Firth as Mark Darcy (reprising his heartthrob role as Jane Austen's hero in the BBC "Pride and Prejudice.") Mr. Grant has dropped the faux-innocent mannerisms of recent films and is more appealing as a bit of a sleaze than he ever was as a male ingenue, while Mr. Firth manages, with one sexy glower, to summon up all those misogynistic heroes of 19th-century women's novels who are brought back to life by the sheer spunk of an unconventional heroine � in this case, a girl with a heart on her sleeve and knickers on her bottom."

RE: NY Times aritcle--Molly Haskell is a noted feminist author, so it's interesting to get her take on things. Some other noteworthy bits: "Austen's Pride and Prejudice is the beating pulse of Bridget Jones, the book and the movie . . . If Maguire occasionally errs on the side of broadness, one of the very literate delights is the way book and movie, film and literature, play off each other; this is intertextuality with a vengeance." "As Bridget, Zellweger is not a pushover by any means, or entirely lovable: she guzzles chardonnay, gossips, is a little too ``needy'' in current psycho-parlance and can be as tart-tongued as any Austen heroine. One look at Mark Darcy's reindeer sweater when they first meet and her Bridget is as withering as any fashion snob, as prone to prejudice as Austen's Elizabeth Bennet."

RZ is wearing a scarf in that picture and she does not wear one at the end of the film. ;-) Nor much else. ;-D That shot is before they go up to her flat. For all those who have seen the movie, check out the Spoiler topic. Thanks, Ann, for the NY Times article. Interesting that Molly didn't like the book, but thinks the movie is far better and the changes have made Bridget much more palatable and believable. This is glowing praise. Wonder what Time will say. Will they get off their feminist high horses? Answer on Monday. ;-D

Tineke (congrats, btw), Murph, Karen, hope you don't mind I used your picture for scientific purpose: http://www.firth.com/bjd/2xdarcy.html Question: Do you think it was intention or by accident they used the (almost) identical wine glass? And is there something like a red Chardonnay?

"The actress has lost Bridget's extra pounds, but let's hope she never loses the magic that makes her such an unusual star. " Great article. I think we can safely say that Renee's sticker price has now gone up.

Am shocked no one was curious to see rest of the teaser pics. So I've just put them up on the Premiere page. They are Colin and more Colin. ;-D http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/bjdprem.html BTW, for equal time, here's something for the guys:

Nice analysis, Renate, but as you'll see, those pics represent such very different points in the story. (aloof vs totally thawed) ;-D

Heads up, Roger Ebert and his new partner (Ropert?, the Siskel replacement) will be reviewing BJD next weekend on TV. Check your local listings.

The Movie Mom website has rating for BJD. Says the audience is for 16 and older, yet the movie is rated R, which means 17 and older. Also says there is no nudity. They must have missed those naked people on the floor. ;-) And under violence/scariness, it says "comic fistfight." v. scary indeed http://www.moviemom.com/apps/showreview.cfm?ReviewID=298 Another review from internet whippersnapper: http://www.sick-boy.com/bridgetjones.htm Lovely one, but a woman who gets it, although she got who was apologizing throughout the fight scene wrong: http://adfilmworks.com/films2001/bridgetjonessdiary.html "As the two suitors, Grant and Firth are wonderfully cast....The solemn Mark Darcy is at the opposite end of the spectrum: brooding, condescending yet ultimately capable of sturdy commitment and gourmet cooking. The very casting is in homage to the BBC production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE in which Firth played the brooding Mr. Darcy. Bridget (and author Fields) clearly has her crushes in high places."

Fox New Channel will have a BJD story in next week's "Celebrity Spotlight". I also liked the film better than the book. BJ of the book was maddening to me. BJ of the movie is a bit of a screw-up, but she's much more proactive about her life.

Ann, when does the Celebrity Spotlight air?

Am shocked no one was curious to see rest of the teaser pics I took them as the physical manifestation of contradictory career moves.

Lizza - I too watched Parky and was most dis-chuffed that there were no CF clips, however BJ's walkout scnene was hilarious. I agree with everything you said about Huge, he is clearly Rent-an-A**e with a ready quip and unsavoury anecdote on any subject. But loved seeing him squirm when Parky asked about Liz, & touched upon that incident. He did mention DB in passing but only to regurgitate the 'telling the stunt co-ordinator to p***-off' and RZ was only an opportunity to use the Princess Margaret line again..*yawn*

This is all so excitng but frustrating also because have os little time to get to pc and comment. Re Huge Gnat (love that, Karen) on Parkinson. I laughed out loud to start with; he was very funny but then as you sy, it began to pall. My DH appeared half way through, took one look at the screen and said "he is ill" (should point out my DH is a doctor). I didn't think he looked ill but thought he looked tired but also as the interview progressed, I thought he was a rather desperate man. He showed no interest in the other guests and when a comment was made to him , to include him in general conversation, he just hogged the limelight. And as for his mother and the cat. That was weird.

Also in the Sunday Telegraph, an article about the producers, Bevan and Feller, is that right. Told you I was in a hurry, can no longer find the paper! It gives a good insight into the finances of the project (the article is in the Business Section). They seem to think that success in the UK is assured. What they are really worried about is the States. The first weekend is the big one which determines everything. From this, it is easy to see why they are flogging HG. Even in the UK I saw an add which made on mention of MD but had clips of all the bawdiest bits, including anal sex (yuk). This is to draw in the young men 18 to 25. If they can get them to go, success is assured. They are not going to be impressed by CF or MD; they couldn't aspire to it;-) As Evelyn says if the film makes $$$$$ then CF will win - even if he is not mentioned by the publicists. Clever guy. He might end up having his cake and eating it. Or put another way, making mucho lire and getting to spend quality time at Sainsburys.

but had clips of all the bawdiest bits, including anal sex (yuk). Not possible! I thought they were poking fun at Hugh and his divine arrest in LA. I can understand that a lot of people will think that it is about anal sex. That was part of my DH's comment that it was unnecessarily vulgar. What did everyone think? Which one is it? (no pun intended)

Love your London Prem page Karen. Thanks. I am of course not surprised at the modesty you have shown in not wishing to promote pictures of your own glowing (it sure was cold!) entrance at the NY Prem last Monday. For those not in the know I believe you were introduced as the author of "the definitive web-site on Bridget Jones" to some of the press as well. Eric Fellner (the one that looks like a young Duke of Kent!) who introduced the film was so impressed by your faux snakeskin Miramax souvenir sash , which said "So talented, it sucks." that he promptly forgot Colin was even in the film let alone one of the stars. Of course your image was slightly dented when you and your companions whooped at the entrance of a mere "walk on" extra, even if he was dressed in Burberry, during the film. And finally rumours of you leaving, even before Jamie O'Neal, for a hip Italian restaurant in an up and coming "village" are not exagerated, although People magazine may have got hold of the storyline that earlier in the evening you were heard asking stray men for a date at the theatre entrance. Of course, as we often say here, where Karen goes Geri Halliwell will have to follow.

Lizza! ROTF! Way to go "So talented, it sucks" Karen!

Karen, Were you really introduced at the Premiere? Way to go, girl!

(Lassie) Karen,Were you really introduced at the Premiere? She sure was ..to the press. LMAO...Lizza ...that was great...She did mingle with the hoi -poloi too... Standing right next to RC... A night to remember...what a hoot...Wish you all could have been there..

LMAO...Lizza ...that was great...She did mingle with the hoi -poloi too... Standing right next to RC... A night to remember...what a hoot...Wish you all could have been there.. So...will we get to see some pictures of this?! Congratulations, Karen!!! But then you being the author of the definitive BJD Movie website is NOT news to your fans here!

So...that's how you got tickets... Nice coup...

Ann, when does the Celebrity Spotlight air? } Not sure. I think it was on today at 1:30 Central, but my paper said it should have been on at 2pm Central--so something is mixed up. ------- I actually had about 4 hispanic (at least they were speaking what sounded like Spanish to me) guys sitting behind me at the Sat. screening--no women with them. I thought that was a bit strange, since it would seem to be more a chick-flick type of film. I don't know whether they liked it or not, but seeing them there was a hopeful sign, I think, that it can attract guys.

Just checked FoxNews.com, they seem confused about their schedule too. Their Saturday listing shows Celebrity Spotlight playing at 8 am Eastern, but if you follow the link to the CS page, it says Saturdays at 2 pm Eastern (but then, a special was on today at 2pm, so maybe that threw their schedule off, which is why I saw it on Sunday at 1:30pm Cent, when their schedule doesn't list it on Sundays at all.) I think all that boils down to it being on 2pm Eastern Saturdays, maybe.

faux snakeskin Miramax souvenir sash, which said "So talented, it sucks." You mean the ones we picked up on Canal Street with Prada stamped on them? ;-D I may have hurt our chances of being invited back again when Richard Curtis overheard me lamenting the lack of insipidly dopey lines. How this was not vintage Curtis material. ;-D

Just saw a commercial for "Regis & Kelly, Live" (ABC talk show): HG will be the guest tomorrow (today, actually), Monday, April 9. Its on ch. 7 @ 9am (NYC metro area). Apparently, plugging BJD.

Karen, congrats on the deserved recognition. Fantastic!

Congrats ladies, you've made it to the tabloids! Colin's dad comments in the Mirror on the fact that a group of American women actually travelled all the way to see him at the Donmar! Must have made a lasting impression in the Firth household. There's a 2 page spread, mostly re-cycled old stuff I think. But a few comments from Colin's dad. Also a pic of CF at school in the US and a comment from his teacher, and a pic of him at 6th form college. For tabloid stuff, it's all very mild...nothing nasty at all. Mentions birth of son. Also his dad says that he (CF) has lost all his grandparents in the last 5 years...the surviving one died a few weeks ago and he was v. upset. This must be online? Also interview in Times and good pic.

Incase it isn't online....snippets... His dad says when he was younger he formed a band with some friends, playing guitar and being the lead singer. He describes him as "quite an excitable person who likes larking around. He's very noisy - the life and soul of the party. He's a very dominant personality....he's very close to his family and tries to see as much of them as possible". His teacher in the US, Carol Welstahoff says "I think it was a lonely time (for him) but he spent a lot of it reading. He was a very conscientious top of the class student." A distinct lack of shocking revelations!

Here's the text from the Mirror article. I wish the online version had the pictures! http://www.mirror.co.uk/shtml/FEATURES/P22S2.shtml FROM DUSTMAN TO DARCY CHAMPAGNE glass in hand and surrounded by celebrities, actor Colin Firth couldn't stop smiling. The Bridget Jones's Diary star was over the moon and wanted the world to know it. But his proud grin at the London premiere last week marked a personal milestone as well as a professional triumph. He had become a dad a few days earlier. His Italian wife, Livia Giuggiolo, gave birth to their son less than a week before the premiere, but still made it to the star-studded party. Friends say the couple, who married four years ago, are "walking on air" after the arrival of the longed-for baby. It has been an unforgettable few weeks for the 40-year-old actor who once worked as a dustman and stuffed his worn-out shoes with cardboard because he had no money for new ones. His career has been advancing steadily since his sullen scowl, wet shirt and tight breeches as Mr Darcy in the BBC's Pride And Prejudice six years ago turned him into a pin-up overnight. Now his ironic performance as love interest Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones's Diary looks set to make him one of the biggest names in British films - a very English heart-throb to rank alongside Hugh Grant and Rupert Graves. But as our pictures show, he wasn't always so dashing. In his student days, he wore flares, an orange waistcoat and dodgy rocker hairdo as he larked around with friends for the 1979 end-of-year photo at Barton Peveril sixth-form college at Eastleigh, Hants. Mr Darcy would not have been impressed by their antics as a friend playfully hooked a walking stick round Colin's neck. But his time at college did mark a turning-point. He took up drama, discovered rock music - especially Genesis and The Who - and became a pin-up for the first time. Teacher Penny Edwards remembers that he was a hit with the girls as well as being one of the lads. She says: "He was very sociable and a lot of the girls liked him. THIS really beautiful girl had a terrible crush on him, but they never got together. It became a running joke. "Colin was very sensitive to literature and had this stage presence. "I wasn't surprised he did so well. Underneath the laddish exterior was quite a shrewd character who knew exactly what he wanted to do." College was the first time he really felt accepted and started making serious plans for an acting career. Before that he'd floundered around, unsure of how to go about chasing his dreams. Travelling seemed to be in his blood, but it meant that he was never in one place long enough to settle down. Born in Grayshott, Hants, he spent his childhood moving around as his father, a teacher, travelled abroad to work. Today, with an Italian wife, an American ex and an 11-year-old Canadian- American son, William, Firth spends much of his time flying all over the world. His teacher parents David and Shirley were born in India and carried on travelling as Colin was growing up. At two weeks old they took him to Nigeria. He showed early signs of being an entertainer. Banned from watching TV, he took up piano lessons and kept his sister Kate and brother Jonathan amused with jokes and impressions. David says: "Colin always had a very vivid imagination. He loved dressing up and really liked Batman." Soon, the piano lessons were replaced by Saturday-morning acting classes run by Freda Kelsall, who was to coach him for 10 years. She is a close friend, and flew to Italy for his wedding to Livia. When Colin was 11, the family moved again - this time to America, setting up home in St Louis, Missouri. Posing in a lumberjack shirt for his high-school yearbook picture, he looks every inch the all-American kid. But he was shunned by the other pupils for being different and became a loner. He said later: "It was a really nasty school. I was put in a class of guys with long hair, earrings and combat jackets with drugs slogans on their backs who would bring drugs to school. I was still into train sets." Teacher Carol Welstahoff remembers: "The others kids didn't take to him because he was different. To them, he was your stereotypical English schoolboy. "I think it was a lonely time, but he spent a lot of it reading. He was a very conscientious, top-of-the-class student." His dad explains: "He would have found it difficult fitting in at any school - partly because of moving and partly because he wanted to go off and follow his own interests. He started a band with some friends, playing the guitar and being the lead singer." Back in England, the family moved to Winchester and Colin went to Montgomery of Alamein secondary school - in the class above comedian Jack Dee - after failing his 11-plus. But he felt he was seen as "posh" because of his middle-class upbringing. He recalls: "There was a whole area of playground chat I couldn't join in. WE didn't have popular culture, I hadn't seen Crossroads, Magpie or Randall and Hopkirk." The teachers despised him, he believes. He says: "I had the intelligence, but never worked out how to do exams. Arrogance got me through school." He took part-time jobs as a dustman and paperboy, but never seriously contemplated anything but acting. By the time he got to college, his mind was made up. He auditioned for drama schools and spent a summer working with the National Youth Theatre. Determined to make it, Colin moved again, to London. He worked in a series of poorly-paid jobs at the Shaw Theatre and National Theatre, eventually winning a place with a grant at the Drama Centre. He lived in a rundown bedsit in North London, and times were hard. Freda recalls: "I went to see him and he didn't have much money - he had holes in his shoes and was going to walk two miles to a play. "But he was determined. I thought: `This boy is going somewhere.' "And he has. He's a lovely person. He might be a heart-throb, but he's still got his feet on the ground. He never stops talking, and he's very funny - very kind." Firth didn't have to wait long for his big break. In his last year at the Drama Centre, he was snapped up for a starring part in Another Country on the West End stage. His proud father says: "We never dreamt he would be straight on to the West End stage. Then he was in the film version. It was about rebels against the system, so it was quite appropriate. Seeing him on stage was amazing, but the thing that made the biggest impact was going down the road past the Shaftesbury Theatre and seeing his portrait, huge, outside." Colin had a string of stage and TV roles, including playing a policeman in the Granada series Crown Court in 1984. By 1988, it looked as if Hollywood was beckoning when he won the title role in the costume drama Valmont. But the movie flopped and he was off on his travels again - this time to British Columbia with his co-star, American actress Meg Tilly. They set up home in a forest cabin and had their son William. Firth wrote fiction and developed a handy streak, but the relationship ended after five years and he returned to England. He started bagging new roles, including the lead in the film Fever Pitch. He also acquired some new lovers, including his Pride And `Prejudice co- star Jennifer Ehle, before meeting Livia. Although the series based on Jane Austen's novel made him a household name, Colin gets tired of the Darcy label. He said: "I enjoyed the recognition in some ways, but it was as if my whole career came down to that one part. It wasn't really me that everyone was crazy about - it was the character." DAVID adds: "I think people are quite shocked when they meet him. They expect him to be like Darcy, but he is quite an excitable person who likes larking around. "He's very noisy - the life and soul of the party. He's a very dominant personality. He doesn't get recognised much, because he doesn't look like Darcy in his own clothes. But he was in a play in London and a group of American women arrived to see it. They had travelled all that way to see him." Now his fans have had to accept that Colin is spoken for. He fell in love with student Livia, now 31, on the set of another BBC production, Nostromo. They married in Italy in 1997 and live in Islington, North London. Despite his hectic schedule, he always finds time for his family. His sister Kate, 38, is a voice coach and brother Jonathan, 33, is an actor. Their dad says: "He is very close to his family and tries to see as much of them as possible. He lost four grandparents in the last five years. One of the funerals was only a few weeks ago and he was there, very upset." With a successful career and new baby to fuss over, it looks as if the nomadic Mr Darcy may be settling down at last. He said recently: "I've always felt stimulated by change and travel and things that are new, but as I've got older I've felt the need to put down roots." Modestly, he adds: "I never believed I had the capacity to be a star. Sometimes I can't get my head round the fact that I'm a dad and successful. It doesn't seem likemy story." c.donnelly@mirror.co.uk

Just FYI, Lizza was joking. Absolutely none of that happened. :-) (Bethan) Must have made a lasting impression in the Firth household. Mari, could it be that Aunt and Uncle F told David? (Bethan) A distinct lack of shocking revelations! Are you not amazed that his father spoke to the media? Wasn't there an incident when his mother was quoted long ago and CF was upset about it? a very English heart-throb to rank alongside Hugh Grant and Rupert Graves Rupert Graves, who has gone onto become....???? ;-D

Some of it did, you are just sooo modest , it sucks my dear.:')

All Evelyn's Donmar lurking paid off then!!

BTW there is a picture of Colin on the front of the paper with the headline "Firth Born." I was quite amused to see that didn't appear to know the baby's name even! You heard it here first.

Some of it did, you are just sooo modest , it sucks my dear.:') Second. *evelyn, who wuz there*

And of course behind every definitive faux sash wearer, is her "wheeler and dealer," also making things happen! Hats off to you Evie.

Rubbish, utter rubbish, except for the part where Lizza was overheard propositioning Eric Fellner (aka Handsome Man in the credits to Elizabeth) ;-D

"Are you not amazed that his father spoke to the media? Wasn't there an incident when his mother was quoted long ago and CF was upset about it? " I think it was Livia's mother who spoke to the press.

Lizza, LOL at your post about the NY premiere. Hurrah! Karen is world-renowned webmaster/whiz woman! (Karen) You mean the ones we picked up on Canal Street with Prada stamped on them? And that would be the 'Pra-duh' line, spread out on a blanket, no? Regarding the Mirror article, what's this about Col' attending college? Also, Colin doesn't strike me as having 'motor mouth' tendencies.

close Sorry about that. Got things reversed. :-)

There's a transcript of HF's online chat at the UK BJD site: http://www.msn.co.uk/Page/34-612-696.asp Here's the last question: MSN Live: One last question, Helen. Well, two. Will you write about Bridget again? If you don�t, would you miss her? Helen: I feel very protective about Bridget and so if I write about her again, it would have to be for a very good reason and a very good story to tell. I don't miss her, because she's always there. If something embarrassing happens to me, I always imagine it happens to Bridget, and how much more embarrassing she could have possibly made it be...

Review by James Berardinelli (3-1/2 stars out of 4) Bridget Jones's Diary is, quite simply, the finest motion picture released by Miramax Films since 1999's The Cider House Rules. Based on the novel by Helen Fielding, the screenplay for Bridget Jones's Diary (written by Four Weddings and a Funeral scribe Richard Curtis) successfully adapts the book into an easily-manageable 90 minute chunk while retaining much of the humor and remaining faithful to the tone. Bridget Jones's Diary is smart, sassy, and thoroughly enjoyable, and features one of the most endearing and believable characters to grace the screen this year. The film tells the story of a year in the life of an average, single, thirty-something British woman, who, armed with only her wits and charm (and a diary), goes in search of the ever-elusive Mr. Right. Unlucky-in-love Bridget (Renee Zellweger) has two candidates: the fun and sexy Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and the dour Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), whom she overhears calling her a "verbally incontinent spinster" when they first meet at a party. Not surprisingly, she goes for Daniel, but he turns out to be a less-than-perfect catch. Then, just when her interest in Mark begins to emerge (following his statement that he likes her just as she is), he hooks up with man-eating lawyer Natasha (Embeth Davidtz), who is determined to marry him. Meanwhile, her parents' marriage is on the rocks and she embarks upon a career in television news. (The line that gets her the position: "I got fired from my last job for sleeping with my boss.") In England, the casting of American Renee Zellweger was initially greeted with much resistance by the press and the public. It was argued that not only was Zellweger an American, but she was too skinny to play the chubby Bridget. Well, some time between casting and shooting, Zellweger put on a few pounds (she's pleasingly plump - not fat by any means, but certainly of Kate Winslet proportions) and worked hard to perfect a British accent (there are a few slips, but they're mercifully rare). These qualities, coupled with her natural charm and screen presence, make her a flawless choice for the lead. Not since her breakthrough roles in The Whole Wide World and Jerry Maguire has she given a performance of this all-around quality. Zellweger embodies Bridget, and is a huge reason why the movie works. Those who have read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice will find some familiar characters and elements in Bridget Jones's Diary. It doesn't take much deduction to determine that Helen Fielding is an Austen admirer, and that all of the nods to Pride and Prejudice are intentional. While it would be unfair to call Bridget Jones's Diary a 20th-century re-interpretation of Pride and Prejudice, there are some parallels - at least one of which the filmmakers have decided to emphasize. The casting of Colin Firth as Mark Darcy is inspired. Firth, who essayed Mr. Darcy in the hugely popular 1995 BBC/A&E television production of Pride and Prejudice, plays this part exactly as he played the earlier role, making it evident that the two Darcys are essentially the same. He's a repressed snob who gradually, unwillingly finds himself falling for the least suitable woman around him - Bridget (who, upon closer examination, bears a passing resemblance to Elizabeth Bennet). Hugh Grant brings all the charm he can muster to the oily role of Daniel - a man who enhances his chances with Bridget by telling a lie about Mark. Like Austen's Wickham, this guy is too good to believe, and proceeds to prove our suspicions correct. Grant, who, like Firth, has appeared in an Austen adaptation (Sense and Sensibility), is at home in the role. Strong supporting performances are given by Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones as Bridget's parents. Bridget Jones's Diary is filled with moments of truth and flashes of humor (sometimes the two are the same). The direction, by newcomer Sharon Maguire, shows the deftness of a veteran. The energy level is consistently high and the characters (especially Bridget) don't take long to endear themselves to the audience. The result is worthy of exultation, especially in the bleakness of the winter/spring cinematic landscape. I smiled at the biting one-liners, laughed at both the subtle and the overt comedic aspects, and nodded my head in sympathy with Bridget's all-too-familiar plight - and I'm a male. Imagine the female reaction. Congratulations to all involved. Bridget Jones's Diary is a triumph. http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/b/bridget.html

Lizza, LOL at your post about the NY premiere. Hurrah! Karen is world-renowned webmaster/whiz woman! (Karen) You mean the ones we picked up on Canal Street with Prada stamped on them? And that would be the 'Pra-duh' line, spread out on a blanket, no? Regarding the Mirror article, what's this about Col' attending college? Also, Colin doesn't strike me as having 'motor mouth' tendencies.

Arrggh, twin posts again. Methinks I need a vacation.

He describes him as "quite an excitable person who likes larking around. He's very noisy - the life and soul of the party. He's a very dominant personality....he's very close to his family and tries to see as much of them as possible". "I wasn't surprised he did so well. Underneath the laddish exterior was quite a shrewd character who knew exactly what he wanted to do." He never stops talking, and he's very funny This is when his horoscope matches Hughie's. ;-) Who would have thought it! :-D Thank you all for the articles and reviews! And Karen, I told you the webmistress thing would work. :-) We are awaiting pictures. I trust you have some?

He describes him as "quite an excitable person who likes larking around. He's very noisy - the life and soul of the party. He's a very dominant personality....he's very close to his family and tries to see as much of them as possible". "I wasn't surprised he did so well. Underneath the laddish exterior was quite a shrewd character who knew exactly what he wanted to do." He never stops talking, and he's very funny This is when his horoscope matches Hughie's. ;-) Who would have thought it! :-D Thank you all for the articles and reviews! And Karen, I told you the webmistress thing would work. :-) We are awaiting pictures. I trust you have some?

Sorry for the double post. BTW, I am still waiting your views on the naughty sex scene. Which is it?

First let me say that, as usual, I picked a lousy time to be away from my computer for a few days--nearly 300 posts' worth! Let me echo the thanks given to all for posting pics, articles, premiere experiences and opinions about the film, etc. Second, *waving hello to all the de-lurkers*. Sure is more fun around here when we actually have something to talk about besides the weather, collecting donations and the state of CF's career, isn't it? ;-) Third, was disappointed to read about audience reaction at the preview in DC. Where did they find these people? A bunch of sixth grade tourists in town for the cherry blossoms? Strom Thurmond's aides? Or Russell Crowe's FBI bodyguards, perhaps? Aargh! Sorry I couldn't be there whooping it up for ODB in manner of relocated loudmouth Jersey girl. ;-D (Karen) Are you not amazed that his father spoke to the media? Wasn't there an incident when his mother was quoted long ago and CF was upset about it? Yes, I am amazed...and as usual, a bit skeptical. CF's mother was supposedly quoted in that tabloid series that came out after P&P--the same one, I think, that paired him with actress Joanne Whalley, whom he had never met. (Karen) Rubbish, utter rubbish, except for the part where Lizza was overheard propositioning Eric Fellner LOL! Keep it going ladies and remember...the truth will out. ;-) In my absence I was able to tape the E! interview (though something is wrong with the sound). Agree with the general sentiment--thought CF was charming and genuine. Love these behind the scenes things. Watched the one about SiL long after the movie came and went. It isn't often we get to see ODB being himself and his character all at the same time. I managed the miss the VH1 offering this weekend (honestly, are any of these schedules accurate? :-/) but will catch it tonight at 11:30--thanks for the HG saturation alert.

I too was a little surprised at the provenance of the 'quotes' in the Mirror - it's probably our wonderful press up to its usual tricks again - but it's a harmless piece I suppose! Valerie - I wish the online version had the pictures! Ask and you shall receive (quality not great but you get the gist)....love that waistcoat *grin* , but does he really look like he's having fun? ;-)

Goodness. Check out the hair. And what, Firthcianados, is the policeman role (if that's what it is)?

Thanks, Tracy. Can you imagine his family handing out those pictures? I can't. Some enterprising tabloid journalists has been sifting through school yearbooks in St. Louis and other schools on your shores.

Ben - the policeman's role was a bit part in Crown Court (takes you back a bit - I only remember seeing it when I was off sick from school!)

Crown Court (1984). To my knowledge, no one has a video of that episode (or was it a recurring role???)

Agree Karen, I think I'd want to keep them v carefully hidden...in fact I DO keep my school photos v carefully hidden.....way too scary ;-)

You know in that young shot, he looks a lot like Jonathan Firth... hmmm... (I mean the one with the long hair)

*heehee* CF looks about 8 in that Crown Court pic (reminds me of that glimpse of him in Secret Garden). Someone should also tell the British press that 'high school' here in the states includes the ages of around 13-14 through 17-18, not 8. Thanks for posting, Your Scan-ness (aka Tracy)!

Crown Court was a long-running (not sure if daily or bi weekly or something) lunchtime drama, I didn't watch many but seem to recall that the story lasted just half an hour and didn't appear to use the same characters in subsequent episodes.

Watching a video of Crown Court would be a test of any Firthette's dedication. I can't really think of a US equivalent, but picture the cheapest, shoddiest daytime soap....and you still wouldn't be close. Tracy, would it have been ITV or Thames? There's probably a dust-covered reel of Super 8 in some vault.

(Ben) I can't really think of a US equivalent, but picture the cheapest, shoddiest daytime soap....and you still wouldn't be close. LOL! Sounds like one of our phony reenactment programs (which I don't watch). Isn't there one called Cops? Or how about those tacky hidden-camera-in-restaurant kitchen expose shows? ;-D

Coming out of lurkdom....I saw on a CNN show business report today that BJD was shown in 600 theaters over the weekend. They said they expect very good things from the movie, based on the comments. 65% of those attending were women, and they seemed to think that was a good thing. They only mentioned RZ and HG, of course, but they seemed v. enthusiastic. They gave other results from the surveys at the sneak peaks, but I can't remember any of the stats. Sounds like good news!

Welcome Lynn and all new comers. Like Eileen says it's more fun having lots of people to chat with. BJD was shown in 600 theaters over the weekend. Must be all the one-time previews.Though the newspaper adverts started last Thursday and are still there for next Friday. Are there ads in the UK newspapers? TV trailers? I hear NYC has them non-stop. "Coming Friday

Have picked myself off floor...Time Magazine review by Richard Corliss (of course, not by other humorless female staffers): Full-Witted Renee Zellweger shines in Bridget Jones's Diary With her ruddy skin, pulpy bosom and self-abasing zinger wit, she's so - well, so very English. One glance at Houston's own Renee Zellweger, and all anxiety about the casting of an American as Britain's favorite wounded bird of the '90s vanishes. (Hey, if Vivien Leigh could play Scarlett O'Hara...) She fits in, and stands out, perfectly. And as the plot of Bridget Jones's Diary ripens, and two handsome men - rapacious Daniel Cleaver (Huge Gnat) and dull Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) - tumble, vagrantly into her heart, Zellweger reveals, as in a soul's striptease, Bridget's appeal. Inside this "verbally incontinent spinster" (as Darcy calls her), a brilliant vamp is aching to be set free. The diary form, established by Helen Fielding in an Independent column and then two best blithe best sellers, is smartly adapted in the script by Fielding, Andrew Davies (BBC's Pride and Prejudice) and Richard Curtis (Blackadder, Notting Hill) - a virtual conglomerate of middle-class Brit humor. It gives good lines and cunning motives to the stars, especially the newly gaunt Grant, who's irresistible as a randy cad. And, except for a catastrophic third act that comprises about 14 endings, two transatlantic flights and a long, clumsy fight scene, director Sharon Maguire nicely juggles the slapstick and heartbreak. For this is a very romantic romantic comedy. That Firth, who was the dark dreamboat Darcy in Pride and Prejudice plays the dull dreamboat Darcy here simply underlines the comedy-of-manners connection between Helen Fielding's work and Jane Austen's. This, for the most part, is a tale of comic good sense and poignant sensibility.

dull dreamboat Darcyhmmm, is that good or bad? No TV trailers yet Evelyn, but loads of publicity on the radio, and mags and newspapers. The soundtrack for BJD is the "Album of the Week" on Radio 2 and The Ken Bruce Show is airing a track a day.

Newsweek liked it also (though the review wasn't done by David Ansen, who usually does the biggies). Here are pertinent excerpts: Jonesing for Miss Bridget Naysayers be damned, Renee Zellweger triumphs as Britain�s most famous singleton By Jeff Giles NEWSWEEK It�s late July in England, and it�s been as hot as 120 degrees on the set of �Bridget Jones�s Diary.� Today, gratefully, the heat has broken on the soundstage. It�s 106 degrees. THE FRAZZLED, LOVELORN singleton works in publishing�actually, �works� might be too strong a word�and it turns out that reproducing the flat, fluorescent glare of an office is something of a special effect, requiring three times the usual lighting. Between takes, Renee Zellweger clumps about un-self-consciously in black stiletto boots, her cheeks flushed from the heat, her hair tumbling out of a barrette, her nylons pushed down to her knees. �The boys won�t know,� she whispers, in her newly acquired British lilt. The temperature must be getting to Zellweger because when asked if she�s nervous about her accent, the native Texan launches into a standard-issue, PR-savvy reply ��I don�t think about it,� etc.�then suddenly puts her head in her hands and wails, �Oh, God, I hope it doesn�t suck!� Nearby, Hugh Grant� who plays Bridget�s rakish boss, Daniel Cleaver�paces alone, scarfing down a chocolate bar and cooling his face with a plastic pocket fan. Grant admits to being grumpy�and to having something of a beef with Zellweger. �I�m always the set bitch, and Renee won�t join in,� he says. �I can�t find anyone that she will say a mean word about.� After �Bridget Jones� opens this week, it will be harder still to find anyone who�ll say a mean word about her. �Bridget,� directed by first-timer Sharon Maguire, is a tremendously funny and touching adaptation of Helen Fielding�s best seller about one woman�s quest to lose 20 pounds. To stop drinking and smoking. To stop pining for a boyfriend. To find a boyfriend, for God�s sake�and not die alone in her apartment only to be found months later, partially eaten by dogs. /.../[Same ol' yadda about RZ's casting] Still, she�s so disarming and so deeply Bridget�gliding between mortifying slapstick and pathos�that she�s entirely won you over by the time the credits have rolled. The opening credits. �Bridget Jones� begins on New Year�s Day, as our hungover heroine trudges to an odious party with her parents. Bridget�s mother (Gemma Jones) immediately shoves her at the nearest bachelor, the cold, diffident barrister Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Bridget blathers. Darcy recoils in horror. And Bridget retreats to her flat in London, where she plays air drums to teary pop songs. Fortunately, Bridget�s devilish boss (Grant) takes notice of her, and they launch a raucous romance, as Darcy watches from the wings. �Bridget� distills Fielding�s novel into a conventional love triangle, and the pacing can be rough. (The hyperactive pop score suggests nervousness in the editing room.) But the script�partly written by Richard Curtis, who wrote �Notting Hill��is killingly funny, and Zellweger�s costars all shine. Grant, in particular, does a hilarious, lascivious turn. One night, he lays Bridget down on the rug and enumerates all the articles of clothing he�s about to relieve her of, including her unsightly, tummy-controlling undergarments: �Now, these are very silly little boots, Jones. And this is a very silly little dress�and, oh me, absolutely enormous panties!" /.../ [RZ's childhood, previous work, love life, etc.] �Bridget� should confirm Zellweger�s staying power. Director Maguire, a friend of Fielding�s and the inspiration for Bridget�s voluble buddy Sharon, says she cast Zellweger because, among other things, she made her laugh the minute she met her. Maguire, by the way, verifies Grant�s report that Zellweger was sweetness and light during production�and that Grant was the �set bitch.� �Him and Colin are both very campy,� she says. �They called each other �Mrs. Firth� and �Mrs. Grant.� Oh, how�s Mrs. Grant this morning? We had a running joke about whose turn it was for a hissy fit, and the boys would fight it out. It�s my turn for a tanty! Renee didn�t have any tantrums. There�s no bulls�t to her. She�s got no vanity. She just got on with the job.� So sue her for being sweet. After politely answering questions for hours, Zellweger heads out of the cozy cafe. The waiter knows her and likes her, so, during the interview, without telling her, he�s gone out to put quarters in her parking meter. Zellweger is touched� but it turns out that a policeman is writing her a ticket anyway. Zellweger dashes up to the cop, beaming nervously. �Did you already get me?� The cop nods indifferently. Zellweger points at the reporter and jokes, �It�s his fault! I was talking to him!� The cop nods again. �Yeah,� he says. �It�s always the guy�s fault.� Zellweger can�t charm the cop in the middle of the street. In a movie theater, he wouldn�t stand a chance.

"clumsy fight scene" Wasn't that rather the point? Doesn't that guy have ANY sense of humor???? The fight is hysterical!

Re TV trailers-there have been couple on over the weekend-one about it being Friday 13th & shows BJ singing karaoke.The other is longer & shows more clips but it may be for the soundtrack.

Forgot to mention the print version of Newsweek features a huge pic of sexy Renee with smaller ones of CF as MD (the original reindeer sweater pic) and Gnatman as DC.

Both good reviews. Thanks Eileen and Karen for *typing* them out;-)) Richard Corliss of Time is a vampire....this is *really* good for him. You should have read what he said about Kenneth Brannagh...!

Have put up lots of new pics: http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/bjdgal.html Those who haven't seen the movie yet, may want to wait...

(Karen) Mari, could it be that Aunt and Uncle F told David? Heh, heh, heh . . . probably. Was sure they were sizing me up for niece-in-law material.;-) V.v. sweet people--they were so proud of him, as if he were their own son. Nice family. (Scanning Queen) love that waistcoat *grin* , but does he really look like he's having fun? ;-) Pfft! Tracy, I'm still trying to figure out how he could be 8 in the US pic when the article says 11.;-) Very adorable as a little boy; I wonder if Luca will resemble his dad? These are all wonderful--thanks to everyone for the reports and scans, and thanks for the great reviews, too--Time *and* Newsweek like it! Very good news indeed. (Moon)BTW, I am still waiting your views on the naughty sex scene. Which is it? Definitely anal, IMO. How could it be anything butt? ;-)

(Karen) Have put up lots of new pics Reminds me, I meant to ask earlier: what is up with the crazylegs pic from the London premiere? Reminds me of my neice when she has to use the potty. (Mari) How could it be anything butt? *teehee*

(Moon)BTW, I am still waiting your views on the naughty sex scene. Which is it? (Mari), Definitely anal, IMO. How could it be anything butt? ;-) OK. Vulgar beyond belief. And she wanted to do it again staight away? No comment! Thanks for all the non-stop article postings. Enjoying this firhtfilled ride. :-)

Thanks for the pics, Karen. One of my fave scenes....MD coming down the stairs of the mini-break manor house in a cream shirt finds Bridget who just came in with wind-blown...electrified, really, hair.I've never seen a pic of that. I guarantee ya'...takes your breath away.

The new Talk Magazine is out with hairless Huge on cover. Apparently, donkeys are anatomically different in UK, as there's no evidence to support Evening Standard's remarks, unless photos mentioned by Tim Bevan were not published. ;-D ~~~~~~~~~ And that's why Grant is in Bridget Jones's Diary, a film based on Helen Fielding's best-selling novel about a plump thirtysomething woman whose love life is literally the stuff of Pride and Prejudice. Fielding got her wish to have Colin Firth play the proud, upstanding Mr. Darcy (he'd played the role to perfection in the PBS miniseries of the Jane Austen classic). [Ed. note: bad fact checkers at Talk.] Maguire then set about getting her wish: to have Grant play Darcy's womanizing rival, Daniel Cleaver, the head of the publishing house where Bridget works. "Hugh calls me 'Stalking Maguire,'" she says. "For two and a half years he'd take my calls but always say no. Then when Richard came on board to rewrite the script, that closed the deal," Maguire laughs. "I went to see Hugh after this series of seductive phone calls, and he said rather disingenuously, "I can't think of what this character's like." And I said, "Hugh, it's you. You know it's you." [...] (Ask Maguire if she's heard Grant's Heather limerick and she replies nonchalantly, "Is that the one that has '[can't type it]' in it? He wanted to put that one in the boat scene. Colin Firth came up with the one we did use. It's about a girl from Ealing.") [...] She [Hugh's mother] pauses reflectively and then adds, "I hope he gets a chance to write, because that's his other great gift, really." Maguire found that out firsthand when she had the actors write a diary in their character's voice, to be read aloud at the first rehearsal. "Ren�e's was as neurotic as Bridget's, all about gaining weight," she says. "Colin's was all about his work and had no problem with commitment. Hugh's character had come from divorced parents. It was basically an account of someone who had so much existential despair that the only way to overcome it was to live dangerously. He's a predatory character with an innate sense of humor, which he uses as a weapon. It was a really fascinating insight. I knew that we'd chosen exactly the right people for the parts. Hugh will never be the 'right' one. He'll always be dangerous. [They provide a few of HG's diary entries]

Lizza what a treat! you had me believing you! Tracy T... *snort* If those were my pics...! i never handed out a single senior high school picture, I'm glad i burned them all. Karen, love the new movie pics! (Evelyn) One of my fave scenes....MD coming down the stairs of the mini-break manor house in a cream shirt finds Bridget who just came in with wind-blown...electrified, really, hair. THAT particular moment had me out of my seat!

