(Karen), Holden (NYT) is the first reviewer who had anything good to say about the violent murder scene. He must be a card-carrying member of LaBute morbid cult. ;-D And he also knew her last name, Dorothy Gale! This is one weird dude.

(Moon) It seems that the reviewers are concentrating more on him than the film itself I have only excerpted the parts that dealt with him...in fairness. Ebert gave it 3 stars and our other paper gave it a v.g. review, without focusing unduly on LaBute's trademark vision.

My Okla. paper says; "Make Believe or Not, 'Nurse Betty' a Winner' ..."but it's Zellwegger's mixture of wide-eyed innocence and lovable moxy in the role of a modern-day Dorothy tht makes it all work. with fantasy on a collision course with brutal reality, one roots for her make-believe, fugue-state romance to come true"..." [Sounds like some good ingredients here to make BJ work] "..If the dull summer season's got you down, 'Nurse Betty' has the cure". Hey....I hope BJD gets as good reviews. This one won Best Sceenplay at this year's Cannes FF.

Jay Carr gives it 3.5 out of 4 stars. I snipped out the plot points. Time magazine, Entertainment Weekly, and People give it raves. Philly Inquirer didn't like it. Wall Street Journal liked RZ, but not the film. Best to plunk down your bucks and see for yourself. 'Nurse' is welcome relief By Jay Carr Boston Globe Published: 09/08/2000 Neil LaBute's ''Nurse Betty'' is just what the new season needs to momentarily outrun the soon-to-be-unleashed flow of fabricated plastic. I'm not sure if it's a dark light comedy or a light dark comedy. Either way, it's lively, edgy, full of zigs and zags, juicy performances, and offbeat fun. It'll pop the careers of Renee Zellweger, Chris Rock, and Greg Kinnear up a notch or two. The only reason it won't do the same for Morgan Freeman is that he's already at the top of the A-list. After the limited delights of his misogynistic ''In the Company of Men'' and misanthropic ''Your Friends & Neighbors,'' it's also something of a breakout film for LaBute, too. Working for the first time with a script by somebody else (John C. Richards, James Flamburg) has opened him up. ''Nurse Betty'' is never going to be confused with ''Mary Poppins,'' but as of now, it's LaBute's crowd pleaser. Zellweger's Betty is Dorothy hurtling out of Kansas in ''The Wizard of Oz.'' She's Mia Farrow escaping an unbearable life in ''The Purple Rose of Cairo'' by slipping her moorings and taking refuge in illusion. The hit men, inevitably, will recall the ones of ''Pulp Fiction.'' And Betty's skewed odyssey detonates memories of ''Desperately Seeking Susan.'' You won't have enough fingers and toes to count the film references in ''Nurse Betty,'' but it doesn't just rip off its sources; it regenerates them with bright inventiveness, putting its own distinct spin on the characters, especially Freeman's cool old pro and Rock's hotheaded protege. Amusingly, the more trigger-happy Rock gets as they pursue Betty, the more courtly Freeman becomes. Convinced that she's essentially innocent (she is), he finds a protective instinct surfacing on Betty's behalf. He's the charmer in the film, although Zellweger's confused but softly persistent Betty keeps you wanting to see things work out for her. One of her funniest detours occurs when she actually meets Kinnear's George, who's as insecure off the set as he is suavely commanding in front of the cameras. When she addresses him as his doctor character, he assumes she's an actress launching a brilliant improvisation in hopes of getting on the show. Another reason the soap-opera element works as well as it does is the wry, dry producer played by Allison Janney. It must be said that the film's bullet-strewn ending doesn't live up to the level of the kicky inventiveness that precedes it. Still, if you're in the cinematic doldrums, take two hours of ''Nurse Betty,'' and you won't have to call a doctor in the morning. ******

Fascinating to see these reviews after the film. Although LA Times and NY Times are poles apart, I found myself nodding at both. Overall, I think I have to agree most with WSJ: liked RZ, but not the film, which augurs better for BJD than Possession. I will be very interested to hear what others think when they have seen it. Re NLB, you do get the impression that the director has stamped himself all over this film, something I've never really thought before. Obviously I missed most of the filmic references - I've already mentioned the sitcom references I spotted, and the Dorothy Gale tribute was made clear; more educated film buffs, please educate me when you get the chance...

Here is my local paper Miami Herald: 'Nurse' eventually comes to worse By Rene Rodriguez Nurse Betty is a cracked romantic comedy, with an emphasis on cracked. The movie has the structure of classic farce, and it's mostly sweet and tender, except when it turns bloody. Like a scene where one of the characters gets scalped. With a kitchen knife. In semi-closeup. Notting Hill, it's not. This is director Neil LaBute's third film, and it's the first one he didn't write. His other two, In the Company of Men and Your Friends & Neighbors, were cruel, psychologically violent films about the battle of the sexes. They were small, personal movies, brimming over with satirical bile, and they cut uncomfortably deep. Nurse Betty is a much bigger, frothier movie: LaBute says he decided to direct it precisely because no one would expect him to, and he was right. Because it's LaBute, the movie still has an edge. It's just not personal at all, and thus much less interesting. The script, by John C. Richards and James Flamberg, won the Best Screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival, where genre-busting concoctions are often celebrated, whether or not they hold together (Wild at Heart and Barton Fink were also big winners there). And Nurse Betty, while certainly bizarre, does not hold together. The movie stars Ren�e Zellweger as Betty, a Kansas waitress stuck in a bad marriage to a shady car salesman (Aaron Eckhart). As a way of escape, Betty loses herself in her beloved soap A Reason To Love, a General Hospital clone about the hunky Dr. David Ravell (Greg Kinnear) and the women in his life. Then a traumatic experience sends Betty into a fugue state, making her believe she's one of Dr. Ravell's ex-flames from the TV show. To her friends' befuddlement, Betty packs her things and sets out for Los Angeles to win back the good doctor, unaware she's being followed by a pair of hit men (Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock) out to reclaim a stash of drugs hidden in the trunk of her car. The premise sounds wobbly, and it plays even worse. Nurse Betty looks wonderful -- the movie's beautiful widescreen images are by cinematographer Jean Yves Escoffier, who shot Good Will Hunting -- and there isn't a single weak link in the cast. Zellweger, an immensely likable actress, earns your sympathy without ever tugging at your sleeve. She's like a plainer, more attainable Julia Roberts, and the entire movie is built around your desire to see Betty attain personal happiness: Her smile alone is reward enough. Freeman and Rock strike some sparks as the bickering murderers, and Kinnear is terrific as the vain soap star, whose shallowness runs formidably deep. There is also a nice turn by Allison Janney as the soap opera's unforgiving producer. Her blunt, carnivorous demeanor isn't just funny; it also feels perfectly right. The problem with Nurse Betty lies in its script, which can't overcome its incongruities. It feels like three movies stitched together. The film has some fine individual scenes: Its depiction of the TV soap industry, with its petty personalities and breathless overacting, is particularly good. But the movie lacks a cohesive tone. It feels concocted, artificial; LaBute can't sell the fantasy. Betty's inability to snap out of her stupor is as annoying to the viewer as it is to the other characters, because it doesn't make any sense. At times, you just want to shake her. And the sudden shifts in tone are jarring. You can picture LaBute behind the camera, saying, "This is where we'll sock it to 'em!" Well, he socks it to us, all right. It's a weird little movie, with references to The Wizard of Oz bumping up against gory shootouts. But at least you can't accuse LaBute of selling out. Nurse Betty doesn't work, but it's certainly different. That alone has to count for something, right?

