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

Karen. I have just been to the bucket to look again at the pics of the London premier. Thanks much. Notice how bedraggled the gnat looks next to ODB. Hugie looks like he came from an all night party. Looks older than CF too.

Looks older than CF too. { As it should be :)

As it should be:) LOL right, Ann.

Don't know if someone has already mentioned this but there is now a new BJD Yahoo Club with nearly 100 members, lost of "yummy Colin" postings, yippee.

Can anyone stand reading another review? *heehee* This one's from my local county paper--proves that all reviewers with good sense are outside the DC border. ;-) 'Diary': V. v. funny confessions of a singleton by Diana Green [ed. note: no relation, I swear ;-)] Apr. 18, 2001 Life's dismal pursuit of inner poise and "relationships based on mature assessments of character" has seldom been funnier. "Bridget Jones's Diary," which opened last week, is essentially "Pride and Prejudice" nipped and tucked and burnished to a fond glow. Thirtysomething London "singleton" Bridget Jones (Ren�e Zellweger), in a flat she shares with some moldering cheddar, despairs that her only relationship is with a glass of wine. "And I finally die, fat and alone, to be found three weeks later half eaten by wild dogs." Instead she gives herself a year to make do with the materials at hand. These would be Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), her boss in the publishing company, a charming cad, and Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), plain cad. This last is both snooty and hostile. He describes Bridget, cruelly not-quite out of hearing, as a "verbally incontinent spinster." If the plot doesn't exactly jump the curb, the brisk trip sparkles with hilarious dialogue, as Jones staggers from one farcical episode to another, trailing epigrams. "Diary" is elevated by satisfying production values and exceptional casting. Grant, shed of his irritating mannerisms, surges with tousled bad-boy insinuation. And, as the stock figure of romantic comedy, the Englishman in love, who could be Darcyer than Firth's Darcy? He levels at Jones dark stares that at first suggest revulsion and the desire for escape, then fascinated horror, and then just helpless fascination. It's a career-marker for Zellweger, agreeably plumped-up for the role, with an acceptable accent and apple-cheeked innocence. Her heroine is absurd, endearing and utterly game, even when ambushed by such horrifying English traditions as tarts-and-vicars parties, turkey-curry buffets and enormous pink knickers "popular with grannies the world over." Fans of Helen Fielding's best-selling novel should be pleased -- her fragile vision has pretty much survived the rough handling of big production. What is gone is the whimsical, fey, lighter-than-air quality of the original. Still, add "Bridget Jones's Diary" to your short list of funny, kindly portraits of people who suspect that they are, indeed, ridiculous, but are helpless in the face of ungovernable yearnings and the astonishments of life.

Can always read lovely review with brilliant insights into CF's multi-layered 'Looks' ;-D Saw this at Empire in a story about the Dr Who business. Haven't seen the original quote making the news elsewhere: As Mr Grant basks in the reflected glory of Bridget Jones's Diary being number three in the US film charts this weekend, he can probably afford to shrug off the comments of Peter O'Toole who told a reporter this week that Grant was a 'twitching idiot..Ooh I mustn't say that must I?' O Toole went on to say, 'But he's just such a floppy young stammerer in all his films How far is that line going to go?'

(Peter O'Looselips) 'twitching idiot.. *snort* IMO though he's not floppy in BJD, he's still rather blinky. Next time you go, take notice in the post-dinner party scene in which DC's trying to reconcile with BJ. *Blinkblinkblinkblink* It's a bit distracting. ;-) (winkie, not blinky)

There was a huge article in the Daily Mail weekend supplement about Peter O'Toole in which he made those comments about HG.

Am v. fond of 'twitching idiot' myself. ;-D Now, the Guardian's take on half-snippets of misinformtion: Bridget Jones shapes up for sequel The Bridget bandwagon starts here. Barely a week after the release of Bridget Jones's Diary in the US and the UK, the film's makers appear to be already preparing the ground for a sequel. British backers Working Title have acquired the rights to Helen Fielding's second Bridget novel Edge of Reason with a view to filming early next year. According to a report in Variety, they are currently negotiating a deal for Fielding to again collaborate on the screenplay. Working Title's plans have reportedly been accelerated by the phenomenal success of their movie, which was the biggest opening British film ever in the UK (see yesterday's story) and has already grossed more than �8m from the domestic box office. The company's co-chairman Eric Fellner stresses that a sequel is still not a certainty, but adds: "When you've got numbers like this, you've got to think about it." Released last year to sniffy reviews, Edge of Reason follows Bridget through more trials as she attempts to cling on to her relationship with human rights lawyer Mark Darcy (played by Colin Firth in the film). Daniel Cleaver (played by Hugh Grant) does not feature in the second book. But the biggest possible movie obstacle is the availability of star Renee Zellweger. The Texan actress was rumoured to have found the first shoot an exhausting and uncomfortable experience, felt unhappy with having to gain 20lbs in weight and recently insisted that "no amount of money" would make her return to the role. But the Telegraph this week reports that Zellweger is prepared to make the sequel so long as she can remain in her svelte natural state. While the makers have apparently agreed to Zellwegger's condition, a skinny Bridget surely isn't the same.

The BJD bonanza continues in the UK. I shall get arrested for lurking at news stands! Articles on HG/BJD in Mirror and Mail. In Mirror survey 76% preferred "boring" CF/MD to 24% "sexy" HG/DC. Hughie features on front of "Hello". Ghastly pic of Huge in leather trousers, naked from the waist up. (This is sexy?). Sharon Maguire talks about HG having "tanties" (tantrums) on set. She'd apparently say things like "Come to Mummy..No more Mr Angry or Mr Tantrum" and he'd say "Mr Tummy's got a tummy ache". Oh well, whatever turns you on... CF by contrast features in cobbled together quotes (not original interview) in Women's Own magaazine, under inspiring heading "Pants to looking porky" (all about, amomgst other things, how he *had* to lose weight for the role). Okay article, only original quote (to me!) was CF saying that meeting Livia "was love at first sight - or lust. They are connected you know". Herein ends my roving report..!