CF came up with that limerick???? Oh to have been there and heard him speak it! I might not have recovered...

From a column by Matthew Norman in the Evening Standard on 5 April: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/news/top_story.html?in_review_id=378471&in_review_text_id=324035 Help - I just don't know about Colin and Hugh CAN anyone help cure a nasty anti-social disease I've caught from sitting on a fence? Having considered the question for a fortnight, I still have no idea whether I'm a Hugh Grant person or a Colin Firth person - and with no opinion on what seems sure to be the only compelling talking point for the next six to nine months, I find myself looking down the barrel of dinner-party ostracism. So far, all I've managed is to work out that one is a competent actor hugely embarrassed about making so much easy money from being typecast as an absurdly tongue-tied English toff. While the other is Hugh Grant. If any telepath out there can divine which camp I belong to simply by staring at the above picture byline (it's a comparatively most recent one, by the way, taken in early 1957), write in, please, and free me from the spectre of long-term social leperdom.

I posted a letter in response to this Matthew Norman piece on the other board (109?). The gist was that any self-respecting Englishman would prefer to be CF than HG. Sure. I'd also prefer to be Pele than Maradona.

109? Where did that come from? I meant 143.

Is Colin supposed to be on the Today show today?

Fun review, written a la Bridget, containing this opening line: "Decided to attend film, as Colin Firth may remove shirt, and am tired of watching Pride and Prejudice just to get a peek. Theatre filled with groups of women apparently with same idea. Women v. loud in appreciation of film, and all seem to have encyclopaedic knowledge of the book it's based upon." http://www.hollywood-hostel.com/archives/viewcolumn.cgi?user=ChasingAmy&file=986745650.col Another which has the following line: "Colin Firth is also allowed to switch types and show off his leading man chops for change." [What type was he before? Masturbatory village pervert??] http://www.tnmc.org/dp/0409011.shtml A third, with this comment: "Equally as good is Colin Firth who plays the straight laced Mark Darcy. His cold straight lace manner is the perfect backdrop for Bridget['s] charming clumsiness." http://thewheeldealreview.homestead.com/BridgetJones.html A fourth, by someone who saw an advance version with different beginning: http://thefilmcritiquer.com/the_film_critiquer/Critiques/BridgetJonessDiary.htm

(Karen) [What type was he before? Masturbatory village pervert??] Really. Guess this writer never saw HOTPig, Femme Fatale or Playmaker. ;-D Stayed up to watch VH1's Behind the Movie last night. Am grateful for the warnings about Huge Blabbermouth--saved me some frustration. However, how come nobody mentioned those pop up thingys? You know, those little comic book type bubbles that allow you to see what the people are thinking (wot? They didn't air this version last weekend?). Here's what was going through CF's mind at the top of the show: Let's see...15 more minutes here, then 20 to the airport and I'm outta here... Hmm, if it's a boy, Luca or Nigel? Roberto or Giles? Shut up, shut up, you poxy self-centered *&^%%... I can't wait to get out of this jacket and put my black tee shirt back on. How can I get Rupie and Judy to do all this publicity crap for me when Earnest comes out? *** It was quite enlightening. ;-D

(pop up) Let's see...15 more minutes here, then 20 to the airport and I'm outta here... LOL! Absolutely perfect as permanent subtitling.

In the Thank God for Renee Dept: RZ is scheduled for the Rosie Show today and the Late Show tonight. And he wonders why no one knows him in the States?

Well, if you must know, Colin Firth is celebrating my birthday... And decided that this day of all Holy days, he wouldn't be interviewed... ;)

Happy B-Day Lala!!! (I was all ready to post a notice on the Tea Room, but no Tea Room there on which to post :( )

Shut up, shut up, you poxy self-centered *&^%%... I can't wait to get out of this jacket and put my black tee shirt back on. How can I get Rupie and Judy to do all this publicity crap for me when Earnest comes out? ROTFLMAO! Oh Eileen, thanks, honey, I really needed the laugh. Keep 'em coming; am heading into meeting with bean-counting schmucks and will need cheering upon return. *E-Z Wipe Monitor Cover left firmly in place* Thank God for Renee is right, Evelyn; this kid is working like a dog to sell this. I see she's hosting Saturday Night Live this week; wonder if Huge will show as cameo guest.;-)

(Mari) wonder if Huge will show as cameo guest.;-) Yeeesss, I see it now...Renee will be delivering her opening monologue using British accent...HG, planted in audience, will stand and confront her about not being British...HG will then inform audience about RZ's brief Princess Margaret phase and that he was in British SAS... this kid is working like a dog to sell this If I heard the advert correctly, she'll even be on Divas Live tonight on VH1 (hopefully will not get OTT about Sheryl Crowe again).

Forgot to mention that Rosie Show will be even better today because the hostess, preoccupied with her non-healing surgical wound (I understand why but there's a time and a place to show your suture line), will be out sick and The View's Meredith Viera is substituting. This way they might even get around to talking about the film.

(Mari) wonder if Huge will show as cameo guest.;-) Well, you can be sure of who *won't* show....

Thank you all for another day's worth of entertaining posts. Almost as much fun as watching Huge Gnat descend into water....... ****** UK VID SET ALERT ******* Tomorrow 7pm Channel 5 Movie Chart Show Gail Porter interviews HG RZ and HF about BJD and reviews film *******************************

Eileen, LOL at your 'pop-ups.' V.v. good! (must purchase the Ronco Spit Take Screen Protector) If I have to look at Rosie's Frankenstein-esque sutures again, I may have to pull the plug. Too much information and sharing, Rosie! Lisa, who has watched way too many talk shows these past few weeks in search of BJD clips and cast appearances.....

Any Radio 4 listeners out there (MarkG our very own homegrown "Walk on By" star) Antonia Quirke reviewed the film last night, got a thumbs up but much droning on (and on) about a certain character's light comedy talents, Cary Grant in "North by Northwest" etc etc I think that she is the reviewer for the Independent, so I guess we can expect more of the same again at the end of the week. Her other comments were more spoilers, to be posted elsewhere!

From the Sunday L.A. Times Calendar, an article about RZ, with some brief mention and comments from CF. �Bridget Jones�s Diary,� the movie, opens Friday, with Zellweger in the title role opposite HG as a dashing scoundrel and CF as priggish barrister Mark Darcy, modeled directly on the character he played in the BBC�s production of Jane Austen�s �Pride and Prejudice.� Then came the table read, when the cast met for the first time to go through the script and check out Zellweger's command of the mother tongue. Firth says, �At an English read-through, the glasses go on, cigarettes come out, pens get chewed on, people are definitely scared, and there's always something slightly disingenuous where they say, "Don't worry everybody, this is not a performance, no one's going to judge anything, it's just a gentle read-through.� And then afterwards they come up to you and go,� Firth suddenly whispers conspiratorially, �You were great, although I'm bit worried about so and so; I thought they really sucked. �Yeah, of course they're judging you, which just makes it terrifying.� The silly outfits, bad hair and farcical fistfights�Firth likens his scratching, kicking showdown with Grant to a spat between �a couple of 7-year old girls��provide plenty of laughs, but it's Bridget's search for love that gives �Diary� emotional heft. http://www.calendarlive.com/top/1,1419,L-LATimes-Search-X!ArticleDetail-28349,00.html?search_area=Blended&channel=Search&search_text=A+Part+with+Meat+on+its+Bones

I saw that, Marianne, but you forgot Huge's big contribution to the LA Times article: "Sounded like Princess Margaret, blah, blah, slurred as stroke victim, blah blah . .. " I kid you not, folks. You're right, Karen, you *can't* say "Arsenal" every time!;-) Renee will be delivering her opening monologue using British accent...HG, planted in audience, will stand and confront her about not being British...HG will then inform audience about RZ's brief Princess Margaret phase and that he was in British SAS... LOL, Eileen! SIL deja vu, eh? You read it first here, folks.;-)

(Mari) this kid is working like a dog to sell this Didn't one of the articles mention that this is the first movie she's had to carry on her own? This is really important to her. It's whether she becomes a 'bankable' star; everyone already knows she can act. ;-D Gaah, do I have to watch Today each and every morning this week? This may be too much to bear. Firth likens his scratching, kicking showdown with Grant to a spat between �a couple of 7-year old girls ...with SAS training. Am currently watching two 7-year olds go flying through glass window across street. Hmmmm, maybe are 8...

And then HG's family will stand up and speak in the "voice of our dead cat." I loved the fact that he said his mother tapped on the legs to put his feet down from the seat in front at the London Premiere. 7 year old boy indeed!

Should have been 7 year old girl! BTW karen, getting back to Eric Fellner and the NY Premiere....... What you saw was not a proposition at all ! I am known for having a penchant for men with the odd balding patch, but his follicles are way past even beinf seriously challenged! (think Royal Family!)I was actually asking him why someone more attractive could not have been found to introduce the film, like Tim Bevan, and who knew the cast list in advance! I was explaining that a member of the audience had come all the way from Oklahoma (her words!)for this very experience and was disappointed at the lack of attractive men at the premiere. Hope that has cleared that up for you :~)

Thoughtful article from the Independent. Bridget Jones: Essays in uncool 'Four Weddings...', 'Notting Hill', 'Bridget Jones...' - the trilogy of formulaic films made by Working Title all tell the same story of unfashionable people humiliated in their pursuit of romance. So why do we love them so much? By Judith Williamson 08 April 2001 A part of me was squirming at the prospect of yet another blockbuster from the makers of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill hitting our screens this week. The cynical corner of my mind had already dismissed Bridget Jones's Diary, the latest movie from producers Working Title, as just another shake-up of the formula that made the first two so successful: American actress + goofy Hugh Grant + backdrop of wacky friends in upper middle class milieu = box office hit. This time the American actress plays an English character; Hugh Grant � an essential ingredient � reappears as the bad guy; Colin Firth is thrown into the mix as the new love-interest; wacky friends remain, in the same milieu, with additional wacky parents. And the twist is that Bridget Jones is given the clutzy goofiness of the earlier Grant characters. However, the cynical mind is not always the best tool for understanding popular hits. And no one ever quite explained the massive success of Four Weddings and Notting Hill. Why did people � both sides of the Atlantic � love them so much? Of course they are formulaic: they are genre films, romantic comedies unashamedly modelled on the Hollywood prototype. But to berate them for that is about as pointless as berating Friends or Frasier for being sitcoms. It is certainly annoying, for those of us who still care about class politics, that the only slice of British society they show is a relentlessly posh one, but again, to dismiss them on that basis is a bit like dismissing Cukor's romantic classic The Philadelphia Story for being about white upper-class Americans. It is also true that these films break no cinematic ground aesthetically, but then, Philadelphia Story cannot be illuminated by comparison with, say, Battleship Potemkin. The achievement of popular culture has been to provide frameworks � precisely through the repeated formulae of genres � for dealing with strong feelings that may not be worked through anywhere else. The fact that they are dealt with entertainingly doesn't mean those feelings are not real: rather, that even painful and disturbing emotions can be explored and safely held by the generic structure itself. Any film, TV show, or popular fiction that sweeps to success does so not because of its format, but because of the fears and desires its format "holds" for us. And while formats may change little over time (romantic comedy demands that love be repeatedly thwarted but ultimately triumph) the fears and desires wound into them tell us a great deal about any social moment. Four Weddings and Notting Hill are generally remembered as light-hearted comedies where the floppily charming Hugh Grant gets his girl in the end. But, in fact, without the endings they would be about failure and insecurity and hesitation: about the pain of emotionally screwing up. Four Weddings begins with Hugh Grant messing up being best man at a wedding and then hideously putting his foot in it at the reception. This kicks off a series of increasingly embarrassing mistakes and, ultimately, humiliations � the worst perhaps being his having to choose a wedding dress for the woman he loves to marry someone else in. Notting Hill follows an exactly similar pattern: Hugh Grant starts off clumsy and awkward, then progresses through increasingly humiliating situations to downright hurtful ones � memorably, having to play "room service" to the woman he loves and her suddenly-revealed boyfriend. These painful situations are carried by a verbal wit which both lightens the films and, crucially, gives the Hugh Grant figure some dignity. The comedy is also carried by playing on his English stereotype. However, the films didn't just hit a nerve in Britain, but internationally: and, though "Englishness" may provide a cover, the directness of that hit says as much about gender roles as about national identity. For these two films place Hugh Grant in a role of passivity and suffering which is traditionally feminine: he waits on the sidelines while the woman � who's more successful and glamorous than him � comes and goes. Yet in neither film is he made to seem pathetic either because he loves her or because he suffers. And neither does the plot demand that she love him less. In fact, strikingly, the women make every physical move in both films. In Four Weddings, Andie McDowell has to coax him through his inhibitions and into bed with her. In Notting Hill, Julia Roberts phones first, initiates the first kiss, the first night together � and finally asks him straight out to love her. In a dating climate dominated by the ethos of how-to-catch-men guides like The Rules this is radical stuff: no messing about with egg-timers (so you don't spend "too long" on the phone) or not accepting weekend dates after Wednesday here. The Rules are about playing hard to get: about never going "too far". And the fear of going "too far" is precisely what fuels the ultimate pleasure of these movies. The characters in their different ways go so far they're off the map � but it all works out fine. Hugh Grant goes, in a sense, too far from the sexual stereotype of assertive masculinity � yet still gets the girl. Andie McDowell and Julia Roberts initiate every stage in their relationships � yet they never seem pushy or desperate. No one becomes unlovable in these films, despite the fact that the men make fools of themselves, and the women pursue them. And the pleasurable coup of Bridget Jones's Diary is to let its heroine be lovable despite doing both. Her Diary famously catalogues Bridget Jones's excess: most obviously, with calories, cigarettes, and booze. But these merely punctuate the emotional excesses that lead to her repeated knocks and humiliations. Like Hugh Grant in the earlier movies, she babbles nervously at the drop of a hat � talks too much, drinks too much and generally feels that she is too much. Again, comedy carries off some otherwise excruciating moments: a duff public speech at a book launch; having her bottom shown on TV sliding down a fireman's pole; and � a classic nightmare scenario � arriving at a "tarts and vicars" party only to find that the "theme" has been cancelled and she is sporting her bunny costume among normally clothed guests. The film is that awful "did I really do/say that?" moment writ large: the sense of having gone too far pervades the story. And yet Bridget � superbly played by Ren�e Zellweger, who brings a sweetness to the part � is never made pathetic; saved, like the Hugh Grant characters, primarily by her wit. The film rewards, rather than punishes her, giving her two men to choose from: caddish Hugh Grant (well-cast against his earlier roles) and good guy Colin Firth � appropriately cast as "Mark Darcy". And the heart of the film is the scene where, despite her string of humiliating cock-ups, Darcy says he likes her "just as she is" � a phrase so memorable she repeats it to all her friends. But she ultimately wins him over by saying it back to him: which she does with remarkable � almost embarrassing � courage and candour. By the end of the movie, she has broken every rule in the book � and still finds herself loved. It is a wonderfully gratifying � if fantastic � denouement. For which of us hasn't, secretly, wondered if The Rules mightn't be right after all... that the way to a man's heart is to be icy and aloof and never, ever, call? But a key book-to-film plot shift with Bridget Jones's Diary is that Bridget no longer hooks the cad by not returning his calls: even the tiniest vestige of Rules cool-dom has been totally excised. And the same principle holds for all three of these movies. There is a key conversation in Notting Hill when, accused by Roberts of playing it cool because he hasn't rung her back, Grant explains that his flatmate lost the message and that he has "never played anything cool in my life". He clearly hasn't � and the film suggests that this is what makes him lovable. For these films are deliberate, affectionate essays in uncool. Even on the sartorial front it's a central issue: the dream-boat Darcy is first encountered � and dismissed for � wearing a totally naff sweater. Embarrassment, failure, unfashionableness, physical and emotional excess � every possible dimension of uncool is explored, and ultimately forgiven, in these movies. No wonder they are so popular. And they are also films it is slightly uncool to like. There is a fear of pushing the boat out emotionally that is peculiarly British, which perhaps explains why the critical response to the earlier movies held a note of embarrassment here not found across the Atlantic. It is no coincidence that an issue addressed so centrally within them should also condition their reception. I suspect that Bridget Jones's Diary will, like its forerunners, do very well indeed. But these films are an embarrassment for a critical intelligentsia partly because of their success: their popularity is somehow excessive. They are not, of course, part of the great canon of cinema. But for most of us, if we are honest, they are moving and enjoyable "just as they are".

I�ve read so many reviews, I can no longer differentiate from those that are new or previously posted. Apologies is this is one of them � ��uptight and awkward Mark Darcy, played by Colin Firth, cleverly cast in the same role that brought him fame in Pride and Prejudice.� "Colin and I were both queen-y and actress-y and went on diets. I wanted to be thin for once and Colin thought he would do it to. There we were being prima donnas while Renee was this bloke in the corner eating pizza and ice cream, so it was all reversed." http://www.sky.com/skynews/storytemplate/storytoppic/0,,30500-1010974,00.html From the online edition of Hello magazine, a report on the NY and London premieres w/ pictures of HG and RZ and assorted minor celebrities. �So it fell to the BBC�s Pride And Prejudice hunk Colin Firth to play the movie�s �nice guy�, sensitive, strait-laced Mark Darcy. In the book, Bridget and her friends Shazzer and Jude are crazy about Colin Firth, so it was something of a coup to get the Real McCoy in the cast.� http://www.hello-magazine.co.uk/2001/04/09/bridgetjonespremiere/ And CF made femail.co.uk's quote of the day: "I don't recall ever looking in the mirror and having a fully-fledged erotic experience" - Actor Colin Firth when asked if he found himself attractive

Saw RZ on Rosie with pseudo-host Meredith Viera. Said they will *likely* do a BJD spoof on SNL. Wouldn't commit though. Showed the pants clip. No mention of Colin, but only one mention of Huge. Same old same old.

Looking at Renee on the Rosie show, I'm convinced she plays the "role" of a ditzy blond.We know from Sharon Maguire interviews, that RZ is a hard-working, serious actress; deliberate in nailing her role. You'd never know it from today's show. Didn't one of the articles mention that this is the first movie she's had to carry on her own? Didn't she carry NB? Though it didn't have the wide release tht BJD will have. Thanks for the Independent article, Mari. No one said BJD was another Citizen Kane.

Didn't she carry NB? Though it didn't have the wide release tht BJD will have. I think you've answered your own question.

Had a weird experience at the local multiplex this evening. No BJD trailer before the film and absolutely no posters or publicity in the foyer to indicate that the film opens Friday (well I guess they have previews from tomorrow). I went in the knowledge there would be some goodies and came away empty handed!

Why does HG get described as �a handsome bounder and total cad,� while CF is �a repressed barrister�a stuffed shirt and noble noodle�??? http://www.cbsnews.com/now/story/0,1597,284517-412,00.shtml

Renee might not be fully comfortable with interviews--particularly in front of an audience. She might just have been nervous. But, was Viera attempting a Rosie immitation? or was I imagining it?

*Sigh* Have just got home from "exclusive screening" of BJD, it was fantastic! The cinema was packed solid, some people had to stand at the back! From the very first the place was rocking with laughter. Surprised to see so many blokes in, but they seemed to be enjoying matters just as much as us girlies! Fave bits: 'Look' on stairs in BJ's flat, at Ruby wedding and ....well basically every look really Tom "Fight!" Fight scene in general- ROTF..."happy birthday whatsisname" *tee hee* and of course 'the end' *engulfed by warm fuzzy feeling* You should have heard the sharp intake of breath around the auditorium when DC arrives at the BJ Birthday Bash - it was wonderful to be in a crowd so involved. ODB gorgeous, RZ adorable and Huge ....just looked tired and floppy! Was great, at long last, to see a CF film so well received can't wait to see it again;-) (BTW : Ben - Crown Court would have been on Thames I think)

it was wonderful to be in a crowd so involved. } Now I'm jealous. The crowd I had was sparse and quiet :(

Wow! They allow standing room in your theatres!? Tom "Fight!" hee hee hee! I've been telling all the James Callis people that that one word gets the biggest laugh. So glad you got to see it, Tracy, with a big crowd. As Huge has been telling the interviewers, RZ is going to ram that criticism down your press' throats.

Not a good review from the Village Voice. She seems to be more miffed that RZ was able to lose her weight so quickly and didn't have Bridget's weight problems in real life. Bizarre. http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0115/taubin.shtml

From the Guardian: The real Mr Darcy: Barrister Mark Muller thinks the noble hero in the Bridget Jones's Diary film is 'a bit dull'. But wasn't the character modelled on him? Jess Cartner-Morley investigates 'Who would play you in a Hollywood film?' is not a question most lawyers ever need face. But Mark Muller, a barrister with chambers in Gray's Inn Square, London, knows the answer to that question: last week he watched Colin Firth play a character modelled on him at the premiere of Bridget Jones's Diary. With a lawyer's penchant for niceties, however, Muller is keen to point out that the 'real Mark Darcy' tag is overblown: he was a consultant, rather than the inspiration, for the character of Mark Darcy human rights barrister and noble, reticent rival to love-rat Daniel Cleaver as played by Hugh Grant. And he didn't actually get to pick the actor. Firth, the most English of sex symbols he made his name playing Jane Austen's Darcy on the Beeb, after all was part of the Bridget Jones phenomenon from the beginning, as a lust object for Bridget and friends, and so a natural choice for the big screen. Screen immortality notwithstanding, Muller has pressing concerns in the real world as chairman of the Kurdish Human Rights Project and vice-chairman of the Bar Human Rights Committee. In the film, Darcy is briefly seen defending a Kurdish revolutionary leader who is faced with extradition: this was based on a real case of Muller's, that of Kani Yilmaz. Muller is now representing the Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan in a case against Turkey, where he faces the death sentence. 'If we win, it will effectively abolish the death penalty in Europe, and the case will become the basis for argument against the death penalty in the USA and elsewhere.' Yesterday, Working Title films, the company that produced Bridget Jones's Diary, held a fundraising screening for human rights projects. Muller was approached to help the producers, directors and scriptwriters develop the character of Mark Darcy through friends in the film industry: it was on a Kenyan holiday in 1997 that included Eric Felner of Working Title that he read the first Bridget Jones book. 'I enjoyed it, but I remember thinking that beyond this idea of a human rights barrister as a noble beast there wasn't much content to the character.' Muller was unsurprised by Helen Fielding's choice of career for Darcy. 'If you're trying to create a character who's noble but also a bit dark, a barrister is not a bad one to go for. And if you're thinking about a modern day knight in shining armour, most lawyers don't fulfill that criteria, but human rights lawyers do: righting wrongs and representing people who are disadvantaged. Especially if they happen to come from a privileged background and they don't really need to do it.' The Mark Darcy you will see on screen Muller finds 'a bit dull'. He was surprised that straw polls at the premiere suggested an even split between those women who favoured Darcy, and those who preferred Bridget's boss, the dastardly Cleaver. 'Grant's character is the one most men like to see themselves as, I think, and I would have thought women would have found him more attractive.' In the interests of dramatic narrative, the two male characters are cartoonishly opposed: Darcy stubbornly upstanding and silent; Cleaver, sly, suave and silver-tongued. 'I got married two or three years ago. Before that I would have seen myself more like Hugh Grant; happily I'm more like Colin Firth now.' On first impressions, he seems somewhere in the middle. Tall and dark like both the film's male leads, he has the plummy voice of Grant but the solider presence of Firth. To cast on looks, you'd have to go for Tom Hanks. He is wearing a dark suit with a pale blue-and-white shirt in large check gingham, spotted tie fastened with a slightly outsize knot in the preferable continental style, rather than the hangman-tight knot favoured by so many Englishmen. It is a strikingly similar ensemble to Firth's best outfit of the film, when at a hellish dinner party crawling with 'smug marrieds' Firth almost finds the nerve to ask Bridget out but is swiftly collared by his terrier-like girlfriend. Perhaps Mark Darcy could do for lawyers what Al Pacino did for investigative journalists in the film The Insider make them sexy. But isn't the idea of a lawyer sex symbol a bit incongruous? 'There's a certain kind of English barrister who, like Darcy, can seem a bit stuffy. Barristers don't tend to wear their wackiness on their sleeve. But they can have a very dry sense of humour, and they can be very individualistic, very funny, often quite wild.' Muller is standing as a Labour candidate in the forthcoming general election. Finding himself 'ending up in the House of Commons a lot' through his human rights work, he would like to become an MP 'to have a public platform to put arguments forward about human rights and foreign policy. I don't intend to give up law and just become an MP.' He is standing in Windsor, where he spent part of his childhood. This geographical detail currently adds a further complication to his life. His wife, Catherine Maxwell Stuart, is also standing as a Labour candidate, near her ancestral home in Scotland. After meeting as students at the London School of Economics, the couple were friends for many years before marrying. Catherine was previously married to a mutual friend, and Muller became godfather to their daughter, Isabella. They became close after Catherine's first husband died soon after Isabella's birth, and have since married and had a child. Despite contracting food poisoning from the canapes at a local Labour party social the previous night, Muller manages to exude enthusiasm for the election campaign. 'It will be a challenge, of course, because it's a Tory establishment area. But I hope people in Windsor will see that Labour are now the natural party of government, the party of stability as well as the party of economic fairness.' Would not it be difficult to divide his time even further, given he already travels between London, and overseas commitments? He brushes such namby pamby worries aside. 'Well, you know, I'll manage, it's not so difficult.' He has little enthusiasm, however, for the prospect of further forays into the film industry. 'I'm not really interested.' 'Very busy,' he adds, sounding for a moment like a true Hollywood player.

Thanks for posting that Karen. Tracy, sounds like a wild time, so glad you have seen it. For me the atmosphere in the NY screening was wonderful, Brit audiences can be sometimes much more reserved and as you say it is just so great when everyone is involved in the plot/characters. Here's to many more "involved" BJD audiences. I am off to sample a Welsh audience's reaction at a preview, hopefully Ann Robinson is not expected to be in attendance!! Huge you are the weakest link....

According to the Hollywood Reporter (April 10): Date change for 'Diary' Miramax Films is booking the Renee Zellweger-Hugh Grant starrer "Bridget Jones's Diary" on an additional 500 screens in North America and moving up the film's release in its native United Kingdom to Wednesday. "Diary" was originally slated to bow in the United Kingdom for the minimajor on 600 screens day-and-date with its 1,500-screen U.S. release during the weekend but now will debut two days earlier. "Diary" is based on Helen Fielding's best-selling novel and follows Zellweger as Bridget, a single, thirtysomething Brit looking for love while trying to mind her alcohol intake, watch her weight and cut down on smoking.

Popcorn has a minisite for BJD. Nothing really new there, just a main page to lead into existing interviews, gallery, and review. http://www.popcorn.co.uk/cinema/features/feature.jhtml?id=3482

Anybody see Renee last night with David Letterman? She seemed more relaxed than with Rosie. She knows Dave personally, one could tell. And she teased *him* for a change. Mentioned Colin once as a co-star. The accent part came up,she was coached for 6 months.[I could have a Swahili accent in that time.] Said both leads were v. supportive of her accent.Didn't criticize her..in fact it was she who insisted on re-takes til she got it right. They showed a clip of the film...with Hugh as they are speeding off on the mini-break...no Colin and no Mark![Boo hiss]

(Evelyn) They showed a clip of the film...with Hugh as they are speeding off on the mini-break...no Colin and no Mark![Boo hiss] Actually, you do see the beginning of Mark's entrance. Shins on down... ;-D

The Sun has an item about Gabrielle (and a contest) which contained the following: Gabrielle missed the film's celebrity premiere due to illness - which meant she missed out on meeting her dream man. "I didn't get to meet Colin Firth," she says. "But I would have made a fool of myself. I think he's lovely.� http://www.the-sun.co.uk/news/13580169

I am SOOO envious of you all. My stupid local movie theater said that the sneak preview would be Sat (despite ads that said Fri), but when I got there on Sat night, they said "sorry, it was last night." Foiled again. Then Today didn't show the interview yesterday. I am suffering from Colin deprivation!! The NY site for CitySearch has a link to their Bridget Jones information. Nothing new, but they invite visitors to the site to post reviews. All seven are glowing reviews. i didn't have a lot of time to surf around citysearch, but I think BJD is the only big movie opening this weekend. That could mean good $$$numbers!!!!! Am counting the minutes until Friday, when I'm taking my sister-in-law to see the movie (she has promised to bring a roll of paper towels to wipe the drool off my chin!) I don't know if this link will work, but here it is. http://newsletter.citysearch.com/go/nycnyWP63/1/?nycnyWP63179281 If it doesn't work (sorry, am v. computer-illiterate), just go to citysearch. com and work your way to BJD from there.

Very interesting...the UK soundtrack CD has 19 tracks vs. 15 in the US. Still no Van Morrison or Diana Ross singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" but the additions are: Aretha Franklin (Respect) Andy Williams (Can't Take My Eyes Off of You) Artful Dodger (Woman Trouble) Aaron Soul (Ring, Ring, Ring)

Our local paper, the Lancaster (PA) New Era had this snippet last night, in their "People in the News" section: Firth Says Hollywood fame double-edged Although British actor Colin Firth says he's had "very little success in Hollywood," he's aware that the new movie "Bridget Jones's Diary" could change that--and complicate things in the process. Firth, 40, plays Mark Darcy opposite Renee Zellweger in the film, which opens in theaters Friday. Hugh Grant also co-stars. "(Brits) absolutely devour American culture," he tells Elle magazine in its April issue. "Yet there's a suspicion of Hollywood---an idea that it's vulgar and that if you court it you're selling out. Endorsement from America can be double-sided." Firth's previous films include "Valmont," "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love".

I checked out imdb.com for reaction. Glowing comments, including the following from a Bill from Bloomington: The story is actually quite believable but still interesting. I wasn't sure until the end which guy she would pick but my wife figured it out. You don't say, Bill. Your wife's obviously a Firthette. They also break down their user ratings. The average score is 7.9/10. But there is some variation behind this. The lowest scoring groups is males aged 30-44 (6.0/10). The most generous? Women, 18-29 (9.2/10) and 30-44 (8.9). As a close observer of the Firthette mentality, I could have told males aged 30-44 NOT to go to the film with females aged 18-44. Or indeed females of any age. You are bound to suffer by comparison. My date movie? I don't know - something with PeeWee Herman, maybe.

Still no Van Morrison or Diana Ross singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" but the additions are: Hey...we wuz robbed. What a gyp. Think I'll get the British CD. But really pissed about Van Morrison and "Ain't no Mountain Higher"...that's a real important part of the film;-) The Gabrielle one sounds country western :-(

Speaking of the soundtrack, Karen, "Stop, Look, Listen" from Marvin and Diana is definitely in the film (scene of BJ and DC rolling on floor; you were undoubtedly under your seat hurling at the time;-) Here's a great review from Peter Travers in Rolling Stone, aimed especially at the male readership. 4.5 stars out of 5. On their website, you can post trivia questions about CF to see who knows more about him than you. We already know the answer is no one, so don't bother.;-) ***** It should have been no man's land: a movie based on a best-selling post-feminist novel about a year in the life of a thirty-something Brit career girl trying to kick her addictions to food, cigarettes, booze and male fuckwads while her self-esteem issues grow massive and unwieldy, just like her thighs. Instead, Bridget Jones's Diary delivers frisky fun for bruised romantics regardless of age, sex or nationality. OK, Bridget has a weakness for sentimental hokum that the film shares. The surprise comes in the brash wit that stings when it needs to and in the eye for social irony that has drawn comparison to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. When Helen Fielding's novel in diary form was published in 1996, Salman Rushdie - yes, that Salman Rushdie - called it "a brilliant comic creation" and added, "Even men will laugh." Well, the movie will make men laugh, too, at themselves as well as at Bridget. If His Satanic Verses Majesty can loosen up, so can you, dude. Here are five reasons why. (1) Renee Zellweger is irresistible. As Bridget, she had me from hello. Never mind all that go-home-Yank resentment over a twiggy Texan putting on twenty pounds and a British accent to portray a character that another actress - say, Kate Winslet - could step into without the heavy lifting. Zellweger nails the role. Barbara Berkery, Gwyneth's dialogue coach for Shakespeare in Love, rounded Zellweger's vowels; a diet of pizza and milkshakes rounded everything else; and an undercover stint at a London publishing house made her comfortable in Bridget's skin as a book publicist. What's great about Zellweger, besides the fact that she has the sexiest squint in movies (take that, Benicio), is the way she blends strength and vulnerability. Whether Bridget is singing along to self-pitying pop anthems like "All by Myself" or answering the phone - "Hello, Bridget Jones, wanton sex goddess with a very bad man between my thighs" - only to find the caller is her mother, Zellweger never hits a false note. Some people stil don't cotton to this actress, even after Jerry Maguire and Nurse Betty. On the first season of The Sopranos, Tony's wife, Carmela, ended her friendship with Father Phil when the priest brought her a DVD of One True Thing. "I told you I don't like Ren�e Zellweger," snapped Carm, who will now have to revise her opinion. After Bridget, Ms. Z is A-list all the way. (2) Helen Fielding, the journalist who dreamed up Bridget for a London newspaper column, has touched a nerve. Bridget's problem really isn't being what Fielding calls a "singleton" in a world full of "smug- marrieds." It's her shabby self-image. One diary entry says it all: "I will not sulk about having no boyfriend, but develop inner poise and authority and sense of self as woman of substance, complete without boyfriend, as best way to obtain boyfriend." Bridget, like the John Cusack character in Nick Hornby's High Fidelity, is at war with herself. Wisely, the spirited screenplay that Fielding has crafted with Richard Curtis (Notting Hill) and Andrew Davies (Circle of Friends) takes time to catch Bridget's loneliness in a crowd. Rather than settle for a trendy Brit gloss on Sex and the City or Ally McBeal, Fielding cuts deeper. (3) Sharon Maguire, the documentary filmmaker debuting as a features director, doesn't duck showing the elements that shaped Bridget. The melancholy of her dad (the superb Jim Broadbent) and the flightiness of her mum (Gemma Jones, brilliant as ever) are part of Bridget. That's where the importance of chums comes in. Maguire, a friend of Fielding's, is the inspiration for Shazza (Sally Phillips), one of Bridget's best mates - Jude (Shirley Henderson) and Tom (James Callis) are the others - who stays loyal when lovers disappoint. There's no showing off in Maguire's direction; her gift is making the film feel lived-in. (4) The men aren't all pricks. Well, they are, actually, but the actors who play them compensate nobly. Hugh Grant, dropping his dither, is suavely hilarious as Bridget's boss, Daniel Cleaver, a sexist pig who sends her dirty e-mails: "Love your tits in that top." That Bridget finds this charming is part of her problem. Barrister Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) makes a more likely prospect, but his haughtiness turns Bridget off until he helps her save a disastrous dinner party that ends in a brawl between him and Daniel. It's a funny scene, bolstered by a casting joke: In the novel, Bridget swoons over the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice, starring Firth as Mr. Darcy, a character who, like Mark, is considered a snob until events uncover his secret heart. Firth risks audience indifference with the slow build of his performance, but the payoff is delicious. (5) The film's psychobabble-bullshit factor is laudably low. There is a happy ending driven by box-office logic, but you don't need to read Fielding's sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, published in 1999, to know that Bridget - a mass of lively contradictions - is too savvy to let herself be defined by a male fuckwit. Even men will laugh; they might also learn something. No amount of sappy excess can dim that defiant flash in Zellweger's eyes. Watch her closely. She does herself and Bridget proud. PETER TRAVERS

I saw RZ on Rosie yesterday also. Thought she was 110% better than she was on Leno a few weeks ago. Missed her on Letterman, though. Glad she managed to get Colin's name out there. (Lizza) hopefully Ann Robinson is not expected to be in attendance!! Huge you are the weakest link.... ...*Goodbye!* Not bloody likely, unfortunately...

Well I should have waited ..... or should I? I have been able to play the soundtrack constantly for a week already and havin seen the film could match each scene with each track. Prefer US cover anyway! Lizza *who's desperately trying to convince herself she hasn't wasted her money* My dream soundtrack would also contain Van, plus assorted audience whoops etc to pep up "It's raining men" when Huge gets dented.

Goodbye indeed Eileen!! Well we girls can dream can't we? After all we have been doing it on this site for several years and proved dreams do come true! (cue rev of volvo engines, mournful violins etc)

does anyone have any suggestions about e-retailers in UK who we should get the CD from? I was thinking Amazon, but I just wanted to see what everyone else's thoughts were.

(Mari) you were undoubtedly under your seat hurling at the time;-) Undoubtedly is reason. ;-D Another reason to go back and see it again... I really liked the Peter Travers Rolling Stone review too. So, what's on the cover of the British CD? Also, am wondering if there are 4 more tracks, i.e., is it true? The official site only shows the 15 songs. Will shortly be unveiling newest incarnation of "Bridget Reviews the Reviews" which was done with the very able assistance of LisaBridget and EmmaBridget.

Karen- So, what's on the cover of the British CD? Haven't actually seen a copy yet but from the adverts it looks to be Bridge on her own with diary to chest ;-(. Have ordered a copy from Amazon but it hasn't been despatched yet. BTW - is it my imagination but does MD look ever more intense every time one catches a glimpse of the poster (whereas DC looks more and more like an a***!) ?

Some funny anecdotes about the fight scene: The fight scene between Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) - to the tune of Geri Halliwell's cover of the Weather Girls' It's Raining Men - is a comic departure from the book (in which the men never meet). The two leave Jones's birthday party for a brawl which takes them into the restaurant where Darcy becomes covered in taramasalata. The fight ends when the pair, played by stuntmen, exit the restaurant via the largest plastic window ever made. While the stunt went off without a hitch, the 'glass' proved less reliable. The first pane ordered by the art department shattered in transit and the second broke as it was being installed, disrupting the shoot. Veteran stuntman Peter Brayham (John Wayne's double in Branagan) choreographed the fight. He was particularly pleased with 'the bit where Grant has Firth in a headlock as they attempt to trip each other up across the street - like schoolboys'. Brayham taught them popular film punches, such as the 'straight-down-the-bottle' - which sends Grant reeling - and the 'haymaker', which floors him. Firth's only complaint was that he stank of taramasalata. 'I'll never eat that stuff again,' he vowed. According to stunt ace Brayham, both actors survived the experience relatively unscathed, though Grant was provided with a batsman's box at one stage - 'in case Firth missed.' 'We did say at the time," Brayham recalls, 'that the box had got to be worth a few bob. We even considered selling it afterwards.' [Too bad Rosie didn't know about it; otherwise, she would've wanted it for her charity auctions on eBay. She put a signed poster by RZ up right after her appearance.] Grant impressed him with his fitness, though he could not see why the women on the set swooned over Firth, who was, he says tactfully, 'a little on the slim side'. ~~~~~~~ I'm a big fan of Colin's 180 degree, arching punch inside the restaurant. He's come a long way from some of his sissy punches in the past.