Here is the picture that goes with it.

More distinction for RZ: she's made People mag's 10-worst dressed list. I thought they might have seen the BJD get-ups, but no, judging from the pics, she's earned this all on her own.;-)

Meant to mention this..(seen in the newsagents, not bought!)..one of our more rubbishy tabloids had an article on HG and BJD. He is quoted as saying that he went to a "fat farm" (ie health clinic) in Thailand, and lost 40 (!)pounds weight (nearly 3 stone). He also worked out in a gym for 6 months. There's a pic of him, obviously in Daniel mode, in a white suit, very tanned. Also quoted as saying that he loves his new look, and likes to study himself in the mirror. Also a mention of BJD abd Salman Rushdie's cameo appearance, in the Times. All publicity is good publicity!

The only Wizard of Oz things I noticed were: (1) as she's lying in bed at her friend's house after the massacre, there's a mobile hanging in front of her face with a rainbow (as in "Somewhere Over the Rainbow..."), (2) the Kansas sign ("You're not in Kansas anymore" and Morgan Freeman's big speech to her at the end (it was always in her heart, yadda yadda yadda); thought she was going to click her heels three times. No sign of ruby slippers at the Bland Canyon, but the dress was dead ringer for Dorothy's. ;-D Didn't see any flying monkeys either. Overall, I thought the movie was a hoot. I do agree that LaBute didn't have resort to such an ugly violent scene at the beginning to make his point that Betty is traumatized. Also, I found Chris Rock's performance and character the worst of the bunch. He was totally one-note not funny. Most of Morgan Freeman's dialogue went over the audience's head; it was too smart, which begs the believability of the two characters' relationship. RZ was excellent.

BTW, thought they really hit you over the head with her Doris Day-ability. "Que sera sera..."

Thank you Mari, Karen, Evelyn, and Moon for posting all those film reviews. I'm very curious to see Nurse Betty, not only because of RZ, but because opinions vary so much about the film, and I find images that harken back to other films add a great deal if the referencing is done well. It's not playing in my area yet, though. I probably won't get to see it until this discussion is history!

I found myself laughing at times all by myself and not laughing at all when the audience did! It was not as funny as I expected. I give it two stars. I liked the Dorothy references as well as Doris Day. RZ is cute but I have a problem with her. All those faces she makes and her voice. I will keep an open mind for BJ. Doris day in all her wonderfully silly roles was still a woman and looked like a woman. RZ looks like a little girl. BJ is a woman. I hope she can rise to the occasion. Do not like Aaron physically. He is lucky to be a friend of La Bute. Enjoyed the part in Rome. BTW, filmed where HF interviewed CF and you can even see the Pantheon (my favourite place in Rome), where Colin took Helen.

On the Rosie O'Donnell show, RZ mentioned how she was not good at dialects. I just hope she is not going to mangle the British one too much. BJ seems so British which is so much more than just what comes out of her mouth. It's all in the attitude and I hope Renee is up to the challenge. She's an immensely likable actress so I will keep an open mind.

Thanks Sue. I take it then that no mention was made of BJD on Rosie? Ah well, soon enough. Hugh Grant having to lose 40 pounds sounds as absurd as Colin's Darcy being compared to a porker. Trashy tabloid notwithstanding, I will believe the part that says Hugh likes to look at himelf in the mirror. ;-)

RZ and Rosie did talk a bit about BJD. I think it started with RZ saying she had trouble gaining weight for BJ due to the British cuisine. She said no problem with a Texas diet of biscuits and gravy and tamales. I say throw in some chicken-fried steak and she could gain a stone in a week. :-)) Renee asked the audience who read BJD. There was a little show of hands which we did not see. Both she and Rosie both loved the book. I hope Rosie will book some (or shall I say a special someone)of the actors from BJD come promotion time. Rosie invited Renee back when her next project opens. Renee said as far as she knows BJD will be out in the Spring, that was the last that she heard. The conversation then moved on to Nurse Betty.