Humph. Above article appeared factual/believable until final paragraph. Thank you, Guardian, for perpetuating unsubstantiated gossip. :-/ Better stick to crosswords.

(Bethan) only original quote (to me!) was CF saying that meeting Livia "was love at first sight - or lust. They are connected you know". Oof! If he *did* say it (in that context), that should earn him a smack on the head from his DW (dear wife) with a diaper.

This is too funny not to post it. From the Guardian (April 18). Apologies in advance for editorializing. What America is making of Bridget Jones It's not just Britain that's currently falling for the Bridget Jones movie. The film opened simultaneously in the US last weekend to warm reviews [Ed note: unlike the UK] and bumper box office. When Trainspotting was released Stateside, nervous US distributors took the step of subtitling its thick Scottish accents. [Ed note: Trainspotting as benchmark for Bridget???] But Bridget caused far less of a problem. When the holiday weekend was over it had vaulted to number three on the box office chart: a rare feat for an R-rated British movie. By and large the critics loved it. Writing in the Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington said that Sharon Maguire's film was "chock-full of delights" and praised American star Renee Zellweger's make-over in the title role: "How can this milky-complexioned [Ed note: What, no mention of chipmunk-cheeked?] Texan play a role so quintessentially British?...How can they accept Texan Zellweger as British? How can we accept her? 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, I soon completely accepted it." Paul Clinton, film critic for CNN, took a similar view. "Zellweger has proved her critics wrong, wrong, wrong. The lady can act. With the help of dialogue coach Barbara Berkery, Zellweger nails Jones's London accent while simultaneously delivering a performance bursting with power." The film, Clinton added, was "too long" and "highly predictable", but still rated as a "highly enjoyable movie-going experience". Meantime in Entertainment Weekly, Lisa Schwarzbaum hailed Bridget as "a Jane Austen naif in a Sex in the City world...an anti-role model for us all." The film version of Helen Fielding's novel "shines with lemon-scented polish", says Schwarzbaum, though she felt that some of the book's rough edges had been planed down: "The mess of Bridget's life has been tidied, neatened into the little piles of mirth and gaeity."

http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,106030~1~0~reneezellwegerfaceswrath,00.html Weight and See Renee Zellweger faces the wrath of Brit critics . The star of ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' says even she was surprised to win the role of England's favorite singleton by Liane Bonin When leggy Texan Ren�e Zellweger was cast as the lead in the film adaptation of ''Bridget Jones's Diary,'' Helen Fielding's caustic look at single life in London, the uproar across the pond could be heard as far as Hollywood. ''The entire British public had a fit that they cast an American, because they saw Bridget as a peculiarly British person,'' says Fielding. ''Actually, I was quite touched that they should care so much to make such a fuss.'' Even Zellweger, 31, didn't begrudge the Brits their grumbling. ''It hurts your feelings for two seconds,'' she admits. ''But I completely understand that reaction. When I heard that there was a list of [British] actresses who would potentially play the role [early contenders included press favorite Kate Winslet, who turned down the role because of scheduling differences, and Helena Bonham Carter], that made perfect sense to me. I was as surprised as anyone to get that phone call.'' It was a phone call two years in coming. After Winslet passed, the producers cast their net abroad, considering Australia's Cate Blanchett and America's Cameron Diaz. Fielding, meanwhile, was rooting for an unknown to play the thirtysomething ''singleton,'' joking that she nearly offered the role to a woman she saw slacking off Bridget- style at the gym. So Zellweger was v., v. aware of the high expectations and potential for backlash. ''Ren�e said, 'If you go with me and we get this wrong, we are so busted,''' recalls firsttime director Sharon Maguire, a Brit herself, as well as a close friend of Fielding's. ''And I thought, You are so right, we are.'' Under pressure to transform herself into ''Jones''' zaftig Londoner, the 5'5'' Zellweger packed on as much as 25 pounds and worked with a dialect coach to perfect her accent. ''She had a brief Princess Margaret phase, which was alarming,'' says costar Hugh Grant, who plays Daniel Cleaver, Bridget's cad obsession. ''Then there was a phase when she sounded very slightly as if she had had a stroke where everything slurred.'' The Golden Globe winning ''Nurse Betty'' star says the speech altering process required not only daily exercises but sticking with the British accent offscreen as well. ''I didn't want to sound like a fraud to myself,'' she explains. Apparently the determination paid off for costar Colin Firth (''Shakespeare in Love''), who plays the antagonizing Mark Darcy. ''It's very strange to hear this unconvincing Texan accent she's doing now,'' he says. Though eating croissants with butter may not sound like grueling preparation, it was the plumping up that proved especially trying for Zellweger, a lifetime athlete who began competitive gymnastics training at 4 years old. Maguire says the actress matched Jones' weight in the book -- roughly 138 pounds -- by adding protein shakes to already high calorie meals and nixing exercise for two months. (''I modeled her cellulite on my own, actually,'' says the director.) The extra curves did provide one unplanned bonus: ''I upgraded at Victoria's Secret three or four times,'' says Zellweger. ''I was so excited!'' The biggest reward for Zellweger, however, was winning over Fielding herself. ''I think it's a great, very endearing performance, though I'm slightly depressed that even after she put all that much publicized weight on, she's still significantly thinner than me,'' says the author, who cowrote the film's script. As for an American treading on British turf, Fielding says the ire of her country's media is misguided. ''Scarlett O'Hara [Vivien Leigh in 1939's ''Gone with the Wind''] was English, wasn't she?'' she says. ''So the Americans got their own back a bit.'' (Posted:04/12/01)

Thanks, Donna. It's from Entertainment Weekly, right? Zellweger packed on as much as 25 pounds *heehee* Early press reported weight gain of 12-15 pounds, then it went to 20 and now we're up to 25. Soon will see headline 'see how RZ lost the 50 pounds she gained for BJD'.