Firth, who was, he says tactfully, 'a little on the slim side'. Yes, am surprised nobody has commented about this yet. He looks like superstickman in some of the clips I've seen, esp. at the T&V party. BTW, is a 'batsman's box' what I think it is? ;-)

(Eileen) BTW, is a 'batsman's box' what I think it is? ;-) What do you think it is? ;-D OK, new review page containing brilliant additions by Lisa and Emma is up: http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/bjdrevsum.html

There's plenty from the premiere & party in this weeks Heat mag.

(Karen) What do you think it is? ;-D OK, what do you think I think it is? ooh, feel like Lucy Ricardo new review page containing brilliant additions by Lisa and Emma Is blurry brilliant! Hurrah!

Love the lovely review comments. I second that "Hurrah"!

New page is total triumph, thank you all 3 Bridget's. Will celebrate no. of times MD mentioned with chardonnay and also drown sorrows at just seen TV review. No of times MD mentioned in intro - 0 No of times DC mentioned- off the scale. Review conclusion- you don't want to know! But is silly programme for under 20 year old singletons with no brains!

Karen) What do you think it is? ;-D (Eileen)OK, what do you think I think it is? ooh, feel like Lucy Ricardo I dont' know what you're talking about,Eileen....need a picture ;-D Lisa, Emma...Congratulations...you too Boss.

Kudos to the review page team! Well done, Karen, Lisa and Emma. Love the rating system:-) Here's the AP review; critic is stick-up-his-ass expat know-it-all, but has proper proportion of MD mentions (6) vs. Fuckwit (3). At the Movies: 'Bridget Jones Diary' by MATT WOLF Associated Press Writer For a film whose heroine obsesses over her weight, it's a shame that ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' should be such a slim affair. That's unlikely to matter to the hordes of readers who turned Helen Fielding's 1996 chronicle of the lovesick Londoner into an international best seller. Told in diary fashion, the book charts a year in the life of the hapless publishing assistant who wants nothing more than to settle down with a man, cut back on cigarettes and booze, sort out her fractious relationship with her parents and lose some weight. Go for it, girl! Which is exactly what the Bridget of Fielding's delightfully larky book does, aided no end by her supportive trio of friends Shazza, Jude and Tom and some good luck in the romance sweepstakes. The novel even boasts an ending that manages to revel in the same swoony romantic literature -- complete with a four-poster bed -- that it gently sends up. Relationships are indeed possible, Fielding suggests, especially if you can manage not to judge a man by his sweater. In this age of the emaciated female star, Renee Zellweger displays real courage for someone in her thespian prime by parading thighs as fleshy as those that get mercilessly scrutinized by director Sharon Maguire's camera. And the accent will prove no obstacle to those in the United States. Britons may quibble, but in a class-conscious country the accent means so much more about where you're from and what your background is. More problematic is the fact -- at least to an American observer resident in London -- that although her vowel sounds are accurately pitched, Zellweger never really seems British. Partly, that's to do with a lot of ''face acting'' (scrunched-up cheeks, a downturned mouth and the like) that a different, more seasoned director might have toned down. And Zellweger hasn't quite managed to forsake the over-ingratiation so much used by American performers and so scorned by their British colleagues. It's as if no one trusted the very real charm of the book, whose 32-year-old heroine is sure she'll die ''fat and alone'' only to end up with the dishy Mark Darcy (played by Colin Firth). Zellweger projects eagerness in a most un-Bridgetlike way, insofar as this is a woman who imagines railway announcements blaring to all and sundry the state of her thighs. The aim, presumably, was to make ''Bridget Jones'' a lovable Brit-blockbuster on the order of ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' and ''Notting Hill'' and with Hugh Grant once again on hand as the co-star. But the new film isn't as well written or directed as the earlier ones, and it's silly and not a little bit crude where those previous movies were blithe and breezy. Bridget's trio of chums seem to have been excised nearly to death in the cutting room, while the two men fare best, playing a complementary set of Cambridge buddies, each with a vested interest in Bridget. Firth's dourness has never been seen to such deliciously comic effect, and admirers of this actor will smile at his presence as another screen Darcy having already played Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy in the BBC's ''Pride and Prejudice.'' Grant is in terrific form as Bridget's boss and sometime bedmate, Daniel Cleaver. He is first seen to the strains on the soundtrack of ''Respect,'' looking as if he is suppressing a burp, and he ends up battling the bottled-up Darcy for Bridget's affections. The parental roles are particularly well filled by Jim Broadbent, with his comically bemused countenance as Bridget's father, and Gemma Jones as his flighty ''daft cow'' of a wife. No less crucial are the locations of a London where it seems forever to be snowing. So what if it the real London almost never sees the powdery stuff? ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' isn't meant to be taken literally or even all that seriously. The film is like a dusting of snow that melts in the mind the minute it's over.

(Mari) critic is stick-up-his-ass expat know-it-all You can say that again (mind your accent!). (Mr. Matt Bossybottom) insofar as this is a woman who imagines railway announcements blaring to all and sundry the state of her thighs. Hmm, wonder if he even read the book, in manner of the other critics who seem to think BJ drinks too much vodka. Note to self: next time at liquor store, check for 'Chardonnay' brand of vodka. At least he liked CF. Aargh, but he liked the Gnat too.

Batsman's box. See here for accurate definition: http://www.offthestreets.co.uk/cricket.htm I can vouch from painful experience that they are not always adequate. (If CF had really wanted to damage HG, a box would not have been adequate protection against a strategically placed kick). However, fashioned in a delightful cream or pink plastic, they are an eye-catching fashion accessory. So who cares whether they work or not?

For evidence of occasional inadequacy of box, see picture of Brian Lara (world's greatest batsman, under "box" entry, here: http://home.sprynet.com/%7Ehotoff/crickgl.htm

Here we call 'em jockstaps, and my son was complaining yesterday that his was too big for him. We still hold out high developmental hopes for his puberty, however.;-) Rex Reed has written a typically colorful review for the New York Observer. Ok, so he gets some of the facts mixed up and he thinks the final Kiss is sappy, but on big plus side, is first review to mention Huge as happy hooker procurer.;-) Proper descriptions of MD ("handsome human rights barrister") vs. DC ("narcissistic cad") and in right proportions.:-) A Diarist in Distress Ren�e Zellweger is a huggable human pastry everyone wants to take a bite of, and in Bridget Jones�s Diary she�s more delicious than ever. Having scarfed down a few hundred eclairs herself to gain the weight to play the single, 32-year-old, Chardonnay-swigging, chain-smoking, lovelorn title character in this lively film version of Helen Fielding�s bestseller, there is also a great deal more of her to hug. Cut from the same romantic taffeta as Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral, the movie is about a year in the life of a gal for whom the past is a zero and the future shows less promise than a winter in Vermont without snow. On New Year�s Day, as she endures another traditional turkey-curry buffet with her nagging mother, Bridget peruses her resolutions�to stop drinking, cease smoking, lose weight and find a responsible boyfriend�and starts a diary to improve her life. Unfortunately for her (but lucky for us), her character keeps getting in the way. Bridget works for a London publishing house, where she begins an e-mail flirtation and then a real after-hours affair with her boss (Hugh Grant). We know he�s a narcissistic cad before she does, but when she finds a naked woman in his flat, she dumps him and chucks her job at the same time. Newly ensconced as a reporter for a current-affairs show called Sit Up Britain, she gets a scoop while covering a political refugee�s trial when the defendant�s lawyer (Colin Firth) grants her an exclusive interview, and a new affair begins with this handsome human-rights barrister. Things are looking up. But life gets in the way. Her parents� marriage curdles when her flaky Mum (Gemma Jones) leaves her morose couch-potato Dad (Jim Broadbent) for a flamboyant poof who sells costume jewelry on the Home Shopping Network. The handsome lawyer dumps Bridget for an over-confident American girl. Making her mark on society by attending a chic garden tea, she shows up as a prostitute, mistakenly thinking it�s a costume party. Even when she does the Good Samaritan bit by dropping coins into a homeless couple�s cup, her charitable pride is crushed as she walks away, overhearing one of them say, �What a lovely, caring person!� �Yes,� says the other, �shame about the thighs.� Bridget Jones just can�t seem to get her moons in balance or her planets to align. No wonder she loses herself in vodka and Chaka Khan records before she sees the light. Regular bouts of public embarrassment and culinary disaster eventually force Bridget�s two admirers to duke it out with flying fists, leaving one of them to recognize her true charms. I won�t tell you which one. Suffice it to say it all ends up with Bridget, still a size 12 but working on those thighs night and day, chasing Mr. Right down the street in the snow in her skimpy knickers. The kiss, in that fadeout embrace, is right out of Barbra Streisand�s sappy fiasco The Mirror Has Two Faces�a small cavil, considering all the thorny and sympathetic humor that has preceded it. So the year in the life of a girl with low self-esteem ends in the kind of Hollywood finale Bridget has always dreamed of�but, we suspect, a new diary is just beginning. It�s fortunate that such a larky update of Jane Austen�s Pride and Prejudice manages to balance sentimentality with farce so skillfully. Neither Bridget nor her diary takes things the least bit seriously. Just as Candace Bushnell�s Sex and the City was based on a series in the pages of The New York Observer, Ms. Fielding culled the diary entries in Bridget Jones�s Diary from her own regular column in the Independent. Both deal with the concerns of career girls, anxiety-riddled and driven to comic despair by the need to �have it all.� The big difference is that Bridget is British. She makes impossible social blunders, rarely wastes time shopping, and celebrates failures at home and office with more irony than fury. The Brits are better at self-deprecating modesty (even on a big budget), and the efforts of everyone involved to poke fun at themselves are funny, engaging, and winning. I hadn�t thought about it, but one London critic was helpful in pointing out the puncturing of various illusions, beginning with Hugh Grant, whose real-life scandal with a Hollywood hooker is snickered over in the book, and who plays against type in the film with the prissy line: �I�m a terrible disaster with a posh voice and a bad character.� It�s also no secret that Colin Firth�s stuffy lawyer is named Darcy, and Mr. Firth played Jane Austen�s haughty hero Mr. Darcy in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, a series that Bridget watches compulsively (and which was also written by Andrew Davies, a co-author of the Bridget Jones screenplay). For further puncturing of literary illusion, Salman Rushdie and Jeffrey Archer appear as themselves in none-too-flattering cameos. Richard Curtis, another of the film�s writers, is Helen Fielding�s real-life ex-boyfriend, and Sharon Maguire, making her debut as the film�s director, is the model for one of Bridget�s best friends, the man-hungry feminist Sharon (nickn med Shazzer). Art imitates life (or vice versa) on both sides of the Atlantic, regardless of accent. Which brings me at last to Ren�e Zellweger, whose accent is so perfect you�d swear she came right out of Hampstead on Heath instead of the University of Texas. More conventional casting would have landed Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet the role, but Ms. Z. has an advantage: She seems more of an outsider trying to fit in. She�s as clumsy and gauche as a Texas armadillo, victimized by an endless stream of �bad-hair days� in clothes that make her look like one of the kids on Ding Dong School, but much more user-friendly with her studied accent and delightfully on-target timing. And, of course, there�s the unavoidable touch factor she�s always got going for her, which makes you want to pinch her first, then rub on the astringent before she bruises. She�s very good at the farcical elements, too, such as when, during a voiceover from her diary pledging to be sober, she falls out of a cab in a drunken heap, or mimes a song using a breadstick for a mike. The sweetness, the longing, the ability to laugh at her own pa hetic thirtysomething need to get her act together are beautifully modulated into a charming and dysfunctional character portrait that is nothing less than adorable. Bridget Jones�s Diary is a lighthearted, lightheaded burst of cool energy in a sluggish year. It�s the kind of film you can sip easily, like Bridget�s dry Chardonnay, and leave feeling dizzy.

We Bridgets thank you. Must put Mr Bossybottom's review in proper context. Anyone who writes in one-sentence paragraphs cannot be taken seriously, although he did call CF dishy (a plus). (Eileen) critics who seem to think BJ drinks too much vodka I wondered about all the vodka mentions myself early on. However, you do see vodka bottles (thrown into trash). Expect this was a case of *product placement* and no winery was willing to pay enough. Thanks for the illustrations, Ben. Have linked the posted article to the second glossary where there are pix. As CF has large feet and Huge...ahem..may not be, he could do damage real damage, similar to squashing a gnat. ;-D (Rex) The kiss, in that fadeout embrace, is right out of Barbra Streisand�s sappy fiasco The Mirror Has Two Faces Oh yeah!! I cried in that movie at pudgy Babs being rejected by hubby.

Mari, I'm surprised Rex Reed brought up Huge Gnat's (I love that name!) arrest, for wasn't Rex Reed arrested for shoplifting CDs at Tower Records a few years ago? Forgive me for digressing a bit, but I have to relate the following, which happened many years ago: The film, The Sting, featured the music of Scott Joplin, which prompted a renewed interest in ragtime. My friend's mother, a diffident and genteel woman, decided to purchase a ragtime record as a Father's Day gift for her husband. She proceeded to approach a sales clerk in a record store and asked, "Pardon me, but do you have any records by Jock Straplin?" Whoops.:-)

(Karen) We Bridgets thank you. I will second that....:-)

I take it Rex Reed must have seen an advanced print of the film, cause his description of the plot doesn't really match what I saw.

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, is he gorgeous or is he gorgeous. it can't get better than this, I am in heaven. You may have guessed I have just got back from a preview screening of BJD, and it is wonderful. Renee is wonderful, words fail me she is Bridget and can she act, you cry for her, you laugh with her you understand her. Hugh was okay, liked him better than in NH but he pales into insignificance against ODB, or am I biased. Can't wait to see it again. BTW my hubby loved it and so did the audience, which was a full house. Roll on Friday, when I am going again. Favourite shot of Colin, when he turns up before Bridget's party and she is covered in food etc, she opens the door ...and there he stands, there was a audible sigh from the audience. PS Thought Honor Blackman had a bigger part. Hope the video/dvd comes out pretty qauickly, must have two copies at least, in case one wears out.

(Ann) I take it Rex Reed must have seen an advanced print of the film, cause his description of the plot doesn't really match what I saw. Pretty much all the critics saw that version about two-three weeks ago. The homeless scene has been mentioned before. Seems like about 20 minutes got cut after that. :-( So I gather you liked it, AnnW? ;-D

Karen, what on earth gave you that idea!! Away to my bed, perchance to dream...

So I gather you liked it, AnnW? ;-D But....did you see Mark?

Brava, Karen! VVG girls. The homeless scene has been mentioned before. Seems like about 20 minutes got cut after that. :-( We will have to presure them to release a very long DVD. :-D

Where is Mark again?

Which brings me at last to Ren�e Zellweger, whose accent is so perfect you�d swear she came right out of Hampstead on Heath instead of the University of Texas. I have to comment about this (if it hasn't been mentioned already)... What's with the Brit press's obsession with Texas? I suppose it has to do with the idea that it's the most "extreme" American accent... I rarely heard the press obsess over Gwynnie's Southern Californian roots when she promoted 'Emma' or 'Sliding Doors.' I wonder if Renee has never felt more Texan than she does now.

(Ann) Where is Mark again? Probably asleep right. ;-D (Winter) I suppose it has to do with the idea that it's the most "extreme" American accent... Yes, they barely speak Amurican. v. cute article on financial management for Bridget in Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=000576481449931&rtmo=fsNlvMNs&atmo=fsNlvMNs&pg=/et/01/4/11/cmbrid11.html Liked these: Bet Mr Perfectpants Mark Darcy doesn't forget to send in his tax form. But, then, bet he can also afford to pay the bill. Told her plan to marry rich man, but agreed that outcome of this strategy not necessarily guaranteed. Apparently should also build cash reserve "three times my normal expenditure". This must mean contents of vaults at Bank of England. Harharhar

I am a virgin to chat, will somone please help?

A review from The Times: Feeling single, seeing double BY BARBARA ELLEN Bridget Jones the movie is just like its heroine: lovable, funny and lumpy in places Charming romp from Four Weddings team When Helen Fielding sent her chardonnay-swigging,weight-obsessed relationship-junkie out into the world all those years ago, she could not have envisaged how quickly her creation would date, how vulnerable, twee and parochial Bridget Jones would seem by 2001, compared to the manicured witchery of Sex and the City, or the gym-fit surrealism of Ally McBeal. Back in the mid-Nineties, Bridget was British Everywoman, or at least Every Other Woman. Now, after the column, the book and the second book comes the movie. Watching it, it doesn�t take long to realise that, as well as being a textbook romantic comedy, Bridget Jones�s Diary is as valid a British period piece as Shakespeare in Love or Elizabeth. Somehow, just the way an early scene has Bridget coyly flirting with her caddish boss, Daniel Cleaver, via e-mail, takes one back in a celluloid Tardis to the mid-Nineties glory days of latte and pashminas. By the time we are halfway through, and Bridget is shown, sitting miserable, self-conscious and defensive, with some �smug marrieds� at a dinner party, the movie is screaming �Nineties!� in much the same way that Georgy Girl screamed �Sixties!�. Once you�ve accepted this, the movie works very well. [Ed note: Is this criticism??? So???] Directed by a first-timer, Sharon Maguire (Fielding�s friend, and the sharp-tongued Shazza of the story), and written by Fielding, Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice) and Richard Curtis (Four Weddings; Notting Hill), it emerges as an irrepressible romp that, in the main, sashays along beautifully. One huge plus with Bridget Jones�s Diary is that it never forgets that it�s a romantic comedy, displaying no pretensions to socio-cultural value whatsoever. The meat of the story is that dreamy singleton Bridget must choose between the dashing bounder, Daniel, played by Hugh Grant, and the seemingly crashingly dull Mark Darcy (a cheeky piece of casting with King of the Darcys, Colin Firth). And, well, that�s about it really. Spare me that guff about �The New Austen�, I�ve seen episodes of Coronation Street that are more densely plotted than this. The fun comes with Bridget�s innate innocence and eternal optimism. There�s her dirty weekend with Daniel (�This can�t just be shagging. A mini-break means true love�), the suffering-to-be-beautiful scenes (watch out for an eye-watering bikini wax) and the will-she-ever-realise-who-is-really-good-for her? cliffhanger (although this goes on far too long). Where the guys are concerned, it�s nice to see male actors relegated to the status of mere love interest. Firth is fine, though at times he underacts to the point where he evaporates altogether. However, Grant is a revelation as the naughty, predatory Daniel. It�s certainly the first time in an age that Grant has been sexy. Even better, he�s lost that miserable, embarrassed look he�s had in movies recently. The one that tells you that he�s bored with acting and wants out. Ultimately, however, what�s left in the final cut seems rather less important than what�s left out. Fieldingisms, such as �fwittage�, �singleton� and �v. gd� barely feature, if at all. Similarly, the diary itself hardly gets a mention. Ditto the famous Jones preoccupation with weight (more of which anon). Bridget Jones purists won�t be happy, but, maybe, like the heroine herself, they should think about getting a life. If some hefty filleting of the source text has gone on, most of it seemed necessary, and Fielding, Davis and Curtis should be commended for not letting sentiment get in the way. For her part, Maguire shows a feel for pace that belies her lack of experience. Unfortunately, there are always casualties in text massacres such as these, and, on this occasion, it�s Bridget�s social and family circle who catch the bullet. So vivid and amusing in the book, they mooch about in the movie like moody teenagers kicking their heels on a rainy day. It�s a criminal waste of Sally Phillips, who plays Shazza, and who barely gets a look-in. Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent, as Bridget�s parents, likewise seem to be sharing half a plot-line between them. Jones, at least, gets some choice one-liners: �Don�t be silly, Bridget, you�ll never get a boyfriend if you look like you�ve wandered out of Auschwitz.� Sadly, we are not spared the obligatory stately-home scenes clearly deemed so vital for any British-based movie hoping to make a dent on the American consciousness. I suppose we should be grateful that we no longer have to witness every second British actor under 45 waltzing about with a Brideshead Revisited teddy bear tucked under his arm. However, it�s still annoying when, for no useful purpose, Bridget and Daniel are depicted rowing across a lake in a scene that appears to have been siphoned straight out of an old Merchant Ivory film. Like me, you might also be slightly alarmed to see Salman Rushdie�s smug visage rear up in an otherwise hilarious scene concerning Bridget making a speech on behalf of the publishing house where she works. It was jarring to suddenly see a �real person� and made no sense, except maybe some perverse desire on the part of the film-makers to flatter Rushdie. When Jeffrey Archer appeared seconds later, I felt as if I should be given a special prize for managing to hold on to my popcorn supper. As for Bridget Jones herself, we already knew that the Texan Ren�e Zellweger was a good actress, but would she make a good Bridget? Certainly there are occasions when her accent veers perilously close to a bygone Britain, reminiscent of a plucky Jenny Agutter flagging down the train in The Railway Children. This isn�t to say that I agree with all the Little Englander sniping about the casting of an American actress for Bridget. Zellweger has a fuzzy sweetness that is far more important to Bridget�s characterisation than Classless Britain vowels. Indeed, despite the wobbly table dialect, Zellweger is more than credible, only faltering when she appears to panic herself into impersonating one of the British actresses who were originally up for the role. A case of Ren�e Zellweger playing Kate Winslet playing Bridget Jones. When she relaxes, Zellweger more than passes muster, especially when swearing (which she does to a surprising degree, along with the rest of the cast). However, I would quibble with the �bravery� she is said to have displayed in putting on weight for the role. Yes, it�s evident that Zellweger did pile on some pounds, but calm down, people, it�s hardly Raging Bull is it? There has to be more to method acting than a few bags of doughnuts. So, like the heroine herself, Bridget Jones�s Diary emerges as lovable, funny and a bit lumpy in places. But is it relevant? The answer to this must be � hopefully not. As I said before, what makes Bridget Jones work is that it�s a period piece. Ergo, it has no business being relevant. What throws you off the scent is the fact that the film is set in recent history. There are no bushels or parasols to signpost the fact that we�re dealing with a different era. Just a nagging sense that, merely by paying your money and staring up at the screen, you are participating in a giant generational in-joke. And, what�s more, doing so happily, with something approaching the Blitz spirit. That�s why, in Britain at least, Bridget Jones�s Diary simply cannot fail. America could go either way (especially with all that swearing). By contrast, over here in Britain, it doesn�t matter that Bridget Jones is a slightly dated fictional underdog who swears too much. What matters is that she�s our slightly dated fictional underdog who swears too much. National affection for Bridget is such that, even if the movie had turned out to be a complete dog, we�d probably still have ended up sitting in cinemas, gunning for her. In today�s movie climate, you can�t buy that kind of goodwill, you can only pray for it. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,142-113324,00.html

Gnat as a revelation? Purleeeeze! Think I will take your review over the Times anyday AnnW.

P.S Just love the new sweater pic boss! Yummy. Thanks

Saw BJD last night with my 20 year-old daughter. She thought it was the funniest film she had ever seen. I thought RZ was absolutely brilliant. One pick holes in her accent but really that misses the point, she was totally believable as an english girl (can't think of her as a woman). RZ is so warm and funny - quite brilliant. And as for CF well whewwwww! Reviewers with sense of humour problems can no doubt find things to carp about but BJD is not Shakespeare, it is just a very funny, heartwarming movie. Can't wait for the next viewing.

Found this exchange on a message board. If everyone reacts like this, there are going to be lots of new P&P converts! Has anyone caught "Bridget Jones' Diary" in preview? I dig Colin Firth, but if the movie sucks I probably won't bother. I saw it Saturday night and really liked it. It deviates from the book factually but not in spirit (imo). Colin Firth was great and worth the price of admission. I still can't get over that this is the same guy from "Shakespeare in Love". There was a lot more screentime in the movie of her actual relationships than time spent alone bitching with friends about said relationships, but still --it was a fun movie to watch. Renee Zellweger did a good job of portraying her. I hear she's signed up for a sequel, and I'm not sure how I feel about that as I thought the second book sucked. Have you seen Firth's "Pride and Prejudice"? I'm about to get it from Netflix and hoping it's as good as the reviews say it is... We'll be seeing BJD at the weekend! Our local newspaper reviewer said "I defy any woman to watch this film and not wish she was married to Colin Firth". Y-e-e-h, one for CF!

Good part toward the end... Ananova meets Bridget Jones director Ananova: Sharon, how did you get involved with the film? Sharon: I became involved with it because I was a friend of Helen Fielding's and she began fictionalising our lives really. There's a character in the book called Shazzer who I'm supposedly loosely based on. She began fictionalising our lives in a newspaper and column and the book and I loved them, despite being horrified sometimes to see some of my drunken rants in there. A few years later, once Helen had written a draft of the script, the producers were looking for a director. They spent a year looking, and I think Helen loyally said one time, 'Why don't you see my friend Shaz?' and they did. I made my pitch to them and eventually it must have worked because they said 'You can have it'. nanova: Was it strange directing Sally Phillips who plays a character based on you? Sharon: Yeh, I suppose it would seem bizarre. Everyone used to ask me 'Who are you going to cast as yourself?' and I'd sort of say ironically, 'Well, I might cast Catherine Zeta Jones but I'm not sure she's beautiful enough'. But in a way I was sort of distracting away from that whole dilemma of how do you cast somebody as yourself and then it just became quite easy really, it became an act of narcissism. I always liked Sally Phillips. I thought she was very funny and pretty and very intelligent, and I thought I would quite like to be her, so I know, I'll cast her as me! So that's how that came about really. I suppose I must have thought she had some of the qualities I had but hers were infinitely superior. Ananova: Was Renee Zellweger your first choice for Bridget? Sharon: We'd seen a lot of people, we'd been talking to a lot of people and when I met Renee surprisingly enough she was the strongest choice in my mind. I was quite surprised about that because I hadn't expected to cast an American. I'd seen her work, and I especially loved her work in Nurse Betty and Jerry Maguire. In those two films she was able to straddle comedy and emotional truth without tipping over the top on either side. That intrigued me a lot because I think that's a very difficult thing to do. When I met her she made me laugh like a drain because she's a kind of full-on Texan. She understood the book and the themes of the book, so that was a good start, but she has this inner goodness and warmth which I don't think you can train people to have. Coupled with that she has an irreverence which is very important. A lot of people think that Bridget has a tart tongue, that she speaks irreverently, but she doesn't - she only ever thinks it. Renee could convey that on her face very well. I thought, 'Oo Lord, I think she's gonna be great, but shit she's a Texan what are we gonna do now?'. It was like she knew immediately what I was thinking, and she said, 'If you cast me and it doesn't go right, we are so busted', and I thought, 'Yeh, we are'. And so in a way we had a shared responsibility to try and get it right and prove people wrong. Ananova: Were you prepared for the criticism for casting an American as Bridget? Sharon: Yes, of course I was prepared for that. I could understand some people's indignation that we cast an American in an English part. I would have wanted to say to them at the time, 'Look, if you meet her and you know where I'm coming from, I think you'll see that I'm not completely bonkers'. That's all I wanted to say to them but I never got the chance. Ananova: Was it a conscientious decision to cast Hugh Grant against type as Daniel? Sharon: I wanted to cast two male actors of stature. I particularly didn't want it to be seen as just a chick-flick because I wanted the men's confusions about where they should be when they're in their thirties and what they should be doing with their lives, I wanted that to be as prevalent as Bridget's confusion about all those things. So I cast two actors of stature really. Hugh plays a sexy cad and he was my first choice for that role because although he doesn't often play sexy cads. The public's preception of him is that he's a decent English gent. I thought that could play well for us really, so that everyone would think he was going to turn out decent. I knew a bit about him personally through friends, and I knew he had this blistering sense of humour and he was a bit of a sexy cad. I thought that humour was an asset and a weapon and Hugh and humour go together really. He's very funny in real life. When it came to Colin Firth, Mark Darcy in Helen's book is based on Colin Firth playing Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, so it's a bit of an in-joke. It was impossible to ever read the script without seeing Colin in the role. The question was whether he would take the role because he's been swamped in Darcyness, but he was very game to do it because this time he gets to be aloof haughty Darcy, he gets to wear silly reindeer jumpers and we get to put him in ties with snowmen on and he gets to say the F-word, which Mr Darcy never got to say. He gets to snog and he's a good snogger. Not that I know from experience! Ananova: Before we close, will there be a sequel? Sharon: It's sort or early days really to talk about a sequel because I think the producers are waiting to see how this does. I think if it does okay, there will be talk of a sequel. Ananova: And would you direct it? Sharon: Dunno, depends if they ask me; depends how much they pay me as well. Watch Ananova interviewing Sharon Maguire (High bandwidth) http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/rtsp://stream.ananova.net/ananova/special/hi/bridgetjones.smi (Low bandwidth) http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/rtsp://stream.ananova.net/ananova/special/lo/bridgetjones.smi

Hmmm, video links do not work from here or from original page: http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_241436.html?menu=

A number of reviews at the AICN site: http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=8674 One guy's take: As for the leading men. Colin Firth - a great British actor, underused on film - takes on his cold but sweet character with perfact balance. You never know how his character will develop until it does and when it does you can believe it without a leap of faith. An ignoramus' take: Colin Firth - the good guy - also does alright though spending most of the film brooding. However from one of the female reviewer's: Colin Firth plays Mark Darcy, a human rights lawyer, who at first seems snobby and cold. Firth�s Darcy is exactly how he comes across in the book- an aloof, sharp-tongued guy on the outside that is really dying to break loose and have fun with someone like Bridget. However, in his upper crust circle that would be absolutely unacceptable so from the moment he meets her he tries to push her away. Firth does a great job portraying Darcy�s quiet, surprising wit. With a few choice comments here and there suffused with the right emotion and a few pained, longing looks Firth easily shows the audience Darcy�s hidden sensitivity and desires. Firth makes Darcy into just the kind of man Bridget wants and needs- if they can only get over the obstacles between them.

(Allison)And as for CF well whewwwww! In your reindeer jumper, Allison? Great new pic on Drool. Sometime can I have the one with my tie, pleeeze?

Thanks for clarifying 'batsman's box', Ben. Those pics are worth a thousand words *oof!*. BTW, think it's closer to what US athletes call a cup, not pliable jockstrap. Best to keep your son away from said cups 'til puberty hits, Mari. ;-) (Karen) However, you do see vodka bottles (thrown into trash). Yes, I caught that in a clip. My gripe goes to those critics who boast about having read the book then refer to the vodka, thus giving away that they in fact, haven't. ;-P Anyone who writes in one-sentence paragraphs cannot be taken seriously I think you might be on to something. Same goes for critics who have two first names. ;-) Thanks for posting all the reviews &etc., Mari and Karen. Glad you liked it Ann W...was there ever any doubt! *looking up to sky to catch Ann orbiting the earth* ;-D Am pleased to read all the great reviews and impressions of Colin from the UK and on-line. Am impatiently awaiting his acknowledgement from the US popular press ('icy', 'cold' and 'dour' don't count). BJD ad in my local paper features lines from the Rolling Stone review singling out RZ and The Gnat...no mention of the third star. Humph.

Eileen, have you seen latest commercials? I started seeing it last night. I'd say equal number of shots of Colin and Huge. v.v.g.

Huge will be interviewed on ABC's PrimeTime Thursday (tonight). (Evelyn) Sometime can I have the one with my tie, pleeeze? Sure, some time. But for now, that's the sweater he's wearing under mycoat.

Yes, forgot to mention that. Saw one this a.m. during Today Show! V.v.g. indeed--excellent progress, but we're not quite there yet. ;-) Re: HG on Prime Time tonite: *place your bets* Number of times Hughie mentions Princess Margaret = Number of times Hughie mentions SAS = Number of times Hughie tells Diane he taught CF to fight and/or that CF fights like a girl = Number of times Hughie informs the world it was his idea to bring in Richard Curtis, thereby saving the movie from mediocrity and/or doom =

Oops, should have added (she who is too quick with the submit button today): love the lovely new MD pic on the main page. Especially love it without the drawn-in beard and mustache! ;-)

(Eileen) Especially love it without the drawn-in beard and mustache! ;-) Errrr, that was going to be next. ;-D Nice article in USA Today. Mentions an early review by Christopher Tookey, of the Daily Mail: "Memo to diary: Have just seen romantic comedy that is going to be a whopping great hit this spring. Those who predicted Renee Zellweger wouldn't be able to do English accent about to eat words." How did we miss that? http://www.usatoday.com/life/enter/movies/2001-04-12-bridget-jones-brit-appeal.htm

(Eileen) Re: HG on Prime Time tonite: *place your bets* Number of times Hughie mentions ... I won't mind any of those mentions, just as long as no time is given to Elizabeth (makes me want to hurl) Hurley. :-)

Eileen, my bets are on Princess Margaret and "fighs like a girl." I don't think it's really HG. He has this robot clone that he sends out on the publicity rounds, and it goes into auto-program mode... I've missed a lot of the interviews, but even so, I've heard Princess Margaret 4 times, the SAS thing 3 times, fight like a girl only once (from him, but CF quotes him on it). The first time I heard the SAS thing was on ET or one of those programs. We'd just had supper, and my father was there. He heard the remark and said, "Wow! that guy was in the SAS? I never met anyone who qualified for that." Meanwhile, dumb American that I am, I had to ask what SAS is (I thought it was a Scandanavian airline?). Clearly, my father knows nothing of HG, so I had to explain why the comment was funny (or supposed to be). Love the fan Bethan found. I can't wait for my friends to see BJD and then I can be Smug Fan who noticed CF years ago! And this girl had never seen P&P? Where was she??????????????????????

The Hollywood Reporter's assessment of the weekend boxoffice: "Joe Dirt" is poised to wipe the floor with the competition this weekend. The Sony release about a janitor with a long-simmering case of parental-separation anxiety is the most promising of the four new films set to open nationally during Easter weekend. Universal's "Josie and the Pussycats" and Fox Searchlight's "Kingdom Come" debuted Wednesday along with "Dirt," while "Bridget Jones's Diary" from Miramax breaks Friday. That "Dirt" could clean up is based on its fervent following among young males, who, with most schools recessed for spring break, are free to indulge in the giddy pleasures of crass comedy. Expectations for business as a whole should be tempered by the warning that none of the four features is exhibiting breakout potential, however. [...] Renee Zellweger stars as the title character in "Diary," a romantic comedy set in London about a year in the life of a thirtysomething single woman whose personal peccadilloes complicate her quest to find the perfect man to marry. Sharon Maguire directed from a script co-written by Helen Fielding, whose 1998 novel is the source material for the film. Hugh Grant and Colin Firth co-star. "Pussycats" and "Diary" will play to women, though the former's following will be decidedly younger. "Kingdom" will draw from the upper age brackets of both sexes, particularly within the black community. In the broader market, the winners of recent weeks will likely continue to prevail. Miramax's "Spy Kids," which has earned about $55 million in two weeks, is a family favorite that should hold up well during the Easter period. Paramount's "Along Came a Spider" and New Line's "Blow" are generating good word-of-mouth while ranking higher on weekend wish lists than the majority of the new product. "Spider" did more than $20 million in its first week, while "Blow" opened to about $15 million.

Interview with RZ at Mr Showbiz. Contains the following question: Who would win in a death match between you, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant? A: They don't stand a chance. http://mrshowbiz.go.com/interviews/599_1.html

There's a report that Colin was just announced on Rosie O'Donnell's show as being a guest on Monday. Seeing is believing, but hope Springs eternal!:-) Can anybody in a later time zone confirm that this was not a hallucination?;-)?

"Bridget Jones's Diary" from Miramax breaks Friday. I'm going tomorrow.Have to beef up the BO receipts. Hey if BLOW brought in $15 mil with lousy reviews ,BJD should do $25.Mil Cute interview... Q. How did you lose the weight? A. I went back to my normal lifestyle... Yeah...sure. I've been there honey...it's lettuce leaves and punishing excercise.

I get Rosie at 3:00 pm. Will be holding my breath. Hopefully, there will be a decent guest host but am not holding my breath for that. ;-D

(Lisa)Pardon me, but do you have any records by Jock Straplin?" Whoops.:-) LOL, Lisa! Love it. Yes, it was Rex Reed who was accused of pilfering some CDs, but he *says* he just forgot to pay for them. Balancing the infractions on the scales of justice . . .$20 hooker . . .$20 CD . . .$20 hooker . . .$20 CD . . .I'm inclined to give Rex the nod over Huge.;-) Eileen, love your idea to place bets on the Gnatisms. I'll go with Princess Margaret; slurred like a stroke victim; SAS; and add these to the mix--"I play a complete bahstard, which is my own personality, actually" and "I want to get out of acting and do something more grown up like writing or directing." Fine, I say, so let CF have About A Boy.:-( I see Huge is breezing back into NY to guest on Rosie tomorrow, so will also bet double or nothing that he shows up on RZ's SNL stint as they spoof BJD. There's a new commercial focusing on the fight, where Tom yells "Fight!" into the restaurant and off they go! (Karen quoting from HR)That "Dirt" could clean up is based on its fervent following among young males, who, with most schools recessed for spring break, are free to indulge in the giddy pleasures of crass comedy. Sure, and that's who flocks to the movies in droves. Josie and the Pussycats will do well with teenybopper girls--heavy promotion and merchandising tie-ins. Plus these films opened yesterday, giving them a big leg up on the long weekend numbers. Spy Kids will stay strong. So, BJD has an uphill battle for total $$$ but I think it will do well among its target audience. It's great reading all the good reviews on AICN from people who have been to preview screenings; reviews over there tend to be written by 16-year-old boys and consist of "It Rocked!" or "It Sucked, Man!" so it's good to see at least some support among that erudite group.;-)

(Mari) There's a new commercial focusing on the fight, where Tom yells "Fight!" into the restaurant and off they go! That's the one Karen (I think) and I are referring to...starts with 'GoGoGO' from the firehouse bit? BJD has an uphill battle for total $$$ Frankly, I was hoping for something more Notting Hill-esque. (One can dream...) There's a report that Colin was just announced on Rosie O'Donnell's show as being a guest on Monday. *blinking increduously at computer screen* Hmm, will keep my eyes and ears open, but find this too good to be true (especially if Rosie Frankenhand is still out sick).