From today's New York Times. Lots on BJD. CF mentioned. There's a new Bridget pic also. Will post the URL; you might have to register (it's free) ******* Ren�e Zellweger: A Character Actress Trapped in an Ing�nue's Body By DANA KENNEDY Ren�e Zellweger plays the title role in Neil LaBute's black comedy "Nurse Betty," which opened Friday. She also stars in "Bridget Jones's Diary," opening next spring. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alex Bailey/Miramax Films Ren�e Zellweger plays a chronically dissatisfied woman in "Bridget Jones's Diary," opening next spring. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OS ANGELES -- Ren�e Zellweger, from a distance, has all the trappings of a rising Hollywood starlet: the blond hair, the thin frame, the bee-stung lips, the colorful but homespun childhood in Texas, no formal acting training and a boyfriend who gets $20 million per picture. So when she arrives in a big black SUV with her dog at her favorite coffee shop on Sunset Boulevard and suggests a late-morning hike, it might seem as if this outdoorsy scene has been as strategically scripted as a movie montage. But it takes only a two-hour trek through Runyon Park to discover that Ms. Zellweger, though best known for playing Tom Cruise's girlfriend in her breakthrough role in "Jerry Maguire" in 1996 and, more recently, Jim Carrey's girlfriend in this summer's "Me, Myself and Irene," is not simply another actress who has succeeded by perfecting the art of playing herself. It turns out that Ms. Zellweger, who is leaving the girlfriend parts behind with starring roles in two new movies, Neil LaBute's black comedy "Nurse Betty" and an adaptation of Helen Fielding's best-selling novel "Bridget Jones's Diary," is actually a character actress trapped in the body of an ing�nue. This revelation has nothing to do with the fact that Ms. Zellweger has shown up in sweats, running shoes, no makeup; talks to anyone she meets; and blithely hikes straight up the steep hills in the searing lateAugust sun without so much as a sip of water or a drop of sunscreen on her lily-white skin. It doesn't come just from anything she says, either, though she is warm and chatty, especially when talking about something other than herself. Rather, it comes from what Ms. Zellweger does not say, which is considerable, and how strikingly different she is from the characters she plays in "Nurse Betty," which opened Friday, or "Bridget Jones's Diary," arriving in spring. "Both of them seemed a little scary to do," Ms. Zellweger says. "And that was the appeal. They were both a really complicated challenge." In "Nurse Betty," Ms. Zellweger plays a na�ve small-town wife who is traumatized after witnessing her husband's murder and becomes fixated on traveling to Los Angeles to find the handsome doctor she watches on her favorite soap opera. As Bridget Jones, she is the neurotic 30-something "singleton" who drinks and smokes too much while obsessing about how to land a man. It is not inconceivable that Ms. Zellweger, 31, could have drawn on her own life to play both roles. Her character in "Nurse Betty" develops a real-life psychological disorder called a disassociative fugue, which usually surfaces after a trauma or life-changing event and causes a person to flee. Ms. Zellweger researched the condition and consulted a psychologist who specializes in treating the disorder before she tackled the role. "It's mystical almost," she says of the illness. "It's unbelievably bizarre, but learning about it was half the fun of the job." Ms. Zellweger experienced a different kind of shock in 1995 when, after a few minor roles in small, Texas-based independent films, in B-movies like "The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and in the critically acclaimed but little-seen love story "The Whole Wide World," she was chosen to play opposite Tom Cruise in "Jerry Maguire." The film went on to make $240 million and made Ms. Zellweger a star. Up until then, her life had been remarkably parochial. She grew up in Katy, Tex. (pop. 12,500), just outside Houston, with a Swiss father and Norwegian mother who immigrated to Texas after their marriage. Ms. Zellweger graduated from the University of Texas and began her acting career in the Austin area with a beef commercial. Yet by all accounts, far from going into any fugue state, Ms. Zellweger remained exactly the same after "Jerry Maguire." She has just moved into a new $1.5 million home in Nichols Canyon in the trendy Hollywood Hills and has been involved with Mr. Carrey since they made "Irene" last summer, but her most constant companion is still her 12-year-old collie-retriever mix, Dylan. "There's very little that's worth everything to me," she says calmly. "I love my job, I love what I do. I couldn't ask for a better life. But I'd be O.K. if this all went away and I had to do something else, too." Those who have read "Bridget Jones's Diary" know that such sanguine, Zen-like sentiments are hardly what the nakedly ambitious and chronically dissatisfied Bridget, a publicist turned wacky television feature correspondent, would be likely to utter. There was controversy, mostly stirred up by the British tabloids, over the selection of Ms. Zellweger for the part, since she is American. "Don't think I didn't have a lot of nightmares and sleepless nights," says Sharon Maguire, the director, of her decision to hire Ms. Zellweger after a lengthy search (which included British actresses). "After she came in, I thought, `She's perfect but she's a Texan. What do we do?' " In the end, Ms. Maguire was won over by Ms. Zellweger's promise that she would nail the accent. "Her attitude was, `If I don't get this accent right, we are both so busted,' " Ms. Maguire says. "She worked really hard and I think she got it." To ensure that she got it, Ms. Zellweger was asked by the filmmakers to come to London three months early to study with a dialect coach and immerse herself in the culture. She even went undercover, using the name Bridget Cavendish, at the Picador publishing company in London for two weeks, calling editors to ask them to review books, skimming the newspapers for pertinent articles and getting coffee for the executives. Throughout her seven-month stay in London, she spoke with a British accent. "It was very technical," says Ms. Zellweger. "They wanted a very specific accent from a particular social class in a particular area outside London. We started by overenunciating and speaking the Queen's English, then taking it back a notch. It got to be a habit." Ms. Zellweger even used her newly acquired accent when she met her co-stars Hugh Grant, who plays the caddish Daniel Cleaver, and Colin Firth, who plays Mark Darcy, on the set. "They were really kind about it. They knew I wasn't some geek trying to sound English. They knew it was part of the job." Mr. Carrey, who visited Ms. Zellweger but mostly spoke to her by telephone from the United States, was less understanding. "I'd call my boyfriend and he couldn't take it," she says. "He'd ask me to please speak normally." Ms. Zellweger also had to gain about 17 pounds for the part. Usually she is a size 2 and loves to run or hike every day, but in London she went on a nutritionist-guided diet to pack on pounds and was forbidden to exercise. "I'd have an omelet with cheese and sauce for breakfast with a fatty yogurt and then a fruit salad with a topping and juice and coffee and cream and a bagel with butter and a few hours later a chocolate shake with weight-gain powder in it," she says. "It was like, do the research, learn your lines, eat the shake. It was all part of the job." But learning to talk and eat like Bridget Jones may have been the easy part for Ms. Zellweger. Truly becoming Bridget, which means being blunt, impolitic, gossipy, envious, needy and a little too obvious about everything, must have been like acquiring the traits of an alien. In person, she is relentlessly positive, eager to see, as she puts it, "the good in everybody," and will not utter a negative word about anyone or anything. She says she has not had one really bad experience in her career. Often, she firmly but politely says, "I don't know" to even the most softball questions. In a move too cool for the perpetually desperate Bridget, Ms. Zellweger became legendary for what she said to Cameron Crowe, the director of "Jerry Maguire," when he called to tell her she had the part of Dorothy Boyd. "What makes you think I want it?" she replied. Ms. Zellweger, who is normally unfailingly pleasant, says she acted flippant because she thought Mr. Crowe was joking. Almost everything � her role in "The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre," her pre-"Jerry Maguire" job bussing tables at the Three Clubs in Hollywood, even having to gain weight in London � was a "gift" or a "learning experience." She is equally enthusiastic about her co-stars, like Mr. Cruise or Meryl Streep, whom she reveres and with whom she starred in "One True Thing" (1998). She frequently labels both her colleagues and all her adventures "fantastic!" and "amazing!" "I've just been showered with good fortune," she says, in most un- Bridget fashion. Yet while that may sound annoying, the net effect is that you admire Ms. Zellweger for refusing to disclose her own personal struggles and pain. In fact, she comes across as if straight from the pages of another best seller, the often-scorned 1995 book "The Rules," which advocates setting strong boundaries and saying no whenever possible in order to get a man and get ahead. "I know how people can get hurt by what you say, so I don't feel a need to share everything about myself," she says. "Just because I'm an actress shouldn't mean that I can just talk about difficult things that involve other people." It is hard to find anyone who will do anything except gush about Ms. Zellweger. But some of her directors, while fans, hint that there is some steel under the sugar. "I think she's very savvy underneath about a lot of things," Mr. LaBute says. "But I don't think it's anything dark. I think Ren�e just braced herself to deal with an industry that can be crushing and made the decision to be buoyant as a way to rise above it all." Peter Farrelly, who directed Ms. Zellweger and Mr. Carrey in "Me, Myself and Irene," has said Mr. Carrey fell in love with Ms. Zellweger during filming but she was unresponsive. Mr. Farrelly said Mr. Carrey was a "whipped puppy" and that she "played him like a violin." The two did not get together romantically until after the movie wrapped. "I was not played like a violin," says Mr. Carrey stiffly, if a little unconvincingly, when asked. "Neither of us were playing or were played." But when asked what makes Ms. Zellweger different from other actresses he has worked with, Mr. Carrey could have been describing her on or off screen. "It's her ability to withhold her emotions," he says. "She has it all working inside, but she doesn't prostitute her feelings. A lot of actresses can't wait to show their feelings all over the place. As a result, when you finally see a glimpse of Ren�e's feelings � it's something much more powerful." The best way to glimpse those feelings from Ms. Zellweger is to knock off the formal interview and talk hiking or some other outdoor activity. At the moment she's excited about her coming trip to the Palm Springs area. True to form, she won't be kicking back and pounding down the margaritas either. "My friends think I'm crazy," she says. "But I love it when it's like 120 degrees and I go running. It feels great. Fantastic!"�� Dana Kennedy is an entertainment reporter for MSNBC.

Here's the URL for the BJD pic and article. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/10/arts/10KENN.html

Thanks, Mari. Nice that Working Title is giving out publicity stills already.