EoR: with a view to filming early next year } Wouldn't that conflict with Hamlet? ---- Maguire says the actress matched Jones' weight in the book -- roughly 138 pounds } Except for that fact that Bridge wasn't actually that heavy! Ten pounds less than that through most of the book. Just because she was obsessed with her weight does not mean she had a reason to be. Of course they couldn't get that through their brains when they made the movie. :(

(in best Mr Bennet voice) *no more reviews, I beg of you* However, this one was sent to me and is v. Helen Fielding-like, more so than what many other critics have succeeded in doing: http://entertainment.chickclick.com/articles/51064p1.html

Thanks all. I never tire of reading reviews & articles about Bridge. Bring them on.

BJD Outreach: expanding today in big city theatres, additional sceenings and fanning out to rural theatres (down the road). Harvey must be ecstatic, Spy Kids , Dimension Films is also Miramax.

Yep, big ads in the papers today, with quotes from NY Times, Ebert, Newsweek, Time, Good Morning America, Philly Inquirer, etc. But why have they all but stopped the TV commercials?? I've seen one in the past week and that was last night during Survivor. Hey, Harve, you've got 2400 theaters to fill this weekend--stop being so damn cheap.

Is it still at number 3 at the box office?

The box office standings aren't updated until after this weekend. BTW, another British-American slang dictionary gave the following for 'crikey': expressing astonishment, syn. jeeze. Can further translate it into Austenese as "I am all astonishment." ;-D After another viewing (yesterday), I've been thinking about all those nasty reviewers who couldn't figure out why someone like a Mark Darcy would want Bridget, except for the obvious, and that she reperesented a throwback to safe women (easy and airhead). It seems obvious to me from the lake scene what Mark sees in her: life, spontaneous life! As he watches Bridget laughing over Daniel in the water, he's envious.

"Is it still at number 3 at the box office?" In Canada it was no.1 last weekend. Toronto papers have a 2 page colour spread advertising it as no.1 last weekend in Canada.

(Mari) But why have they all but stopped the TV commercials?? I saw a commercial at least once yesterday (during ET, I think). It's a shorter version of those we've seen with added voiceover from some great reviews. It has two fatal flaws: is completely Darcyless (unforgivable, at this point) and the voiceover ends with a glowing review of you-know-Hugh. Ugh. Would rather see no commercial. :-( (Karen) It seems obvious to me from the lake scene what Mark sees in her: life, spontaneous life! As he watches Bridget laughing over Daniel in the water, he's envious. Yes, and he conveys it all so clearly with that look. In my second viewing, I took more notice of the little hint of a wistful smile. Posey stick-men reviewers don't pay as much attention as we do. ;-)

Actually, they do have daily box office numbers on yahoo and elsewhere, and it's been at #2 in US all week, behind those pesky Spy Kids. Taking in well over $1 million per day here. Since Spy Kids is also Miramax I guess Harve is content to sit back and let it roll in without spending for TV.

(Mari) ...behind those pesky Spy Kids. Easter/spring vac should be over for once and for all this week. Think every kid in America has been to see Spy Kids already, paving way for BJD to be #1 this weekend. Hurrah!

Yes, they do have dailies, but they haven't updated for the entire week is what I meant.

Welcome, newbies! (she says, hoping status as near-permanent lurker won't result in ridicule from the more...vocal...Firthists ;) Got this lovely little tidbit in my mailbox from mymovies.com: "We had a fantastic response to last week's mailout - you clearly couldn't get enough of "Bridget Jones's Diary"." Methinks this bodes well...

Definitely! Have checked the local listings and BJD has expanded to three screens each (from two) at the two nearest theaters to me in the downtown area.

Have been hearing wonderful comments all week from friends and colleagues. Yesterday was in conversation with 2 women. We were all of us of different age groups. One of them, a 30 something singleton mentioned the quiz, CF v HG in the Daily Mirror. She was incredlous that anyone would choose HG. She asked us if we thought there was any contest between these two. Was so gratified that the third woman also had the same reaction. "HG you have to be joking, it has to be CF". Loved it. Again today a group of colleagues saying how wonderful BJD was and trying to convince someone to go and see it. His reply. "I don't know if I could bear ir, I can't stand Hugh Grant". So nice to hear all these things. Am on constant guard against mentionitis:-)

Also photograph in the Evening Standard Magazine today. A similar one of RZ, HG and CF. Colin is unfortunately placed over the centre join of the paper so not good of him but it is clear that the blue silk shirt he has on is not plain but has a spotted pattern on it. Thought you would like all the detail;-)

Has anyone read the film tie-in book? I'm wondering if it is worth getting... Any thoughts?

Am FINALLY off to see BJD tonight... I can't believe I am a week (or two) behind you guys, but I've been reading all of the posts and can't wait!!! I just really hope I like it... (people here at work LOVED it, and am impressed that I forced it upon them, but don't understand how I couldn't have seen it yet!), it's a mystery!

Checked my local listings and BJD went from 13 theaters to 17 on the Mpls side of the river in the Twin Cities.

As far as I could tell, the film tie-in book is no different from the original book (of course, lent book out to friend so that she could enjoy the full BJD experience! Hi, Cherie!!). The benenfit of the tie-in is the four or so pages of color pictures from the film.

I am v. frustrated. I just checked to see if there was anything worth watching on Oprah. There was RZ on a screen with satelite hook up. Oprah talked about her first kiss with Hugh being really hot. Later she said "When that guy says he likes her just the way she is." She said "that guy"; and to think I used to actually kind of like Oprah. The only thing that made me feel better is that my husband is annoyed that he now hears about CF at the office as much as he does at home.