Review from This Is London. Fat, sluttish and oh, so sexy! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bridget Jones's Diary by Alexander Walker The women who helped Helen Fielding create her heroine in print have taken the new movie to their collective bosom and rapturously hugged it almost to death these past few weeks. Now that the dust of battle has settled, now that the ranks of black-trouser-suited women, clutching Filofaxes, are all ensconced in middle or top management jobs enjoying the emotional bonus of pushing male weaklings off the ladder, now that the gender revolution is fading into history they can all of them lie back and relax - like Bridget opting to wear big knickers instead of sexy panties for her assignation because they keep her tummy in - and rock with hen-party laughter, affectionate but Oh! so relieved, at this insecure thirtysomething spinster who holds a fag as if it were a sixth finger, cups her mouth around the Chardonnay bottle in lieu of a man's lips and fears for the moment of truth when her number comes up on the bathroom scales. Bridget is the domestic slob who hides away inside every working girl. The Diary was her coming-out. The film is her enthronement. Just as Henry Fielding created an 18th century picaresque young rip and an icon of tearaway youth in Tom Jones, his homonym Helen has created a lovably screwed-up embodiment of the feminine psyche for the female battlers of our new century, whose only fear is how big their bum looks. It's to the movie's credit that Bridget, played by Ren�e Zellweger, survives in the flesh - all 136 chubby pounds of it, hamster-cheeked, snub nosed and either underdressed in microskirts or overdressed in what looks like a spare length of curtain material - and not just as a stereotype on the page of diary or newsprint. Yet in spite of its feminist insemination this is a very trad film, though to its credit not for one minute a tired one. It is constructed like an extended sitcom of reiterated embarrassments. Brian Rix made a seamless career out of constantly losing his trousers to fate or lechery. This male humiliation of farcical comedy is turned into the feminine gender and endlessly restated and rotated in the 95 minutes of the dysfunctional year Bridget spends putting her foot in it. Her self-esteem is lower than low, zero-level, yet her head is held high. Ren�e Zellweger, like the Shirley MacLaine of comedies such as The Apartment, manages always to look vulnerable and often foolish, but never ever pathetic. Her saving grace isn't exactly wit, though three writers - Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies and, perhaps most crucially, Richard (Four Weddings and a Funeral/Notting Hill) Curtis - are in attendance like fairy godparents to see she comes to no real harm. They toss her the one-liners (or even half-liners) to extricate herself from social doom, like upstaging a cameo'd Salman Rushdie at a book launch by enquiring where the loo is instead of feeding him the anticipated literary compliment. Even bereft of words, Bridget survives humungous humiliation, like appearing in a Playboy Bunny outfit at a country garden-party ignorant of the fact her hosts have cancelled their Tarts and Vicars theme and reverted to polite tweed-and-tulle convention. At such moments Zellweger wears the dignity of her own suffering: she plays it like a good sport, abashed but not flattened. Bridget's compensation is to be liked - and not in any condescending fashion - "for what she is". An idiot maybe; but her own kind of idiot. Two men tell her this in the course of her cockeyed twelvemonth. One is "Mr Danger", the office love-rat played by Hugh Grant as a loucher version of the caddish Englishman he portrayed in Woody Allen's recent comedy Small Time Crooks, who took Tracy Ullman's arriviste millionairess in that film for her money, much as he takes Bridget in this one for her willingness to let her defences down as readily as her knickers. Grant's ecstatic whoop of "Hellooo, Mummy!" as he gropes the voluminous undergarment is the film's ace joke. Bridget's other suitor is "Mr Safe", a stiff-necked, stuffed-shirt human-rights barrister called Darcy, after his ancestor in Pride and Prejudice, and played exactly that way by Colin Firth, all vestigial 19th century sideburns and we-are-not-amused deadpan-ness. Speaking for my own sex, I can't conceive either sort of fella falling for such an unsorted slut as Bridget Jones, for all that she's a good sport and possibly a better lay (we have to take that on hearsay). But the main appeal of such a creation is to women, not men, and precisely to the sort of woman who can imagine both of these fictitious lovers making a play for her, in spite of her lack of glamour, beauty, grace or any other quality that might reflect their own narcissism. The men in the film are feminine fantasy love-objects: one reason why I'll be interested to see whether blokes take to Bridget Jones's Diary as rabidly as their dates. Hugh Grant is our consolation. Though male bastions have been stormed and captured by the monstrous legion of working women, male bastards remain ready and able to subvert the enemy within the gates. Grant does this beautifully, secure in the knowledge that all the clumsy, awkward, tongued-tied passivity he'd taken out the patent on in Four Weddings and a Funeral has now been shifted on to the schlumpy shoulders of comedienne Zellweger, so he can hump poor trusting Bridget without a scruple. Firth isn't so fortunate. Mostly he does nothing, just stands there: a fine-looking figure of manhood, but more Jermyn Street than Notting Hill, if you follow me. The two men have a slugging match in the penultimate reel that's too brutal and long drawn-out for a film of this wacky kind. And the ending - at least the final, final ending after about four tries at an ending - is simply slick Hollywood. The social scene is tourist-brochure stuff: London, England, with gentrified boroughs, cosy restaurants where patrons exult at a running fight between Grant and Firth knocking over the tables, moveable dinner feasts presided over by Bridget's gabbling buddies, and a pre foot-and-mouth countryside replete with snowy carollers, cartooned upper-classes, and rural retreats with four-posters for weekend lovers. The film is extravagantly over-cast, by which I mean expensive talents have happily made do with (barely) supporting parts: notably Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones as Bridget's erratic parents, whose own mid-life crisis suggests their daughter's inability to settle runs in the genes. Lord Archer has a non-speaking role, perhaps lest he incriminate himself. And the accents of all concerned, especially Bridget, are possibly posher than readers of the Diary were hearing in their mind's ear. Producers Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan and Jonathan Cavendish, and director Sharon Maguire have done well to hold the English fort considering they were working for such tough US paymasters as Universal Pictures and Harvey Weinstein's Miramax Films (who, of course, will see that 90 per cent of the profit goes States-side instead of staying in Britain, once the formidable �16 million budget has been covered). The US version of the film, by the way, is three minutes shorter than the British one: has Harvey been at the scissors again, I wonder? All in all, though, Bridget Jones's Diary does well to overcome the handicap of having to put flesh on a phenomenon - to be something to all women whose fears and fantasies are daily tested. It assures them you can be a domestic slut, a social embarrassment, a professional no-hoper and fat, too, and still have two handsome hunks fighting over you. Safe to go back on the scales, girls.

From The Independent: The good, the bad and the frumpy By Charlotte O'Sullivan 12 April 2001 It's a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen had a great way with an opening sentence. Less widely accepted, but equally pertinent, is the fact that she had the "feelgood" factor down to a fine art. So it really isn't anyone's fault but hers that Bridget Jones's Diary � based on Helen Fielding's louche retelling of Pride and Prejudice � is a tad short on suspense. From the minute that our ditzy PR heroine makes a twit of herself, and ace barrister Darcy (Colin Firth) looks intently at her across a crowded book- launch, you know He is the one for Her (if he had a club foot, we might think again, but he's sound of body and his locks are curly). Only one ending will do: Bridget left scribbling all alone? Bridget shacked up with Daniel (Hugh Grant), her unreliable, anal-sex-loving, boss? What do you think this is � Chinatown? Luckily, not everything about the film is so ho-hum, including the appearance of the American interloper herself, Ren�e Zellweger, who famously piled on the pounds to play Bridge. You literally can't take your eyes off her. With those prairie cheeks (the hairs on her skin look like cropped corn), that potato-blonde hair, and a way of moving through perfectly ordinary space as if she's being herded through a field, this woman couldn't be more natural, or vulnerable. Her plentiful flesh squished into industrial-strength knickers and tight bras (even in bed), she's struggling in a world that wants sharp urban lines. Primed by years of cinema-going for the Pygmalion-esque "transformation" scene, you actually wait for the double chin to melt away. It doesn't. Zellweger has always had it in her, of course. In the Farrelly Brothers' gross-out comedy Me, Myself and Irene, her character admits that when her modelling dreams went sour, "I got this eating disorder where I gained, like, 20 pounds... in a week". Or, as Hank, the cad in her life, puts it, "the only bright light you saw were the ones that hit you in the face when you opened the fridge". The difference is that this appetite is now on display and � surprise, surprise � Variety has already blamed the director Sharon Maguire and her crew for "going a bit too far in making [Zellweger] look unattractive". They take issue with Rachel Fleming's costumes, too. True, Bridget's outfits all look like things that have been hanging in a wardrobe for years, but that's what's so liberating. She even wears cardies from French Connection. How's that for cin�ma-v�rit�? Given that Zellweger still looks lovely by normal standards, it just goes to show that in show business, "normal" equals unattractive. Last year's High Fidelity put the case most clearly: in Nick Hornby's novel, the hero's gripe with his girlfriend is that she, like him, is so "ordinary"; in the film � hey presto! � she's a stunning, immaculately dressed blonde. That Zellweger can make us believe in Bridget's heaving inner world is par for the course � she's a supremely talented comic actress. That she was willing to risk her own status as sex symbol by looking like an everywoman is really impressive. Another shock is the liveliness of the writing. Working Title's previous hits, Four Weddings and Notting Hill, relied on slapstick, plus the words "fuck" and Billy Bunterisms like "crikey". The revised team � Richard Curtis, Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies � still lean heavily on all three (and many of the set-ups, a certain Vicars and Tarts tea-party, for instance, are milked to death), but have come up with a procession of bright one-liners, too. It's a neat touch that when, at the book-launch, super-suave Daniel has the chance to dance the verbal fandango with Salman Rushdie, he stammers "Er, do you know where the loos are?". Five minutes before, Jones said just the same thing and in a stroke, it becomes clear why she adores him � faced with a choice between fight or flight, he plumps as desperately for the latter as she. Such scenes owe everything to the great American sitcoms, though not the ones you might think. Bridget, it turns out, has less in common with brittle-skittle Ally McBeal or the pouty women in Sex and the City than Seventies klutz Rhoda (remember her � the one with the wayward hat?) or the fubsy Seinfeld crew. Asked by a "smug married" why so many women over 30 have trouble getting a man, Bridget replies, "I suppose it doesn't help that beneath our clothes, our entire bodies are covered in scales" � a line that could easily have emerged from Elaine's caustic New York kisser. Or, if the question had concerned the lack of options for tubby men with glasses, that of George. Forget women vs men, think underdogs vs the rest. That the film is so entwined with television does, of course, have its downside. Movies such as Annie Hall or Billy Liar, say, are as much about an eccentric place as an eccentric person: their landscapes prickle and whirr with life. In Bridget Jones's Diary, as so often happens on the small screen, everything looks like a dusty approximation. Also disappointing are the end credits, which offer up a TV-style montage of Bridget as she's appeared at various points in the film, so that you find yourself waiting for a smooth voice to intone, "...and you can see Bridget at the same time next week". Television has to recap because its audience is so distractable; movies can afford to be more laid-back. In not trusting that these images are already imprinted on our brains, the film's makers sell themselves (and us) a little bit short. There are other, more insidious problems. Like the film's suggestion that all high-powered career women are hard (while Darcy's brains don't interfere with his humanity, his fianc�e's intellect renders her a cold fish). Or that what women need is not a room of their own but a protector � Bridget's one career coup comes purely thanks to Darcy. Or that best friends are only good for emergencies, a lifestyle tip that feels especially retrograde. Bridget never really seems comfortable with her knowing singleton pals, wrinkling her nose whenever she drinks and handling cigarettes like Olivia Newton John in Grease. At least in Pride and Prejudice, the relationship between Elizabeth and her sister Jane was hugely important � none of Bridget's buddies figure in that same way. And then there's the little matter of Daniel, dismissed in the film's final seconds with a gag worthy of The Two Ronnies. Following the fairy-tale formula, this wolf is bolted from the door by the implication that he's basically not quite heterosexual. Fortunately, though, this particular ruse backfires. Without giving too much away, one thing that the film makes very clear is that Darcy and Daniel have exactly the same taste in lovers. It's not just that they both want Bridget and the "cruel Asian" woman we never get to see, note too that when Daniel acquires a fianc�e, she's a virtual clone of Darcy's � tall, skinny, olive-skinned. So if Daniel isn't quite as straight as he seemed, maybe Darcy isn't either... Funny, isn't it? In Zellweger's last movie, Nurse Betty, her character fell in love with a "perfect" soap-opera character, causing no end of chaos. In trying so hard to shore up Darcy's credentials, it seems appropriate that Bridget ends up demonstrating much the same thing � essentially, that there's no such thing as safe sex. But even if this film does get taken on face value, and even if women do emerge from the cinema murmuring, Nurse Betty-like, "I just know there's something really special out there for me", you forgive it everything because it has introduced you to Zellweger's Bridget. Because it's nice to go to the cinema and fall head-over-heels in love with a character. One who may not be much good at karaoke, but who can lip-synch to Celine Dion's All By Myself with the shambolic, gut-busting passion of Janis Joplin. A talent that just about sums up the joys of middle-brow, but not entirely middle-of-the-road, art such as this.

It assures them you can be a domestic slut, a social embarrassment, a professional no-hoper and fat, too Not to worry, ladies, I've asked my friend and former neighbor Tony Soprano to have a little 'tawk' with Alexander. Tony's bringing his baseball bat. ;-)

Thank you for all the reviews! What will the DB do on Rosie? I hope it's true. And if it is, that means that he will be doing other shows too. (Keeping fingers crossed) He gets to snog and he's a good snogger. Not that I know from experience! Heehee.

The US version of the film, by the way, is three minutes shorter than the British one OOooohhh, I wonder which extra bits we're seeing?

three minutes shorter?????????? (Walker) Speaking for my own sex, I can't conceive either sort of fella falling for such an unsorted slut as Bridget Jones, for all that she's a good sport and possibly a better lay (we have to take that on hearsay). How does a print critic get away with such stuff? (O'Sullivan) this wolf is bolted from the door by the implication that he's basically not quite heterosexual....So if Daniel isn't quite as straight as he seemed, maybe Darcy isn't either... Huh???? What movie did she see? Chinatown? I see Huge is breezing back into NY to guest on Rosie tomorrow, so will also bet double or nothing that he shows up on RZ's SNL stint as they spoof BJD. Huge was already on Rosie. Maybe he'll show up on The View tomorrow too. A surprise appearance on SNL seems likely too. There's a new commercial focusing on the fight, where Tom yells "Fight!" into the restaurant and off they go! The one I've been seeing starts with "Meet Bridget Jones... who finds out just being herself...."

Don't know which crack journalist will interview Huge tonight, but am personally hoping he/she asks: "So, Hugh, does it come as any surprise to you that you were able to overcome the shamefully bad publicity of picking up a hooker on Sunset Blvd?"

Since we're going to be in NYC, we were thinking about standing in line Sat AM for standby tickets to SNL. Has anyone done this successfully? Are we out of our minds for trying? I cannot believe CF is even rumored to be on Rosie. Hope we can find out before we leave so we can tape it! (Have excess VCR all ready to tape P&P-'cause you never know when you might need an extra, extra copy-in case the DVD breaks and the first VHS copy is loaned out.) (Frankenhand) ROF,LOL she has definitely lost it. It's not the show it once was. I thought HG was going to pass out in spite of his SAS training, when she made him look at it. I know I would have.

How does a print critic get away with such stuff? Amazing, isn't it? So insulting. The guy is a pig. Glad to hear Eileen and Tony are on the case: Alexander Walker sleeps with the fishes.;-) And then there's the little matter of Daniel, dismissed in the film's final seconds with a gag worthy of The Two Ronnies. Following the fairy-tale formula, this wolf is bolted from the door by the implication that he's basically not quite heterosexual. Could this be part of the missing 3 minutes? Could one of the UK folks stop over to 126 and tell us how your version ends? I forgot to add this to the list of Gnatisms. He already used in Biography mag last month. From NY Daily News: Hugh's Nose For Trouble Hugh Grant has had some unfortunate experiences. But his biggest regret isn't what you'd think � that tryst in a car with the prostitute in Los Angeles. No, his biggest regret involves an apple peel. The incident happened many years ago, when Grant was just a child. "I did, as a child, stick a lot of apple peel up my nose once, just out of interest to see what would happen," Grant says tonight during an interview on ABC's "PrimeTime Thursday." "Actually, it's horrible," he says. "It got right up almost to my brain and had to be removed by a very top London surgeon, and I remember regretting it." When asked what the happiest moment in his life has been, Grant responds: "Getting it out � the apple peel."

Since the show "Hollywood One on One" included a (one question) interview with Colin Firth in their Shakespeare in Love coverage, I wrote to see if/when they would feature BJD. Here's what the host said, no mention of CF. :-P "Hi Valerie, Our interview with Renee Zellwegger of Bridget Jones's Diary aired until yesterday morning. You may still get a chance to see it if you have Starz Theater. She is lovely in person...and just fabulous in the film. By the way I loved the film and urge you to see this one. Hugh Grant will probably air in a couple of weeks. Thanks for your comments on the show and please keep watching. Scott Patrick Hollywood One on One"

(Mari) Glad to hear Eileen and Tony are on the case: Alexander Walker sleeps with the fishes.;-) Have feeling that Bridget might go in search of Bullet Tooth Tony in the East End. Is closer. ;-D

Entertainment Weekly review. Pretty good, considering it's Lisa "I trash everything" S. Movie Review by Lisa Schwarzbaum Bridget Jones's Diary Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant EW GRADE: B Genre: Comedy, Romance On the page, Bridget Jones's most attractive asset is that she's a mess. The neurotic girl is kind, clever, funny, competent at her job, and a great friend to her fellow singletons; she also drinks too much, smokes too much, obsesses too much, chatters too much, eats junk, and when it comes to men, can't distinguish between trash (which, in the book, she dashingly calls ''emotional f---wittage'') and quality. Too smart to settle for the perks of ditzhood, she's also foolish enough to regularly sabotage opportunities for romantic happiness. She's a Jane Austen na�f in a ''Sex and the City'' world. When the book came out in 1996, readers went nuts. At last, an antirole model for the rest of us! On the screen, where Bridget Jones's Diary has been adapted from Helen Fielding's hilarious best seller by documentarian and first time feature director Sharon Maguire (an old friend of the author and model for the heroine's journalist pal Shazzer), Bridget's most attractive asset is that she's played by Ren�e Zellweger. There was a hoo and a ha when the Texas born Ms. Z was chosen, over plenty of terrific local talent interested in the plum role, to play a bird of such English habits (American women stopped smoking in movies ages ago -- bad for the product endorsement deals, babe). But Zellweger is, in fact, thoroughly charming and believably British in the role. Her confidence in her own flexibility as an actor has visibly grown in just a year following the great reviews she received for her performance in ''Nurse Betty,'' and she glows with the pleasing fullness of the 20 pounds she so famously added for the part, all angles softened. (This is not what ''fat'' looks like; this is what ripe, sexy health l oks like, and she needn't have dropped the weight afterwards -- except, perhaps, to eat lunch again in the demented, scale obsessed town of Hollywood.) Hugh Grant is charming too, luxuriating in naughtiness, taking a holiday from his usual floppy, velvet romantic image as Bridget's caddish boss, Daniel Cleaver, with whom the employee embarks on a bound for disaster affair. (''I've got a posh voice and a bad character,'' Cleaver admits, with Grant's full support and admiration.) Colin Firth is appealing as the decent, rich, upstanding Mark Darcy, his participation a cunning pretzel of allusive logic: Firth played Mr. Darcy in the exquisite 1995 BBC television adaptation of ''Pride and Prejudice,'' the Austen masterpiece on which ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' is anchored. (Jones also interviews Firth on a magazine assignment in Fielding's frustratingly weak follow up novel, ''Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.'') The mess, though, where's the mess? The hysteria, the middle of the night jitters of loneliness? The mess of Bridget's life has been tidied, neatened into little piles of mirth and gaiety. The script, by the formidably bright team of Fielding, Andrew Davies (another pretzel -- he adapted that BBC ''Pride and Prejudice''), and Richard Curtis (''Four Weddings and a Funeral''), grins and cracks wise with pop cultural jokes and the pretty production values that made ''Four Weddings'' so appealing: Bridget's idea of a cozy evening is watching ''Frasier'' on the telly in her flannel pj's, and her idea of terror is a literary cocktail reception at which she has to make small talk with Salman Rushdie. (He appears as himself, doing a George Plimptonesque cameo, daring any ayatollah to track him down through his theatrical agent.) ''Bridget Jones'' shines with lemon scented polish and tootles along with a soundtrack that ain't too proud to use Jamie O'Neal's cover of Eric Carmen's ''All by Myself,'' Aretha Franklin's ''Respect,'' and Chaka Khan's ''I'm Every Woman'' as directional signals. But without mess and agitation -- without trusting viewers to withstand the sight of genuine heartache, and compulsiveness, and a glimpse of real self destructiveness (it needn't involve wrist slashing -- a simple hint of a devil in Miss Jones will do), this great screwup of a woman -- one of literature's best antidotes to self help hysteria in the 1990s -- is almost indistinguishable from, oh, the sylphy single woman played by Ashley Judd in ''Someone Like You,'' or by Gwyneth Paltrow in ''Sliding Doors,'' or by Hope Davis in ''Next Stop Wonderland,'' or by Ally McBeal or any sitcom sister anywhere in prime time. After Daniel Cleaver has dumped her (she's an old cow and he was looking for a new cow, to filch from the psychobabble in ''Someone Like You''), Bridget throws a dinner party to celebrate her birthday. She can't cook, true, but her lack of skill is endearing and everyone laughs, full of wine. Darcy can cook, he's gorgeous, and he thinks she's fab. ''To Bridget� who we love just as she is!'' her friends toast in her cozy little kitchen, each object in the room imported by the production designers to signify offbeat domesticity. Well, of course, why wouldn't they? The movie never shows us anything about Bridget that's remotely in need of psychological or physical fixing.

Yesterday�s L.A. Times print ad had this: Bridget�s Guide to the Movies! 1. Find responsible (and gorgeous) adult to accompany self to theatre. 2. Resolve to nor have anything to eat during movie. However�when you think about, popcorn is not fattening. 3. In Fact, might actually lose weight through eating popcorn as hand to mouth plus chewing motion will use up calories. 4. Remember, If nature calls, movie theatre bathroom lighting is stark and unforgiving. 5. Finally, a law should be passed that all theatres have soft back lit bathroom lighting in order to improve national morale, (as more easy to form relationship with gorgeous adult companion if feel confident about self). Starting Friday, Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Bridget!

Sounds like the clips over the end credits are different too. I had the "home movies", but one of the reviews above mentioned clips from the film. Anyone know what's going on with the Today Show? Is his appearance scrapped?

Mari, the UK version ended with B& MD kissing in the snow (sigh) and then the credits and then about 3mins of little snippetts from Darcy's parents, won't repeat what Mr. Darcy said, most out of character about the relationship between his son & Bridget. Everyone is congratulating the pair including Bridget's boss (Neil Pearson) and then HG introduces two new partners one turns out tobe a fella!! Some other people who I can't remember, will have to go back tomorrow. BTW Although HG was very good, and much better than FWAAF & NH, there is no way he can be compared with Cary Grant, imo. Finally I don't think I have seen Colin look more handsome, just hope some more leading romantic roles come alongafter this. This has to be my second favourite CF role after P&P.

Desson Howe of the Washington Post (generally my favorite movie reviewer) has his review up. Won't bother typing the dratted thing, as he sums up with the phrase "All in all, "Bridget Jones's Diary" comes as a great letdown, given all the anticipation that preceded its release." At least he writes "Firth is a favorite of mine." Pity that he then goes on to slam ODB's role. http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10317-2001Apr12.html I suppose this just goes hand-in-hand with the fact that the blasted preview audiences down here hardly laughed at all. Such a shame. May have to go see the movie every day this week to help compensate for low BO #'s in DC. Oh, the privation. ;)

the UK version ended with B& MD kissing in the snow (sigh) and then the credits and then about 3mins of little snippetts from Darcy's parents, won't repeat what Mr. Darcy said, most out of character about the relationship between his son & Bridget. Everyone is congratulating the pair including Bridget's boss (Neil Pearson) and then HG introduces two new partners one turns out tobe a fella!! Aha! Totally different here. ***SPOILERS***** After the great kissing in the snow, it goes to what looks like a home movie. It's little Mark's 8th birthday party, he's dressed in a suit and tie (predictably:-), while little Bridget is running around wildly, swigging from a wine bottle she swiped off the table. All the while, little Mark is giving her the eye, at one point, tugging on his collar as if he's getting hot over her. Then BJ lifts off her dress, goes into the paddling pool, not sure if Mark follows her, will have to see it again tomorrow! I have to say, I thought this ending was extremely funny, and the audience was in hysterics. This was/is truly a lifetime love!:-) Ann, was there any additonal Colin in your ending?

sorry

Analysts Predict Josie Will Top Easter Box Office Analysts are expecting Universal's Josie and the Pussycats to top a crowded list of new entries at the box-office this Easter weekend. The film, which opened Wednesday, is likely to face its strongest competition from Disney's Bridget Jones's Diary, from Working Title Films, the British company that produced Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, the analysts said. However, "Diary" will open on only about 1,500 screens, compared with about 2,600 for Josie. Universal had timed the release of the teen-oriented Josie to coincide with Spring Break.

(Ann) Anyone know what's going on with the Today Show? Is his appearance scrapped? Someone on a CF mailing list reported that it was rescheduled for Monday, April 16. TV Guide online has this date listed as well.

upstanding Mark Darcy, his participation a cunning pretzel of allusive logic: Sounds sexy, eh, Bridge? ;-) The ending to the movie we saw in LA ends with home movies of BJ and MD as little children behaving in their usual ways is hysterical piece. I still feel cheated the more the better.

Sounds like we've missed out both sides of the Atlantic. Why do they do this different ending mallarkey, we had the same with MLSF...I still haven't seen the British ending as have only seen film on video ;-(

Grant responds: "Getting it out � the apple peel." So glad he clarified that! ;-D (Valerie) rescheduled for Monday, April 16. TV Guide online has this date listed as well. Hmmm...and the other possibility was that he would be on Rosie on Monday. Could it be possible? Could he really be coming to NYC in person and doing both? I'll believe it when I see it. *crossing fingers, toes, kidneys and superior vena cava* "Diary" will open on only about 1,500 screens, compared with about 2,600 for Josie Seems a foregone conclusion, then. And there's no mention (unless I've missed it) of how many screens that other literary masterpiece, Joe Dirt, is playing on. (Tracy) Why do they do this different ending mallarkey Vintage Harvey Scissorhands, er, Miramax. I don't get it either.

upstanding Mark Darcy, his participation a cunning pretzel of allusive logic: Sounds sexy, eh, Bridge? ;-) I guess it's a clever salute to Steely Dan, i.e., Pretzel Logic (one of my all time faves). Why do they do this different ending mallarkey It's bizarre, isn't it? I saw your note on 126, Tracy, thanks. It doesn't sound as though either of us is missing any Colin scenes, so I'm not losing any sleep.:-) I suppose this is the result when you have two different distributors, and it probably happens routinely, but we'd never think to compare notes on a non-CF film. What's your ending of Gone With the Wind like?;-) Also . . . does the Titanic go down?;-)

(Eileen) Hmmm...and the other possibility was that he would be on Rosie on Monday. Could it be possible? Could he really be coming to NYC in person and doing both? Only about 20 minutes left to *gag* Rosie show. Why wouldn't he do both? If Letterman wasn't scheduled for reruns next week, Colin could have a hat trick. ;-D At least now I see what O'Sullivan was referring to about Cleaver's alledged heterosexuality. But what school of logic would allow her to make that leap to Darcy as well. Just because both of their girlfriends had adolescent boylike figures.... ;-D Also . . . does the Titanic go down?;-) No, is saved by American submarine crew. ;-D

Firth in NY theory: maybe son, Will, is on Spring break and Colin is coming to the US to pick him up and take him to meet his new brother on the other side of the pond. Not totally implausable.

OK, they just said BJD's CF would be on Rosie on Monday (weather permitting, nappy changes delegated, etc.) but if you try to blackmail me, I will deny it. ;-D

Yes! They DID say COlin on Rosie on Monday!!! As for the Wash Post review, did anyone really see Bridget (the book) as a great feminist tract? If anything, it's a bit the opposite. A career woman realising the femisist dream isn't all it's cracked up to be. Nor is it a "call to arms" to women deserted by f%$kwits. It's more a book commiserating with the lot of women hearing the tick tock getting louder.

Anyone see Barry Normans filmnight? Unfortunately missed the first ten mins so only saw a small interview with CF. As usual there was plenty from HG,RZ,HF & SM.

Here is Christopher Tookey's review from the Daily Mail: Bridget Jones: a comic triumph Memo to diary: Have just seen romantic comedy that is going to be whopping great hit this spring. Those who predicted Renee Zellweger wouldn't be able to do English accent about to eat words. Though Texan, Miss Zellweger just as believable as Gwyneth Paltrow in Sliding Doors, and even more adorable. Remember fancying her in Jerry Maguire; here she's less of a doormat and well worth cheering on as she stands up for self while committing career suicide or falling for highly unsuitable men. Even unfeeling non-feminists may share anguish as she repeatedly makes fool of herself in public and resorts in times of crisis to vodka bottle and gorging self on Branston pickle straight from jar. RZ not really very overweight (size 12 at most); all the same, extra poundage round legs and bottom very un-Hollywood and definite boost for women who enjoy their food and don't wish to look like stick insects. Also good news for men who prefer woman to look like woman. RZ takes curse off Bridget's self-absorption by being lovably tongue-tied, gauche and joyful when thinks (wrongly) she's met Mr Right. Film might - if it had followed book faithfully - have struck some women and lot of men as alienating wallow in female self-pity - instead, bright and touching. Fancy Miss Zellweger rotten. Memo to self: Try to find more respectable, critical, non-repetitive way of expressing this. Colin Firth brave to take on thankless part of stiff, snooty English lawyer who appreciates Bridget just as she is, and turns out to be decent cove once you get to know him. Firth excellent at little eye-flickers that give away hidden sensitivity beneath. Also makes change to see articulate Englishman in movies who is not complete swine or twit. Big revelation Hugh Grant - great fun as love-rat Daniel Cleaver, believably self-centred, interestingly dangerous and distinctly sexy. Important that his Mr Nasty be v. attractive, or Bridget might have come across as idiotic slag. GRANT gives a master class in light comedy acting, not for first time either. Am not altogether surprised that reference in book to Grant's escapade with hooker off Hollywood Boulevard hasn't made it into movie. Helen Fielding (original author) and Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice on telly) receive co-screenwriting credits, but Richard Curtis's input obviously immense and not only in profusion of f-words. Has transformed episodic fiction into neatly structured, emotionally satisfying romantic comedy - fractionally overlong and not as uproarious as Four Weddings and a Funeral, but well up to standard of his Notting Hill, in fact better because fresher and less formulaic. Special praise for casting director Michelle Guish. Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent predictably excellent as Bridget's foolish but lovable parents. But lesser known British actors Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis all make an impact as Bridget's boozing partners. Pity not more British films like this, to help good young actors away from poverty line and Michael Winner movies. First-time director Sharon Maguire, friend of Fielding, not innovative but does creditable job. Wisely unflashy but competent, shows total sympathy for Bridget Jones psyche, lets terrific cast get on with it. Clever opening gets audience on Bridget's side before end of title sequence. final joke over titles (at expense of Hugh Grant character) well worth sticking around for. Minor quibbles: Patrick Barlow undeveloped as shopping channel presenter who seduces Bridget's mum; Bridget's accent and vocab wobble a bit between upper-middle posh and lower-middle genteel, though some English girls are like that at moment. Quibbles outweighed by general likeability and funny set-pieces. Especially enjoyed very silly fight between leading men both equally useless at violence and breaking off in middle of restaurant tussle to join in singing 'Happy Birthday' to bewildered diner. BJ's Diary bound to appeal to those who like Cheers, Ally McBeal and Sex and the City; but everyone to be congratulated on keeping film specifically English (despite one reference to attorney when lawyer is meant). Nice to see London used as backdrop. Still a rarity. Lightness of touch welcome, since film deals with recognisably awful embarrassments, betrayals and female self-hatred, and vaguely based on Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. Memo to self: Scatter more references to Felliniesque fantasy sequences, post-modernism, F.R. Leavis and English literary tradition to give impression of formidably high-powered intellect if time before setting off to see vitally important screening of Rugrats in Paris - The Movie. All in all, quite a triumph. Film as whole manages tricky feat of being true to spirit of novel but also delivers slick, entertaining romp to movie-goers throughout world who have never heard of book, still less actually read one. Obvious hit chick flick with colossal identification factor for unmarried female thirtysomethings. But even blokes will respond to RZ who is talented, cute and completely gorgeous, but mustn't go on about this or people will think have entirely lost marbles and turned into more than usually pathetic example of drunken, overweight, middle-aged film critic unrequitedly in love with nubile screen goddess. Hmm. Wonder if there's best-seller in this idea? Probably not, but definitely want Hugh Grant to play me in screen version.

Lizza will be able to tell us about the UK/US endings. After tomorrow she will have seen them both.

From Primetime Q&A: Q: What would you order for your last meal? A: I think it would have to be a nice hot spotted dick � it's an English pudding. Very delicious. Q: What talent or skill would you like to have? A: I have always admired trapeze artists, but I am not sure I could � I did once try it on a Club Med holiday and I had to be helped sobbing down the ladder again because I got vertigo the second I got to the top. Q: What is the most embarrassing moment in your life? A: My first hemorrhoid. I was on the train in France and I couldn't believe I had one. I thought what's going on and I remember going to the loo in the train. I really wanted to have a look at this thing and its very hard to see your own bum. But I remember standing on the loo and sort of looking back through my legs to try and see this thing and I hadn't really mastered the lock on the loo and this German tourist came in and saw me peering back through my legs. That would have to be the most embarrassing. Put that on network telly. Q: What makes a person sexy? A: I think it's a combination of warm personality and a nice sense of humor and large breasts. Q: What do you like to spend your money on? A: I seem to spend all my money on socks at the moment, because I never ever remember to cut my toenails and I go through about 20 pairs of socks a week. It's disgusting. You'd think why buy socks, why not just buy clippers? Q: What is your secret passion? A: Masturbation � but you can't use that on TV. http://abcnews.go.com/sections/primetime/2020/PrimetimeQA_010412_hughgrant_feature.html

Hmmmmm. Methinks Hugh is going to have to rely a lot on his secret passion if he continues to discuss such appealing topics as hemorrhoids and toenail clipping. I have been taping Today all this week of the off chance of a CF sighting (hope Monday will be the lucky day). Anyway, today I was rewarded by Gene Shalit's review at the end. A very positive review or rave as Matt Lauer called it. GS made many positive comments about RZ (an irresisitible performance), mentioned BJD as having a "sparkly screenplay" and concluded that the BJD is a "smart movie, an R-rated comedy that's funny and in these days a funny comedy is not redundant". The clip showed CF talking about the naked childhood meeting and ended with his face. I just caught a segment on ET explaining that the scene in which BJ is sliding down a firepole, panty-hose clad butt in close-up to the audience, is being cut in US, (quite a shocking scene, really, considering that here in Ontario women a permitted to go topless in public). Gheesh!! Apparently that scene will be shown in UK. At the end of the segment, HG, RZ and CF were shown at the London premiere. ODB looked like he was really enjoying himself. Big smiles. Too bad I couldn't get to my VCR fast enough.

I thought I saw RZ was to be featured on Fox Entertainment today at 2 EST so took a chance and set my VCR for that instead of another fruitless Today taping. Yikes...of course the show was pre-empted by the spy plane crew being released. Oh well.

Saw a bit of the ET thing about RZ working undercover at Picador. Funny how the women interviewed on camera at Picador all sounded like RZ/Bridget. At the end was the shot of RZ, CF and HG at the London premiere. Will tape at repeat tomorrow. We saw the firepole butt shot.

Butt shot scene is in film--indeed, over and over again BJ she rewinds and fast forwards it. The networks wouldn't accept it for commercials. But apparently ET can show it as much as they want 'cause they sure did. Here's the Telegraph review *shaking head* Welcome to London, England The film of Bridget Jones's Diary is funny, charming and expertly acted - just don't expect to recognise the setting says Andrew O'Hagan IF the world ended tomorrow, British cinema would be remembered internationally for four things: Bond movies, kitchen-sink dramas, Merchant-Ivory, and mavericks such as Michael Powell and David Lean. Soon, the way things are going, you will be able to add a fifth category: the Richard Curtis romantic fantasy film. Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill are two of the most commercially successful British films ever made, and Bridget Jones's Diary, the latest child of the Curtis ethos, could suffer the assault of several hydrogen bombs and would probably still do well. Like the Bond series and the posh literary epics, Bridget Jones is a film that mostly ignores real life, choosing instead to be the kind of heightened, unlikely, instantly gratifying film that is made to invite the communion of Americans. Curtis's films offer a view of Englishness that has nothing to do with reality: a country of rolling, untroubled fields, giant houses for the poor, fairy-tale weather, cobbled streets and no black people. However, Bridget Jones is not a terrible film - it is a funny, daft one, with enough winning charm to stop you from hating yourself for laughing at its many jokes. It is full of pop songs and easy-on-the-heart human dynamics, and yet, under all its likeable front, it can be a fairly impoverished melange. Cinema-goers who have an interest in anything other than America-inclined marshmallowness will be amazed by what the film represents. It's as if the values of intelligent British film-makers from the Sixties to the mid-Eighties had never existed. Bridget Jones, indeed, even more than its sister movies, represents the perfectly watchable triumph of the formulaic over the original, the cheerily accessible over the difficult, and announces, with a new loudness, the end of a period when many British movies could easily be identified with matters of importance to British society. I know this sort of talk gives some of you a headache, but I consider it my job to express unease when there's something off in the breeze: anyone who says that Bridget Jones's Diary is a straightforwardly good film is not telling the truth. Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is a single, marginally podgy publishing assistant in the London of the Nineties. She is a bit of a laugh, with friends - Shazzer, Jude and Tom - who are up for it, confused, confessional and bright, and who act as the familiar Curtis-chorus to the main events in Bridget's hassled existence. As the film opens, the main thing in Bridget's head is an e-mail flirtation that she is having with her boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), who is funny, roguish and charming about everything from office politics to amorous boating accidents. Meanwhile, Bridget begins to form a crush on a henpecked, sad-jumper-wearing mummy's boy called Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), who also happens to be very handsome. The scene is set for Pride and Prejudice-type shenanigans (bred in the bone: Firth played Mr Darcy in the BBC's Austen adaptation, and was much admired by Bridget in the book), and before you know it Bridget is up to her big pants in generational complications. Into the bargain her nice dad (played by Jim Broadbent) is left by Bridget's flighty mother for a pompadoured TV presenter. There is plenty of evidence that the film did somersaults in the editing suite. Following Helen Fielding's book - a fictitious diary that began as a newspaper column - it starts off with the journal technique, lots of voice-over, and words appearing at the bottom of the screen. But it soon loses that, and becomes a technically standard account of sex and the single girl. There are several first-class laughs, and Hugh Grant sends himself up fantastically, filling out the role of Cleaver with an improvisational lippyness, a self-conscious buffoonery, that is brilliantly sustained. Zellweger is equally good. She has a terrific face, freshly un-Hollywood, a well-grasped English accent, and she spins from embarrassment to shamelessness to jollity with no bother at all. To bring up the British film industry in a discussion of this film might be a bit like taking a flame-thrower to kill a fly, but the frothiness of Bridget Jones can't just be laughed away, not when the success of these Curtis films becomes the fact against which so many other British films are measured. It's not Bridget Jones's fault, necessarily, nor Richard Curtis's, but the fact that so much American money went into this film must be considered if the thing is up for intelligent discussion at all. I remarked the other week on the way that Miramax are becoming specialists at banalising European culture in films aimed at the US box office. In some measure this is one of those films. It certainly has none of the guts or the relevance of the book. It has all been turned into heritage. And that, as the original Bridget might have said, is totally crap. The performances are good, the direction is crisp, and there are scenes, especially the big seduction one involving Hugh Grant, that rip up the audience. The film is shapeless, though, and it meanders into the cliches of romance - cinema romance - in a way that defies the on-its-toes vivacity of Fielding's original. The film really has nothing to do with Fielding's creation - she was much sharper, much more Zeitgeist-defining, and she lives a much more emphatically human life on the page. Curtis's Bridget Jones is not so much a real modern girl as a flighty, second-string cipher in a chocolate-box study of England. The film opens and closes with snowflakes the size of wedding bouquets, and the country lanes near Bridget's mother's house are like a sketch that John Constable would have rejected for seeming too romantically epic. Even the biggest-budget directors in Hollywood these days manage to make New York look something like New York. I know, I know: call me an agitated old bore with a fetish for Romanian movies starring half-starved babushkas, but I'm able, by the skin of my teeth, to be only half-nice to a movie as cynical as Bridget Jones. Let's give it the benefit of the doubt. Curtisworld is like something conjured by the Brothers Grimm: castles, lakes, and enchanted forests are served up as part of the Britain of today, and everyone behaves in the way that people used to behave in British sitcoms before they went brazen and trendy. Director Sharon Maguire (Fielding's best friend, and the model, apparently, for Shazzer) is a fine furnisher of the Curtis touch: it's all pretty and hilarious and perfectly useless. But what the hell. It's fine, for an evening, if you just want to pack your troubles in an old kit bag.