Thanks, Mari! Now if we could only have a look at Mark Darcy. :-D

Another little item from 9/6 Jeannette Walls' Delivers the Scoop column: Renee Zellweger couldn�t be persuaded that she had, indeed, lost the weight she had packed on to play the lead in �Bridget Jones�s Diary.� When a group of journalists tried to convince her otherwise, Zellweger turned around and pointed to her backside and declared, �This is still very, very big.�

The "Too Fat for Harper's Cover" story at the Guardian: http://www.filmunlimited.co.uk/News_Story/Exclusive/0,4029,367142,00.html

I saw Nurse Betty, and absolutely loved it. Everything about this film worked for me. The performances are stellar--Renee Zellweger and Morgan Freeman are nothing short of superb and will well deserve any end-of-year accolades they may get. Just to comment on what others have noted: the violence against Del was not out of line, IMO. We not only need to believe in Betty's trauma, but in Charlie's (the Freeman character) as well, and the manner of Del's demise sets this up. Roger Ebert really hit the nail on the head in his review, in which he states that these are parallel characters. Also really enjoyed Greg Kinnear, alternately playing the faux sincerity of Ravell and the actorly self-absorption of McCord. The writing is excellent--it's not designed to be a ha-ha funny film, but a wise, witty, and sometimes poignant take on any number of things, not the least of which is our fascination with celebrity. I have some observatons on LaBute's direction, but I'll take them to the Possession board at some point. Nurse Betty was the #2 film at the U.S. box office this weekend, and was especially strong in drawing over-35 women (bodes well for BJD).

(Mari) Nurse Betty was the #2 film at the U.S. box office this weekend It played on only half the number of screens as The Watcher did, so if you extrapolate, it could've been #1. ;-D Roger Ebert really hit the nail on the head But did Roeper ever hate it. (Don't get me wrong, I did like it overall and agree on many points, but not all.)

(Sue) On the Rosie O'Donnell show, RZ mentioned how she was not good at dialects. I saw this too--but my interpretation was not that she couldn't do them, but that she needed help. Renee referenced the coaching she received for the specific Brooklyn accent required for her role in A Price Above Rubies. I wouldn't worry, Sue. As the NYT article (thanks for posting, Mari) mentions, Renee and Sharon Maguire would be 'so busted' if the accent wasn't perfect. Otherwise, I thought Renee came across as shy and warm on the Rosie show. There was no mention of her BJD co-stars--perfectly understandable since she was there promoting NB. (NYT Article)Truly becoming Bridget, which means being blunt, impolitic, gossipy, envious, needy and a little too obvious about everything, must have been like acquiring the traits of an alien. Huh? Dana doesn't make BJ sound very appealing. IMO (s)he left something out. (Mari) it's not designed to be a ha-ha funny film Too bad that's how it's being promoted. Nurse Betty was the #2 film at the U.S. box office this weekend, and was especially strong in drawing over-35 women (bodes well for BJD). Indeed!

ARGH! Just saw this in The Mirror--a good news/bad news sort of item: THE DIARY : I'M BIGGER THAN HUGH, CRIES COLIN A BATTLE of the breeches is brewing on the Bridget Jones movie. Insiders tell me that Colin Firth was most distressed to learn that Hugh Grant was likely to be billed above him on the posters. A source said: "Colin's character is much bigger than Hugh's in the film so he has every right to be upset." Padded doublets at dawn, I reckon.

Thanks for all the articles .I'm glad NB is doing well but as per usual its not showing in my area, yet I hope.So to make up for it I forced,& I mean forced myself to watch a HG film(The Englishman etc etc) all can say is never again,I'm sorry but I can't take to his portrayal of an Englishman,IMO its the same in every film. Mari definitely a good news/bad news article.I thoughtit was about weight at first-oops.Surely the billing would have been sorted out before filming?(admit to being totally ignorant on these matters) But the thought that he's got a much bigger part fills me with delight,thats if we can believe what the Mirror says!

(nameless insider) "Colin's character is much bigger than Hugh's in the film so he has every right to be upset." Am happy to hear that MD's part is bigger if can be believed. More important we always knew, but whether he had as much screen time was questionable.

(Judy) I thought it was about weight at first-oops. LOL, Judy! Hey, the way some of these press reports have been describing CF's and HG's weight losses, I'm visualizing a pair of zygotes fighting over our Bridget.;-) (Judy) Surely the billing would have been sorted out before filming? I would think so, too. It would seem like a contractual matter at the time the actor first signs on, but I honestly don't know. Anyone know how that works? Am clinging to the report that the role is substantial, screen-time wise! (Eileen) Too bad that's how it's being promoted. Yes, you make a good point. Sometimes there seems to be a real disconnect between how studios promote their films and what the films actually are about. I think it's the "let's try to get the biggest crowds in for opening weekend" mentality. Anyone going to see Nurse B expecting to see the typical road movie complete with bad guys with hearts of gold will be surprised to say the least.

I'M BIGGER THAN HUGH, CRIES COLIN Of course you are, Colin dear ;-) Will be interested to see if this turns into another 'HF's mad about RZ's casting' or 'HG thinks RZ stinks' debacle. Let's see how many other places it turns up.

Well, we all know CF is bigger than HG in so many ways --- as you've already pointed out Karen. But I just doubt CF would say something like that! LOL Judy! Regarding HG in The Englishman etc. Talk about your stuttering village masturbatory character! (Not that I mean to give the sport a bum wrap or anything!) Glad you were able to get your system working Sister B Judy! (Mari)Hey, the way some of these press reports have been describing CF's and HG's weight losses, I'm visualizing a pair of zygotes fighting over our Bridget.;-) LMAO. Guess I better tuck those danishes away...

RZ will be on The View, Wednesday, Sept 13 and the Tonight Show on Thursday, Sept 14.

(nameless insider) "Colin's character is much bigger than Hugh's in the film so he has every right to be upset." (Karen), Am happy to hear that MD's part is bigger if can be believed. More important we always knew, but whether he had as much screen time was questionable. (Sadie), But I just doubt CF would say something like that! Listen Colin, HG, the Movie Star, is more famous than you are. You should not care who gets the public to the movie theatres. What is most important is who will they go back for the second time to see. And, I hope to never hear you say that you are happy as a character actor. They never get top billing. As much as Colin deserves the part because he is MD and it was written for him, he should consider himself very lucky to have landed the part. In Hollywood, that was not a given.

TTOTS starring CF and JM....;-)

FYI, I've just noticed that Smack the Pony, which stars Sally Phillips (Shaz), is on Bravo. There are two half hour episodes on weekly on Fridays at 8:00 pm ET. The website says that this week's are Episode 3 and 4, so they must have started broadcasting the series last week. Will be good opportunity to see what she can do.

TTOTS starring CF and JM....;-) That of course, is your pet peeve, Evelyn, British TV. ;-)

TTOTS starring CF and JM....;-) (Moon)That of course, is your pet peeve, Evelyn, British TV. ;-) Moi?;-)) (I was just reinforcing what someone said about screen time has nothing to do with billing;-) And I am resolved that he is principally a TV actor. Albeit, an excellent one:-))*smiley,*smiley...*happy, *happy*

Does "smack the pony" have some slang meaning? Or is it just a nonsense title meant to get a laugh?