Well, after seeing BJD for the Firth or sixth time...it just gets better and better. Then one must wonder..do Bridgets fathers pajamas really match the wallpaper?..and I bet under that wonderful coat and tucked into that very soft grey sweater...he smells really good..lol..Am I being obsessive? I hope so..

From Entertainment Weekly, Planet of the Apes cover ... http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,106800~10~0~meetinnercirclethat,00.html Brit Pack Behind the Scenes: What are best friends for? In case of Bridget Jones�s Diary, making movies. By Gillian Flynn She certainly was not one of THEM. When Ren�e Zellweger signed on to play a certain plump London singleton in ''Bridget Jones's Diary,'' U.K. residents flew into a collective snit. A Texan as Bridget? Vulgar. ''It upset them,'' reasons author Helen Fielding. ''It was sweet that the whole British nation was up in arms about their Bridget being an American.'' Zellweger, however, would remain the token outsider in an utterly British production packed with a posse of friends and friends of friends -- forming a twisty genealogy of publishing and film royalty. As ''BJD'' director Sharon Maguire notes: ''It's a small town.'' Think of it, to begin, as ''When Helen Met Sharon.'' A decade before the April 13 screen debut of ''BJD,'' a mutual friend took Fielding (then a restaurant critic) and Maguire (then a BBC director) on a theater outing. Fans of Jones's cocktail sauced world will be shocked to hear that a shameless amount of tippling did not ensue. ''It wasn't a drunken [night] because, incredibly, at that time I didn't drink,'' remembers Maguire. ''But we bonded in the way that you do when you're out there behaving like 15 year olds. We were at a crossroads with careers or relationships while a lot of our friends were settled.'' That sentiment found a voice when Fielding, under the Jones pseudonym, started tapping out her column at London's Independent. The daffy stories were thick with the ignominies of the single, thirtysomething working girl -- with Bridget's mouthy friend Shazzer bearing a strong resemblance to Maguire. In 1995, the friends fell victim to an epidemic bringing Britain to a halt: the BBC miniseries ''Pride and Prejudice,'' featuring Colin Firth as Jane Austen's smug, dashing, confounding Mr. Darcy. ''There's one scene with Colin in britches and a wet shirt -- so sexy! -- that was on the front of all the newspapers in England,'' says Maguire. ''Helen particularly and hilariously was obsessed with Mr. Darcy, as if he was a real person roaming out there somewhere.'' So bewitched was Fielding that when ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' was published in 1996, Ms. Jones's love interest was none other than the smug, dashing, confounding Mark Darcy. And when buzz began about turning the must read into a film, Firth was a natural. ''Helen had been saying publicly I'd be her choice for Darcy,'' says Firth, who first met Fielding through their mutual friend, novelist Nick Hornby (''High Fidelity''). ''We came across each other at a party; she asked if I minded her saying that. I said not at all. A friend told me later she'd taken that to mean I was keeping myself free for the next five years.'' Good thing, because it would take nearly that long to transfer ''BJD'' to celluloid, courtesy of Working Title Films, producers of ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' and ''Notting Hill.'' Both of those witty Brit comedies were written by Richard Curtis -- who would help script ''Bridget.'' It was another natural selection, as Fielding and Curtis have been best of chums since their Oxford days. ''I remember Helly appearing in a play dressed as Marlene Dietrich,'' Curtis says. ''Her German accent wasn't very convincing, but she seemed to look nice.'' The writers have acted as each other's informal advisers: Fielding suggested ''Four Weddings'' have a funeral instead of a honeymoon. In turn, Curtis read the manuscript for ''BJD'' ''a nauseating number of times.'' Before Curtis took a crack at the script, however, Fielding relinquished her draft to Andrew Davies, screenwriter for (but of course!) ''Pride and Prejudice,'' who played up the Mr. Darcy in Mark Darcy. ''I made it a condition that Helen and I have one night out in which we'd go to all Bridget's haunts,'' says Davies. ''We didn't do quite as drunken an evening -- we're both a bit more sober in our habits. But I started work in fine fettle.'' Meanwhile, Working Title sought a director. ''We met with hundreds,'' says producer Eric Fellner. ''But Helen always wanted Sharon -- she's a character in the book. So it seemed very obvious.'' The April 1998 coup -- when Maguire signed on as director -- was major: Until then she'd only directed BBC documentaries and commercials. ''It was very important to have a woman who knows the world of Bridget Jones -- and who's funny,'' Fielding says. Maguire had her own priorities, namely for Hugh Grant to play Bridget's roguish boss, Daniel Cleaver. ''I knew he had this blistering humor -- I wanted him to play this sexy bastard,'' says the director. ''I'd ring him regularly. He nicknamed me Stalker Maguire.'' Thanks in part to Curtis, Grant, who starred in ''Four Weddings'' and ''Hill,'' finally acquiesced -- despite the fact that the ''BJD'' novel takes a nice jab at his Divine Brown misadventure. ''It obviously didn't bother him,'' Maguire says. ''He still wanted to do the part.'' As did Firth, though he found Mark Darcy trickier to pull off than Austen's creation. ''In 1810 you expect to find a guy like that scowling in the corner,'' he says. ''In 2001 he's really a prick. Plus he's got a much worse dress sense -- and a devilish rival [Grant] with far too much screen time, in my opinion.'' With the cast finalized by April 2000, Curtis wrapped the script into one rosy package, chatting regularly with the director and author (not difficult, since Maguire and Fielding are godmothers to the two Curtis children). Curtis' version fitted Firth with a soaking shirt in one scene -- a nod to his wet spot in ''P and P'' -- and added a fracas between the leading men. ''Hugh Grant and Colin Firth slugging it out?'' laughs Maguire. ''We rather fell in love with the idea.'' With ''Diary'' now safely deposited in theaters -- it raked in $10.7 million its opening weekend, not to mention critical raves -- Fielding, Maguire, and Curtis are looking forward to ''talking about anything other than Bridget,'' says Maguire. ''Like the fact that we've got children and godchildren. And we'll talk about paying off the debt, or movies. Or mutual people we know.'' A category destined to keep the conversation going quite a while indeed. Also in the article is "The 'Jones' Gang - a closer look at HF's posse. Curtis' version fitted Firth with a soaking shirt in one scene -- a nod to his wet spot in ''P and P'' Huh??? I never saw this version.