Marianne, who is that supposed to be in the Prime Time interview, Huge? Gross! BJD's CF would be on Rosie on Monday That means he will be traveling on Easter Sunday--bad Catholic! ;-) Of course, Luca will be babtised soon. Too bad I don't plan on Umbria this summer. explaining that the scene in which BJ is sliding down a firepole, panty-hose clad butt in close-up to the audience, is being cut in US, We saw that scene in LA! I can't believe they are still cutting the film. Thanks for all the articles, ladies.

anyone who says that Bridget Jones's Diary is a straightforwardly good film is not telling the truth. Is he calling me a liar? Moon, they are not cutting any more scenes.

Think we need yet another post reassuring one and all that the firepole butt shot is indeed *in* the film?;-) Yes, that's the charming Gnat quoted; he's on Prime Time at 10:00 p.m. I think RZ is on Conan O'Brian tonight.

Just to be redundant: the networks would not accept *commercials* with the firepole/butt scenes...no problem with the movie. Heck...even shallow, ignorant Americans will accept that scene in a movie. Of course, we will blush about all the bad language-we may be dumb, but we're sensitive ;-) Sure hope the DVD has *both* versions of the end/credits. May feel v. deprived if not allowed to see all possible alternatives. Hmmmm...may have to go to London later in the year to see a play about a "great" dane...perhaps could rent BJD by then. :-)

From the Today/MSNBC web site: http://msnbc.com/onair/default.asp MONDAY, APRIL 16 - 7:00 AM ET Actor Colin Firth A look at Charlotte Church�s new book, �Voice of an Angel.� �Today�s Woman� with Judy Reichman. A look at Valerie Harper�s book, �Today I am a Ma�am.� �Today�s Family� and �Parents� magazine team up to talk about a five-part series on what makes a great parent. Actor Colin Firth talks about his role in the movie, �Bridget Jones� Diary.� Author Malika Oufkir with her book, �Stolen Lives.� Yeah, right! At least he is prominently "displayed".

Attaboy, Colin. If little Charlotte Church can do it . . . *Won't believe it until I see it* Think is cruel bait and switch scam in manner of mail informing me that You Have Just Won $1,000,000.00 (in type size generally reserved for declarations of war or dissolution of Cruise/Kidman marriage), while word "may" after You is in small gnat (as opposed to huge) print.;-) V.g. review in the NY Times; it's not online yet. BTW, I misspoke (miswrote?;-) before; Huge is on Regis & Kelly domani, Rz on The View and Conan tonight.

Whatever happened to the Telegraph's feature where you sent in questions for Bridget and they were going to publish them the following month? Another article in EW about RZ facing the wrath of British critics: http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,106030~1~0~reneezellwegerfaceswrath,00.html The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw has a very bizarre review. Good thing no one reads your broadsheets. The screen Bridget may be good knockabout fun, but it lacks the devastating insights of the original, says Peter Bradshaw Well, here it is. The film of the book of the newspaper column of the deeply important single-women-in-their-30s zeitgeisty phenomenon. Or, to use Friends parlance, The One Where Bridget Gets Anal Sex From Hugh Grant and Likes It and Wants to Do It Again. I am not making that last bit up. It might happen off camera, but it's one of the film's raunchier, chancier, more grubbily English things, superciliously ignored in the acres of consumer-style journalism devoted to all things Bridget in the past few weeks. Sharon Maguire's broadly enjoyable, knockabout, sitcommy picture takes the sophisticated creation of Helen Fielding and - well, doesn't dumb it down exactly, but transfers it to a medium in which much of her distinctive qualities are inevitably lost. What we've got isn't so much postmodern Pride and Prejudice as pre-modern Mills and Boon. Bridget, the screwed-up publishing assistant, played by the Texan Ren�e Zellweger, is torn between the adorably sexy cad Daniel, played by Hugh Grant, and the sullen but morally superior human rights barrister Mark Darcy - or perhaps that should be plain Mr Darcy, played by Colin Firth. Who should she choose? (The answer, frankly, is Hugh, who blows everyone else off the screen with a cracking performance as the naughtier-than-thou heartbreaker. Of this, more in a moment.) We all know how Bridget Jones has been the template for the jokey single-gal confessionalists in fact and fiction. How Bridget famously spawned a billion imitators in books and newspapers, who get daringly drunk and are "rubbish" and "sad" about men and everything else. But really we know that they are in control by virtue of writing it up themselves, very wittily, and having a prestigious columnist job. Putting their great ancestor Bridge on the screen, however, abolishes this contract of understanding between writer and reader. When we see Bridget drink her bodyweight in chardonnay, fall over, get up and make a funny face, it isn't being filtered through her own prose. In print, we were laughing with Bridget. On screen, well... The awful truth about this film is that it makes Bridget look like the world's biggest prat, and an egregious emotional imbecile. And the camera's glimpses of her own diary disclose not the devastatingly acute document we have come to know and love, but crass, sub-Adrian Mole, semi-literate jottings with big girly handwriting. So Bridget has to be reimagined as a lovable, infantile clown - but once this leap has been made, Ren�e Zellweger's impersonation of Bridget is entertaining. She has an excellent English accent, the best since Gwyneth Paltrow's Emma. And her Jake La Motta-ish weight-gain is a thing of joy. Her cheeks have become plump, hamster-ish, pushing her mouth into a continuous, unsexy pout of anxiety and self-reproach. Her thighs are massively dimpled and her great bottom is as stately as a sinking galleon, and it's always in our face, particularly when Bridget wears a bulging Playboy bunny outfit to her mother's vicars and tarts party. It is a quintessentially English bottom which should by rights be encased in an unflattering netball skirt. We don't get much about her mates, Shazzer and Jude - a bit of a waste of two first-class actors, Shirley Henderson and Sally Phillips (much of their stuff was presumably lost in the edit). Colin Firth reprises his smouldering act as Mr Darcy, although oddly it's Hugh who gets dripping wet this time, drunkenly falling out of the rowing boat he and Bridget have hired on a romantic weekend break. The big comic set-piece comes when Daniel and Darcy, consumed with mutual loathing, have a punch-up out in the street, and Bridget's gay friend Tom (James Callis) blunders into a restaurant queenily to announce the exciting fact: "Fight! Fight!" As I have said, any red-blooded member of the audience will be longing for Hugh to win it. [Ed note: HUH???] He is effortlessly the best thing in the film. His Daniel is, as they say, Not Safe In Taxis or anywhere else. There is nothing floppy or limp about his hair here; it is flowing and Byronically sensual. Daniel is mad, bad, dangerous and extremely funny to know. And he's much more interesting than dull old Darcy or indeed silly old Bridget. What a pair they are. A stuffy bore and an emotionally needy, not-very-talented person whose one professional success, as a television presenter, is the gift of Darcy in the first place. Richard Curtis's London, swirling with picturesque snow, is that weird imaginary place, that ersatz London-from-another-planet we saw in Notting Hill. It's an unreal London where barristers can smash up restaurants without getting into trouble with the police or the Bar Council. It's a virtual-reality zone where Bridget organises a publishing party attended by Salman Rushdie and other self-conscious literary celebs playing wooden cameos of themselves - a very uncertain moment, in which the film appears to be absorbing its own status as a media event. But this is a strong debut from former documentary-maker Sharon Maguire, who directs with chutzpah and style. Richard Curtis's script (taken from original drafts by Helen Fielding and Andrew Davies) may not be as sharp as Four Weddings or Notting Hill, but it has its moments, including a tremendous gag about, of all people, FR Leavis. It reminded me of Leavis's comment about Edith Sitwell: she belongs to the history of publicity, not literature. The same could be said of that one-woman hype sensation Bridget Jones. But what a monumental place in the history of publicity she has.

This is one they'll be quoting in the ads! From Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune. Doesn't get much better than this. Thanks to Janet. Bridget Jones's Diary amuses almost as much in movie form as it did between book covers.The film kept me smiling all the way through. And it's about time. Good romantic comedies with charming characters and witty dialogue -- especially in the hands of masters like Ernst Lubitsch, George Cukor or, more recently, Woody Allen -- have always been among the movies' chief delights. They sizzle and refresh. But recent romantic comedies have tended to fizzle on screen. The Wedding Planner, Someone Like You and What Women Want came across as overcalculated pseudo-comedies -- curdled valentines. Bridget Jones's Diary is an exception. It's a chronicle of the romantic misadventures of a brainy young publishing-house publicist in her early 30s whose love life and family have become disasters. Based on Helen Fielding's incredibly popular book, it's chock-full of delights. Among them: the brilliant acting of stars Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant; the effervescent dialogues and crackling monologues; the empathetic and limber direction by first-timer Sharon Maguire; the clever in-jokes and ribald ripostes; and the way the whole movie seems to gleam and dance as you watch it. Zellweger is an actor of such pixie charm yet deep humanity that she defies category. How can this milky-complexioned Texan play a role considered so quintessentially British that much of the British Isles' female populace seems to identify with it? How can they accept Texan Zellweger as Bridget? How can we?Well, how did we all accept Britain's Vivien Leigh as that ultimate Southern belle, Scarlett O'Hara? While I found her clipped London accent and fruity diction strange for the first few scenes (wondering where her drawl disappeared to), I soon completely accepted her. Zellweger may have learned Bridget's accent from a diction coach. But the brains, warmth, earthy charm, sympathy, goodness and sturdiness are her own. And they definitely work for Bridget. Who is Bridget? Obviously, she's a surrogate for writer Fielding. But Bridget struck a chord with so many readers because of her universal predicament: Thirtyish, likable, fairly successful in life (Fielding herself worked in TV documentaries), Bridget is deeply discontent because she is without a partner. She blames herself, obsesses about food, makes lists, breaks resolutions. She has a deep crush on her publisher boss, Daniel Cleaver (Grant), a twinkly guy who's a bit of a rake. Another man, Mark Darcy (Firth), seems unavailable -- guarded by a possessive girlfriend, Natasha (Embeth Davidtz).There are other crises in her life. Her mom (Gemma Jones) has left her dad (Jim Broadbent) and fallen for a shopping-channel huckster with phony-looking hair. So her dad quietly suffers, watching the shopping channel. To combat all this, Bridget welcomes her friends (Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson and James Callis), who always try to cheer her up. Or, she opens her diary and writes about life, sex, food, money, family and almost everything else. What helps make the movie work so well is the way Bridget's voice dominates it. Diary echoes with her slants, laughter and whines. As with Woody Allen, that recognizable voice draws us in, and we feel strongly for our imperfect narrator.As in many romantic comedies, the heroine is torn between two men: the dark, solid and mysterious Darcy; and Cleaver, Bridget's irresponsible Casanova boss. Firth gives Darcy a wounded grace. And Grant gives Cleaver all his finesse. Usually, Grant plays the good lover; here, he's just as effective playing the bad. And the Zellweger-Firth-Grant triangle works as irresistibly as Hepburn-Grant-Stewart in The Philadelphia Story. The rest of the cast is fine, too, especially Broadbent as the hurt dad. (There's also a wonderful cameo at a publishing party from novelist Salman Rushdie.) Director Maguire may be a first-time dramatic feature-maker. But she is deeply versed in film: She has directed many documentaries for British television on subjects like Picasso, Margaret Thatcher and H.G. Wells. Though her touch is never intrusive, we can always feel her hand and voice: urbane, sophisticated, strongly involved with her characters.The links between the moviemakers and the book are fascinating. Writer and executive producer Fielding is, of course, the inspiration for much of Bridget. But director Maguire is the model for Bridget's best friend, Shazza (Phillips). Co-writer Richard Curtis, who has written several hits for Grant (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill) in which Grant plays a version of Curtis himself, here has written a part nearer Grant's own personality -- at least according to Grant. Firth is playing a character named Darcy, the story's quiet hero, much like the Darcy in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. And that's a role that Firth also has played on screen -- just as Grant has acted in Ang Lee's film of Austen's Sense and Sensibility. Austen, that supreme British romantic-comedy novelist, is the right measuring rod here. Fielding obviously is thinking of her, as are the other writers, director Maguire and the actors. And, if we are, too, neither the film nor Zellweger, who plays Bridget with such wit and courage, will disappoint us.

Woo woo!! Wilmington comes through (will buy paper tomorrow). Sun-Times hasn't changed over to Friday yet.

http://startribune.com/viewers/qview/cgi/qview.cgi?template=free_article&slug=bri13 Bridget Jones's Diary Jeff Strickler [Minneapolis] Star Tribune Friday, April 13, 2001 'Bridget Jones's Diary'' isn't pretty -- but that's the point. This romantic comedy about an overweight, chain-smoking, heavy drinker who's chronically attracted to jerks is offered as a counterpoint to all the fairy tales about the beautiful people. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Helen Fielding, who helped write the screenplay, it alters some of the book's content -- why do filmmakers have a knee-jerk instinct to change endings? -- but remains faithful to its spirit. It's a chick flick, but the humor is loopy enough to keep guys entertained. Credit Renee Zellweger for that. She has said former boyfriend Jim Carrey taught her a sense of comic timing. It appears that the star of such goofball comedies as "Dumb and Dumber" and "Ace Ventura" also taught her the value of checking her ego at the soundstage door. Zellweger isn't playing the kind of buffoon that made Carrey a millionaire. But she certainly is cashing in on her own embarrassment. Zellweger, who gained 20 pounds for the role, freely lets the film make fun of her appearance, manners and naivete. Bridget is a frumpy London publicist who ends up spending yet another dateless New Year's Eve with her parents. Convinced that if she doesn't take drastic action, she's "doomed to die fat and alone," she resolves to turn her life around: She'll lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on the drinking, stop dating losers and keep a diary to record the glorious accomplishments. The only commitment she manages to keep is the diary. Shared with us via voice-over narration, the journal chronicles each painful setback. BAD BOY The most obvious concerns her love life. Her lecherous boss, Daniel (Hugh Grant), puts a move on her. He's a cad through and through, and she knows it. But she's helpless in his presence. Bridget finally meets a nice guy, Mark (Colin Firth, "Shakespeare in Love"). But he's, well, dull. Therein lies the dilemma: Does she opt for the romantic equivalent of a double-chocolate brownie a la mode -- certain to be regretted later but oh, so delightful at the time -- or go with Cupid's version of a rice cake? The announcement that Zellweger had snagged the movie's starring role did not go over well in England, where they resented an American being imported to play the quintessential British Everywoman. But Zellweger -- whose serious work in such independent films as "The Whole Wide World" has been overshadowed by her fluffy performances in the likes of "Jerry Maguire" -- nails the accent. All the roles are wonderfully drawn. Grant, who too often plays the same befuddled character, attacks his bad-boy part with zeal. Firth's comic touch is delicately understated. Bridget's parents, who could have become simplistic stereotypes, are given depth by veterans Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones. This is the first feature film for director Sharon Maguire, who spent 10 years working for the BBC. The narrative is episodic -- an inescapable shortcoming of the diary format -- but Maguire more than compensates with a lightweight tone and snappy pacing. Still, it's Zellweger's unselfishness that sells the movie. How many other young actresses would be willing to let a movie make fun of their fat thighs? She turns "Bridget Jones's Diary" into something to write home about. *** out of four stars The setup: A lovelorn woman has to choose between an exciting cad and decent but dull guy. What works: The performances are topnotch. What doesn't: The narrative is episodic. Great line: "She smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish and dresses like her mother." Rating: R; profanity, sexual situations and raunchy humor.

Cupid's version of a rice cake I think that's an all-time first as a description of CF!

http://www2.onwisconsin.com/scripts/staticpage.dll?only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=29616&ck=&ver=2.8 Duane Dudek Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 2 1/2 stars of 5 Published: April 13, 2001 Like its protagonist and the actress who plays her, "Bridget Jones's Diary" is short, sweet and a little incomplete. The movie is shaggily likable but doesn't convey whatever intangible turned the character into a chubby cult figure. Why British novels like the "Harry Potter" and "Bridget Jones" books become cultural phenomena beyond the printed page is left unanswered, probably because the filmmakers don't know the answer either. The result is an amusing ramble of a film that is driven more by plot than character, and which finds humor in the awkward situations it places its heroine in rather than who she is. Like the film "High Fidelity," which transferred a popular novel about a neurotic, single male thirtysomething from London to Chicago yet retained its arch qualities, "Bridget Jones" suffers from a sense of dislocation that is a product of similar and clashing sensibilities. Screenwriter Richard Curtis, who wrote the successful and entertaining films "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill," and first-time feature director Sharon Maguire, are friends of the book's author, Helen Fielding, who co-wrote the screenplay. Fielding even based a journalist character in the book on Maguire. Perhaps this intimacy caused them to unconsciously turn something extremely familiar to them into a shorthand that shuts out others. On the other hand, casting Texas native Renee Zellweger as the quintessential single neurotic thirtysomething Londoner signals an attempt to open up the film into something the slim volume cannot sustain. Like the film's protagonist, the scrappy Zellweger jumps gamely into the fray knickers first. The conundrum is that, while the book's popularity is due to its universal themes, it is its specificity that makes it universal. In expanding the universal elements to broaden the story's appeal, the filmmakers tend to dilute whatever specifics made it unique in the first place. Yet like the remake of Eric Carmen's classic maudlin anthem "All By Myself," which a tipsy, pajama-wearing Bridget pantomimes in the opening scene, the film's limitations may only be apparent to those who are familiar with the original. Since the diary entries - in which Bridget chronicles her weight gain, cigarettes smoked, alcohol units consumed and pathetic love life - is a novelistic device, the filmmakers barely refer to it and use narration in an attempt to achieve the same effect. But the entries communicate her compulsions in ways that supplement her comic desperation. When the film tries to achieve the latter without the diary's interior voice, the result is simply just funny rather than poignant. (And you do laugh at the wry audacity of having writer Salman Rushdie, who appears in a party scene, being asked for directions to the loo, twice.) Hugh Grant is the shagalicious boss she knows better than to trust yet does anyway. How Grant, whose past "troubles" do not have anything to do with Northern Ireland, has become the foppish British Everyman is perplexing. Here he is grimly insufferable, as required, and the effect is frankly unsettling rather than sexy. Colin Firth is a glum barrister named after the Jane Austen character he played in "Pride and Prejudice," who dislikes Bridget as much as she dislikes him, which, of course, is every fairy tale's prelude to living happily ever after. Other delicious characters, such as Bridget's parents, wonderfully played by Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent, are underdeveloped. Too, transitions in the character's lives, such as Bridget's career crisis, are abruptly portrayed and affect the film's pace and continuity. Such are the pitfalls of a debut director handling material whose appeal is a mystery in the first place.

http://ent.twincities.com/scripts/staticpage.dll?only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=29616&ck=&ver=2.8 Sentimental Journals By Chris Hewitt Saint Paul Pioneer Press Published: Thursday, April 12, 2001 Bridget Jones' mouth has two left feet. 3 stars out of 4 "You tend to let out whatever's in your mouth without much thought to the consequences," a potential suitor tells her in "Bridget Jones's Diary." That is the appeal of Bridget, a Londoner who blabs to us like a best friend about her obsessive quest to do less smoking, drinking and eating and more smooching. Bridget's mouth is also her downfall, especially when it has recently been occupied by an entire bottle of Chardonnay. "Bridget Jones's Diary" preserves the boisterous, ironic, slightly sentimental spirit of Helen Fielding's novel despite the inevitable changes it makes. Bridget's friends are barely in the movie, even though it was directed by Sharon Maguire, who is Fielding's real-life best friend and the model for the character of Shazzer. Apparently, they were cut in favor of Bridget's parents, whose troubled marriage gives "Diary" a few serious moments, interspersed between Bridget's guzzling, puffing and juggling of two men (priggish Colin Firth and duplicitous Hugh Grant). In its basics, "Diary" is pretty much the same story as TV's "That Girl," with different vowels and liberal use of the f-word. The hiring of native Texan Renee Zellweger touched off controversy in England, but her accent sounds terrific to these Midwestern ears. Zellweger seems both more authoritative and more screwed up than in her other performances. That's perfect for the film, which represents Bridget's efforts to reconcile her own confidence in herself with her belief that the world thinks she's a loser. There's plenty of Bridget Jones in "Bridget Jones's Diary," but not much diary. Bridget's day-by-day log of the cigarettes, glasses of wine and cupcakes she consumed was a hilarious part of the novel, but the movie wisely resists the temptation to translate all of that stuff into voice-over narration. Here, we get the idea early on (wittily, Bridget's diary entries taunt her from the billboard she walks by in Picadilly Square), and then the movie forgets about the diary until it's needed for a plot point. That plot point -- the wrong person gets his hands on Bridget's journal -- is the sort of hokey storytelling device that crops up in most romantic comedies. But "Bridget" distinguishes itself from the pack because the woman is the engine who powers the movie -- the heroine gets to make up her mind about what she wants, instead of being the rope in a tug-of-war between two chiseled jaws (in fact, when "Bridget" does get to the obligatory Firth/Grant punching match, it's depicted for what it is: ridiculous macho posturing). Another characteristic of current romantic comedies is an Agatha Christie-like insistence on withholding information from us. Even in the likable "Someone Like You," the movie is so concerned about keeping us in suspense about which man Ashley Judd will choose that it makes both men look like jerks, so that neither seems to have an edge on the other. As a result, when she finally picks one, we're not sure why. "Diary," on the other hand, manages to show what's appealing about both guys and, by the time Bridget figures out what she wants, her choice makes as much sense to us as if we'd been reading her diary all along.

http://ent.twincities.com/scripts/staticpage.dll?reviewid=164237&only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=29616&ck=&ver=2.8&userid=1&userpw=.&uh=1,0, A sweet, feisty 'Bridget' By Mary F. Pols Contra Costa Times Published: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 3.5 of 4 stars Any fan of Helen Fielding's best seller "Bridget Jones's Diary" knew that elfin actress Ren�e Zellweger would have to beef up to play the part of Bridget, a romantically challenged hedonist prone to late-night chocolate snacks and no sense of due diligence when it comes to exercise. Despite all the tales of Zellweger's enforced bingeing on milkshakes and pizzas in preparation for the role, it was hard not to be both resentful and skeptical. For Bridget, an extra roll or two around the stomach comes naturally, and achieving it was merely a matter of existing; it certainly didn't involve work. But from the opening frames of the movie version of "Bridget Jones's Diary," when Zellweger's genuinely puffy face first heaves into sight atop a pair of slovenly pajamas, all that skepticism is likely to vanish. Oh, she's not fat at all, but then again, Bridget wasn't, either. She's just not thin in the way that, say, Zellweger typically is. She's fleshy, with most of the weight distributed between her breasts and her face. Her clothes never fit her quite right, and she has a habit of wearing inappropriately sexy or ill-fitting garments to her job at a London publishing house. There's even a glorious glimpse of cellulite on her thighs. Males welcome Zellweger's complete physical transformation into Bridget is just one of the pleasantly surprising ways in which Fielding's book has been translated into an extremely entertaining movie. The book's bawdy, hilarious sensibility is very much intact - there's heavy use of the F-word, as well as alcohol-swilling and smoking - but it's also been broadened into something that might actually appeal to a wider spectrum than its original, largely female demographic. A man who picked up the book might have felt as if he'd stumbled in on a conversation about bikini waxing, but he probably won't feel as excluded by the movie. This may be because Zellweger conveys an interesting blend of sweetness and feistiness, but none of Bridget's more bitter, off-putting (to some) qualities. Much of the success may also be owed to Fielding's early collaboration on the script, and the fact that Fielding's friend Sharon Maguire, a documentary filmmaker making her debut as a feature director, was the model for the character of Bridget's friend Shazzer. Clearly, the director knows the material. The book was unabashedly shallow. Each of Bridget's diary entries began with a litany of her sins: alcohol consumption, cigarettes smoked, weight gained or lost, poor judgment used in making phone calls to men. Bridget's distinct lack of self-esteem and her deep need for validation through male companionship appalled some of the more uptight feminists out there, who expressed both dismay and disbelief that women would still operate on this level. To which many would say, oh please. Yes, there are women out there who don't worry about never finding love, who have relaxed, have completely nonjudgmental attitudes about their own self-image and manage to entirely dodge the shallow cycle of need perpetuated by fashion magazines and such. Would you want to have a spa day with any of them? Regardless, the movie doesn't dwell on the diary as a construct, beyond an occasional scene of Zellweger scribbling. At one point, after Bridget has enjoyed a night of frolicking with her raffish boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), she's seen walking through the streets of London, with a big grin on her face, and a giant electronic billboard on a building flashes a quick diary entry. Maguire is smart enough to only use this too-cute technique once. Zellweger's Bridget gives enough away with her face and actions; she doesn't need this kind of assistance. Firth comes forth Also understandably absent is one of the book's assets, the way Bridget's life parallels "Pride and Prejudice," including the fact that her love interest is a rather stiff but dashing lawyer named Mr. Darcy, whom her mother (the outstanding Gemma Jones, who played the mother in Emma Thompson's "Sense and Sensibility") wants her to date. Fielding's Bridget lusted after actor Colin Firth, who portrayed Mr. Darcy in the BBC's much-loved adaptation of Austen's novel, but since Firth plays Mark Darcy in the movie - in an absolutely inspired bit of casting - Zellweger's character could hardly talk about how hot the actor Firth is. Although if she did, she would be speaking the truth. As Mark Darcy, Firth is exquisitely haughty. None of the casting can be faulted, actually. Grant, after years of simpering and stammering, is finally playing a complete cad, the attractive office scoundrel who can't be trusted, and it's a perfect part for him. The trio who play Bridget's chain-smoking, hard-drinking best friends Sharon (Sally Phillips), Jude (Shirley Henderson) and Tom (James Callis) do nice comic work as well. If at times they seem like characters straight out of "Notting Hill" or "Four Weddings and a Funeral," it's because the same production team is behind this movie.

The NY Times is up: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/13/arts/13BRID.html 'Bridget Jones's Diary': 120 Pounds and 1,000,000 Cigarettes Later By STEPHEN HOLDEN So what if you've put on a few extra pounds, appear gawky and tongue-tied in tense social situations, and wear bulky, little-girl underwear on a heavy date? And so what if you don't follow "The Rules" and still give your heart too easily to a suave charmer you suspect (no, you're pretty sure) of being a cad? What's important is being yourself. After all, isn't it the real you, the quirky, quick-witted, honest, plucky, chin-up, lovable, wonderful inner you that he's going to recognize as the genuine ruby shining amid a pile of fakes? Allegiance to blind faith in the true-blue inner you to attract Prince Charming is the reassuring romantic philosophy trumpeted by the film adaptation of Helen Fielding's best seller, "Bridget Jones's Diary." That wisp of novel is so charming with its mixture of insouciance, wit and candor that it's enough to restore a belief in fairy tale endings to the most embittered casualty of the urban dating wars. True, Billy Joel expressed the same sentiment a bit more bluntly in a love song addressed to a woman he has long since divorced: "I love you just the way you are." But the song and its promise live on. Who could resist such convincing valentines? Bridget Jones, in case you didn't know, is a 32-year-old bachelorette who works in a London publishing house and frets with sad amusement about her increasingly iffy prospects for finding a long-term relationship. Summoning up her shaky willpower, she decides to adopt the usual self-improvement regimen to make herself more desirable. She will lose 20 pounds, cut own on alcohol, cigarettes and sweets, and land the boat of her dreams. Her diary entries are prefaced with meticulous records of her progress (and lack thereof) in achieving her stringent numerical goals. What makes Bridget irresistible is that even when downhearted, she maintains a rueful sense of humor. Defeated by her immediate circumstances and gone into hiding, she remains intrepid in spirit. A woman who loves men and loves sex, she is a true believer in the possibility of romantic fulfillment without any moon-June-spoon ickiness: it's just you and me, babe, the real you and the real me. Openhearted and girlish in some ways, canny and sophisticated in others, Bridget's entertaining even when in the deepest funk. Most important, everything she thinks and says is informed by a critical, clear-eyed intelligence, even if she botches the actual words. Yet having soldiered through romantic diappointments, she remains remarkably uncurdled by bitterness and cynicism. Aside from her highly questionable taste in clothes and her inability to cook a multi-course home feast in which the soup isn't an alarmingly metallic shade of blue, what's not to adore? In translating "Bridget Jones's Diary" to the screen, all that really matters is bringing this complicated, somewhat reactionary character fully and lovably to life. In choosing the princess to play this princess, who could have imagined that Ren�e Zellweger, a native Texan, who put on 20 pounds for the role, would be so perfect? Adopting an impeccable British accent that's not too hoity- toity, and softening her character's romantic desperation, Ms. Zellweger brings the same qualities � a flinty integrity, a childlike stubbornness and an innocent face across which emotions melt like strawberry ice cream � that animated her performances in "Jerry Maguire" and "Nurse Betty." But this role is bigger and richer than those parts. Ms. Zellweger accomplishes the small miracle of making Bridget both entirely endearing and utterly real. It is a performance so airy you barely sense the work that must have gone into it. Throughout the film you ardently root for her to succeed and pray that the two men who end up coming to blows over her (in an improbable and awkwardly staged fistfight) recognize her goodness, inner beauty and all-around specialness. Those two men are her snaky but sexy boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), and Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), a grim young lawyer (and early childhood playmate) introduced to her by her dithery matchmaking mother (Gemma Jones). Although Bridget herself is no fashion plate, Darcy makes a disastrous first impression by wearing a silly looking reindeer sweater. A glib, elusive womanizer, Daniel elicits the same hooded-eyed Mephistopholean slipperiness in Mr. Grant that Woody Allen discovered and used so effectively in "Small-Time Crooks." By lowering his eyelids and adopting a faintly supercilious tone of voice, Mr. Grant expertly adjusts his stock screen persona from the ingenuous, girly-boy stumblebum of movies like "Notting Hill" into a duplicitous, testosterone-driven lothario. The joke behind Mr. Firth's Darcy is that the same actor played a version of a similar character, Mr. Darcy, in a television mini-series of "Pride and Prejudice." Here again, Mr. Firth is the stiff-backed Mr. Right whose wonderfulness is revealed by degrees as he peels away layers of formality to bare the sensitive soul beneath his forbidding but handsome (despite sartorial misfires) exterior. The movie, directed by Sharon Maguire from a screenplay by Ms. Fielding, Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis, begins with a blitz of fast-cut, witty observations and short satirical takes on Bridget, her friends, the London dating scene and the inner workings of her publishing house. The velocity leaves you almost breathless. The barrage continues for the first half of the film, after which it relaxes into a standard-issue will-she-or-won't-she-get-the-guy romantic comedy of crossed signals, misunderstandings and last-minute saves. What began as a tartly witty evisceration of the feverish single- but-looking state of mind (a scene of Bridget's being regarded condescendingly by people she calls "smug marrieds" is especially withering) turns into a variation of Cinderella. An undernourished subplot follows the separation of Bridget's parents and her mother's humiliating affair with a sleazy home-shopping network pitchman who enlists her as his assistant. Don't expect "Bridget Jones's Diary" to deliver any searing revelations about the human condition. Even as a do's and don'ts resource about the dating life, the wisdom it dispenses is questionable. What it is is a delicious piece of candy whose amusing package is scrawled with bons mots distantly inspired by Jane Austen. So was "Clueless," now already six years old. "Bridget Jones's Diary" is the best and smartest film of its kind since then.

http://ent.twincities.com/scripts/staticpage.dll?reviewid=164234&only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=29616&ck=&ver=2.8&userid=1&userpw=.&uh=1,0, Diary of a Mad Singleton By Bruce Newman Mercury News Published: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 3 stars of 4 ...Darcy is played by Colin Firth, who not only was mentioned for his yummy looks in Fielding's book but who played Mr. Darcy in the 1995 BBC production of ``Pride and Prejudice.'' This Darcy, therefore, is based on the Austen character and on the actor who played him, and is played by the actor who played the Austen character upon whom his own character is based...

The award for most Austen references in one review goes to... http://ent.twincities.com/scripts/staticpage.dll?reviewid=164262&only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=29616&ck=&ver=2.8&userid=1&userpw=.&uh=1,0, A dear 'Diary' buoyed by an un-British Bridget By Carrie Rickey Philadelphia Inquirer Published: Friday, April 13, 2001 3 stars out of 4 London''s most amusing slinging single, that knockabout imbiber of alcohol, cigarettes and men, is made flesh, 130 weight-obsessed pounds of it, by Ren�e Zellweger in "Bridget Jones''s Diary." It is as adorable and predictable a film as the Helen Fielding best-seller that inspired it. The movie, like the novel, traces its DNA to Jane Austen''s "Pride and Prejudice." To make it fit the rhyme scheme of a romantic comedy, its screenwriters - Fielding herself, Richard Curtis ("Four Weddings and a Funeral"), and the BBC''s veteran Austen adapter Andrew Davies - have imposed rhythms ineluctable as those of a limerick. This need not be so, as "Clueless" - a loveletter to Austen''s "Emma" postmarked Beverly Hills 90210 - nimbly showed. But it is so, and however unsurprising its surprises - the dashing man (Hugh Grant) is a cad and the sneering snob (Colin Firth) a dear - it is enjoyable to clock Austen''s insight about the swiftness of the female imagination, racing from blush to crush, love to matrimony in a heartbeat. You would think that Zellweger was closer to Austin, Texas, than to Austen, Jane, but you would be wrong. As the embodiment of the present-tense-imperfect modern career gal, she is present, tense and perfection. The ebullient Texan nails the English accent and self-deprecating attitude. And it''s not just the English she masters, but also the body English. Even when her gestures are irrepressibly, irresistibly, irretrievably American - her corkscrew of curls tangled up in her semaphore of arms - she doesn''t blow her bangs from her eyes (an American gesture of exasperation patented by Goldie Hawn and Meg Ryan), but struggles to recover a cockeyed composure, a "veddy English" Maggie Smith kind of dance. While Zellweger does her utmost to distill the book''s droll tone in the ding-dong of her voice-over narration, this proves a challenge for director Sharon Maguire (a documentarian and Fielding crony making her feature debut here). Bridget''s first-person account invites the reader to laugh with her. The movie camera is not subjective and necessarily sees from perspectives other than Bridget''s. The shift in vantage inadvertently encourages the audience to laugh at Bridget - her ungainly getups and her stammering soliloquies. While the novel involved the reader in Bridget''s tiny, face-saving self-deceits, the film magnifies these into huge, narcissistic self-delusions, which renders her a less sympathetic figure. The book made readers her confidants; the movie makes viewers her critics. I mentioned huge. There has been much talk about the whippet-like Zellweger''s bulking up 20 pounds to play the calorie-counting heroine. While it''s a pathetic commentary on Hollywood wraithdom that she had to gain to be on the slim side of average weight, it must be said that since most actresses are hardbodied size 4s, it''s novel to see a softfigured size 8 on-screen, even though she''s still easily 10 pounds shy of Bridget''s fighting weight. The bad news is that the screenwriters have reconfigured Bridget''s freewheeling narrative into a conventional love triangle. The good news is that the happy result includes a wickedly funny performance by Grant, oozing charm and toxic effluences, and an aloofly earnest turn by Firth, which should do for his career what "Four Weddings" did for Grant''s. Firth''s casting is something of an inside (or do we say intertextual?) joke. He played Darcy in the well-received BBC adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice," a performance much commented upon and drooled over by Bridget in this "P&P" update. Thus Firth makes an ideal Mark Darcy, the barrister Bridget thinks too square and judgmental for her eccentric, kicky tastes. Janeites, as Austenians call themselves, will also note that while Firth''s BBC Darcy was something of a bare-chested hero out of a pulp romance novel, his performance here pays explicit homage to Laurence Olivier''s Darcy in the 1940 MGM version of "P&P." Dreamy. So what we have here are three hilarious performances embedded in a humdrum context, which is more than one can say about most romantic comedies.

Actress adds heft to 'Bridget Jones's Diary' By Connie Ogle The Miami Herald Published: Friday, April 13, 2001 2.5 of 5 stars ...She's sick of her mum's attempts to fix her up, especially after meeting Mark Darcy (Colin Firth, probably stunned to find himself playing Mr. Darcy a second time), an aloof barrister with appalling taste in sweaters and a way of staring at Bridget like she's got two heads. He also seems to run into her whenever she's embarrassing herself. This happens a lot�. �Still, the cast could not be better. That the handsome Firth (Shakespeare in Love, The English Patient) reprises his role as Mr. Darcy may be the single most hilarious joke in the movie (he played Darcy in A & E's Pride and Prejudice and shows up as himself on the pages of Fielding's Bridget Jones sequel)...

This guy's obviously never read P&P, since he calls Darcy "D'Arcy": http://ent.twincities.com/scripts/staticpage.dll?reviewid=164247&only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=29616&ck=&ver=2.8&userid=1&userpw=.&uh=1,0, "Bridget Jones" won't challenge you, but does have a sugary charm By Lawrence Toppman The Charlotte Observer Published: 4/12/01 2.5 of 5 stars ...Firth's character, bizarrely, is an imaginary version of himself. Fielding watched the BBC "Pride and Prejudice," an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel with Firth as Mr. D'Arcy. Then she tried to guess what the actor would be like in real life and gave her Darcy those attributes. So in "Bridget," Firth is supposed to play Firth. He's OK at it.

http://ent.twincities.com/scripts/staticpage.dll?reviewid=164288&only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=29616&ck=&ver=2.8&userid=1&userpw=.&uh=1,0, Fat chance: Renee Zellweger doesn't convince in dull "Diary" By Terry Lawson Detroit Free Press Published: 4/13/01 2 of 5 stars ...All the actors struggle gamely to make this look like fun, but except for a couple of Bridget's more amusing humiliations -- she shows up in bunny ears and fishnets for a costume party that isn't, and accidentally shows her "enormous" bum on national television -- there is not much they can do with such soggy material....

Last one! Bad one to end on though: http://ent.twincities.com/scripts/staticpage.dll?reviewid=164261&only=y&spage=AE/movies/movies_details.htm&id=29616&ck=&ver=2.8&userid=1&userpw=.&uh=1,0, Weighing in on Bridget's charms By Sono Motoyama Philadelphia Daily News Published: Friday, April 13, 2001 ...The only dud among the main characters is the dark and stand-offish Darcy (reference to the Jane Austen character intended), played by Colin Firth (who portrayed a come-hither Darcy in a BBC version of Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"). The character is so unpleasant and --worse--dull that we can't understand why a lovable incompetent like Bridget would think he was her Mr. Right. (There's also little chemistry between the two actors.)...

Hmmm..reading the British reviews, all pro-Hugh, makes me realise why CF hesitated. Come along Colin, reprise the role that made you famous, but hey, let's get rid of the original script amd make it into a vehicle for Hughie boy(who's so-o-o sexy and irresistible and gets all the funny lines and gets to wear the wet shirt ) and he'll get all the good reviews, and you can be a dull, stiff, boring mummy's boy, whom no red-blooded male/female would root for. Excuse me? In the book, MD was never dull in a negative sense. And if he smiled and cracked jokes at their first meeting, there'd be no movie! Am seeing BJD this weekend...But the Brit reviews infuriate me...I feel as though Working Title have "used " Colin and let him take the flak from the (male)reviewers, whilst HG is re-born as "sexy". Hopefully female audiences will see things differently. And he should say "no" to a sequel. Thank goodness for (most of) the US reviews!!! It's a pity he reads the Guardian!