Renee's brief appearance (about 7 minutes) on The View was mainly about Jim Carrey, with some NB thrown in for good measure. Two mentions of Bridget and all weight-related. First, she was asked about the Harper's cover. Said she didn't know reason but was disappointed after doing the hard work of a photo shoot. Then, the thinnest person on the couch (Ling) asked--with huge twinkle in hers--if it was fun to eat as much as you want and how long did it take, etc. RZ said it took about 2-3 weeks to put on the weight. Her peak weight was 17 pounds, but it fluctuated between 10-15 during maintenance which was constant. Said it was fun for about 2 days. Oh yes, per usual, she was wearing all black. Slacks and a long-sleeved top (to cover those upper arms). She looked normal weight, although not by H'wood standards. They showed a pic of her taken at the same time as this one, but was even less flattering:

She cut her hair.Looked pretty square in that "one-size -fits-all"outfit.

As this was initially reported here: Apology for Liz Hurley Liz Hurley has received an apology from the US magazine which last month published an article in which she had allegedly described former boyfriend Hugh Grant as "less than adequate" in bed. New York-based magazine Jane, conducted an interview with Ms Hurley entitling the piece "Down and Dirty with Elizabeth Hurley". Hugh and Liz were together for 13 years, and in a complaint to the magazine she insisted she would never say anything derogatory about her former boyfriend as she still "truly loved him". In a letter to the magazine Ms Hurley said: "I never at any time said anything disparaging about my sex life with Hugh Grant. "I never referred to it as 'less than adequate' and never said that I don't miss sex with him." Initially the magazine claimed to have the interview on tape but in this month's edition printed a full apology to Ms Hurley. It claimed that a professional transcription of the interview had revealed no reference to Hugh's performance in bed. [ed. note: and an "unprofessional transcription" did??] The apology reads: "The tape recording itself of the reporter's interview contains no derogatory statements by Ms Hurley about Mr Grant or her relationship with him, including no reference by Ms Hurley to her sex with Mr Grant being inadequate. "Jane magazine apologizes to Ms Hurley for any distress our article may have caused." A spokesman for the star says she is delighted that the situation had been resolved amicably.

I prefer to believe it the first time round :-) RZ is getting more publicity this time in TV Times,to promote Me.Myself...BJD only gets brief mention,CF none but the good news is HG isn't mentioned either-D

Hi People....just a quickie word about Colin being " upset " at Hugh Grant getting top billing over him in the BJ Diaries. Please consider the source of this story...its a Fleet Street tabloid and, you wouldn't believe the crap they come up with. Do we have any English Firthians out there who will agree with me on this this ? I'm sure we do. Anyway, I am Irish and I am very familiar with the kind of rubbish the English tabloids can come up with. So don't take this report at face value. I would place as much credence in this story, as I would in something I read in the National Enquirer here in the States. Colin himself, has gone on the record talking about how the tabloids make up stuff about him, all the time. Didn't he talk in an interview, about the tabloids inventing a crush he was supposed to have on some actress who he has never even met ? Besides doesn't a Hugh Grant/Colin Firth ego catfight seem totally out of character for a man who is so famously modest and down to earth ? Anyway, I think its all just a load of cobblers if you ask me ! ( That's " rubbish " for all you uninitiated Yanks out there ) See ya Beth.

Hi People....just a quickie word about Colin being " upset " at Hugh Grant getting top billing over him in the BJ Diaries. Please consider the source of this story...its a Fleet Street tabloid and, you wouldn't believe the crap they come up with. Do we have any English Firthians out there who will agree with me on this this ? I'm sure we do. Anyway, I am Irish and I am very familiar with the kind of rubbish the English tabloids can come up with. So don't take this report at face value. I would place as much credence in this story, as I would in something I read in the National Enquirer here in the States. Colin himself, has gone on the record talking about how the tabloids make up stuff about him, all the time. Didn't he talk in an interview, about the tabloids inventing a crush he was supposed to have on some actress who he has never even met ? Besides doesn't a Hugh Grant/Colin Firth ego catfight seem totally out of character for a man who is so famously modest and down to earth ? Anyway, I think its all just a load of cobblers if you ask me ! ( That's " rubbish " for all you uninitiated Yanks out there ) See ya Beth.

OOps..scuse the double post !!

Yup Bethanne have to agree with you. Being an Ex-Pat Brit living in Aust. and know the British Tabloids only too well.

I kind off like the fighting spirit of wanting top-billing and will believe it. At least if it were set alphabetically, and it is done on occasion, he would be first. :-)

(Moon)I kind off like the fighting spirit of wanting top-billing and will believe it. "You mean I trained for this new body and you're giving me third billing? No way"

I read an article a while ago about billing--said it was part of an actor's contract and was determined up front when he/she signs on to do the film. Billing includes placement of the actor's name in the ads and specifies the font size. I'm with Bethanne (welcome, by the way), IMO the story's cobblers (or as we say where I come from, it's a crock of sh**). ;-)

From the 'Nothing New But I'm Sharing It Anyway' file... From the MSN home page: E! Online exclusive: Q&A With Renee Zellweger On crazy nurses, hefty Brits and dating the world's most famous funnyman by H.W. Fowler Ren�e Zellweger has gone pretty far for a little gal from li'l ol' Katy, Texas. Since beating out much bigger names for the romantic lead opposite Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire some five years back, she's gone head-to-head with Meryl Streep (One True Thing), to London for most of this year to star in the controversial film version of Helen Fielding's bestseller Bridget Jones' Diary and straight into Jim Carrey's heart. /.../ Q: Guess that made playing chubby, self-defeating Bridget Jones seem like a return to normalcy. Congratulations, by the way, on not looking fat. A: It's a good dress, honey. [Laughs.] Yeah, it's a real good dress. Q: How much weight did you have to put on to play Bridget? A: It fluctuated, of course, depending on whether we were at a point in the script where she'd taken a little bit off. I'd go down 10, but then I was up 15. Luckily, we shot a lot at night, which always leaves you with a voracious appetite. All you can really do is rest during the day. Q: Besides eating too much and exhausting yourself, you've had to cope with seven months of people being pissed off at you for playing such a totally English heroine. They've been saying you'll never get the accent right, that the role should've gone to Kate Winslet or Helena Bonham Carter or Emily Watson, that Helen Fielding hates the very idea of an American playing her creation. How trying has all that been? A: I feel very lucky to be part of something that meant a lot to young women--to a lot of people. Plus, I had to do research, because Bridget works for a publishing company with Picador Books, which published the book over there. I was in the publicity department for a couple of weeks, where my job was to go through the newspapers and magazines every day for reviews and articles about their books. I had to clip out anything that pertained to Bridget Jones the movie, too. I'd have to go through all these things about how upset the author was that they'd cast this unknown American actress that nobody likes. There was loads of it; I was like, Okay, that's a nice one, guess I'll clip it out. I do understand that attitude, but I've met many more people who are familiar with my work and pleased that I'm playing her--but that doesn't make for very interesting stories in the newspapers, does it? /.../ *** Blah, blah, same old same old. At least BJD is getting almost equal time with NB on RZ's NB publicity tour.

Having suffered the so called news stories from our tabloids for more years than I care to admit, I agree with Bethanne (Hi, BTW) and am inclined to take reports this "fight" with a whole ton of salt!

Someone - doesn't really matter whether it was Colin or HG or the agent's secretary - has probably been overheard just chatting somewhere, probably just casually discussing the contract negotiations, as people do, but for the gossip page it had to be embellished. Easy.