Where is the "soaking shirt scene"??? *note to self: check for wet shirt, amongst multitude of other things to look for again* Just got my copy of the UK soundtrack in the mail today from the UK Amazon, and I also bought the US version today, as well. I figured that I'd get both just incase there were different pictures (I already knew the UK version had more songs)...but I was sorely disappointed. The US version stinks! Its a very skimpy jacket. The UK version is awesome; great mix of songs, and good pictures inside. Also got the BJ's Guide to Life in my amazon package (it only took 4 days to get here): V.v. funny! Plus most of the money goes to a good cause...I recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Thanks for the info on the tie-in book, Jen R! Much appreciated! ;)

Okay, well I saw BJD and well what can I say?????? I LOVED it!!! Colin was absolutely adorable! I completely fell in love with Renee's Bridget. (She was amazing as a Brit). Wasn't overly pleased with Gemma Jones as mum, she just didn't do it for me. Wasn't over the top for me. Colin smiles! Hello? It's about f*cking time! And I know that you guys are anti-HG, but he was really good. Wasn't too crazy about the soundtrack, seemed too incidental and not extremely thought out. Did like Robbie Williams' Meet Ms. Jones, however. So I finally saw it. The audience laughed hysterically and when Mark punched Daniel, everyone cheered (I was definitely the loudest). BJD was a total ripoff of P&P, though. Not too much like the book. I thought Lisa B was a blonde????

Planet Q&A: Colin Firth -- International Man of Romance Friday, April 13, 2001 British star Colin Firth has a lot to handle in Bridget Jones's Diary. Not only does he have to compete as a rival for the affections of Renee Zellweger against English sex symbol Hugh Grant, but as the character Darcy, he's got to hold his own against Hugh in a hilarious street brawl that doesn't exactly cement their relationship in the movie. Firth, who won many of the hearts of many women after playing a different Darcy in the BBC's Pride And Prejudice, talked about his discomfort with being regarded as an emerging new hunk on the block. ... PLANET HOLLYWOOD: Is there any truth to the rumor that while Renee was trying to gain weight for her role, that you were trying to lose weight for yours? Colin Firth: I want to find out who's leaking this information! But no, I wasn't losing weight for the picture. Though Hugh and I were both very precious about our exercise and dietary habits. And it was certainly in marked contrast to what Renee was doing. But no, the story goes really like this, from my point of view. The producer rang me up when we were about two or three weeks away from shooting the film. And he mentioned this fight that we were going to be doing. And there had been an idea at one point, that in the process of the fight, our shirts were going to be ripped from our backs. You know, to reveal glistening, rippling, taut muscles. You know, that this was going to be a sexual revelation of the decade! Like all women were going to find this moment an epiphany, so how do you feel about your body. Well, I have to say that I expressed a certain amount of caution! And skepticism about ripping my shirt off and, uh, having that effect on the world! PH: How did you resolve that dilemma? CF: I was offered a trainer. And basically on the assumption that within two weeks, I could reach that point. And I sort of thought, well if you're paying for the trainer, let's see what happens. And so that was basically it. So we decided to pursue that. It wasn't a weight loss program, actually. It was just seeing if I could make myself a little more, well, macho. PH: What did your training consist of? CF: I think it was fairly standard stuff, really. They had me do weights and running. PH: Was it a letdown for you that you didn't rip each other's shirts off the way you described? CF: I was not disappointed! And I think we were relieved that we didn't do that. PH: The audiences may be a bit disappointed! CF: Well, I feel we should leave the mystery intact. PH: How fun is it to take part in brawl, especially with Hugh Grant as your opponent? CF: It was a lot of fun. And we didn't choreograph it, to make it seem more real. Obviously, there were one or two things that had to be disciplined, and not just to protect ourselves. In order for a punch to be convincing, you need an expert to tell you from what angle the camera has to shoot it. But most films would have you believe that ordinary guys in suits, if it comes to fighting each other, will be fully accomplished in the art of, you know, breaking somebody's jaw. When in fact, they probably scrap like a couple of seven year old girls, which is what we did. And I'm sure if Hugh and I came down to that in real life, that's probably what we'd do! Although Hugh would probably have you believe that he's been militarily trained. And that we were safely in his hands! But that was one of the few occasions where shooting the fight was as funny as the result. Because very often it doesn't work out that way. It's often a bad sign if we're laughing. It means that the audience isn't going to! PH: What drew you to the Bridget Jones project? CF: A good script, it was as simple as that. The script took a long time to develop, and they were trying to pull a lot of elements together. And that was a slow, fairly unwieldy process. So it wasn't until I saw the final draft, really, that I was sure that it was all right. PH: What did you think about Renee being blasted by the British tabloids for her accent in the movie? CF: I didn't see all this fuss. It must have missed me, and passed me by. I didn't read anything about it, but I think the story has been slightly trumped up. I was definitely there, but I just had no patience for that at all. I find it the most absurd and meaningless piece of empty carping, and all too characteristic of our press, unfortunately. But the proof in the pudding is in the eating. If it works, it shuts everyone up. Every time the British press makes that fuss, they seem to be proved wrong. Resoundingly so. And I don't know how many times that's going to have to happen for them to not jump so quickly to whine like that. But Renee answered that question for me from day one. I mean, she arrived with the accent and all those cultural aspects of the character, in the bag. She'd been in England for a while, and I got to know her as an English girl, really. Renee never dropped the accent between takes, to the extent that I find it very odd to hear her now! I find her Texan accent that she's doing now, very strange and unconvincing! And very confusing. PH: You became such an international heartthrob playing Darcy on BBC's Pride And Prejudice, and here you are as a Darcy again, in Bridget Jones's Diary. Is that kind of reputation that follows you around whether you like it or not, more a blessing or a curse? CF: Well, I couldn't be more used to it. I can't see it as a curse anymore, it's so prevalent in my life. You know, six years of being used to something like that is, I don't know, it's just like living with a....birthmark! PH: Let's talk about life after Bridget Jones. You may very well end up with even more of a hunk image here in America, because of this movie. Have you given any thought to that? CF: I don't know. I think it's exhausting to have expectations all the time. I mean, there's nothing in my life that makes me feel that's what I am at all. I might quite like to be reminded of that, in some sort of meaningful way. But to be quite frank, absolutely nobody treats me like a dream guy of anybody! It remains so abstract. And people close to me don't take me seriously with a label like that, at all. So it really doesn't affect me, except as something that might get written somewhere. And it always makes me feel like they're writing about somebody else. I talked myself out of that years ago, such as it were. I mean, I didn't have that sort of burning ambition to be famous when I started out. Partly because it just never entered my head that it could be possible, and partly because that wasn't what interested me. And by the time exciting things happened and possibilities presented themselves, I think there has been such a pattern of things not working out the way one expected, both favorably and unfavorably, that I don't really invest anything in those kinds of speculations anymore. -- Interview by PlanetHollywood.com Special Correspondent Prairie Miller --