I agree Bethan, that most of the UK reviewers favour HG & RZ(rightly so in her case) but if you read the "user reviews" at the IMDB they praise Colin equally and have some very nice comments, such as "dreamy, wonderful, etc.perfect casting" The US reviews are more favourable towards ODB. HG does have the showier role buth there is more depth to MD, imo.

Have you seen Ebert's review yet? Not near enough Colin so I guess we can guess at the Huge bent to this weekend's TV review.

Am wondering if Mari helped write that Philadelphia review. ;-D But Ebert gave it 3-1/2 stars; is v.g. review from someone who has obviously read the book (Alsatians not wild dogs) and wants to do a public service (defining cocktail gherkins as pickles). Liked the symetrical reference to Bridget's verbal incontinence to Mark's being emotionally constipated.

New York Post says "Firth, on the other hand, seemed a little too dour and dark." http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/38351.htm Excellent review in NY Daily News (3-1/2 stars); very even comments re: Huge and CF: "Firth's achievement is to seem simultaneously like Mr. Right and Mr. Wrong, a man who is handsome and clearheaded but who also wears dreadful socks." http://www.nydailynews.com/today/New_York_Now/Movies/a-107060.asp

From the LA Times' Kenneth Turan: It is this essence of the character, rather than literary fidelity, that "Bridget Jones" is successfully focused on. Key central elements from the book do remain, but many things, critical details from the kind of sweater worn in a key scene to the kind of man Bridget's mother is attracted to, are changed. The screenwriters have both pared down the book and pumped up selected elements, like the rivalry between the two men in Bridget's life. They've also strengthened the book's charming parallels to "Pride and Prejudice," down to having Firth, who played Mr. Darcy in the BBC version of the Jane Austen novel, expertly play the modern Mark Darcy here. http://www.calendarlive.com/top/1,1419,L-LATimes-Movies-X!ArticleDetail-28983,00.html OK, am done posting reviews. Are brilliant!!

Thank you Ann, Mari and Karen for all of the reviews. I'm off to check The Miami Herald. Here again, Mr. Firth is the stiff-backed Mr. Right whose wonderfulness is revealed by degrees as he peels away layers of formality to bare the sensitive soul beneath his forbidding but handsome (despite sartorial misfires) exterior. LOL! He doesn't know the half of it!

One more...from CNN, a v.g. review although says it is too long and "Adding to the confusion over the what was and wasn't included in the film is this little fact: Some of the plot has been lifted from 'The Edge of Reason,' Fielding's second Bridget Jones book." Huh????? http://www.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/12/review.bridget.jones/index.html

Gaah! Am on review overload! Thanks to all for posting (and especially to Ann for bolding the pertinent parts). Am off to see the movie at noon *leaping about in fits of ecstasy* Saw the HG Q&A and was grossed out (and it usually takes alot to gross me out). I don't remember the hemorrhoid one, though--was this cut from the broadcast as he dared them to? As for HG's glowing reviews taking precedence over CF's: Mari said it ages ago, RC would unquestionably make this a vehicle for his (what's the word? partner? protegee? pimp?)...whatever, you get my drift. As expected, HG's being pushed hard here in the states. The important thing at this point is that CF is getting more recognition than he did in SiL (not hard to accomplish), his reviews are mostly good (save the odd male critic, and I do mean *odd*) and the fan reaction will hopefully continue in the positive vein pointed out by Ann W. Whee! CF on Today and Rosie on Monday! *Will also believe it when I see it* Hurrah!

Positive review from Jay Carr of the Boston Globe. Will try to drag boyfriend to film tonight (have sex toy party to attend... argh!); he is adamant about NOT seeing BJD, thinks it's a "chick flick"... typical male. Anyway, here is the review... Zellweger gets 'Diary' right By Jay Carr Boston Globe Published: 04/13/2001 She smokes too much, drinks too much, talks too much, worries too much about weighing too much, and is just about as adorable on the big screen as she was between the covers of Helen Fielding's novel. She is, of course, the heroine of ''Bridget Jones's Diary,'' which should handily survive the flap over whether Renee Zellweger has any business playing a Brit. The movie will speak as loudly as the book did to 30-something women whom Bridget describes as singletons and whom I can't help thinking of as afflicted with a condition much more debilitating than PMS. I call it TWM, short for Talented Woman Malaise, a mysterious condition of a severity that increases in direct proportion to intelligence. The most obvious symptom is the assumption that if something is missing from your life - the right man, say - it's your fault. The film gets off to a brilliant start, with Zellweger's self-flagellating Bridget in pj's, lip-synching the words to ''All by Myself,'' alone in her flat in an oddly shaped triangular housing block that doesn't quite seem to belong to the rest of the neighborhood. It sits like an upthrust piece of ocean floor that has crashed through the pavement, having taken on the permanent look of an alien outcropping. Which is pretty much how Bridget sees herself. She resents being shoved by her anxious mother into the field of vision of this or that eligible man, in this case Colin Firth. He's a boyhood playmate turned successful barrister, with a weakness for unsuitable holiday sweaters. Given her resentment-bred social death wish, her maladroitness exceeds his. She'd rather go all soft and mushy over her smooth but untrustworthy boss, a character cut to order for the dark side of Hugh Grant. Bridget's clumsiness in chasing him is exceeded only by her ill-advised abandon. Brave as Zellweger was to take on a British accent, she's even braver in having packed about 20 extra pounds onto her tiny frame and allow ed herself to be photographed from behind in a short skirt revealing lumpy thighs in black fishnet stockings. Zellweger's endearingly tarty plumpness may not be in a class with Robert De Niro's putting on 200 pounds or whatever it was to play Jake LaMotta in ''Raging Bull.'' Still, it's eye-catching. The main problem facing director Sharon Maguire (reportedly the model for Shazza, one of Bridget's confidantes) was how to turn an essentially interior monologue into external action. The differences between the novel and the film are sometimes pretty pronounced, even with Fielding on board to preside over the screenplay. The parts of the novel featuring Bridget's support network have been whittled down, and the additions include a brawl between Firth and Grant, both of whom, by the way, are excellent - Firth in his tight-lipped rectitude, Grant in his glib murmurings. The big challenge, however, lay in the preservation of Bridget's voice - not a matter of correct accent, but of sufficient presence. Maguire's direction sometimes seems choppy, as it perhaps inevitably must, given the novel's episodic structure. Still, the film not only works better than expected but gets the important things right, starting, of course, with Zellweger's Bridget and Bridget's mind-set. Nobody can say Zellweger hasn't dialed in to the precise frequency from which Bridget is transmitting. The actress's ability to project sweetness has never been in doubt, but ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' reminds us (as ''Nurse Betty'' did, but ''Me, Myself & Irene'' did not) of her comic timing and emotional vulnerability. In short, she gets the job done. Zellweger's Bridget is my kind of schlump.

NY Post also has an item about HF's lawsuit over her 'nightmare' LA home: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/38326.htm

Glad to see another city with a positive review. Still can't understand why Wash Post dissed the movie. Hmmm, must be those republicans. ;-D

Another review from the Wash. Post (Post has a very byzantine system of movie reviewing--they have at least four reviewers on staff, who review for differrent sections of the paper.) http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13423-2001Apr12.html Best bits: "I also liked the part where he [Gnat]got beaten up. Any movie in which somebody kicks the crap out of Hugh Grant is okay by me." -and- "Grant is casually fabulous and very amusing, but all power to Firth the actor. He's the compleat Darcy, and he never wavers. There's no sentimentality, no flirtation with the audience, no final moment of pandering to the niceness gods; he's a cold geek all the way through. You can see him simmering with rage -- at Bridget for being so attractive, at himself for never quite knowing what to say, at both of them for being prey to such childishness, at his libido for wanting and at his ego for fearing. Especially poignant are his long looks at her. You see in his eyes his yearning hunger and his fury at his own ineloquence and inability to find the will to move ahead, from across the unbridgeable distance of a large room filled with happy people."

I was talking to some of my coworkers, yesterday, who are going to see BJD this weekend and I said that CF was ever so handsome, they said 'Who?' My eyes widened, I paused and said 'Did you read the book?' They said yes and I said... 'OBVIOUSLY NOT!' Then I proceeded to give them a nice lecture on the lack of CF injections and told them where they could pick up a copy of P&P. And since it is a holiday weekend for us, they could spare 6 hours... (Moon) Thank you Ann, Mari and Karen for all of the reviews. Indeed! As regards to ODB, the reviews seem to go one way or another, but we love him dearly!

Hmmm, must be those republicans. ; } Careful, I know at least one Republican who liked it :)

"...Any movie in which somebody kicks the crap out of Hugh Grant is okay by me." Clap, clap, clap!! Love that review's write-up of CF's performance. Am surprised is a man as is soooo observant. ;-D

Barry Norman (Barry Norman's Filmnight Sky Premier) (who incidentally loved P&P and preferred it to S&S, ), also loved the movie, lot of interviews with SM, HF, RZ & HG but there was also a tiny interview with Colin (in red shirt). BN praised HG and Renee who he said he has always thought would be excellent in the role and is pleased to have been provced correct. Of Colin's performance he says" Firth develeops splendidly as every girl's dreamboat"!! Hmmm.

Hugh just redeemed himself a little on Regis... "Colin Firth, sexy Colin Firth...don't know why I call him sexy..." He then goes on to say Bridge chooses Colin over him.

Damn, missed that one and I'm even home today. Thanks for filling us in, Ann. (Eileen) Still can't understand why Wash Post dissed the movie. Hmmm, must be those republicans. ;-D LOL! 'Course the Post redeemed itself later with that lovely paean to Colin that Jen posted: You can see him simmering with rage -- at Bridget for being so attractive, at himself for never quite knowing what to say, at both of them for being prey to such childishness, at his libido for wanting and at his ego for fearing. Especially poignant are his long looks at her. You see in his eyes his yearning hunger and his fury at his own ineloquence and inability to find the will to move ahead, from across the unbridgeable distance of a large room filled with happy people." Substitute "Elizabeth" for "Bridget" and what do you get? I'm happy with 99% of the reviews. Colin is holding his own quite nicely. I thought I remembered some very positive mentions of him in the Brit reviews too. Watching what happens to this film in the next few months and the reaction to it will be quite an adventure, I think.

Miami Herald review, good but she had a problem with the end. She's read the books. Zellweger adds heft to `Bridget Jones's Diary' BY CONNIE OGLE The most common fear about the film version of Bridget Jones's Diary was whether a slim, attractive Texan (Ren�e Zellweger) would be even remotely convincing as a slightly overweight, chain-smoking, wine-swilling Brit. No worries there. Zellweger, who reflected a sweet dignity and a great deal of heart as Tom Cruise's love interest in Jerry Maguire, is a funny, believable Bridget, and not just because she put on extra pounds and frequently allows the camera to zoom in on her backside. The real issue is this: Can Helen Fielding's popular novel be transferred to the screen in all its crude, hilarious glory? The answer is mostly yes, thanks to a talented, appealing cast and some clever translations of Bridget's diary entries. As a romantic comedy, the movie works better than most -- after all, Fielding swiped the basics from Jane Austen, who wielded quite an amusing pen herself in Pride and Prejudice. And viewers don't necessarily have to be familiar with the book to enjoy the good parts. But the promising screenplay sadly reels off track in the last half-hour. Bridget is 32, single, working in public relations for a publishing house. She decides one New Year's Day that she is going to change her life so that she won't be alone chugging vodka and singing bad Eric Carmen songs the next time the holidays roll around. She's sick of her mum's attempts to fix her up, especially after meeting Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), an aloof barrister with appalling taste in sweaters and a way of staring at Bridget like she's got two heads. He also seems to run into her whenever she's embarrassing herself. This happens a lot. But Bridget's not interested. In her diary, she vows to stop forming ``romantic attachments to any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, commitmentphobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs . . . or perverts.'' Unfortunately she also has a wicked crush on her boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant, immediately predatory), who embodies most if not all of those attributes and is fond of sending her innuendo-laced e-mails about her skirt (or lack thereof). In between discussions of her love life (or lack thereof) with boozy friends Jude, Shazza and Tom, Bridget worries that her mum (Gemma Jones) has left her dad (Jim Broadbent) for the host of a Home Shopping Network-style show. (Bridget's over-the-top mum, by the way, has been toned down as to be almost unrecognizable in the movie). Eventually, Bridget gets one boyfriend and then another, and if you know your Austen, you know many misunderstandings ensue before things work themselves out. The funny bits fly fast and furious at first. Bridget's diary takes the form of voice-overs, scribblings on the screen and her own imaginings. A strange sense of melodrama creeps in now and again, intruding on but never totally vanquishing the book's frenetic spirit. A baffling and unnecessary fistfight finally derails the movie -- it's too long and seems out of character for the combatants. The resolution itself seems awkward and forced, a cheap way to bring the diary back into the picture. What you want to happen, happens, just not in a way that makes actual sense. Still, the cast could not be better. That the handsome Firth, probably stunned to find himself playing Mr. Darcy a second time, reprises his role may be the single most hilarious joke in the movie (he played Darcy in BBC's Pride and Prejudice and shows up as himself on the pages of Fielding's Bridget Jones sequel). Grant flirts with stealing the whole show as bad boy Daniel, confounding expectations because you think you'll see him earnest, stammering and foppish and he's none of those. It's Zellweger's movie to win or lose, of course, and she succeeds without the slightest touch of Hollywood glamour. She sports neither a cloy asymmetrical Meg Ryan haircut nor fit, toned limbs (It's easy for Ashley Judd to prance around in skimpy underwear in Someone Like You; she didn't have to pack on 20 extra pounds). Not only has she mastered a natural accent, she's adept at eliciting laughter through her character's utter humiliation. That's the backbone of the best British humor. She also brings a vulnerability to the part not evident before. Fans unable to divorce themselves from the relentless hilarity of the novel may grumble, but it's kind of nice to see that Bridget, in addition to a sense of humor, also has a heart. ** 1/2 BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY

Am reposting Evelyn's from above: Hey Allison.....Mid -America Oklahoma gave it 4 Stars. CBS This Morning interviewed Sharon Maguire. She talked about casting and said she always had Colin in mind for the role...no one else was even considered. Showed clips of P&P and she said HF and I had a big crush on Colin and here I was on the set directing him. (Bethan) But the Brit reviews infuriate me. They suck. He should leave the country...they don't appreciate him. I'm off to see the movie, someone pl find Dallas Morning News...they loved P&P.

"...Any movie in which somebody kicks the crap out of Hugh Grant is okay by me." Clap, clap, clap!! Adding a standing ovation (of one)! *whew* Was wondering why I moved to this backwoods town... (Ann) Careful, I know at least one Republican who liked it :) Does he squint alot and have a wife with helmet head? ;-P Ooh, am 'very sorry' for that last remark. ;-) Am off to the show. Yippee! Happy Easter to all!

and an aloofly earnest turn by Firth, which should do for his career what "Four Weddings" did for Grant''s. . . Firth''s casting is something of an inside (or do we say intertextual?) joke. He played Darcy in the well-received BBC adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice," a performance much commented upon and drooled over . . . Thus Firth makes an ideal Mark Darcy . . . Dreamy. (Karen) Am wondering if Mari helped write that Philadelphia review. ;-D Helped write? Honey, I dictated it! LOL! Must send Ms. Carrie Rickey case of chardonnay.:-) The reviews are super for most part; all the biggies liked it--all the NY papers, LA Times, the Chicago papers, Ebert's big thumbs up, Boston, Philly, the 2nd Washington Post review obviously written by a Democrat of unimpeachable taste;-), Time and Newsweek. We really couldn't have asked for better on this side of the pond. Ann and Bethan, the Mail review was outstanding and that's the one most people read, no? Besides, in UK, this film will be critic-proof. BTW, has anyone else in US seen a change in the print ads? They're now using the UK poster, with MD's eyes showing and BJ partly covered by Diary.

Time to resolve ending! Have seen it twice here now as well. At last night's preview people got up the minutes the credits began (always someone!) and I said to my friend ,"Hang on there's a great bit Coming" I stared in disbelief as the old home movie did not materialise. Initially I was horrified as IMO it's a very clever final touch. Instead we have a different soundtrack ending and loads of stills of RZ only, soundtrack fades and we HG with "new woman" Paula. More stills of RZ then a bit from The Darcy's , sexist jokes from dad etc a bit from Neil Pearson 's Richard, then even more from HG (was even more horrified)!

Just a side note, but The Bridget Jones's Diary ad in the Boston Globe was the only color ad in the paper (in the Arts & Entertainment section) and it was the one with Colin on the left, Huge on right and BJ covering her nose with the book (up to the eyes).

Then final joke as Mari has related of DC's "new partner" and it ends in a still of RZ and Colin. Think I prefer US version at this stage, subtler touch and NO HG. Wonder what it says about each "market"? Am getting vg at waving at MarkG when he appears. Both showings I went to were very undersubscibed, so not really much atmosphere or audience reaction to to check out either. Possibly that's why I plumped for the US ending because that premiere had so much atmosphere. Need to go again with full UK audience in order to complete my research! What hardship. Thanks to everyone for all the reviews. It is Guardian's "Film of the week" only 3 stars, Spykids is on 4! Lovely picture of the kiss in today's Telegraph but lots of criticism too. Don't care, ODB has never looked better.

Apologies for disjointed post and typos! I have a severe case of "whiskitosis" brought on by kitchen scene! Actually sounds like I have been at a certain brand of cat food , better than Bridge's penchant for Branston thou'.

This is from NY Newsday...a rag in its own right, but it has a monopoly over the Long Island print media market. http://www.newsday.com/content/movies/nd4652.htm By John Anderson Staff Writer (2 STARS[out of 4]) BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY. (R) Singleton Agonistes: From the best-selling novel by Helen Fielding, the self-told story of Bridget Jones, career girl, part-time inebriate and unconvincing cynic about romance. Not quite the book, but that doesn't make it a good movie. With Ren�e Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Gemma Jones, Jim Broadbent. Screenplay by Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies, Richard Curtis. Directed by Sharon Maguire. 1:34 (adult situations, content, language). At area theaters. NEW YORK comedian Scott Blakeman has a routine that goes something like this: "Why does every political campaign have to be about 'the family,' or 'our kids'? Why doesn't a candidate ever stand up and say, 'This election is about being SINGLE! And DATING!!'" Because, Scott, the tradeoff has been made: Marrieds get the politics; singles get the movies. "Say It Isn't So," "Someone Like You," "The Brothers," "Chocolat," "Tomcats," "The Wedding Planner." The last big-budget domestic movie, "The Family Man," essentially was wedded bliss as nightmare. "Gladiator"? Wife and kid dead within minutes. In the movies, marriage means end of story, if not life itself. And what does America's cinematic slant on nuptial limbo have to do with the insistently English, English cast, English-made and suety "Bridget Jones's Diary"? Because it's an English movie for Americans-as were those other Working Title Films productions, "Notting Hill" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral," which successfully reduced British culture down to a lump of softened, if not actually pre-chewed, Cadbury. The most humiliating situations are resolved with either exquisite good manners or painful self-effacement; the tawdriest of situations are made sophisticated, by precise placement of the proper bon mot. It's un-American in its manner and never good-mannered enough to be stuffy, unless the purpose is making Englishness seem amusing. Starring in this creation is the expertly vocally coached and calorie- enhanced Ren�e Zellweger, whose presence must indicate that there are no film actresses available in Britain-or (gasp!) that the Working Title/ Miramax people couldn't trust a native to carry such a valuable literary property across to audiences in...you know where. This may also explain the totally awkward and distracting use of old Motown hits or Van Morrison (twice), which comes across like the last-minute insurance policy someone buys before their ValueJet takes off. Bridget Jones, slightly dissipated and lovelorn heroine of Fielding's faux memoir, is 32 years old, 129 pounds ("but after Christmas") and has few romantic prospects-other that her clearly untrustworthy editor and boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant, at his slightly gaunt and seedy best). Sick of "smug marrieds" and importune questions about her love life, Bridget begins a diary, telling it she's cutting back on booze, "ciggies," the wrong kind of men(describing Cleaver to a tee) and sulking about said love life. Bridget's resolve, we can tell, will be somewhat less than steely. We can also tell, with very little effort, where the story is heading, Tip- off No. 1 being the suggestive name of Mark Darcy (actor Colin Firth, whose performance as Jane Austen's Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice," coincidentally, is mentioned in the book). Bridget's mum (Gemma Jones)-who will soon leave Bridget's dad (the marvelous Jim Broadbent) for a ginger-skinned TV-shopping pitchman-wants to pair Bridget and Mark, but neither candidate is impressed, a sure sign of things to come. Bridget, meanwhile, trades suggestive office e-mail with Cleaver, who is easily the most entertaining character in this film (the debut feature by filmmaker Sharon Maguire, former commercial director and documentarian). Zellweger is, as usual, adorable; Firth is appropriately stolid and Grant gets all the good comic lines, or just knows how to deliver them. The thrust of the story is how miserable it is being a single young woman while still making it look like a lark. One peculiar note about "Bridget Jones" is, again, the music. The songs in the film itself-such as the Weather Girls singing the ubiquitous "It's Raining Men" (during a preposterous Darcy-Cleaver fistfight that I don't recall from the book), or the Supremes ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough," for whatever reason) and the two versions of the same VanMorrison song, would seem to be imposed on the film to generate CD soundtrack sales-but the songs aren't on the CD. So don't be misled. This badly constructed pop score is just a badly constructed pop score.

also, re: the discussion about the firepole scene not being on commercials: as I was watching the Today show this morning, towards the end, they played a commercial for the film. Bridge ending up on the camera was in it, along with Tom's "Fight!" line...plenty of CF (equal amount to HG). I'm really curious to know what was cut out of the film in the editing process...

actor Colin Firth, whose performance as Jane Austen's Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice," coincidentally, is mentioned in the book Twit. There was no coincidence about it. It was deliberate!

(Lizza) I have a severe case of "whiskitosis" brought on by kitchen scene! LOL! Have just seen the movie and that scene is one of my faves. Don't think the rest of the audience got it, though (greater Washington has apparently never heard of beet root cubes). Salman Rusdie's cameo also 'rushed' (yukyukyuk) right over their heads, since I believe I was the only one laughing. Go figure. To make your day, Lizza, we had the home movie ending. V.v.g.! (Ann) Twit. There was no coincidence about it. It was deliberate! Can you stand these reviewers? Why do we listen to them? ;-D

I just got back from seeing the movie and I loved it. So did my friends who are not CF junkies (in fact of course they didn't know who he was.) Both thought they will be seeing him a lot more, though! I saw MarkG and pointed him out as well. I'll definitely be seeing it again. The theater was very empty, but it was the first show, 12:15, so I hope they will get a better turn out later.

Must confess--I am one of the Washingtonian's who has never heard of beet root cubes--am I missing some critical sub-text? Gah! Yet another Wash. Post critic has put in her two cents about the film--she liked the movie as a nice bit of fluff, but had the nerve to say (*cringes as she types*) "...I'd rather take my chances with a scoundrel like Hugh Grant than a sober, steady sort like Colin Firth. What a stodge." What do they put in the water over there?!?! And for those still angry about the first review from the Post, the author (Desson Howe) hosts a discussion live on-line every Monday, 1230 pm Eastern. He's actually quite good about answering questions (although he is,unfortunately, a Man U fan--yet another strike against him). Cannot wait until tomorrow to see film again...believe I am suffering from whiskitosis, as well(what a great term, Lizza J!)

I saw MarkG and pointed him out as well. Where was he in the film again? -- (Jen-Jen)-- (although he is,unfortunately, a Man U fan--yet another strike against him) Now we see the reason for the shoddy review. He obviously saw Fever Pitch and holds a grudge against CF for having played an Arsenal supporter.

There is a very good review for Colin in the San Francisco Chronicle, actually very good for everyone and the film. very long address perhaps someone can post it.

Ann, you know I'd do anything for you.:-) Here's the SanFran Chonicle review, v.v. good! Dear 'Diary' 20 pounds, 1,100 cigarettes later, Zellweger triumphs in hilarious 'Bridget Jones' Carla Meyer, Chronicle Movie Critic �Friday, April 13, 2001 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Bridget Jones's Diary" contains a sight so shocking it might upset sensitive viewers. It's cellulite! Up there on the big screen, in all its dimpled glory. On a leading lady, no less. It's but one of the let-it-all-hang-out joys of "Bridget Jones," the hilarious and sexy adaptation of Helen Fielding's best-seller. Renee Zellweger gives a full-bodied, full-throttle performance as the weight-obsessed, chain-smoking and irrepressible single woman in her 30s. Matching her comic panache are Hugh Grant as her charming but romantically toxic boss and Colin Firth as his stiff but sincere romantic rival. Any trepidation about an American actress assuming the role of the very British Ms. Jones vanishes in the opening minutes. Zellweger's crack comic timing and enormously expressive face pre-empt the idea of any other Bridget. She embodies the daffy determination, self-skewering wit and vulnerability of her character. The 20 pounds she gained for the role fill out her face and enhance her girlish appeal, rendering her instantly and infinitely sympathetic. But Zellweger's Bridget is no chump. Self-destructive, sure. Goofy, yes. Occasionally arch, of course -- she's British. But Zellweger shows that the silly and sometimes slovenly character also has a spine. She demonstrates it through Bridget's tortured but determined attempts at public speaking or her surprising resolve in matters of the heart. "Bridget Jones" is a triumph for all involved. Screenwriters Fielding, Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis have wisely pared down or excised subplots to focus on Bridget's romantic travails and career missteps. Director Sharon Maguire, Fielding's pal and the inspiration for Bridget's cynical chum Shazzer in the book and movie, has crafted a production that zips along at a laugh-a-minute pace and fully involves the viewer in Bridget's little slice of life. Bridget works at a London publishing house and pines for her handsome cad of a boss, Daniel (Grant). She passes time by documenting her sad-sack life in her diary (Sample entry: "Weight: 140 (but post-Christmas); cigarettes: 40!; alcohol units: 15!") while slagging off the Smug Marrieds whose glowing self- satisfaction is an assault on her single status. Real life interferes when the boss shows interest and she succumbs to his roguish charms. Zellweger's chemistry with Grant is electric, and their scenes crackle with sexuality and quick-witted humor. Their sex talk is refreshingly frank and natural. Grant sheds his trademark stammering and fluttering in favor of an aging lothario's lived-in sexiness. He allows himself to look older onscreen, and it works wonderfully for the role. Grant's Daniel is witty, undeniably hot and maddeningly sheepish about commitment. Bridget's parents want to match her with the more solid Mark Darcy, a barrister who was her childhood playmate. In an inspired casting move, Darcy is played by Colin Firth, the actor who was Mr. Darcy in the BBC's "Pride and Prejudice" and also the object of Bridget's obsessive lust in the book. (The character's name is one of "Bridget's" nods to the Jane Austen story). At first, Firth seems to be channeling Mr. Darcy's diffidence and off- putting, cheerless manner. Ultimately, though, he proves a nice contrast to Zellweger as their characters' relationship starts to thaw. Zellweger's chemistry with Firth is just as palpable as it is with Grant but not as sexually charged. It's more a meeting of comic minds, with his straight-man countenance drawing out her wackiest work, like Burns and Allen. In one scene, Bridget struggles mightily to maintain a cool facade in front of Darcy, all while sporting a ridiculously windblown hairdo. Zellweger is playing so many emotions in this scene it's hard to keep track. There's pride, embarrassment and the conflict of realizing that she cares enough to put on a show for this guy. It's the kind of layered acting that makes a great performance -- and sublime comedy.

By Eleanor Ringel Gillespie Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer The verdict: Definitely keep up with this Jones. "It all began on New Year's Day in my 32nd year of being single." So begins "Bridget Jones's Diary," the delightful new romantic comedy based on Helen Fielding's best seller of the same name. As millions of Bridget buffs already know, she is a self-described "Singleton" who lives in London and works at a publishing house. Bridget worries about her weight. Worries about her alcohol intake. Worries about her nicotine addiction. And, most of all, worries that she'll never get married and will end up dying alone in her apartment, her undiscovered body half-eaten by dogs. Yes, Bridget can be a bit much. But as played by Renee Zellweger, she's simply irresistible. Directed by first-timer Sharon Maguire (a friend of Fielding's who also figures in the book), the movie chronicles a year in the life of the self-deprecating and often stingingly funny Bridget. She's looking for love in, well, any place she can. Even at her parents' (Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent) annual New Year's Day party, where she will inevitably face "the question dreaded by all Singletons: 'How's your love life?' " Nor is she exactly ecstatic that her mother, as always, has invited a suitably available male into whose face she can thrust her unmarried daughter. This time, it's Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), a handsome but standoffish barrister who, after Bridget dutifully flounders through some small talk, dismisses her as a "verbally incontinent spinster." No wonder she rushes home to resume the most meaningful relationship in her life: It's just her and a bottle of chardonnay. Back at the office, her devilishly sexy boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), initiates an e-mail flirtation. When she shows up in an extremely short skirt, he messages, "Is skirt home sick?" The film's first part is amusingly tart, with a number of poor-Bridget gags that are biting but not truly cruel. Though she's subjected to numerous humiliations, she's still capable of giving as good as she gets. Her take on dinner with "the Smug Marrieds" is hilarious. Though the romantic ending is telegraphed from the first scene (c'mon: Mark Darcy, as in Jane Austen's 19th-century dreamboat, Mr. Darcy?) the fun is in getting there. Watching Grant play a predatory cad is a welcome change from his bashful stutterers. Firth, who played Darcy on the BBC's splendid "Pride and Prejudice," unwinds winningly, going from snooty to starry-eyed. Yet the film would be unimaginable without Zellweger. The whip-slim Texan transforms herself into a slightly plump Londoner not just through extra pounds but through adopting the attitude of a woman who has a hard time feeling good about herself. Zellweger brings to the role the same buoyant innocence she had in "Nurse Betty." But where Betty was often oblivious, Bridget is all too self-aware. Thanks to the star, a heroine who could've seemed brittle or bitter becomes someone with a kind of blessed wide-eyed gumption. This Bridget is no loser; she's merely a victim of cultural circumstances and her own shaky self-confidence. Criticisms? There are about 12 endings too many and the early scenes' series of mortification can get repetitive. But that's quibbling. To echo Mark Darcy, we like Bridget (and Renee) "just the way she is."

Actors, story make this 'Diary' a dear one Apr 13, 2001 BY DANIEL NEMAN - STAFF WRITER for the Richmond Times-Dispatch Poor Bridget Jones. She stumbles haplessly from disaster to disaster, a perpetual cloud of embarrassment hanging glumly over her resigned head. Her only shields against each new social crisis are too much booze and too many cigarettes. Naturally, we can't help but love her for her spirit, her pluck and her wickedly sharp sense of humor - she dismisses women who are glamorous and thin as "stick insects," while a woolen floral vest her mother forces on her makes her look like she is "wearing a carpet." The great paradox of Bridget is that she is so exceptionally charming, yet she has such trouble getting men into her life. It is this paradox that contributed to making Helen Fielding's book "Bridget Jones's Diary" such a blockbuster success. Countless women identified with Bridget, thinking themselves lovable and unloved. Men who read the book - and they were a significantly smaller number - liked it just because it was so hilarious. Inevitably, "Bridget Jones's Diary" has been made into a movie, which we are happy to report retains much of the charm of the original. Renee Zellweger stars, and her selection sparked a storm of protest in England, where the story is set, because many people insisted the actress should be English. But Zellweger turns out to be sparkling as Bridget, despite an accent that is wildly uneven at first. Even when her accent settles down, it is too posh for her character. The only real problem with Zellweger is that Bridget is supposed to be a little plump, and although Zellweger did indeed gain weight for the role, she will never see the 140 pounds Bridget hits in the movie, unless she is carrying bars of lead. Bridget's roguishly sexy boss is played by Hugh Grant, who does the irresistible cad thing extremely well. As Daniel, he conducts one of the great e-mail flirtations captured on page or film, and Grant makes it easy to see why Bridget would be so carried away by him. The other man running in and out of Bridget's life is the aloof and somewhat moody Mr. Darcy, played by Colin Firth. This casting selection is an uproarious joke, but it ends up limiting the movie a little. "Bridget Jones's Diary" is loosely based on "Pride and Prejudice," and the character of Mr. Darcy is much the same in both. The book version of "Bridget Jones's Diary" takes place during the airing of the immensely successful television version of "Pride and Prejudice," which starred Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. Sharon Maguire makes a decent debut as a director, though she relies far too heavily on song cues to emphasize an emotional point (during a fistfight between two men she plays the song "It's Raining Men"). Maguire was chosen in part because she was Fielding's real-life inspiration for the character Shazza, whose only characteristic is that she likes to use the f-word a lot. Apparently, Fielding knows her friend well. This movie tosses around the f-word like it just heard it for the first time and wants to impress everyone with how naughty it is. This movie is certainly the most profane version of "Pride and Prejudice" ever conceived. Yet it is mostly delightful. Although the movie falls apart a bit toward the end - and seems rushed before that - the fun part of "Bridget Jones's Diary" is getting there. *** Hmm? That last part seems repetitive...

Big Bridget day for me. Saw film again and, shockingly, was another huge Colin fan in same row as self. Lots of audibles (moaning, groaning, ooohing and aaaahing) and applause when Colin's name first appeared in opening credits. Was a very good audience and I don't think that Huge stole the show...not from this audience. They were smart and onto him from the beginning. As this was professional and scientific day at movies, I decided to go a second time, as was on two screens in complex anyway. This time audience had more men. They responded loudly to Huge and the more crass and vulgar humor (firepole slide). Excellent responses overall. (Eileen) Salman Rusdie's cameo also 'rushed' (yukyukyuk) right over their heads, since I believe I was the only one laughing. And they probably had no clue as to the other literary gents standing in front of Bridget as she's making a complete ass of herself. Other than the quip about FR Leavis being dead since 19xx, Americans wouldn't grasp the significance of him either. Ann: MarkG is the only one in a suit (blue Burberry) walking on the sidewalk as Bridget and Daniel drive off for the minibreak. Excellent review from the Chronicle. Someone who gets it. Loved the opening re: cellulite.

(Ann) Careful, I know at least one Republican who liked it :) Two. My audience today applauded at the end...er.. I mean The Beginning.. They started to get up then sat down when home movies started. It's a charmer.Agree with Lizza...thankfully they spared us .At the end I've had enough of Huge and wouldn't care to see him again....evah. You are cheated by not getting this adorable ending of little Bridge and Markee.I hope you get it in the video.In the rest room I started to tell my companion ( a lurker) about the British ending. "I'll tell you later", I said. "No ,No"...came the cries from the other stalls...."Tell us Now". I had an audience!! My companion complained that Mark wasn't listed in the credits...hey they list the drivers fergodsakes. (evelyn)I'm off to see the movie, someone pl find Dallas Morning News...they loved P&P. So...No one found that one, uh? I'm away for the day doing my box office duty and this is what I get. Humph!! (I get no respect around here.Lazy lumps ;-)

(Evelyn) My companion complained that Mark wasn't listed in the credits...hey they list the drivers fergodsakes How should Mark be identified? My suggestion: "Burberry Man"

Opening Ren�e's diary Actress underwent weighty changes to portray beloved Brit Bridget Jones Actress underwent weighty changes to portray beloved Brit Bridget Jones 04/08/2001 By Gary Dowell / The Dallas Morning News Actress Ren�e Zellweger has had some tricky roles in the past � a Jewish woman experiencing a crisis of faith (A Price Above Rubies), a small-town waitress suffering a break from reality (Nurse Betty) and the girlfriend of pulp-literature bad boy Robert E. Howard (The Whole Wide World). But she really stuck her neck out as the title character in the film adaptation of Bridget Jones's Diary. When Helen Fielding's novel hit the stands in the United States and England in 1998, it was an instant success, and Bridget became a "cultural icon," the quintessential '90s woman trying to balance a career and a love life while contending with ideas about how a modern woman should look and behave. English journalists, fans of the novel and its author took exception to the idea that an American actress � one from Texas, no less � could portray their beloved Bridget. Fears of shelling out pounds sterling only to hear "Y'all want to go to the pub for a pint of bitter?" abounded. But those skeptics may soon breathe a sigh of relief: Ms. Zellweger is the ideal choice for the klutzy and awkward yet spunky and unconventional heroine of the new movie, which opens Friday. The charming combination of bubbly goofiness (in a good way, mind you), irrepressible charm and sweet earnestness that she's used in the past suits Bridget to a tee. "It was [involved], and it was pretty extraordinary at the same time, because the more involved it is, the more creatively satisfying it is, I suppose," says Ms. Zellweger, who had to gain 20 pounds and master a British accent for the role. During a telephone interview, her Texas twang is more noticeable than any leftover vestiges of an English accent, but a few tiny Britishisms occasionally slip through. The possibility of playing Bridget was "a great shock, actually," says Ms. Zellweger, who had already read the book when her manager mentioned the role. Soon, she was off to London, where "we sat down for a few days and we all kind of tested the waters to see if it was possible that I might not destroy this character in the translation, and we went from there." It marked the end of a two-year search for an actress who represented the embodiment of Bridget, as well as the beginning of a lot of preparation and dedication. Ms. Zellweger spent six months in London making the transformation from Yank to Brit under the tutelage of Barbara Berkery, the dialect guru who helped Gwyneth Paltrow pass as English in Sliding Doors and Shakespeare in Love. She then went undercover, sort of, on the staff of the London publishing house Picador, where she pretended to be a relative of the boss doing a temp job. Actually, it was to get a handle on Bridget's daily activities as a publicist as well as practice the middle-class English accent so necessary to the role. Still, many were skeptical at first. "Well, me too, just by the way," adds Ms. Zellweger. "I just knew we had some work to do and there was time to do it. It really, really quickly became our personal experience. It was about the day-to-day challenges and the work and 'Let's do it, let's do the work and use it to create this really neat thing.'" One of Ms. Zellweger's challenges was to match Bridget physically. At 129 pounds, Bridget is barely chunky, but she obsesses about her weight. She also smokes like a chimney and drinks like a fish, all of which she details in her diary. "It was just part of it, part of bringing her to life. And for me it was essential. I wanted her to look like she looked in my head when I read the book. It was part of the process." There may be a large cultural difference between them, but Ms. Zellweger thinks she and Bridget have a lot in common. "I totally, completely, thoroughly understand the wax strip in the bathroom experience. I know that well," she jokes, referring to the art of leg waxing. "I know the self-conscious, 'I'm absolutely going to destroy this moment' public-speaking experience. I know all about trying to find balance between personal and professional life. I understand that journey of self-discovery that she experiences in the book and in this film. Who can't relate to that?" As for the pressure of living up to the expectations of fans of the novel, Ms. Zellweger did her best to put it out of her mind, focusing instead on how to bring to life a self-absorbed single woman in her 30s trying to work the kinks out of her life. "Your world gets really small really quickly when you start to make a film, and again it becomes about the pressure that you put on yourself to not be the weak link in the project." During the course of her misadventures, Bridget (and � by extension � Ms. Zellweger) experiences the thrill of being torn between Hugh Grant, who plays Bridget's womanizing boss, Daniel Cleaver, and Colin Firth as Mark Darcy (basically reprising his role as Jane Austen's hero in the BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice.) And throughout it all, Ms. Zellweger manages to mix her charm, innocence and seeming lack of worldliness with a feminist perspective, a talent that has served her well in previous movies. She also evokes the blend of strength and vulnerability that worked so well for her as the objects of desire in Nurse Betty and Jerry Maguire. "I so did not feel like the object of anyone's desire [during filming]," she says. "Not so much because of the physical change but because I was so out of my element.' Ms. Zellweger says that assuming the identity of Bridget put an unusual spin on her life, but not necessarily an unpleasant one. "I felt awkward in my personal time. I didn't really recognize myself or my life or the place I lived. It was a completely isolating experience, and while it was creatively so exciting and fulfilling, it was still alienating to me. "Now, if you're asking in a roundabout way what it was like to work with Colin and Hugh, it was not a bad day at the office."