(Tracy)Having suffered the so called news stories from our tabloids for more years than I care to admit Not to mention that totally fabricated story about a certain Firthette at Lyme. ;-)

(Tracy)Having suffered the so called news stories from our tabloids for more years than I care to admit But they are v. popular in England, far more than tabloids in the US. And say what you will, Tracy...they wouldn't be in business if so many people didn't buy them. I see folks queueing up at the newsagents for the newest "Hello";-)

THE DIARY : I'M BIGGER THAN HUGH, CRIES COLIN Think that's a direct quote? Waaah... LOL! A source said: "Colin's character is much bigger than Hugh's in the film Notice it say's his "character" is much bigger, not his screen time. Doesn't that mean his character is more important than Daniel's? May not mean he's got more screen time. 'Course IMO the whole thing's a crock of sh** (thanks, Eileen) so it's all irrelevant anyway. But interesting publicity!

Hmm.... just got back from seeing Nurse Betty. -The theater was packed, and audience laughed a great deal. I enjoyed it (well... most of it. hard to enjoy a scalping scene) and though it was clever, if slightly odd. Just as the movie was starting, my friend seated next to me, leaned over and whisphered "did you know she's going to be in that Diary movie with that guy you like?" LOL - No! Really? ;-) *hee hee*

Evelyn on tabloids - they are v. popular in England, far more than tabloids in the US......they wouldn't be in business if so many people didn't buy them. I see folks queueing up at the newsagents for the newest "Hello";-) All true of course..and I'd be a hypocrite if I said I'd never bought one (only in the interests of Firth research and on the rarest of occasions, promise ;-D) and perpetuated the whole business. Let's face it we do have a great time at their expense, what would we talk about? (for talk about read pull apart and generally vent a lot of spleen assassinating the character of the journalist).

Am getting used to the bag I wear over my head when I have to purchase one of those papers

I have every faith that you only purchase the tabloids in the pursuit of CF research, Tracy. I would like to thank you for your bravery.

Kinda funny, from The Telegraph today: JANET JACKSON needs taking down a peg. When she learnt that Ren�e Zellweger - the unassuming star of the forthcoming film version of Bridget Jones's Diary - was to present the MTV Video Music Awards, she threw a paddy. "Who is she? She's nobody!" the ageing warbler declared, according to OK! magazine. "I'm Janet Jackson. I don't even like her boyfriend, Jim Carrey. He's a fool." Charming. [columnist's comment, not mine]

LOL Karen. I still say Janet is really Michael butched up.

At the risk of spreading even more tabloid swill (my motto: if they print it, I'll spread it;-), I offer the following, from the Daily Mail. Many thanks to Jennie for spotting: ". . . it says about Davies "In addition, he wrote much of the screenplay for the film of The Diary of Bridget Jones, but bowed out before the end of the project after 'artistic differences' with the director. 'I was brought in, rather sweetly, to increase the Darcy quotient' says Davies 'Not to put more sex in; it was more about the structure. 'Helen (Fielding, the book's author) had already done two quite good drafts' he says in a rather tepid tribute. 'I was delighted to get a crack at it. I had met Helen once before, so insisted - as a condition of my doing it - that I had at least one night out with her doing Bridget Jonesy things; drinking lots of chardonnary and eating lots of food.'"

From the Sunday Times (9/16/00) Author dumps Bridget Jones THE creator of Bridget Jones is taking a break from her fictional heroine, writes Adam Nathan. Helen Fielding has told friends that she has had enough of Bridget, the angst-ridden singleton who has made her rich and famous. The news is likely to cause trauma to the millions of Bridget Jones fans awaiting another book chronicling her mishap-filled love life and social neuroses. On numerous websites and bulletin boards devoted to Bridget Jones, talk has been of little else. "Oh please, pleeeeease. I have also devoured the first two (several times over), and need more. Helen, if you read this: more please, 'coz we love Bridget," reads one message. However, a spokesman for Fielding's literary agent, Gillon Aitken, said she was sure that any book Fielding wrote next would be "equally fulfilling". The author Jilly Cooper, a friend of Fielding, said her decision to drop Bridget Jones was "very brave and probably a very wise move". She added: "Hemingway said 'Stop when you are going good' and she's been going brilliantly. Bridget launched her, but she has so many imitators now, the market is flooded with distraught women tearing their hair out." The feckless Bridget, who started life in a newspaper column in 1995, went on to become a global phenomenon, with Fielding's book, Bridget Jones' Diary, selling 4m copies in 30 countries. A film of the book, starring Renee Zellweger, an American actress, as the eponymous heroine, comes out next year. http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2000/09/17/stinwenws01015.html

(Davies) 'I was brought in, rather sweetly, to increase the Darcy quotient' says Davies Yeah!!! (Davies) 'Not to put more sex in boo hiss Thanks for spreading the smut, Mari. ;-D

Spread it as thick as you can, Mari. Especially when you find articles with the words "Darcy" and "sex" together. BTW, I find it hard to believe Davies wouldn't sexy it up a little, just by increasing the Darcy quotient. -D

(Mari), (my motto: if they print it, I'll spread it;-) LOL! I find it hard to believe Davies wouldn't sexy it up a little, just by increasing the Darcy quotient. Words of wisdom, Sadie!

I do like that increased Darcy quotient too. Hope he cubed it. (It's fun to pick and choose what I want to believe and to hell with all the rest.) Thanks for posting. Don't blame Helen for getting tired of BJ. Agree there are too many imitators and you know what happens then... singleton backlash - bring on the smug marrieds. Anyone know who came first - Helen or Candace Bushnell (Sex and the City)? Saw an article on Bushnell in a recent Vogue. She was supposed to write an article on what it was like to sleep with a Brit male. Well, I'm sure there are enough women who post here who could tell us that for free. ;-) But gaah, she really thinks she's one hot tamale.

(Heide)It's fun to pick and choose what I want to believe and to hell with all the rest LOL! She was supposed to write an article on what it was like to sleep with a Brit male. Well, I'm sure there are enough women who post here who could tell us that for free. ;-) LMAO! But they have yet to kiss and tell. (Not even Liz Hurley, which is just as well, 'cause I don't really want to know about HG.)

Now that I've got your attention.... Spring needs money in order to operate. There are many different kinds of expenses we incur at Spring. Some are one-time only and others are ongoing. Right now, we are raising money to pay for the very specialized software (Yapp) that makes these discussion boards very unique. We need a larger license to accommodate all the people who visit these boards, whether they post or not. If you are a lurker and visit here and just read, you are still creating a "hit," and the license we have is not sufficient for the number of visitors we get on a daily basis. When we exceed the license limit, the conference boards shut down automatically until Yapp determines that a new day has started. To keep Spring alive, we need to raise $1,000. In the past, a handful of people have kept Spring afloat. Many of our Drool supporters in the UK have taken advantage of get-togethers with US friends in order to pass along cash contributions. So for this fund-raising effort, I have put out the call for everyone to do what they can. For those in the US, payment can be made by check or by an electronic transfer via the PayPal system. In the UK, we will have a person who can accept your payments (by cheque or bank draft) and see to it that the monies reach us. For those of you in other countries, please email me. No addresses will be posted on these boards. Please email me for details.

Karen already has my contribution! Please do not let Spring dry up! Whatever you can do will be enormously appreciated!

LisaJH has written "Bridget in LaLa Land." She posted Part I of the story on Topic 130. For those of you who don't read that topic, here is link that will take you directly to the beginning of her story: http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/drool/131.435

Lisa's story is so Bridget-ey, I could have been reading Helen herself. Kudos!