(Jen-Jen) As far as I could tell, the film tie-in book is no different from the original book ...The benenfit of the tie-in is the four or so pages of color pictures from the film. That clinches it for me. Am waiting for the screenplay though. All together now...I'd pay extra. Re Mark Darcy's wet shirt...perhaps soaked with sweat? I recall a very vivid description of that particular scene from Karen over in Spoilers (pasted to body? rippling muscles? ;-)) Nice interview, Bethan. At least he varies his answers unlike a certain someone. And no, Laura, I don't think too many of us are anti-Hugh. He's just so easy to make fun of but he was great in the part.

Glad to hear that you've finally seen the movie, Laura, and love it (despite soundtrack) ;-D Heide's right about Hughie. Yes, he's v.g. in it, although I for one would rather he wasn't in it as much. And the idea that they'll revamp the sequel's plotline to include him as well...well, that makes me want to... :-( Lovely interview find, Bethan. PH: The audiences may be a bit disappointed! Understatement of the year! First, we hear that Curtis wrote in a wet Darcy scene, only to have Huge assume the position--inadequately IMHO--then they abandoned the part about ripping off each other's shirts. *crying uncontrollably* ;-D (Heide) I recall a very vivid description of that particular scene from Karen Best fitting shirt in the movie. (T&V party shirt was way too big for him a la ATA)

Wheee! Saw the movie again (#3) last night with my hubby. Theater was packed solid--v.v.g. for the early show (6:45 p.m.) on a Friday. Everyone laughed at all the right times, and then some (MD's response 'yes, I like to think so' to BJ's 'quite pervy, really' line got quite a lot of laughter, as did the home movies at the end). It was odd but nice for me to be surrounded by people who obviously had not read the book or seen any of the multitudinous trailers. My DH (though distracted by coughing fits since he decided to breathe his popcorn rather than eat it before the movie started) said 'that was really good'. Chalk up another guy who thought it was a chick flick and came out recommending it. ;-) Have really good vibes about BJ's US box office this weekend--DC news radio movie report totally dissed (with good reason, IMO) 'Crock Dundee III' and called 'Freddie Got Fingered' one of the worst movies of all time, then went on to rave, rave, rave about BJD. Hurrah!

RE: Entertainment Weekly. That "Brit Pack" article that Marianne posted above is in the print edition of the magazine, accompanied by a large diagram with photos entitled "The Jones Gang." Helen Fielding is in the center with dotted lines going every which way leading to pics and copy about Colin, Andrew Davies, Sharon Maguire, Richard Curtis, Huge, Nick Hornby, P&P, and 4 Weddings. By Davies, it says, "Davies, the P&P screenwriter, has even more ties to Firth: He also scripted 1995's Circle of Friends, which featured the actor." Leads to pic of Darcy and Lizzie, then "BJD wasn't the end of Fielding's obsession with Firth. He shows up in the sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, as himself." Then linking HF, NH, and CF, "Firth and Fielding met in 1996 on the set of Fever Pitch, another Hornby adaptation." Very fetching pic of Colin included.:-) Yum. In same issue, Box Office column features RZ with the title "Miramaximum Impact"--Easter weekend was all about chicks: While RZ's romantic comedy BJD saw its basket overflow, Josie and the Pussycats laid an egg. BJ made a splash on both sides of the pond, raking in a v.g. $10.7 million in the US and tacking on $10.4 more in the UK. That's the biggest British opening ever for one of the country's own homegrown films. With BJD and weekend champ three-peater Spy Kids, Miramax is off to a better start this year than its corporate sugar daddy, Disney." I see BJD is back at #1 on the Publishers Weekly bestsellers list--trade paperbacks; EOR is at # 7.

(Karen) Best fitting shirt in the movie. (T&V party shirt was way too big for him a la ATA) Shirts were same size but CF filled it out better in fight scene. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! ;-) BTW, think CF's response to Planet H'wood (first time I've seen a restaurant chain do an interview :-P) about getting in shape for the fight scene and not purposely losing weight makes the most sense. Though I would've needed CPR after seeing those 'rippling muscles', think ripping shirts off would have been way too contrived (still think CF is making that part up). I like the fight scene 'just the way it is' except for some overediting.