Sadly, The Houston Chronicle, her hometown, gave the film a C-. I won't even post the review. The reviewer just didn't get it.

(Evelyn)(I get no respect around here.Lazy lumps ;-) Hey, never let it be said that Ididn't take care of you--you've got an earlier article up there--here's the Dallas Morning News review--v.g. By Gary Dowell It takes a brave soul to attempt a film adaptation of a popular novel. Living up to the combined expectations of faithful readers is tricky business. If it works, you've got a classic along the lines of Gone With the Wind or The Godfather. If you fail, you're stuck with a Bonfire of the Vanities on your resum�.Fans of Bridget Jones's Diary can rest assured: The movie is true to its source and full of the book's trademark wit, style and good humor. And while it may not rate as high as one of the "classics," it's no less enjoyable. Bridget (Ren�e Zellweger) is an endearingly inept 30ish "singleton" who worries nonstop about her weight, smokes too much, drinks even more, and dreams of finding the perfect man before she's sentenced to a life of spinsterhood, "destined to die alone and be found three weeks later, half-eaten by Alsatians." Unfortunately, the only eligible blokes she meets are her sexy, womanizing boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant, as an enjoyably unpleasant cad), and haughty, dull family friend Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). As the film begins, Bridget makes a New Year's resolution to get her act together, turn her life around and break all those old habits. On top of that, she soon has to deal with a career change, the potential breakup of her parents' marriage and being the subject of an emotional tug-of-war between Mark and Daniel. The result is a yearlong odyssey of heartache, embarrassment and obsessive calorie counting. Not surprisingly, the casting of a tiny Texan as a chunky Englishwoman caused a bit of an uproar among fans, the British press and even (initially) the book's author. If anything, the presence of Ms. Zellweger helps to make Bridget feel like more of an outsider trying to fit in, adding a subtle note of isolation and alienation to her performance. It doesn't hurt that she threw herself wholeheartedly into the role, putting on the extra pounds and spending many months in London working on the accent and other details. Ms. Zellweger even shows a knack for slapstick and gamely engages in a little self-deprecating humor, indulging in a few pratfalls and even running through a (simulated) snowstorm in leopard-print underwear. She hasn't been this funny since Jerry Maguire, or this endearing since Nurse Betty. Her earnestness and uniquely goofy charm bring depth and warmth to an otherwise brittle character. The casting of the gents is equally inspired. Mr. Grant's infamous incident with a Los Angeles hooker is made light of, and Mr. Firth played Mr. Darcy, the inspiration for the character of Mark Darcy, in the hit BBC miniseries version of Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Grant seems to be having the most fun he's had in years, and he's wonderfully rotten when he's at his worst. Mr. Firth is given the thankless task of portraying the tightly wound and seemingly unlovable Mark, and aptly rises to the occasion, gradually warming Bridget (and viewers) to the man. Granted, there's an air of familiarity about it and very little suspense as to how it will all end (it plays very much like Pride and Prejudice set in modern London), but what Bridget Jones's Diary lacks in original plot devices it makes up for in style and spunk.

Just got back from seeing BJD! Hurrah! At last can go to Spoilers! Film is wonderful. Colin is gorgeous! Never looked better! Not a sell-out at 5:30 showing, but a fair crowd. And they laughed. Even the men laughed. Renee is so good she made me want to cry in places. Huge was not particularly sexy in manner of "love rat", but was convincingly caddish, in manner of "rat." Oh, but Colin. DING DONG!! BIG SIGH!!! At the end, one woman in the audience asked another WHO was that man? Felt v. good in manner of Smug Fan. Restrained self and did not say "Keep your eyes to yourself you cow--he's MINE!!!!!!"

My crowd today was sparse (to be expected at 12:40 on Good Friday), but I did hear a little clapping at the end, and I could feel everyone pulling for CF in the end. BTW, the new ads on the tv (the ones with the press quotes) clearly show the firepole scene. So, whoever was complaining about it must have gotten over it. Think I'll go for the second time today, and third over all this evening...need to go look for MarkG, and to bring along my watch to do a scientific study of the final kiss scene--it must be timed :) (BTW, over on the Tea Room at Austen, someone didn't like it! Very surprised :( )

(Kate) "Keep your eyes to yourself you cow--he's MINE!!!!!!" LOL!!

(Kate) At the end, one woman in the audience asked another WHO was that man? This seems to be the watershed moment for becoming a Firthette. Felt v. good in manner of Smug Fan. Ah, but on the other hand, this means she has not seen P&P2 yet. Boy, is she is for a treat! Has anyone else noticed that the OOP online video market is pedalling ODB's movies with a vengeance? Glad I bought my vids when demand was low�.:-) .

Just got back from seeing BJD. What can I say that hasn't been said before? I loved everything about it, except that it was too skimpy on the BJ and MD relationship and left me wishing for more - but that's as it should be. Like a good book, a good film leaves one wanting more. Earlier in the week, I saw What Women Want and was getting itchy for it to come to an end. Not so with this film. The theatre was almost filled, and with a laughing audience throughout. HG was fine - but I certainly didn't fall in love with DC. The very brave RZ was terrific - funny, feisty and poignantly vulnerable by turn. ODB was beyond lovely to look at and listen to. The critic who preferred the foul-mouthed DC to the decent MD most be a masochist, even conceding, very grudgingly, that she might find HG more attractive than CF. Colin has never looked better and if this film does not get him noticed in a big way...? My 17-year old son and my DH enjoyed it as much as I did (well, almost, considering they were not drooling over MD).Turns out my husband is a closet RZ fan. I would have liked this film even without ODB, but will watch it again and again because of him. As will we all. And it is such a pleasure not to have to mortgage the house - and invest major amounts of time -to do so. There is something so pleasing to know that ODB the romantic lead, with second billing ahead of HG - not just on the poster, but in he film - is available on two screens less than ten minutes away from home. All and all, a real feel good movie. Now, am off to read the spoilers topic. Will keep my fingers crossed for Today and Rosie on the 16th.

From the Los Angeles Daily News: http://www.dailynews.com/socal/film/feature/0401/13/lif01.asp �Zellweger gained more than respect for 'Bridget� Stuff we�ve already heard, but this looks new: Colin Firth, who plays Mark Darcy, Bridget's more suitable suitor, isn't as generous toward his countrymen. "It's bull----," Firth says. "I've traveled around the world and I've never seen that kind of reaction from any other country. The English are simply too territorial. It's strange that people would have a problem with it. It is all about acting, after all." http://www.dailynews.com/socal/film/review/0401/13/mov01.asp 3 stars �Plus, Hugh Grant gets beat up, which makes the film slightly better than adequate.�

Doesn't mince words, does he? ;-D Am putting this here as is question for London experts who may not be reading the spoiler topic, but will try to refrain from revealing important bits. In the last scene, the store appears in very ritzy area, which wouldn't be a few blocks away from Bridget's flat. Did that street look familiar?

LOL, Karen...just noticed the hidden message under the picture. Glad this isn't a family site ;-) Thanks Mari...you can really dig 'em out. Tell'em Colin!

Charlotte O'Sullivan provided this recap in The Independent: ARTS: THE WEEK IN REVIEW THE FILM BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY OVERVIEW The film of the book of the newspaper column has made it to the big screen. Renee Zellweger stars as the eponymous diarist, with Hugh Grant and Colin Firth as the love interests. CRITICAL VIEW "Good news for men who prefer a woman to look like a woman," relished the Daily Mail. "The film is shapeless and meanders into the cliches of romance," berated The Daily Telegraph. "This adaptation sends you out with a smile on your face," countered Time Out. According to the Financial Times, it was a case of, "Acting 9 (vg). Dialogue 8 (g). Ending 1 (must do better)". "A triumph, and one that I am looking forward to seeing again," gushed The Mirror. ON VIEW On general release. Certificate 15 OUR VIEW "You forgive it everything because it's introduced you to Zellweger's Bridget... It's nice to go to the cinema and fall head-over- heels in love with a character." ***************** The Financial Times: THE ARTS: Acting 9 (v.g.) Dialogue 8 (g.) Ending 1: CINEMA: Nigel Andrews is mostly won over by Renee Zellweger as the definitive London worrier in 'Bridget Jones's Diary' Every diary-keeper is a Robinson Crusoe. Alone on his or her island, a wildlife refuge for manias, worries and self-obsessions, the loner taps out the daily bulletins. With Crusoe it was stuff about water, food and shelter, with occasional scares involving unknown footprints in the sand. With Bridget Jones it is stuff about weight, smoking and drinking, with occasional scares (or thrills) involving strange men tramping over her heart. The tone of Helen Fielding's bestselling original book was quintessentially English, a dowdy, semi-deranged Bohemianism full of comically transferred classism. Bridget's odious aristos were the Smug Marrieds, a collective reproach to her thirtyish single status. Her salt-of-the-earthers were her unattached, gossipy, happily slumming girlfriends like Jude and Shazzer, whose real-life role model Sharon Maguire directed this film. The tone had to be right in a screen version and mostly is. As Bridget, Renee Zellweger scatters the naysayers who complained of Hollywood casting by getting the measure of both role and accent. Barely a vowel is out of place, though one or two ("neoghble" for noble) are posher than needed. She can even do tipsy-and-slurring when Bridget, as not infrequently, ODs on the chardonnay. Fattening herself to play this definitive specimen of millennial London weight-worrier, she also bravely looks the part. Not even Robert De Niro in Raging Bull had to humiliate himself by tucking his calorie-enlarged girth into a bunny suit. Zellweger does so here for the "tarts and clerics" fancy-dress party, her surplus flesh trying to escape over her top like prisoners climbing over a wall, her face a moon of embarrassed social goodwill. [Ed note: Obviously these writers are not cognizant of engineering marvel of Playboy bunny suit.] The film's second casting triumph is Hugh Grant. Playing a creep with no morals, he excels. As Bridget's caddishly concupiscent boss and later boyfriend, Grant's Wodehousian twittishness is enhanced with a womanising leer and a curdled suavity. No woman could resist him, or no woman as frightened by potential shelf-life as Bridget, who can get drunk on one small dram of male attention. The strong screenwriting team - author Helen Fielding, Richard Notting Hill Curtis and TV adaptation veteran Andrew Davies - make fun fly in the first half, even though the book's diary format is downplayed in favour of a more orthodox comedy of Sloane or sub-Sloane manners. The writers especially re-nourish Bridget's parents for the screen, played with a twitchy, touching, beleaguered individuality by Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent. The film goes astray only in the last half-hour when Bridget decides to jettison the awful-but-lovable Grant for Colin Firth's erect stick of a Mark Darcy. [Ed note: Andrew Davies script instruction, no doubt.] Playing the Jane Austen heartthrob's surnamesake as if the character had had a charm bypass, and with no wet-shirt sequence as when Firth played the original Darcy on TV, the actor provides scant reason why a girl as feckless, fun-loving and allergic to smugness as Bridget would end up yielding her heart to him in a snowbound London street. Come to that, why is the street snowbound? Did the makers decide that Frank Capra had to step in for Helen Fielding as the closing master of ceremonies; that instead of taking satirical particularity up to the wire they must send the filmgoer home with a head full of snow, feelgood music and fadeout clinching? I know what the book's Bridget would have said in her diary. "Acting 9 (v.g.). Dialogue 8 (g.). Ending 1 (must do better)."

Time between first lean in and actual lip contact, not counting 2 instances of prior neck nuzzling, 4 minutes 35 seconds.

(Evelyn) just noticed the hidden message under the picture Is dialogue from film. Glad this isn't a family site ;-) Precisely! Why do you think I'm here. ;-D And from The Scotsman's Damian Love (2 stars): WITH the appearance of Bridget Jones�s Diary comes a lightening of the heart, like the feeling that greets the first hints of spring after winter. Because pretty soon, you realise, it�ll all be over. Those posters of Ren�e Zellweger sitting gazing up with that I�m-just-a-funny-little-lost-chicken look that have been appearing in more places than foot-and-mouth warning notices will begin disappearing and the chuntering buzz about the movie that has been pervading the atmosphere like background radiation will swiftly recede. By now, it doesn�t matter particularly whether the film of Bridget Jones�s Diary is a good movie or a bad movie - the only thing that matters is that it is the film of Bridget Jones�s Diary. By that standard, it succeeds: whatever else it may or may not be, there�s no denying Sharon Maguire�s film is an adaptation of Helen Fielding�s book. But, of course, it is one other thing: the latest collaboration between scriptwriter Richard Curtis and Hugh Grant, the men who gave us Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, and who bring with them that sweet smell of export-friendly success. So, in the UK, the movie is an event long before it is a movie and you have people modestly agreeing to be seen in it ironically, the way they once queued up to be seen ironically in the Spice Girls� film: here�s Salman Rushdie; there�s Jeffrey Archer. Fielding�s novel became one of those lightning-in-a-bottle sensations, mostly through word of mouth, like Trainspotting with cigarettes instead of heroin. A lot of women found a character who drank and smoked and regretted it, who bought magazines and self-help books and got confused by them but half-realised they were ridiculous, who got embarrassed, pondered underwear, worried about her weight and wondered why she couldn�t find a decent man - who, that is, did all the stuff feminism was supposed to have drummed out, but in aware, post-feminist ways. And they decided "this is me!" - the way lots of men reading Nick Hornby books about football and old records reached the same conclusion. It�s doubtful, however, that many viewers of Maguire�s functional movie will make that tight connection. Part of the reason is that there�s nothing to connect to. Zellweger is charming within the constraints of the role, but it�s the constraints you notice. The film is pitched at a level close to a run-of-the-mill prime-time sitcom: people don�t talk and don�t listen but say lines, then wait, then say lines again; you see punchlines as they are set up and they turn out as disappointing as they looked from a distance. In the same way that conversations never develop, Bridget herself doesn�t come together as a character but as a set of character traits, moving predictably through a repetitious cycle of situations in a comfortable Sunday supplement Britain. Like a figure on the mechanical diorama of a clock above a village square: Bridget�s sad. Bridget wants man. Bridget makes a fool of herself. Bridget sees right man and wrong man. Bridget goes for wrong man. Bridget makes a fool of herself. Bridget sees wrong man was wrong. Bridget�s sad. Bridget makes a fool of herself. Bridget gets right man. As the wrong man, while obviously enjoying himself, Hugh Grant is still Hugh Grant, still fluttering and wincing and hesitating as though trying to dislodge wind before he says anything; it�s just that, now, when he does say something, it�s frightfully laddish-caddish and liberally sprinkled with virile "f**ks" and "bollocks". As the right man, Colin Firth plays Colin Firth. The other reason audiences might not look up at Ren�e Zellweger and see themselves is precisely to do with all the chatter preceding the film�s release. By osmosis, it�s virtually impossible not to be aware of how Zellweger "piled on the pounds" for the role, "ballooning up" from her regular size to what is obviously considered a monstrous 12 or 14, and how she couldn�t wait to get back down to her usual fit again. As if Bridget resembled the aging Jake LaMotta. Maybe it�s me, but this stuff adds a nasty flavour to the movie. OK, actors are not the people they play; but the curtain is pulled back here. It turns out the go-girl clutzy everywoman we�re supposed to be celebrating is actually regarded as someone to be scurried away from by the people asking us to pay to join the party. When Bridget steps on the scales in this film, even though she weighs just over nine and a half stones, she whimpers; meanwhile the wrapper surrounding her film screams that this is unacceptable, in very different tones. http://www.arts.scotsman.com/film/reviews_specific.cfm?id=3400

Here's Ebert's full review, which apparently was cut down on the Sun-Times' website. This is from his Compuserve column--lots more on Colin (highlighted). BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY by Roger Ebert * * * 1/2 Glory be, they didn't muck it up. "Bridget Jones's Diary," a beloved book about a heroine both lovable and human, has been made against all odds into a funny and charming movie that understands the charm of the original, and preserves it. The book, a fictional diary by a plump, 30-something London office worker, was about a specific person in a specific place. When the role was cast with Renee Zellweger, who is not plump and is from Texas, there was gnashing and wailing. Obviously the Miramax boys would turn London's pride into a Manhattanite, or worse. Nothing doing. Zellweger put on 20-something pounds and developed the cutest little would-be double chin, as well as a British accent that sounds reasonable enough to me. (Sight & Sound, the British film magazine, has an ear for nuances and says the accent is "just a little too studiedly posh," which from them is praise.) As in the book, Bridget arrives at her 32nd birthday determined to take control of her life, which until now has consisted of smoking too much, drinking too much, eating too much, and not finding the right man, or indeed much of any man. In her nightmares, she dies fat, drunk and lonely, and is eaten by Alsatian dogs. She determines to monitor her daily intake of tobacco and alcohol units, and her weight, which she measures in stones. (A stone is 14 pounds; the British not only have pounds along with kilos but stones on top of pounds, although the other day a London street vendor was arrested for selling bananas by the pound in defiance of the new European marching orders; the next step is obviously for Brussels to impound Bridget's diary.) Bridget's campaign proceeds unhappily when her mother (who "comes from the time when pickles on toothpicks were still the height of sophistication") introduces her to handsome Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), who is at a holiday party against his will and in a bad mood and is overheard (by Bridget) describing her as a "verbally incontinent spinster." Things go better at work, where she exchanges saucy e-mails with her boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant). His opener: "You appear to have forgotten your skirt." They begin an affair, while Darcy circles the outskirts of her consciousness, still looking luscious but acting emotionally constipated. Zellweger's Bridget is a reminder of the first time we became really aware of her in a movie, in "Jerry Maguire," where she was so cute and vulnerable we wanted to tickle and console her at the same time. Her work in "Nurse Betty" (2000) was widely but not sufficiently praised, and now here she is, fully herself and fully Bridget Jones, both at once. A story like this can't work unless we feel unconditional affection for the heroine, and casting Zellweger achieves that; the only alternate I can think of is Kate Winslet, who comes close but lacks the self-destructive puppy aspects. The movie has otherwise been cast with dependable (perhaps infallible) British comic actors. The first time Hugh Grant appeared on screen, I chuckled for no good reason at all, just as I always do when I see Christopher Walken, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth or Jack Nicholson -- because I know that whatever the role, they will infuse it with more than the doctor ordered. Grant can play a male Bridget Jones (as he did in "Notting Hill"), but he's better as a cad, and here he surpasses himself by lying to Bridget about Darcy and then cheating on her with a girl from the New York office. (An "American stick insect," is what Bridget tells her diary.) Colin Firth on the other hand must unbend to become lovable, and when we do finally love him, it's largely because we know what an effort it took on his part. "Bridget Jones's Diary" is famously, if vaguely, patterned after Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"; Firth played Mr. Darcy in the BBC's 1995 adaptation of the novel, and now plays another Darcy here. I didn't see the TV version but learn from the critic James Berardinelli that Firth "plays this part exactly as he played the earlier role, making it evident that the two Darcys are essentially the same." It is a universal rule of romantic fiction that all great love stories must be mirrored by their low-comedy counterpoints. Just as Hal woos Katharine, Falstaff trifles with Doll Tearsheet. If Bridget must choose between Mark and Daniel, then her mother (Gemma Jones) must choose between her kindly but easy-chair-loving husband (Jim Broadbent) and a dashing huckster for a TV shopping channel. The movie strings together one funny set-piece after another, as when Bridget goes in costume to a party where she THOUGHT the theme was "Tarts & Vicars." Or when she stumbles into a job on a TV news show and makes her famous premature entrance down the fire pole. Or when she has to decide at the beginning of an evening whether sexy underwear or tummy-crunching underwear will do her more good in the long run. Bridget charts her own progress along the way, from "tragic spinster" to "wanton sex goddess," and the movie gives almost unreasonable pleasure as it celebrates her bumpy transition.

The film goes astray only in the last half-hour when Bridget decides to jettison the awful-but-lovable Grant for Colin Firth's erect stick of a Mark Darcy. [Ed note: Andrew Davies script instruction, no doubt.] Playing the Jane Austen heartthrob's surnamesake as if the character had had a charm bypass, and with no wet-shirt sequence as when Firth played the original Darcy on TV, the actor provides scant reason why a girl as feckless, fun-loving and allergic to smugness as Bridget would end up yielding her heart to him in a snowbound London street. (Financial Times) That's cruel. And again, the implication is that it's only the "wet shirt" that made Darcy attractive. And we wonder why CF doesn't want to play romantic roles. Who would in the UK? The change in the ending over the credits is significant (probably based on audience research!). In the US you get a heart-warming, life-affirming ending, we get tacky sexist jokes, and more super-stud Hugh Grant. GRRRRR!!! Has any British paper said anything nice about CF? I knew there'd be a BJD back lash in the UK, but it's the romantic aspect that sems to be catching the flak! Thanks for all the US reviews!!

Actually I have read nearly all the US reviews (at Rotten Tomoaoes, over 70), and I think Colin comes off very well andI agree with Heide, he certainly holds his own with HG, some very nice remarks. However, the UKcritics are another thing, except Christoper Tookey who said some nice things about ODB, but then I always like CT.

We're going to see the movie tonight, Ann (my DH has actually expressed interest in seeing it!) and so I'll stop whingeing about our male critics. But, jeez, they are a major let down....to put it politely! I noticed they trounced "What women want" which did extremely well at the Box Office.....evidently they do not know what women want. Shall not read our "critics" any more!!!

Saw the film for a second time yesterday afternoon although should have opted for a later showing as cinema nowhere near full ;-( Took (for took read dragged ) with me my faithful, non-CF aware, friend and sat there, oozing smugness, in anticipation of the adoring noises and constant chuckling which would ensue. Gave friend strict instructions e.g. look out for this bit, don't forget such and such and ....look out for Burberry Man - we know him! Was disappointed as found was only person laughing in places but generally film was well received (though no sharp intakes of breath when MD appears in BJs flat *sigh* - unlike London Pre-Release screening). The fight scene and especially had everyone LOL and practically ROTF as well! At end credits stayed firmly (and even more smugly) rooted in seat as the 'masses' trundled out- only to race back in again when DC bits to camera appear. When we did eventually leave, the next audience were queueing and there were shed-loads of them so am feeling v pleased with sure-fire box office smash portents! Verdict from unbelieving friend? She loved it (but then she has read BJD and P&P so got some of the references) - did however think that the on screen scribblings should have continued through film to perpetuate diary motif. But AARRGGGHH - she still can't understand what I see in ODB, is the woman mad? Her saving grace is that when I dropped her home her DH was flicking though channels and P&P was showing on BBC Knowledge so she insisted I got another Darcy fix before I set of on the car journey home *double sigh - was Rosings piano scene and ill fated proposal episode* Hurrah! Survival BJ screening tickets have just plopped though letterbox am skipping around bedroom in manner of extremely happy (Easter) bunny and preparing, a tad too premature perhaps, to see HIM introduce the film....lets face it he could stand up there and read the entire London Telephone Directory and I don't suppose any of up die-hard droolies would notice ;-)

Jus thad to tell you about this review, the first one where the words "and especially Firth" have been said... From Appollo Guide - http://appolloguide.com/mov_fullrev.asp?CID=3053, hope this works but if it doesn't go to appolloguide.com and find the review for BJD. Here is the bit I like "Zellwegger is helped here by strong performances by Grant and ESPECIALLY FIRTH, whose restraint makes his character utterly real and all the more tantalising when he seems unattainable" hurrah

Oh, it doesn't seem to be working but the review can be found at the iMDB. or http://appolloguide.com

Someone was asking (forgive me I've forgotten who) about online retail sites for BJD soundtrack . Am gobsmacked as have just received my copy from Amazon.co.uk (according to local conventional stores it's not out until Monday) so am V V impressed with their service. UK "Special Edition" cover has BJ looking up with giary on her lap and back has usual lovely promo picture CF, RZ and HG (CF scowling at contents of diary Mmmmmm).Inside booklet has stills but only one MD i.e. MD & BJ in snow. Have just finished listening to it for the first time though cannot recall some of the tracks being in the film, never mind is v good listen. Have done obligatory air guitar/drum solo and screeching at top of voice to "All By Myself" *apologies to long suffering neighbours*

(Minor Spoilers) Where can I start? What can I say? I love Bridget Jones Hip Hip Hooray! With her pudding cheeks And her eyes full of hurts With her bosom so ample And her shortest of shirts She is awfully winning So real and so plucky No wonder men see her And hope they get lucky. And what a great fight! It couldn�t be better! Two men so inept At socking each other! Our Colin looked gorgeous Darcy through and through Only now not on cable And not just for the few. He�s dressed in Saville And turtleneck sweaters No longer in breeches, Writing long letters. Cleaver is showy But Mark�s got the part That shows with his eyes, The thoughts in his heart. And bring on the drums Shout oceans of bliss! He finally shows us He really CAN kiss! For at the end, In snow and full view... �Barrister�s don�t kiss�� �Yes, they fucking do!� Murph

Loved the poem Murph - LOL! AnnW thanks for the direction to IMDB's reviews judging by reaction methinks we may have many many newbies before too long! Though one review puzzled me (I believe from KerryW: ) Firth too shows how far he's come from baring his backside in Pride and Prejudice. Hmmmm - wonder which version she's been watching??!!? "A happy thought indeed"

Has any British paper said anything nice about CF? Laura Tennant from The Independent, a 5 bottle review: Firth might as well have "good husband material" attooed across his forehead, but despite this, or perhaps because of it, he makes a devastatingly sexy Darcy. And ladies, I mean devastating. Your magazines have been far more complimentary. The newspaper critics are truly stuffed shirts. Alexander Walker, who didn't have Lottery money to carp about, chose to criticize the distribution of profits between the US and England. What has this to do with the film? It's as if there is something v. wrong about an enjoyable film. Sheesh, they can't all be Battleship Potemkin.

This link should work: http://apolloguide.com/mov_fullrev.asp?CID=3053 The problem was two p's in apollo.

Did the makers decide that Frank Capra had to step in for Helen Fielding as the closing master of ceremonies; that instead of taking satirical particularity up to the wire they must send the filmgoer home with a head full of snow, feelgood music and fadeout clinching? LOL! I admit I did think that too! Why the snow? But if they went all out for a Capra effect--more power to them! Tracy, lucky girl! Can't wait to hear your report. Karen, I barely noticed the street! I was too busy looking for Mr. Darcy. ;-) Thanks for all the reviews!

The Bridget/Mark love theme is Dreamsome by Shelby Lynne. Terrific sound track in the film. Wish they would have included an Elvis Costello,, though.

So you like Elvis Costello, Evelyn? Me too! I would have loved Todd Rundgren's "I saw the Light." Wasn't that supposed to be in the movie? A wonderful Easter to all! Chocolate eggs tomorrow, yum!

closing tag

Have just got back from my second of many viewings to come, much better audience response and a sigh when Colin turns round and shows off his reindeer jumper!! Full cinema which is very good for an Easter Saturday afternoon. I really can't wait for the video/dvd to come out, some many wonderful close-ups and don't you just love the little smile that creeps across Colin's face every so often especially when he is helping Brighet with the dinner. Also I just love it when he says "crickey", when Bridget tells him that she likes him too(at the Darcy's Ruby Wedding Party). Oh and thanky you Sharon Maguire for that lovely last long lingering kiss... Thanks Ann for finding the correct link.

(Ann W)Also I just love it when he says "crickey", when Bridget tells him that she likes him too(at the Darcy's Ruby Wedding Party). Ann, what does "crickey" mean?

All my men wear Burberry suits, or they wear nothing at all...

Ahem, one more time: All my men wear Burberry suits, or they wear nothing at all...

Donna! Did you have your James Bond cam with you? Brava!

That is some purposeful striding there, Mark! Well done. Can't wait to see what else Donna the pirate has in her stash.;-)

That is a Darcy stride if ever I saw one, Mark. Donna, you clever girl. Couldn't resist popping into the Bridget Jones message board on AOL when I saw it was featured when I logged in tonight. Some potential new fans for Colin or were these comments from you girls?: (CF is) "Oozing sex apeal at the end. Yum yum. More Colin Firth" "Collin (sic) is very sexy." "Colin Firth...what a doll! I'd like to meet that Mr. Darcy." There were even more. He definitely beat out Hugh in the raves.

Holy cow Donna!! What have you been up to? ;-D

I know *another* British review is the last thing you'd want to read, but the Sunday Observer has weighed in. Thought it had promise as had Colin's reindeer boy pic on front page, then clicked to read this: "The co-writers - Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies (in whose TV adaptation of Sense and Sensibility Colin Firth became a star)" Read the rest at your own peril, but is definitely going in my special section of the Review page under Fuckwittage. http://www.observer.co.uk/screen/story/0,6903,473234,00.html

Group sitting next to me tonight (viewing #4) had a woman in it who said she never goes to movies more than once, but this was her second time. I told them about COlin and that the part was written from the start for him :) TV station here called Mark Darcy a "businessman". My guess is the guy just read other reviews and didn't bother to see it himself.

unlurking once again..Just got back from seeing BJD for the second time....sigh x's infinity. I think I shall have to go back and see it once more, just so I do not forget a single moment. To move on..both the Rosie Odonnell and the Today show are acknowledging the appearance of Colin on Monday. Like I said in the last room..Lets cross our fingers shall we.

Finally, a realistic review from your shores. One with pretensions, no hidden agendas, no poses. Cosmo is probably just happy that a character has his name! http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2001/04/15/sticulfil02005.html good, v.good: Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), a broody, moody hunk of manhood

That s/b without all those things. *oops is late*

Donna, I am all astonishment! The connections you ladies have.... Oh no, not another review, Karen! *groan* Love the lovely new review section complete with special effects. :-D

According to the Sunday Telegraph Renee has agreed to do a sequel as she will not have to put on so much weight and apparently BJD has broken UK Box Office Records for the first day and is expected to beat NH for the weekend. Hurrah. The report is online under UK news.

V.briefly as busy time looms ahead. Saw BJD last night with full house (and had to queue!!) and really enjoyed it. S-o-o nice to CF starring (and I do mean starring) in a popular mainstream movie!! Long article in the Sunday Telegraph on BJD. It took �1.7million in the UK on its opening night (twice as much as NH, the former record holder) and looks on course to be the most successful British-made film ever). Took �1.2 in US on opening night(is this good?), beaten only by SpyKids. STelegraph says RZ has agreed to do sequel, provided she doesn't have to put on weight. WT are going ahead with a sequel based on TEOR. It is hoped that the film's other stars will also appear in the sequel. Helen Fielding is working on the script. Eric Fellner, the producer, is "sitting down on Tuesday to plan in detail how to film the sequel starring RZ. It had already been discussed with the cast". Good review for BJD in the STelegraph. "CF manages a slow-burning transition from grumpy and stodgy to masterful and sexy, in classic Mr Darcy fashion" Only criticism..."I wish (Sharon Maguire's) influence had been a litle stronger to dilute that of RC...the whiff of the RC formula was the film's only real drawback." Our local paper also gave BJD a very good review (have part quoted this before) and they often slam movies. (Male reviewer)"CF is excellent as the stoic MD, playing his role with enough restraint and mystery to keep the plot bubbling in the final reel". (Female) "Number of times swooned over CF during film...47...CF is perfect as MD."

Oh yeah, there was a line outside the theater I went to tonight too--quite a long one. ANd the theater was packed. Audience seemed a little quieter through the movie than last night, but applauded at the end, which didn't happen yesterday

Just saw Ebert & Roeper's review. Had some good clips of CF. Brief glimpse of him smiling at dinner party, extended view of him singing happy birthday, and of course the "I like you" line. Ebert also mentioned he played Darcy in P&P. They liked it and talked about Renee and Hugh being great.

Donna ... I don't know how you did that - I am all amazement; thank goodness had just seen the film first so could recognise self. Karen: In the last scene, the store appears in very ritzy area, which wouldn't be a few blocks away from Bridget's flat. Did that street look familiar? Apologies if anyone has answered this already (I tend to skip chunks of the reviews I must admit): the shop and parade is a real one just beside the Bank of England in the City - to get there, MD and BJ would have had to run over London Bridge and then all the way up King William St - dramatic licence of course. Must just add: those early reviewers who asked why would either DC or MD find Bridget attractive - who were you watching? RZ is wonderful IMO, and exactly captures the Bridget of the books, with all her feist and imagination as well as the ditziness. Burberry Man

(Mark) I don't know how you did that - I am all amazement; thank goodness had just seen the film first so could recognise self. LOL, this was my second viewing, so I came prepared. I planted myself early so that I could get a good seat, then I obnoxiously flung my feet on the chair in front of me so that people were discouraged from sitting nearby. Didn't want a fat head to get in the way. :-) I waited for Cleaver to grrr/roar as he revved up his engine, then snap snap snap. *Nonchalantly sticks the camera back in the bag and continues watching the movie*

Lovely news, all! Thanks, Burberry Man, for the site identification. That's what I thought, in terms of being further away than it was made to appear. The Ebert & show had excellent clips. Lots and lots of Colin on view, especially during the fight. Many closeups of head on table, etc. It also seemed as though Ebert was going to say more about Colin (or just male leads) and then switched over to discuss how much he enjoyed Huge's performance from the first glimpse of him. Oh well, can't have everything.... BTW, you will be able to hear Ebert &'s comments online at their website shortly.

Ladies, please go to http://www.moviefone.com/ and to Feedback, and post your review, exulting Colin,of course. They have had the audacity to omit Colin from the credits, they have listed Honor Blackman for goodness sake and she was only in the film for 2 seconds!!

Actually, Honor Blackman was in all the scenes where the parents gathered. She only had a line at the T&V party, but you can see her at the turkey curry buffet and at the Ruby Anniversary party. But your point is well-taken, Ann. ;-D It's more important IMHO to email the Charlie Rose show now. They need to act quickly to get Colin on. I have likened him to RF, plus described the wonderful reviews for his first short story and plans for a Hamlet. Go to it, people!!

I saw BGD while on vacation in Santa Rosa the other night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also noted, Karen R's BGD web pages our soaring off our charts!

FoF Dottie found this: http://www.sunspot.net/news/printedition/bal-to.bridget14apr14.story Chronicles of a true Firth fan Book: A Sun reporter compares a 'Diary' with 'Pride.' By Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan Sun Staff April 14, 2001 Thursday 5 April 7:25 p.m. Ohmigod. Have to attend advance screening of "Bridget Jones's Diary." Refused to read the book when it first came out. Seemed v. v. silly and demeaning, and Bridget sounded like an annoying, desperate nutbag. But Colin Firth (to DIE for) is in it. Was SO swoonworthy in BBC's "Pride and Prejudice" and should make "Bridget" not entirely a waste of time. 9:30 p.m. My life is complete. Film was most excellent - v. v. funny even though Renee Zellweger was v. v. annoying (as expected of nutbag Bridget). Love that dry Brit wit, Hugh Grant is a magnificent rogue and, oh, that Colin Firth ... I swear he has perfected the art of playing a dashing Darcy. Friday 6 April Noon. People say BJD is a modern "Pride and Prejudice," and it seems about right: Hugh's publishing whiz Daniel Cleaver possesses the smarm-charm of Elizabeth Bennet's initial love interest Mr. Wickham, Bridget's Mum runs off with a man just like Elizabeth's sister Lydia does. And Colin Firth plays a marvelous Mr. Darcy all over again! He's terribly adroit at conveying tormented passion without saying one word. Although, in BJD, Darcy is a wealthy, hardworking lawyer, unlike P&P's Mr. Darcy who was just born insanely rich and passes time shooting fowl, quietly performing good deeds for sport, and secretly desiring Elizabeth Bennet. (Not that that's a bad thing.) That Bridget, however, seems a lot more like Fanny Price in "Mansfield Park" than P&P's Elizabeth Bennet. Lizzy, at least, was a strong, intelligent woman. Bridget's more like Fanny, Austen's least likable heroine and a wimpy girl to boot. Note to self: Rent BBC series and read P&P again. Also, pick up copy of BJD. Sunday 8 April Am reading P&P and enjoying it v. v. much. Remarkable similarities to BJD, which am also endeavoring to read at the same time. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham both went to Cambridge University, so did Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy. Natasha, the wenchy barrister determined to snag Mark Darcy for herself in BJD, is a carbon copy of the conniving Ms. Bingley, who tries to scheme her way into becoming Lady Darcy. And Mr. Darcy makes his first appearance in P&P at a ball, where he sulks and refuses to dance. In BJD, Bridget first lays eyes on Mark Darcy at a party where he's looking all haughty and keeping to himself. She even notes: "It struck me as pretty ridiculous to be called Mr. Darcy and to stand on your own looking snooty at a party. Read so intently that did not leave the apartment for whole evening and had week-old brownies for dinner. Must alter behavior or will end up like Bridget. Note to self: Look into buying scale. Monday 9 April Noon. BJD is getting old. Read till 2 a.m. and Bridget is getting v. v. grating. If she does not improve, I fear I shall have to start smoking again to cope with her shrill whining. She worries about her weight, her smoking, her eating, and suffers an exasperating lack of self-esteem. (Just say "NO" to Daniel Cleaver, woman!) P&P's strong-willed and level-headed Lizzy would never have felt so sorry for herself at being so v. v. unattached. In fact, even though Lizzy is of marriageable age and her mother is pressing her to wed, she has enough self-worth to resist Mr. Darcy when he first proposes, retorting: "I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry." Now, that's girl power. Read in the BJD information kit that Andrew Davies, who wrote the P&P script, helped with author Helen Fielding and writer Richard Curtis with the BJD script. Also saw somewhere that BJD author Helen Fielding had a crush on Colin Firth. I have no doubt - in the book, Bridget pitches a story about Colin Firth when she becomes a news reporter. And then she ponders the Darcy-Elizabeth relationship: "I would hate to see Darcy and Elizabeth in bed, smoking a cigarette afterward. That would be unnatural and wrong and I would quickly lose interest." I know what she means. I'm beginning to lose interest in the BJD versions of Darcy and Lizzy. BJD offers TOO MUCH INFORMATION about what they both would probably be like in modern times. 5:30 p.m. Discover there are many Web sites devoted to Colin Firth. Momentarily feel guilty for looking them up at work. But I am doing it for a story, after all. Tuesday 10 April There really are an amazing number of Colin Firth Web sites out there. Wednesday 11 April Holed myself up indoors all day to watch the 1995 BBC P&P miniseries. It was so v. v. brilliant and definitely far superior to BJD. In fact, BJD seems rather silly and foppish in comparison - even as a modern homage. Smoked four cigarettes. v. v. bad. I fear I am Bridget, after all. Thursday 12 April 10 p.m. Finally finished reading BJD. Loathed how forced some of the similarities were. Mark Darcy traipsing all the way to Portugal and devoting weeks to finding Bridget's Mum? Puh-lease. I would've said, "Forget Mum, dear Darcy. What about your high-paying, tres glam barrister job?" Looking back, BJD seems a bit of a let-down. Midnight Do more v. v. essential Colin Firth research on the computer. Friday 13 April 9 a.m. BJD opens in theaters today, and I don't understand how anyone could deign to see it. It's so v. inferior to P&P. Although, it was a little enjoyable and funny. And it did have the Firth factor. 9:30 a.m. Spot Hugh Grant on "Live with Regis and Kelly" accompanied by hysterical Darcy-Cleaver fight scene from movie. Note to self: MUST see BJD again this weekend. Copyright � 2001, The Baltimore Sun

Good news on the US box office front. BJD came in third with $10.8 million for the weekend, just beat out by films which were shown on many more screens: 1. Spy Kids--$12.8 million, from 3,172 screens 2. Along Came A Spider--$11.3 million, from 2,530 screens 3. Bridget Jones's Diary--$10.8 million, from 1,611 screens Just saw Colin interviewed (as part of junket, wearing his red shirt and dark suit) on CNN Showbiz. He looked very relaxed and smiley, told a cute anecdote about the guys having to pump up for their roles vs. RZ having to pack it on, and one day, someone dared the three of them to raise up their shirts and display their abdominals so they did. He said it was a contest to see who really had a six-pack. Then he added, Renee had about a one-pack.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The children's thriller ''Spy Kids'' ruled the North American box office for the third consecutive weekend, while the British romantic comedy ``Bridget Jones's Diary'' opened strongly on both sides of the Atlantic, according to studio estimates issued Sunday. ``Spy Kids'' grossed about $12.8 million from U.S. and Canadian theaters during the Friday-to-Sunday Easter holiday period. The Morgan Freeman thriller ``Along Came a Spider'' held steady at No. 2 with $11.3 million in its second weekend. ``Bridget Jones's Diary,'' based on British author Helen Fielding's best-selling novel about a neurotic single London woman, opened at No. 3 with $10.8 million. The film, starring Texas native Renee Zellweger and co-starring Hugh Grant, also bowed at No. 1 in the United Kingdom with a projected three-day haul of $8.4 million, a record for a British picture, and No. 8 on the all-time rankings. ``Diary'' was budgeted in the mid-$20 million area, and directed by English rookie feature filmmaker Sharon Maguire. It was released in North America by Miramax Films and in Britain by Universal Pictures. The studios co-produced with France's StudioCanal. In North America, women predictably accounted for about 60 percent of the audience, often coming in ``large packs,'' said David Brooks, executive vice president of marketing at Miramax. Pre-opening research had indicated that only 3 to 4 percent of potential moviegoers had heard of Fielding's book, which was a bestseller in the United Kingdom, but strong only in New York and Los Angeles, Brooks said. ``Diary'' played across the board geographically, and will expand to more than 2,000 theaters next weekend. It is currently at 1,611 theaters -- about half the total of ``Spy Kids.'' New York-based Miramax is a unit of Walt Disney Co., while Universal and StudioCanal are owned by Vivendi Universal.