We saw Nurse Betty last night at Leicester Sq....sell out audience...not an empty seat in the house.....LOL 100 total...72inch screen...No kidding... We liked RZ...and Neil too. Can't say much for AE....

Dunno about ya'll, but I would like Nurse Betty to be a huge hit and to really increae RZ's starpower. The bigger star she is, the more media coverage there will be, here in the States, when the BJ Diaries comes out next April. I mean, CF and HG are huge stars in the UK and their presence alone, virtually guarantees it of being a huge hit. However, that is not the case here in the States and, it may need a "star" of the Julia Roberts variety, to "sell" the movie and guarantee the kind of media frenzy, that will ensure people will want to go and see it in droves. I know WE are all dying to see it, but an English film about a screwed-up 30 something, isn't going to appeal to everyone....unless they get a little push from nonstop Access Hollywood, Good Morning America, Tonight show etc etc etc coverage. Anybody else agree or am I being too pessimistic here ?

(Bethanne) Anybody else agree or am I being too pessimistic here ? No, you're probably right. Renee Z. has done a lot of v.g. work but has not yet shown that she can open a film. Good publicity for Nurse Betty certainly can't hurt BJD's cause. Hopefully they will also be able to use the fact that it's the same production team as "Notting Hill" and "Four Weddings..." to whip up enthusiasm for those as yet uninitiated to BJD, but who enjoyed these other two films. We saw Nurse Betty this weekend also. I liked it and thought the script was clever although I agree with Evelyn that AE was sure hard to like. Of course he was playing a horrid, bigoted red-neck character but it was hard to imagine him as a serious college professor type. For the sake of Posession, I hope he's a really good actor ;-). RZ was quite likeable in the film, although I didn't think that she got to exhibit a lot of range. I liked her work better in Jerry McGuire and even better in One True Thing.

I still think the skill that NLB exhibited in collating the parallel plots so seamlessly in NB will bode Possession well. This is the first NLB film that I have ever seen and I was impressed. IMO NB is a noir comedy in the same genre as American Beauty .Even the violent scenes at the beginning were not ot be taken seriously.Whole thing was a clever spoof to me.Not many people can pull that kind of film off. [Hate British comupter keyboards....hateful!]

Evelyn, I think you should become a citizen! You spend more time over there lately (hate American computer keyborads!):)

(Jana) Good publicity for Nurse Betty certainly can't hurt BJD's cause. It's already started--BJD was consistently mentioned in the course of RZ's NB publicity. Buzzzzzzzzzzz.... Am still working on seeing NB. Went to movies last Sat. Gave hubby synopsis of NB's story and he looked at me as if I had two heads (have to admit, plot is kind of bizarre) so saw Almost Famous instead. Will see NB sans hubby. (Bethanne) CF and HG are huge stars in the UK Huh. Though UK saw CF as somewhat obscure TV actor ;-P

Eileen, goodnes gracious, noooooooooo !! The UK considering CF as an obscure TV actor......O the horror !!! He has become a cultural icon over there and just a few months ago, was voted the all time favourite TV personality by BBC viewers, against some very stiff competition. I know the things he has done since P&P haven't exactly set the world on fire and his refusal to have his personal life plastered all over the tabloids ( a la Hugh Grant/Liz Hurley ) doesn't get him tons of media coverage. However, the mind blowing success of the P&P movie in the UK and, the place that the book has in the hearts of English people, has guaranteed him a permanant place in the very psyche of the English identity. If you don't believe me, go to Karen's articles page here at Spring and, read the Guardian/Observer interview from April 9, 2000. That explains perfectly what I am talking about. There is also another article in ES Magazine from June 9 and the very first line is: "SIX YEARS AFTER PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, COLIN FIRTH'S LOVE-GOD STATUS RAGES ON" I rest my case.....phew....sorry if I was ranting, but I had to defend our beloved's honour.

(Evelyn) I still think the skill that NLB exhibited in collating the parallel plots so seamlessly in NB will bode Possession well My thoughts exactly, Evelyn. Plus the parallel plots in both films have to do with obsession! All will be fine.:-) (Eileen) BJD was consistently mentioned in the course of RZ's NB publicity. Yes, very much so. My fave was when RZ was on Jay Leno's show a couple of weeks back. They spent the whole time talking about BJD (which got a decent smattering of applause from the audience), then *finally* Jay says "oh yeah, you've got this great new film out, NB. Let's roll the clip." LOL! Bethanne, that BBC fave actor poll was more like 3 or 4 years ago. In the latest, P&P barely made the top 100, which was a topic of discussion here a few weeks back. The public, no matter what country, is very fickle, IMO.

...and they don't go see his movies. Have started reading Fielding's Cause Celeb. v. unusual book. Chapters alternate between London (nearly Bridget) and a refugee camp in Africa. The London part comes before she goes to Africa and explains why she went. Love of her life is a Daniel prototype, but worse. Not sure if met the Mr Darcy character yet. Rosie has many of the same insecurities as Bridge and problems with her pantyhose as well. But her mother appears sane. ;-D

Oops, was that fav BBC charracters poll really 3/4 years ago ? Anyway, wasn't the most recent one ( where P&P hardly rated a mention ) done by the British Film Institute. Wouldn't their choices be far more artsey and highbrow than a Jane Austen bodice-ripper ? Believe me, the UK Colin love-fest never really died out. It's not as rabid as it was 5 years ago, but it won't take much to kick it into high gear again, next April. Just look at all the feaures of CF in all the major UK newspapers this past spring and summer. He has nothing major to promote and he still merits full page colour spreads in The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph etc etc. Our darling boy is still 'da bomb. Rejoice !

Karen, let me know what you think of Cause Celeb when you finish. I think I felt it was a little disjointed. I guess I was wanting another Bridget, so when the Bridgety bits were overwhelmed by the Africa bits I was disappointed. But then the main story-line became quite poignant, which was probably the whole point. But I still finished it thinking "not in the same class as BJD". I always thought if I got a chace to ask a question at a book-reading I would say "Are you Rosie Richardson?" as a change from the "Are you Bridget Jones?" brigade that HF hates.

Believe me, the UK Colin love-fest never really died out. I agree with you here, Bethane. Colin's very unusual (but he can get away with it)...in an age of overhyped self-promotion in which most "stars" literally live their lives through "Hello" magazine and Breakfast TV, he's a very private individual, strictly non-tabloid material....must be the only actor who's never given a television interview. But all the major quality papers gave him ample space for RV/MLSF, even TOTS. The interest is there..and BJD will get a lot of promotion in the UK. RZ has had a very sympathetic press which bodes well for the movie. Okay, you might say people don't rush to his movies (all one or two theatres!)...but outside of London, movie going is almost entirely dominated by the under 21, largely male, age group. Just look at the current UK Box Office Top Ten!! Videos and TV are a different matter (FP did much better in video rentals than it did at the Box Office) Re, Cause Celeb. I should imagine that HF will return to the standard novel (as opposed to short sentence diary entries) format for her next book.

I rest my case.....phew....sorry if I was ranting, but I had to defend our beloved's honour. OH Yeah!!How about going to see his movies (����!) instead of waiting til they come out on the telly. Sorry....UK fans...Outside of a very few ...most of the ranting and raging fandom is strictly rhetorical.When I see a queue outside of a cinema for his films,(I'll even take a few hundred people inside) then I'll believe you ...til then... Poppycock..is that what you say??? We'd say....a lot of Hot Air!