Somewhat off topic, but RZ will be introducing "Madcap Monday" movies on AMC at 8pm ET during May.

how can this be? i tried to find out when BJD is coming to Finland but it wasn`t in the premiere list (and I checked it till August). I`m so jealous for you who have seen it many times already... :(

#3 for me too, Eileen, just got back, went on my own so was able to drool without anyone noticing, am going for 4th time on Mdonay with 5 friends. I agree he seemed to fit the shirt better in the fight scene but he also looked less thin in the New York Aiport/Kiss scene, yum, with definitely be wearing out the tape on that scene, his neck seemed fuller. Having said all that he is absolutely gorgeous and I could not get that lovely cheeky smile out of my mind on the way home,I do hope he does more leading man romantic roles perhaps a romantic thrillere if there is such a thing (what a long sentence). I am sure he will have loads more fans after this, good for him but perhaps not so good for us we are such a lovely e xclusive Fan Club and I would hate him to be too famous! Her I go again, but no I am really pleased for him and especially if it means we get to see him doing more work.

sorry for the typos and I just love that big coat, he certianly seemed to fill that out!

(PH interview) PH: Let's talk about life after Bridget Jones. You may very well end up with even more of a hunk image here in America, because of this movie. Have you given any thought to that? CF: I don't know. I think it's exhausting to have expectations all the time. I mean, there's nothing in my life that makes me feel that's what I am at all. I might quite like to be reminded of that, in some sort of meaningful way. But to be quite frank, absolutely nobody treats me like a dream guy of anybody! Oh, Colin, if you want reminding, I'm more than willing... Good interview! When I read the EW article, I thought it might mislead readers who haven't seen the movie yet (or not seen any trailers). I assumed that the comment about a wet shirt was either a typo (should have said it was written for HG, especially since Curtis wrote it), or that Curtis originally planned it for CF and then CF or someone said that it was a bit too obvious that way. Funnier to have it be HG, especially as he did NOT make as much of an impression when wet. (The wet ciggie hanging out of his mouth is such a turn-off) I don't think CF looks too thin. He's a bit thin when he shows up at Bridget's door on her birthday, but not alarmingly thin. (Loved the Ensure comment, Eileen!)

Karen wrote: After another viewing (yesterday), I've been thinking about all those nasty reviewers who couldn't figure out why someone like a Mark Darcy would want Bridget, except for the obvious, and that she reperesented a thro wback to safe women (easy and airhead). It seems obvious to me from the lake scene what Mark sees in her: life, spontaneous life! As he watches Bridget laughing over Daniel in the water, he's envious. Laura wrote: Wasn't overly pleased with Gemma Jones as mum, she just didn't do it for me.[...]And I know that you guys are anti-HG, but he was really good. I'm not a good writer, and my comments could be found very primitive by such women with postmodern sensibility like you, nontheless I made the courage to join you. Bear with me: Daniel is thought to be charming until the very end. He lies on the pavement, and has a serpent-like persuation in his eyes and in his words. Bridget's decision to dump him is in total contradiction with 1)a lot of known real/imaginary stories and 2)with the Hollywood rules, too. Why Hollywood? Just imagine the broad gestures of a Daniel played by, say, Michael Douglas (that would be thick!), - it's a Hollywood golden rule that he would unquestionably get the girl. Besides, a lot of mariages in the real life are of Bridget-Daniel type, with the wife saying something like "he is not faithfull to me, but I could not desert him because I'm still attracted to him". But does Daniel love her? There's a way to test this, said my mother (yes, I have one, which does not ressemble with Pamela, thank G!): Ask him if he loves you! He can spit it from his mouth, only if he really does. When asked, DC avoided to answer that question. Why is Bridget not stopping immediately to meet him? Why should she wait until the "American stick insect" story? Bridget mother's advice (to call Mark) at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the movie is inexplicably the best! Is the movie's morale, "girls, listen to your mother"? One mother's advices are good only to be laugh at?! Is this Bridget smarter than in the book? Sorry, my stuff is really raw, but I would enjoy your commentaries!

"The Making of BJD" has just aired on Channel 5 here and am v happy to say that there were lots of CF piece to camera...have not compared no of appearances with RZ or HG but v favourable I suspect! Was interviewed in bottom half of bada-bing suit and crisp white shirt plus dotty tie, looking v relaxed and as scrumptious as ever, if I have time will transcribe his pearsl of wisdom. Lots of the usual clips though heavily censored so half of the witicisms were incomprehensible. Surprisingly HG did not, repeat NOT use that tired Princess Margaret line or indeed mutter anything about pants *picking self up from floor in shock* and strangely the fight scene was not mentioned so we did not have to suffer his outpourings on SAS etc ;-)

Wonder if that "Making of..." is similar to the "Behind the Scenes" we saw in the US. Must make comparisons. Christina, you expressed yourself very well. serpent-like persuasion is very apt for Daniel as he is very tempting for her but rather dangerous. Besides, a lot of mariages in the real life are of Bridget-Daniel type, with the wife saying something like "he is not faithfull to me, but I could not desert him because I'm still attracted to him". ,? Or perhaps even worse, they won't leave because they don't want to be alone. I think Bridget is very brave to turn Daniel down. Mark's just walked out of her life, she has no other suitors, she's back to that future of being found alone and half eaten by wild dogs. ;-) I'm afraid I might give more of the plot away for people like Odessa who have yet to see this film so I'll just say that if it was important for Bridget that Daniel love her, then she would just pretend he did. He'd never have to say it. Bridget mother's advice (to call Mark) at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the movie is inexplicably the best! LOL! And doesn't Mrs. Bennet have the best of intentions for her own daughters too.