In North America, women predictably accounted for about 60 percent of the audience, often coming in ``large packs,'' said David Brooks, executive vice president of marketing at Miramax. I resent this reviewer's comment. Makes us sound like pack of singleton-devouring alsatians!

Just did my part at Moviephone. What F***wit at moviephone wrote the credits list???? Let's all get together and beat up Tom, who gave it an F!

He said it was a contest to see who really had a six-pack. Then he added, Renee had about a one-pack. Knew he had it in him to be cute. ;-D Had a great audience at my noon viewing. Pretty full and perhaps 40 percent male, who laughed at different bits. I could sense absolutely no audience sympathy for Huge yet there was horror when Mark left her apartment. Lots of "oh nos." Best news is that my older sister wants to borrow my P&P tapes, which I lent her ages ago, but she didn't like. She wanted to know all sorts of things about Jane Austen, when the book was written, and why was there such a cult following. Also wanted to know about Colin. I wonder why she thought I could answer those questions???? ;-D

Have another question. The TV camera man who couldn't say whether other reporters had gotten interviews, said he was off doing "slash." What is slash?

What is slash? Isn't it going off to do, *ahem*... #1? (Someone confirm this)

quite right Winter, well put.

*embarrassed*

Think BJD did gloriously well in US box office given last week's predictions. Ahahaha! Take *that*, Josie, Pussycats, and Joe Dirt! *long bronx cheer* *wiping monitor* Jen-Jen, will try to e-mail you so we might discuss the nuances of beet root cubes. ;-) About a hundred posts ago, there was something from AP about the fight and that Huge said it was his idea that they fight like girls, etc. etc. Just wait, ladies...any day now The Gnat will announce that he gave Helen Fielding the idea for Bridget. :-/

Just saw CF on the Today show. It was a great interview. I also happened to see that he will be on Live with Regis tomorrow. He looked great this morning, and I was glad to see he was finally on.

Karen, I think your e-mails might be working! Renee Zellweger is scheduled to be on the Charlie Rose show tonight. I've got my fingers (and toes) crossed that they'll add CF to the panel as well...

Wonderful news, Valerie. We're talking about Colin's appearances on television on Topic 143.

oops. Sorry about that! I'll see you over there. ;-)

No need for apologies. Just wanted to make sure you could join in with the rest of us.

Thanks for the offer Eileen, but have figured out reference upon second viewing. Feel rather silly, actually, for having totally missed the nuances of that scene the first time around. Hmmm...may have to go see it again, just to be sure. ;) Had my sister e-mailing me play-by-play of Today show interview--can't wait to go home and watch it!

(Jen) Hmmm...may have to go see it again, just to be sure. ;) A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! ;-) Don't think anyone in my audience last Fri. understood anything about the cooking scene, even when Mark called Bridget Una. :-/

The beetroot cubes and such seemed to have been missed by all the audiences I've been in.

Local radio station was asking for callers to phone in with their opinions on BJD. First caller said that BJD was great, funniest movie and that it deserves to be remembered at next year�s Academy Awards. The second caller said same and that she fell in love with CF, that she�s now drooling over him. But Lara (deejay) steered conversation over to HG, and how he�s the type all women love and can�t resist, even if he is no good.

This is from David Poland of voicesofhollywood.com I was shocked at how much I enjoyed Bridget Jones�s Diary. I read the book at the behest of my 28-year-old niece and enjoyed it, though I wasn�t sure how it would play as a film. I listened to all the bitching and moaning about the hiring of American Renee Zellweger to play the quintessential British gal. And every appearance by Zellweger seemed to focus on her weight a lot more than it did on the movie. So, surrounded by a theater full of 30something women on Sunday afternoon, I didn�t anticipate much from the film. And as it started, I was still iffy. It seemed that first-time director Sharon Maguire was being a little too cute and trying a little too hard to match the structure of the book. But soon, that all fell away. Maguire is clearly not a great film stylist. But that slowly became the charm of the film as it went from being a big, hyped film to an art house find before my eyes. Zellweger�s performance had all the curves of real life. Hugh Grant gave the most restrained, game free performance I�ve seen for him in a while. And Colin Firth was drier than any martini. And all that was good. By the time I realized that things like Bridget having a Greek chorus of three friends and Hugh Grant to boot, I was already well past worrying that this was yet another homage to Four Weddings & A Funeral. (After the film, I realized that the producing team and writer behind Four Weddings and Notting Hill were behind this film as well.) I really like Four Weddings, but this one is gloriously different, choosing a level of imperfection that contrasts directly with the slick glibness of the progenitor. And for me, the message about the basic humanity of people trying to find a human connection was quite beautiful. Bridget is the clown princess of the effort. But the men around her are just as flawed, even without the extra weight and fashion faux pas. Even Bridget�s parents have to deal with the things that being people together and tear them apart. For me the film was, in the end, about the forgiving heart. And that is a message that I was certainly ready to embrace.

Great to read everyone's reactions to the film, plus reviews etc I envy you all a UK audience reaction, promising to go to later showing next time to get one guaranteed. fabulous news about beating NH on first weekend too. Tracy, am joining you in exuberant dance to soundtrack, holding whisk in one hand and Survival ticket in the other!

Lizza -am joining you in exuberant dance to soundtrack, holding whisk in one hand and Survival ticket in the other! All together now....*air guitar with drum accompaniment* All By myse-e-elf donwannabee....... What better way to spend a dull, lonely, Bank Holiday Monday than a third viewing of BJD (even if went alone in manner of confident singleton)? Maybe is just Medway mentality but profanities got the most laughs, plus "Have it Oeuf" - but all subtleties lost on crowd e.g FR Leavis plus they didn't seem to recognise Salman until he was mentioned in ill fated speech *hitting forehead*. Not unsurprisingly therefore crowd didn't get many of references (found myself the only one laughing way too loudly at beetroot cubes). Party of girlies in front let out a squeal of delight when MD turned up with cheeky grin and newspaper plus girl next to me shrieked "Oh No!" when DC arrives at party (forgave myslef a cruel chuckle at Huge's expense). Place went mad during fight scene - the audio was better at this cinema than on previous occasions so one got the full effect of the "Eow-ing" and "Oof-ing" during spazz-fight. Has ODB had more piercings recently - I counted three

And Colin Firth was drier than any martini. I'll have my Cosmopolitan martini now, TUVM! ;-)

Has ODB had more piercings recently - I counted three My what good eyes you have, Tracy! Do tell us where and don't keep it to the ears. ;-)

Do tell us where and don't keep it to the ears. ;-) LOL! Most evident in the Agani-Heaney (sp) interview, counted one in right and two in left.........ears! Also noticed huge boil on Huge Gnat's chin, Mmmm very sexy NOT, whereas MD, of course, flawless...but may have to inspect again ..in the name of research ;-)

CNN posted their interview w/ Helen Fielding: �A little bit of �Bridget� in most women? http://www.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Movies/04/16/bridget.qanda/index.html CNN: Did you visit the set very often? Fielding: Yes, and I especially liked watching Colin Firth playing Mark Darcy. When I was writing it ("Bridget"), "Pride and Prejudice" was on TV, and all the women in England were in love with Darcy -- or Colin Firth, as he's sometimes called. So, it was absolutely delicious to see Mister Darcy -- who is also Mister Firth -- playing Mark Darcy, who is also Mister Darcy. It was all very postmodern to watch.

Thanks, Marianne. How much material from the book ended up on the cutting room floor for the movie? And how can we get our hands on it! ;-) Her comment on the ending of the film tells us that she had written a different ending in her script. That's a direct question to ask her. I'm sure we would all like to know.

(Tracy) Most evident in the Agani-Heaney (sp) interview, counted one in right and two in left.........ears! So all of you were sitting in the first row, right? No girls in row in front of you, just screen, and lots of screen. Huge boil on Huge? Seems apropos somehow, but who is looking??? ;-D Thanks, Marianne, for the CNN link. Helen is looking v. healthy (tan). Must be because LA house has no roof.

Helen is looking v. healthy (tan). Must be because LA house has no roof. Took a walk along the beach yesterday, and passed a woman who I could've sworn was HF. But she wouldn't be in the States for Easter... would she??? (Had on sunglasses and black jogging suit-type outfit. Was with another gentleman, a bit older than her).

Why not? Do you think she had a turkey curry buffet to attend elsewhere? ;-D BTW, my last audience got a charge out of the way Colin pronounced buffet in the "I like you just the way you are" speech.

(Karen)BTW, my last audience got a charge out of the way Colin pronounced buffet in the "I like you just the way you are" speech. I noticed the pronunciation, too, although it didn't get any laughs, just a smile from me. (Whenever my DH and I take the train when we're in England, we always get something from the "buffy" car. It has become a joke for us since the first visit when the voice from the ceiling on the train announced that the "buffy" car was open and we had no idea what the "buffy" car was!)

oops! did that turn off itals? Am blurry bad at this computer stuff.

did that do it?

Audiences and Top Critics Embrace 'Bridget Jones's Diary' High Per Screen Average Has US Exhibitors Craving Up to 2500 Dates With 'Bridget' Next Weekend NEW YORK, April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- This weekend, America discovered and fell for "Bridget Jones," Britain's favourite singleton. "Bridget Jones's Diary" opened to the tune of a $10.7m box office gross, with an impressive $6,660 per-screen average in 1611 theaters. On the strength of this opening, which has theatre owners clamoring for more "Bridget," Miramax Films aims to expand to as many as 2500 screens this coming weekend, it was announced by Mark Gill, president Miramax-LA and Rick Sands, Miramax chairman of worldwide distribution. "Bridget Jones's Diary" is a Miramax Films release of a Universal Pictures/Studio Canal/Miramax Films presentation of a Working Title Production. "Bridget Jones's Diary," has become a word-of-mouth hit based on the strong audience response to nationwide sneak previews and opening weekend exit surveys which show that more than 80% of audiences rate the film as "excellent" or "very good" and more than 70% will "definitely recommend" "Bridget" to their friends. "Bridget" was also helped by widespread critical acclaim from top critics including Time ("Renee Zellweger shines and Hugh Grant is irresistible"), Newsweek ("tremendously funny"), Rolling Stone ("A-List all the way"), Good Morning America ("One of the Best Film's of the Year! It's great!), Today ("A smart comedy that's funny!"), New York Times ('The best and smartest film of its kind in a long time"), Los Angeles Times ("Cheerful, cheeky entertainment that smartly mixes knock-about farce with fairy-tale romance"), and Ebert & Roeper ("two thumbs up"). And it's not only American audiences that have responded to "Bridget"'s charm. In her native UK, with a release by Universal Pictures, "Bridget Jones's Diary" had the highest grossing opening weekend for any British film in history (approximately $10.4m). The film "Bridget Jones's Diary," based on Helen Fielding's international best-seller, stars Renee Zellweger ("Nurse Betty," "Jerry Maguire") in the title role as the dynamic, outrageously original Bridget Jones, with Hugh Grant ("Four Weddings and A Funeral," "Notting Hill") and Colin Firth ("Shakespeare In Love," "The English Patient") as Bridget's love interests. The film is directed by Sharon Maguire and produced by Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan and Jonathan Cavendish. Helen Fielding is the Executive Producer with Liza Chasin and Debra Hayward are co-producers. The screenplay was written by Richard Curtis, Andrew Davies and Helen Fielding based on the novel by Helen Fielding. SOURCE Miramax Films

I'm very impressed with the UK numbers. From all I can access right now, the movie is only playing at 273 venues (not necessarily screens) and generated $10.4m, compared to $10.7m in the US on 1611 screens. I think the UK numbers are estimates for a four-day holiday weekend (your Bank holiday too) vs our 3 days, but still they seem impossible. The analyst in me is astounded and wants to delve deeper.

One more thing, as the above was Miramax press release, I'm glad that Miramax can't be criticized for buying BJD's success as in Chocolat, Cider House Rules, etc. The numbers and the critics' praises are, this time, for real. ;-D

Have just read 118 User Reviews! (is that sad or is that sad) at Yahoo Movies, for BJD and there are so many nice comments particulary about Colin, makes me proud to be a Firthfan!

Just to let all UK members know that there are still tickets available for the special screening of BJD in aid of Survival on the 26th April which is being introduced by Colin. Had to contact them for an extra ticket myself this morning. Link is www.survival-international.org/film.htm We must make sure there is a full house to greet him!!!

Gabrielle is #4in this week's Top Ten with OOR.

Audiences and Top Critics Embrace 'Bridget Jones's Diary' How nice to read this. Typically for the UK where all the smarta**e commentators have been hoping it would bomb, the Times on Monday had a piece by Sean Macaulay in LA on Easter movie releases in the US. Sample comment "It may have swept the UK this weekend but it made only a modest impression at the US box office"!! He does go on to say that this was a "decent" performance and that the film is expected to have "legs" unlike the other top performers at the box office. He then goes on to quote some good reviews but can't help giving prominence to the (was it the only?) bad review in the Washington Post which dubbed it One Wedding and a Funeral Makes me so cross. There is plenty that our press ought to criticise in Britain but they only ever try and denigrate that which is good.

re the Rosie interview, I have read that the audience "booed" (sp) Colin, can this be correct, can you please enlighten me. Also apparently it was not a very responsive audience, they should be so lucky!

"re the Rosie interview, I have read that the audience "booed" (sp) Colin, can this be correct, can you please enlighten me. Also apparently it was not a very responsive audience, they should be so lucky!" Yes, when Carolyn said that she tried for Gwyneth'r role in SIL, he asked her if she gained wight for that role as well ( she said previously that she tried for BJD and gained weight for that). The audience booed and he tried to rescue himself by saying that he meant that she was too thin and had to gain weight to be Gwyneth size. Very cute. He was charming and relaxed and a joy to watch.

There is plenty that our press ought to criticise in Britain but they only ever try and denigrate that which is good. I would like to hear some theories as to why this is so. They should learn to keep their foot in mouth. ;-) I thought Colin was more relaxed in the Rosie Show than with Katie (note: I only saw the Today interview on line and they did not include the part in which she says she has a crush on him), but Colin did a great deal of laughing on Rosie. Maybe he thought it would be the fun interview vs the serious one.

(AnnW) I have read that the audience "booed" (sp) Colin There's more on this at 143, as well as our impressions of Today vs. Rosie. Cannot wait to hear about the appearance on Regis today.

From a Variety article on the BJD boxoffice: "The Renee Zellweger/Hugh Grant starrer is slated for Spain on June 8, Australia on July 26 and Germany, Latin America and Southeast Asia in August."

Regis - he's already been introduced at the top of the hour as "sexy Colin Firth" :-) Now on to the Chevy/Kelly drivel...

I still haven't seen it. I'm a bad girl... still haven't seen it... haven't seen any interviews. I vegged yesterday and did nothing... I'm a bad girl.

I'm going to see BJD TONIGHT!!!!! I can't wait, and also can't believe I waited this long, but I was home last weekend for Easter, so there were no friends around to go with. Can't wait!

Laura, you and Bill have to go when you're in England!

http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/fa/20010413.fa.02.ram Please forgive me if this has already been mentioned, but there is a commentary on BJD on the Fresh Air site. Loves Renee.... http://freshair.npr.org/ One of these should work.

Well, I never thought I would hear a news item about a Colin Firth movie, but it happened today on the BBC2 5 0'clock news, " BJD broke UK Box Office Records for opening weekend , beating NH by 2 millions pounds....." hurrahh, what a wonderful few days!

Just came back from 2nd viewing of BJD. This time, audience was limited to only about 10 people. Humph. Still did not hear anyone laughing as much as I did. Humph again. Next time will see it on weekend night when people with sense of humor go to movies. (Jenny) so there were no friends around to go with Why not go alone? I highly recommend it...saves the trouble of explaining all the in-jokes. ;-)

(Eileen) I highly recommend it...saves the trouble of explaining all the in-jokes. ;-) Yeah, but aren't you ever seized with the desire to turn around and tell someone, "Hey! That was funny dammit!"

(Eileen) I highly recommend it...saves the trouble of explaining all the in-jokes. ;-) Yeah, but aren't you ever seized with the desire to turn around and tell someone, "Hey! That was funny dammit!"

UK ALERT, The Making of BJD is being shown on Channel 5 on Sunday 22nd April, at 12 noon, Lizza, Aishling, Tracy anyone , Help, we do not get Channel 5 in my neck of the woods.

Eileen, I was home for Easter, and the closest theater that was even playing the movie was an hour and half away. My friends and I usually go there, but I didn't feel like driving all that way by myself. But I definitely can't wait to see it tonight!!!!

...closest theater that was even playing the movie was an hour and half away.... but I didn't feel like driving all that way by myself. ROTF.... That's a way of life for me. This time I was lucky....I didn't have to fly to Dallas:-)))))

Great box office. Waiting for it to be #1. What's the competition opening this weekend?

Heide, the competition this weekend is: 1. Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles 2. Freddy Got Fingered 3. The Low Down

I just got back from the movie. It was the best movie. I never laugh out loud, but my friend and I were in hysterics the whole time. The fight scene has to be the funniest, yet most pathetic thing I've ever seen. Can't wait to see it again, or even better--when it comes out on video!!!

I am very happy to say that I rented Fever Pitch (vhs) at Blockbuster last night. At last I have seen it. I get to keep it until Saturday. Donna

Saw BJD again with my sister-in-law tonight and she loved it too. Couldn't stop talking about it. Thought HG was good but not on the same planet as ODB. We decided that our favorite look was CF in the turtleneck and the to-die-for great coat. MD looked about 8 feet tall walking down the street in it. BTW, has anyone heard if there is to be published a making of or screenplay for BJD. I believe something of the sort was done for Four Weddings and Notting Hill, and just about every other film these days. If so, I hope they go for one with lots of color pix, not the type with the tiny b&w photos.

Rather strange column from Scotland on Sunday: Mr Darcy in novel twist BY WILLIAM HARE DIARY AS BRIDGET Jones's Diary hype continues to rage unabated in British cinemas, William Hare has discovered that a sequel based on Helen Fielding's second novel detailing the singleton lifestyle is lounging on the casting couch. Oh dear. The makers of BJD2 now have a new dilemma. The casting of Colin Firth as Jones' real (well, in the film anyway) boyfriend Mark Darcy, universally lauded as inspired, means that he can't really play himself as the real (well, fictional actually) Mr Darcy from the BBC's adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. An explanation for those who haven't read the Bridget Jones's Diary books and seen the first film: Poor Bridget lusts somewhat pathetically after Mr Darcy (Jane Austen's Mr Darcy, that is) in the second book, and when she actually meets him (well, meets the actor who plays him, Colin Firth) to interview him for a newspaper she makes a hash of it. But with Firth playing Mark Darcy in real life (well, in the film), who will the producers find to smoulder and fill those wet breeches when Darcy (well, Firth the actor) makes his appearance in the sequel? Now we all understand each other, here is Bridget's interview with Colin Firth from the book (it didn't really happen, it's fiction). [a bit of the interview] ~~~~~ Evidently Mr Hare doesn't realize they could do the same thing they did for the first, i.e., cut it all out.

Evidently Mr Hare doesn't realize they could do the same thing they did for the first, i.e., cut it all out. Exactly, but then again this guy doesn't even realize that the "interview" really did happen. No big stumbling block. EOR stands on its own without the interview.

Agreed, especially if they keep the original Persuasion plotline. ;-D

I wonder why it should be impossible for him to play Mark Darcy AND himself in the same film, in a kind of double role (wouldn't be his first, heehee). We know how much he can change his appearance, and even though I haven't seen BJD yet I got the impression that his MD character/looks is different enough from Colin as himself. Would be a nice Escher twist, and probably THE challenge for him to play the "real" Colin for a change. ;-)

Another UK Alert, according to my friend who just telephoned there is an article about Colin in this week's "Womans Own".

Producer Mulling Next Chapter for Bridget Jones April 18, 2001 4:54 am EST By Adam Dawtrey LONDON (Variety) - English producer Working Title Films is considering a sequel to its latest hit, "Bridget Jones's Diary," after its blockbuster opening last weekend in the U.S. and the U.K. The company has optioned the follow-up book by Helen Fielding, "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," and is negotiating a deal for her to write a screenplay. Working Title has never previously made a sequel. Co-chairman Eric Fellner described the process of deciding whether to go ahead with a second "Bridget Jones" as unknown territory. "But when you get numbers like this, you've got the think about it," he said. Working Title also produced "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill." Fellner said no discussions have yet taken place with Renee Zellweger about whether she would be willing to reprise her starring role. There's also the question of whether there would be a role for Hugh Grant, whose character, the caddish Daniel Cleaver, does not feature in the second book. "Bridget Jones's Diary" shot straight to the top of the British box office in its first weekend, grossing $10 million, the biggest ever opening for a British film. In the United States, it opened at No. 3 with $10.7 million.

(Lynda) BTW, has anyone heard if there is to be published a making of or screenplay for BJD. I believe something of the sort was done for Four Weddings and Notting Hill, and just about every other film these days. If so, I hope they go for one with lots of color pix, not the type with the tiny b&w photos. Must confess, I ordered another copy of BJD from Amazon.co.uk last week--the film tie-in version. Got it yesterday: it's the original novel, but the cover is the actual movie poster, and it has a few color pictures in it. Only one of ODB--the trusty pic of him and Renee side-by-side pre-snog in the snow--but hallelujah, only one of the gnat as well. About four or five, I think, of Renee. That may be as close as they get to releasing the screenplay.

Actually, Daniel Cleaver is in the second book. He plays the "Mr. Elliot" role. It is in EoR that Mark punches Daniel. I wonder why it should be impossible for him to play Mark Darcy AND himself in the same film, in a kind of double role Fans of BJD and CF would get it, but the general audience would be extremely confused. However, they could have Jonathon Firth or someone play Colin. That would be so strange to have an actor named Colin Firth in the film, and another actor playing Colin Firth in the film. I can just see the closing credits now... Mark Darcy     Colin Firth Colin Firth     Jonathon Firth Jonathon Firth     Peter Firth Peter Firth     ...

What's the competition opening this weekend? I read that Corelli's Mandolin is suppose to open in the UK this weekend? Has anyone heard anything? (Renate), Would be a nice Escher twist, and probably THE challenge for him to play the "real" Colin for a change. ;-) Start writing to him about this (via his agent). Afterall, he used it first. ;-)))

I think it would be perfect if Colin Firth played Colin Firth AND Mark Darcy if they do a sequel. They could obviously make him look a bit different, perhaps have him dressed as Mr. Darcy from P&P2 (wearing that great GREAT Coat and perhaps astride a horse, while Bridge interviews him.) Well just my two cents worth. Am supposed to see movie tonight, but as it's snowing, I may just go home a curl up on couch and veg. Snow on April 18 should be banned. I hate New England weather!

"There's also the question of whether there would be a role for Hugh Grant".. That's a plus... Do it Colin...I heard Sly is going to do "Rocky VI"

(AnnW) Help, we do not get Channel 5 in my neck of the woods Fear not. VCR will be ready. Six days off-line and hundreds of posts to read. Thanks to everyone for reviews etc. I too loved the film. The cinema was almost empty but it was a very early screening. It is being shown 10 times a day between two screens this week.

I've always thought he could play himself (hair lightened up, scummy clothes), even while they showed clips from P&P for the sequel...and said so ages ago. Three roles, in essence. But I think it is a nonnegotiable point with him. All references to him as a person or a TV character were taken out and would be again for the sequel. The Rome interview aside, the only scene that would be really lacking is when she and Mark split and Jude and Shazz administer P&P tape viewings of wet shirt scene (plus alcohol and food) in manner of ER. Interesting that the Variety article says no discussions have been held with RZ about even being willing to do it. So, who did the Telegraph talk to? Lynda, as BJ would say, 'not a sniff' of such a book here in the US though. Have checked online and at the bookstores. The novel has been rerelased with the poster cover, but there are no pictures (black and white or color) in it. Maybe later, as they want more people in the US to buy the HF books first.

Thanks Aishling, and I am glad you enjoyed BJD Am going for my 3rd time on Saturday!!

Fox News is reporting today that the book rights to Edge Of Reason have only now been sold for a movie. Said HF is again starting the writing of a screenplay. One more problem with the BJ-CF Rome interview: they were supposed to be talking about Fever Pitch, which no one would understand except us folks. Maybe she could interview HG ;)

Maybe she could interview HG ;) I love it! If Daniel isn't in the movie, then Bridget could interview Hugh Grant. And to parallel the Firth interview, Bridget could be stuck on some previous thing about Huge (as she was stuck on the wet shirt, although Firth was supposed to be promoting FP. I'm sure Bridget could find SOMETHING to ask Huge about. (I'm thinking cameras rolling, I'm thinking Bridget in a silly little skirt, I'm thinking Bridget asking a DIVINE question)

(Karen) So, who did the Telegraph talk to? Is simple. Telegraph spoke with RZ, the well-fed English girl. Working Title is in touch with RZ, the lean, sophisticated beauty who is on the cover of every magazine. ;-) I'm in the 'leave out all the CF references from an EOR film' camp. Too much of a good thing is just...too much. However, if CF doesn't agree to play MD (unforgivable sin), I reserve the right to change my mind. ;-) (Karen) I think it is a nonnegotiable point with him. Agree. IMO, he'd never go for it. (Kate) (I'm thinking cameras rolling, I'm thinking Bridget in a silly little skirt, I'm thinking Bridget asking a DIVINE question) LOL!

I think it would be best to leave out all P&P references. There weren't any in the movie, plus I think most people would just end up being confused.

There's a bit about "the fight" in this week's heat magazine (issue 113" Aslo on letters page a pic of GF accompant=ying a letter from "Liz" is it one of us...well done that girl!! "Let's not forget Colin Firth I'm glad you had an interview with Huge Gnat in heat issue 111, but have you all forgotten that the fabulous Colin Firth is in Bridget Jones's Diary as well? I think you should definitely include an interview with Mr Firth as he is the original Mr Darcy. Or just put some good pictures of him in!" And so say all of us! Fight bit..... "Everyone's talking about..... ......The Bridget fight scene. QWhen you think of celluloid fight scenes, certain examples spring immediately to mind: DeNiro in Raging Bull, Stallone in Rocky; Pitt in Fight Club. But now there's another you can add to that illustrious list: Grant & Firth in BJD. Yes, really. It's a classic. Set against the pulsating anthem that is Geri Halliwell's It's Raining Men, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth square up to each other outside Bridget's flat to decide who's really worthy of our comely heroine's affections. Jaws set, fists clenched, it appears to have the makings of an almighty punch-up - until they actually start wading in. As fight scenes go, it has all the clout of a wet fish - and that's the beauty of it. Effeminate kicking and girly left hooks that lack any power whatsoever combine to make one of the most hilarious scraps we've seen in a long time. Even the moment when our two protagonists crash through the restaurant window is so ridiculously camp it induces gales of laughter. Can't see that happening with Sly somehow. What's so brilliant about this scene is that it's been superbly choreographed to reflect the fact that real fights aren't always the dramatic bloodbaths moviemakers would have us believe. Because these two posh blokes can't fight at all. They can slap, pinch and swing handbags with the best of them, but they can't hit you so it hurts. And we wouldn't want it any other way."

However, if CF doesn't agree to play MD (unforgivable sin), I reserve the right to change my mind. Today's Metro has it that RZ, HG and CF have all agreed to make EOR and that filming starts early next year.....do we dare believe ???? Gah!! Have just read previous posts ....the typos....the horror. OOH have just been informed by kindly mother that there is a feature-ette in today's Mirror (also online at www.mirror.co.uk check out features.."Was Bridget Right?") they're having a phone poll....*thinks must now log off and bombard Colin line with votes*

swing handbags Gee, which version did this guy see? ;-D Thanks Tracy!

(Tracy) Today's Metro has it that RZ, HG and CF have all agreed to make EOR and that filming starts early next year.....do we dare believe ???? Naw, I don't believe. There's not even a script yet. The only thing I do believe is that Working Title bought the rights to EOR at the same time they bought BJD. BTW, that reminds me--anyone else get a chuckle out of the amount of time it takes for all the production companies to 'introduce themselves' at the beginning of the movie? The Universal music swells...dumdumDUMMMM!!! You think the movie will start...no, here comes Studio Canal...then Working Title.

swing handbags (Eileen) Gee, which version did this guy see? ;-D Perhaps he's confused with RV????????????

If you went to Bridget's apartment, how would you get in? 1) If you are a friend, you'd use the intercom to ring her phone, she'd then buzz you in. 2) If you are a potential lover, you would walk right in, up to her door and knock. 3) If you were a former lover, you would walk right in, up to her door and ring the doorbell. So, was Mark too dense to notice there was a doorbell, or did Daniel just carry a natural buzz with him? Bit of a continuity problem there. (Ony struck me the 6th time seeing it, though.)

I loved this--the feminist retort to any BJD critics. From the CNN site. (And I thought *I* was the only one out there with a 3-tiered book filing system!:-) "I'm a Feminist � and I Love 'Bridget Jones's Diary'" TIME.com's Jessica Reaves once hid her copy of the Helen Fielding bestseller. Now it's front and center on her bookshelf BY JESSICA REAVES Once upon a time, I harbored a great deal of guilt over the contents of my bookshelf. Schooled in feminist theory, I felt a certain, unaccountable responsibility to maneuver my copy of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" into a prominent position � blocking out, if at all possible, my collection's less savory offerings (dog-eared copies of Vogue, well- loved Maeve Binchy novels, the odd Tom Clancy spy thriller). A sort of respectability tier system developed, with books stacked three deep on each shelf. Over the years, the private persona of my bookshelves evolved into something quite different from the carefully groomed face they showed to the world. And so, when Helen Fielding's smash hit "Bridget Jones's Diary" stormed onto the market in the mid-'90s, I was prepared. Just as I knew exactly where and when I would buy my copy, I also knew precisely where I would put it (anchored safely behind Germaine Greer and Naomi Wolf). I bought the book and surreptitiously devoured it, laughing ruefully at Bridget's travails, her occasional public drunkenness and her misadventures in the great world of weight loss. Casting guilty glances in the direction of Gloria Steinem's memoirs, I empathized utterly with Bridget's quest for a man who is, as she so eloquently put it, "utterly and completely shaggable" � and I understood completely when she fell apart after a particularly humiliating breakup. I loved that book, for all its minor flaws, because it put a new spin on being young and single. When the book first emerged, I was struggling with career questions, trying desperately to find an identity separate from my parents' expectations, and looking around for that rarest of breeds, a good man � all conundrums Bridget faced with considerably more cheer and optimism than I did. But for a long while, I hid my affinity for Fielding's heroine. I laughed along with friends who scorned the book's so-called "anti- feminist" leanings and rolled my eyes accommodatingly whenever anyone mentioned Bridget's struggles with a phantom "weight problem" (which was generally understood to fluctuate between five and 15 undesirable pounds). I nodded silently when my mother dismissed the book as "fluff." And then, one day, when I was living in San Francisco, land of the painfully politically correct, I saw a notice at my local bookstore. Helen Fielding was coming to town. Well. That did it for me. I was going to be there to meet this woman who'd captured so many of my own neuroses with superhuman wit. I was giddy the day of the book signing, arriving an hour early at the bookstore only to be met by a crowd of women, all hovering around the table where Fielding was scheduled to appear. A flustered bookstore manager flitted around the room, wringing his hands and muttering under his breath. "All these people... never even heard of this woman... where am I going to put everyone?" Perching on a window seat to wait, I looked around the room at Fielding's collected fans. And what I saw changed me � and my bookshelf � forever. There were septuagenarians, teenagers and thirty- somethings. Women who looked like they'd just ducked out of a board meeting for an hour, and sweatshirt-clad women with babies strapped to their chests. There were women who'd brought sheepish-looking boyfriends and women who'd arrived with their mothers. It was, I decided, a pretty impressive display of sisterhood. And everybody there was waiting, unashamed, to meet and applaud Bridget Jones's creator. When Fielding arrived, she was kind and funny, and she signed every book proffered to her. She laughed along with audience members and answered pointed questions about her own life with humor. And when I took my copy of "BJD" home that afternoon, I didn't tuck it into the depths of my bag. I carried it proudly in my arms, meeting people's eyes and smiling. I let myself into my apartment, marched over to the bookshelf, and plopped my newly signed volume in the middle of the center shelf. Facing the room. Unfettered by guilt. Now that Fielding's book is a new movie (and the movie is wonderful, by the way), the debate over Bridget Jones will begin again. The same critics who savaged the book will call her celluloid incarnation flighty, or pathetic, or destructive to the cause of feminism. And I will argue against them, standing firm in my new resolve. Bridget Jones is not meant to be a heroine or an example. She's meant to be a tragicomic sister to those of us who prefer to take our lumps with a dose of (albeit slightly hysterical) laughter, and who choose to see the humor in the long and arduous journey from self-doubt to self- acceptance. After all, if you can't laugh at yourself, someone else will be more than happy to take over the job. Meanwhile, on the newly liberated bookshelves in my current apartment, Betty Friedan mixes happily with Joe Klein, who abuts Rosamunde Pilcher. As for Bridget, she's ensconced safely next to the comforting bulk of Anna Karenina. I'm sure the two of them have a lot to talk about.

I don't know if this is a corny idea or a plausible one. With all the talk about how they would do a CF interview in the next movie, I thought about this scenerio happening... Bridget learns she has a interview with Colin Firth, but to avoid making an idiot of herself, she will practice the interview on Mark Darcy. Then, Mark can say all the lines he did in the interview in the EOR book. Later on in the movie, they could have it where the "real" Colin Firth had to cancel his interview with Bridget, thus giving us all what we want. Not only that, but Colin Firth could really make fun of his whole "darcy" persona in the mock interview. So what do you think?

(Eileen) Telegraph spoke with RZ, the well-fed English girl. Working Title is in touch with RZ, the lean, sophisticated beauty who is on the cover of every magazine. ;-) LOL! You got it! But have to agree, no one's going to start filming this early next year, even though Working Title has probably had the rights to the book since Day One. A script takes time, especially if they want to do it right. Strike last sentence. Does not matter as is sequel and they rarely are done well. :-( (Eileen) anyone else get a chuckle out of the amount of time it takes for all the production companies to 'introduce themselves' at the beginning of the movie? No, I got antsy. Really, Studio Canal should rethink that opening; is ludicrous. People thought the movie was starting. (Ann) So, was Mark too dense to notice there was a doorbell, or did Daniel just carry a natural buzz with him? Hold on, hold on. Isn't this where the sound typically goes out? I think he says something about how he got in. Not sure, but will take notes at next viewing. Agree though about the bell/telephone/intercom lack of continuity.

I think he says something about how he got in. } Mark mentions that the door was open--I assume the downstairs door. Apparently both he and Daniel got through that door without a problem and came up the stairs. When they got to her door though, one knocked and the other rang. ------- DIdn't the screenplay for BJD take forever? Went through at least three writers. BTW, how long will CF's Hamlet comittment be? He certainly couldn't leave before that, and I would think Renee is probably booked up too. I read somewhere that Renee is willing to do a sequel, but refused to go through the weight gain again and wanted to wear padding, instead.

From Screendaily: Bridget director takes new aim at Austen Nick Hunt & Robert Mitchell in London � � � � � Sharon Maguire, whose debut feature Bridget Jones�s Diary this weekend became the biggest UK opener ever, is to direct Mail, a modern-day Jane Austen-style comedy of manners for the UK�s Archer Street. Set in Boston, the project sees Maguire return to the fertile ground of her debut, itself based on a book inspired by Austen�s Pride And Prejudice. The script is being written by playwright Wendy Wasserstein, who also adapted Jennifer Aniston-vehicle The Object Of My Affection. Archer Street, headed by the Hilary And Jackie team of Andy Paterson, Anand Tucker and Frank Cottrell Boyce, is backed by FilmFour and Intermedia. Maguire said that her project was for FilmFour. "At the end of the day, what I really want to get is a good story," she added. "That�s what makes you get up every morning." Separately, talk is heating up about a sequel to Bridget Jones based on the book Bridget Jones: Edge Of Reason, which Working Title Films has optioned. The interest comes after Working Title�s first outing with London�s most famous singleton racked up $8.2m from 417 sites in the UK over the Easter weekend, including previews on Wednesday and Thursday. The film, which stars Renee Zellweger, is also UIP's third highest opener after Hannibal�s $9.4m and The World Is Not Enough�s $9m. Even discounting the preview figures of $1.6m, the romantic comedy finished ahead of the UK�s top openers - Working Title�s Notting Hill took $6.1m on it's first weekend on wide release, while last year's animated hit Chicken Run grossed $5.4m. Bridget recorded a massive site average of $19,695. � � � � �

You can watch CF make some brief comments about the Bridget character at the site below. Just click on BJD interviews. While comment is brief, is brilliantly observant. *Great Minds.* :-) http://entertainment.yahoo.com/entertainment/

(Eileen)anyone else get a chuckle out of the amount of time it takes for all the production companies to 'introduce themselves' at the beginning of the movie? Yes! Reminded me of: By permission of Mr. Burbage/A Hugh Fennyman production/ Of Mr. Henslowe's presentation/Of the Admiral's men in performance/Of the excellent and lamentable tragedy/Of Romeo and Juliet