(Bethanne) Just look at all the feaures of CF in all the major UK newspapers this past spring and summer. He has nothing major to promote and he still merits full page colour spreads Actually, that's not true. All that publicity was done expressly for My Life So Far and Relative Values. True they were not *major* as it turned out in the UK, but they were all he had. (Mark) I think I felt it was a little disjointed. A little? ;-D I know exactly how you felt about the intrusion of the Africa bits. When she walked (nay, ran) out on Oliver, it didn't go back to Africa for one chapter. Thumbed a bit ahead and could see Africa going on and on for pages and pages. Was not thrilled. Wanted to know what happened the next day. Am far more caught up in "So You Want to Be a Masochist" relationship of Rosie and Oliver. But I realize that the Africa segment will be the more important. Just haven't reached that point yet. (Bethan) but outside of London, movie going is almost entirely dominated by the under 21, largely male, age group. Chicken and egg theories abound.

Jeez, what has started here ? Is CF a star or not ? Do people go and see his movies or not ? I thought WE were supposed to be his fans. Bethan/Lizabeth54 ( what do I call you ?) thank you for your support. I lose all respect for any public figure whenver I see them plastered on Hello Magazine covers. It's so gushing and phoney. I still pay $6.00 for it every week though, so so much for my principles. Evelyn.... Didn't people go and see The English Patient and Shakespeare in Love in droves ? Yes I know he wasn't the "star" but don't foget, an actor is only as successful as the parts he is offered. CF wanted the leads in SIL and The End of the Affair but they went to the Fiennes Brothers instead. He may never get offered a part as wonderful as Mr Darcy again and, I think we should all just get used to the fact. Is Cause Celeb available here in the States ?

Whoopsie daisies, have lured Bethanne into age-old debate about CF's popularity in his homeland. (Bethanne) He has become a cultural icon over there...the UK Colin love-fest never really died out Hmm. You sure it's a UK Colin love-fest? Or is it a UK Darcy love-fest? (Evelyn) OH Yeah!!How about going to see his movies (����!) instead of waiting til they come out on the telly. Wait and see, Evie, when Colin plays Darcy in BJD they'll be queue-ing in droves. Even the 21-year old males. ;-)

Eileen....... Colin-love fest vs Darcy love fest, I'm sorry, but whats the difference ? To quote BJ....CF is Mr Darcy, Mr Darcy is CF...v confusing. I was THERE when P&P was first broadcast by the BBC. I'm not a convert from the American A&E broadcast the following January. I was also over on the other side of the pond, when it was re-ran ( to much hysteria ) in 1997. So I had a ringside seat to all the UK pandemonium and it is still vividly impressed on my mind.

(Bethanne) I thought WE were supposed to be his fans. Eowww! How to answer that one without resurrecting the age-old argument over Colin's career choice. Suffice to say, Bethanne, we are definitely his fans, concerned enough over him to yak about him on a daily basis. Some are content with his career; others are not. Let one thing be understood, no one here has ever advocated a wish that he become a posterboy for tabloid publications. We respect his private life and don't discuss it here. I don't know where you got that idea. However, being a supporting cast member even in AA-winning films doesn't make some of us happy when we know he is more talented than the leads. Parts are offered, but many actors actively pursue choice parts, really go after them. Instead, he's been in a string of very so-so (to be kind) projects. Fans can have different opinions. No one is a lesser fan because they have a different POV and express their own aspirations for CF's career. Quite a few of us have crossed the Atlantic to see Colin on stage--twice. If that's not a fan, I don't know what is.

(Bethanne) Colin-love fest vs Darcy love fest, I'm sorry, but whats the difference ? To quote BJ....CF is Mr Darcy, Mr Darcy is CF...v confusing. To also quote BJ: "Then we had a long discussion about the comparative merits of Mr Darcy and Mark Darcy, both agreeing that Mr Darcy was more attractive because he was ruder but that being imaginary was a disadvantage that could not be overlooked."

Q.What happens when both Mark Darcy and Mr. Darcy are imaginary? ;-) A. We have FF.

Yikes, how did I manage to ruffle so many feathers ? Karen, I never suggested for one moment YOU were not a dedicated fan, Good Lord, no ! I was merely responding to an earlier post about nobody wanting go to see his movies and his stardom or lack of it in the UK. It was certainly not directed at you. Re the Hello magazine/tabloids thing, I'm truely baffled by your response. I too, have no desire to see him become a tabloid poster boy. The fact that he keeps his private life under wraps, is precisely why I respect him as a person as well as drooling over him as an actor. I think I'll shut up now.....cue slinking off into corner in tortured, rejected Mr Darcy mode.

(Bethanne) To quote BJ....CF is Mr Darcy, Mr Darcy is CF... 'Nuff said. AAA (apologies all around, to use an Evelyn-ism) for starting this thread. *smacking self on wrists* And now back to our regularly scheduled topic...

I think we should all just scoot on over to Topic #112 and jump into the lake. Coming everybody ?

Fully clothed, I might add....you never know who we might bump into !

(Bethanne) Yikes, how did I manage to ruffle so many feathers? You didn't ruffle any feathers. But we've discussed this on and on for ages. Sorry, if my response gave the impression I (personally) was offended. I was not. I was just trying to clarify that we all have different degrees of fandom and no one here equates tabloid covers with being a successful and well-recognized actor, one who is recognized for the level of his craft. The fact remains that while there was media frenzy and public adoration for his Mr Darcy, the public in England does not support his movies...if it means physically going to the cinema. We're all hoping that being in BJD gets him the recognition he needs to get good, solid roles in films.

Yup, I'd love to see the plum, juicy roles flood in after the BJD's...but don't hold your breath. If they didn't flood in after P&P, I don't think they will now, especially as he is on the wrong side of 40 and he is by his own admission, a "character actor" . We can hope though. I wonder if Mr Darcy typecasting, affected the roles he was offered post P&P and will BJD just add to the problem. Maybe in the minds of casting directors, they feel he can only ever be one person in the mind of the public, so they are reluctant to give him the parts that can make or break a film. I hope not.

(Eileen) Gave hubby synopsis of NB's story and he looked at me as if I had two heads (have to admit, plot is kind of bizarre) so saw Almost Famous instead. Will see NB sans hubby. I saw NB with my DH and a (male) friend of his, and they LOVED it (which is good, since DH is already resigned to seeing BJD heh heh). Actually, in a way, I kept thinking of it as a "guy" film. I have no idea why--perhaps the little "problem" experienced by Betty's husband early on? Maybe because I saw it with 2 guys who really liked it. BTW, DH said about RZ "she's a cutie"--v. out of character for him. Speaking of NB, is there a place on Spring to "drool" over Greg Kinnear? ohmigod

(Bethanne)Yup, I'd love to see the plum, juicy roles flood in after the BJD's...but don't hold your breath. If they didn't flood in after P&P, I don't think they will now, especially as he is on the wrong side of 40 and he is by his own admission, a "character actor" . We can hope though. You confuse me, Bethanne;-) Actually, you should have stayed in the UK...they could use you here as a fan...one more to have seen MLSF& SLOW . I didn't start this discussion, BTW...but it always surfaces when we have a new person.I personally think he will get better parts after BJD.