From the Sunday Mirror: THE DIARY: IT'S RUINING MEN Geri's turned song into pop porn, says Weather Girl GERI Halliwell had better keep her eye out for large ladies with an interest in the weather. The diary can reveal it's not only radio stations who don't like her new single It's Raining Men. One half of the heavyweight duo who made the song famous has just heard her version and she's after Geri's bony ass. Weather Girls diva Martha Wash has blasted Geri for turning her proudest moment into cheap "porno pop" and sniffed at her mediocre vocal talents. "Geri has prostituted the lyrics and melody and it's a crying shame," said the singer who along with Izora Armstead took the song to No.2 in the charts in 1984 and onto the dancefloors of a million gay discos ever since. "Geri hasn't the same vocal range and that's self-evident from her somewhat strained version of our song," sniffed trained gospel singer Martha. "I listened to it for the first time last week and there's only one word to describe it - dreadful!" "It's supposed to be upbeat and fun but Geri has made the song sound kind of sleazy. "Now it's like background music for a cheap porn film. "It's a pity she can't find her own original material." Geri has already had problems with her song which comes out a week tomorrow. First, radio stations refused to play it and then her chances of another No.1 were dealt another blow when the Bridget Jones movie soundtrack album it features on was released last week, meaning her fans don't have to buy the single. Still, at least you had fun making the video, Geri. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTE TO DIARY: RENEE WANTS TO WALK AWAY LOOKS like the success of Bridget Jones Diary has sent Renee Zellweger loopy. She's been telling everyone she needs to get away from it all and feel normal again and is planning a road trip to Texas with her dog. How very Bridget of her. Meanwhile, the book's author Helen Fielding is thinking of killing Bridget off. "I'll only write another if there's a really good story," she says.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Following are the top 10 movies at the North American box office for the April 20-22 weekend, according to studio estimates collected Sunday by Reuters. Final data will be issued Monday. 1 (3) Bridget Jones's Diary ........... $10.5 million 2 (1) Spy Kids......................... $10.2 million 3 (2) Along Came A Spider ............. $ 9.1 million 4 (+) Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles . $ 8.0 million 5 (+) Freddy Got Fingered ............. $ 7.3 million 6 (5) Blow ............................ $ 6.0 million 7 (4) Joe Dirt ........................ $ 5.4 million 8 (6) Kingdom Come .................... $ 4.7 million 9 (7) Josie and the Pussycats ......... $ 3.1 million 10 (9) Enemy at the Gates .............. $ 2.1 million NOTE: Last weekend's position in parenthesis. ``+'' - new release

U.S., British Moviegoers Have 'Jones' for Hit Comedy By Dean Goodman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Millions of moviegoers in North America and Britain propelled the hit romantic comedy ``Bridget Jones's Diary'' to the No. 1 slot at the box office in both markets, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday. In the United States and Canada, ``Diary'' jumped two places to the top spot with a haul of $10.5 million for the Friday-to-Sunday period after a big boost in the number of theaters in which it was playing. In the U.K., the film remained No. 1 for the second consecutive weekend with an estimated three-day take of $6.3 million. After 10 days, the North American total stands at $25.7 million and Britain at about $22 million. ``Diary'' Draws Women Based on British author Helen Fielding's best-selling novel of the same name, ``Bridget Jones's Diary'' revolves around the love life of a neurotic ``singleton'' -- a single London working woman -- convincingly played by Texas native Renee Zellweger. Hugh Grant and Colin Firth play the love interests. The well-reviewed movie was budgeted in the mid-$20 million area, and directed by English rookie feature filmmaker Sharon Maguire. It was released in North America by New York-based Miramax Films and in Britain by Universal Pictures. The studios co-produced with France's StudioCanal. Miramax is a unit of Walt Disney Co.; Universal and StudioCanal are units of Vivendi Universal. In North America, where the theater count jumped to 2,211 from 1,611, the film benefited from repeat business, according to Mark Gill, the president of Miramax's Los Angeles operations. Women were the driving factor, taking friends on one weekend and husbands or boyfriends the next, or vice-versa, he said. As to any sightings of solo male moviegoers, Gill said, ``If that ever happened, I'd fall off my chair.'' Likewise, male repeat business was ``zero,'' he said. He said he doubted male indifference would prevent the film from doing blockbuster business, citing the success of such films as ``My Best Friend's Wedding'' and ``Notting Hill,'' which were also popular primarily among women.

Great news, thanks Mari. repeat business,,, mmnnn, 4th time Monday and I have no doubt there will be others, can't get enough of Mark Darcy and it is such a wonderful happy film. I love it where Rennee sings "all by myself".

the film benefited from repeat business } LOL!! I'm still at 6 times. --- As to any sightings of solo male moviegoers, Gill said, ``If that ever happened, I'd fall off my chair.'' } Like I said earlier, the first time I went, there were 3-4 hispanic guys sitting behind me with no ladies accompanying them. I thought that was a bit wierd, but it was good to see, and means male-only viewings isn't completely unheard of.

National Review Online (yes, the conservative magazine) has a Bridge article: http://www.nationalreview.com/weekend/movies/movies-domenech042101.shtml Bridget Jones, Everywoman Why Bridget Jones has more to say about men than women. By Ben Domenech April 21-22, 2001 Let's get one thing straight, right from the get-go: Renee Zellwegger is not, I repeat, not Bridget Jones. This is not meant, in any way, to fault Zellwegger's abilities as an actress. She's really quite good, and her performance is consistently impressive throughout Sharon Maguire's film adaptation of the best-selling book. The fact remains, Bridget Jones is simply a literary character of such enormity and importance that she cannot be forcefully assimilated into any one actress's frame. Zellwegger is not Bridget Jones, anymore than you could say that Basil Rathbone was Sherlock Holmes, or Sean Connery was James Bond. The on-screen characters' size and scope ultimately renders any acting skills, however skilful, insufficient. Bridget Jones rivals such other great characters of film and print for one reason, a reason that one does not have to be single, overweight, British, or even female to comprehend: Women just relate to Bridget. She is Everywoman - or, at the very least, Everywoman during some point in her life. It's that point in life where the entire surrounding world seems frighteningly absurd, a juncture of existence chock full of New Year's resolutions broken, of smug couples and the unfathomable torture of their holiday parties, of idiotically childish parents, of late-night TV, and self-help books about lascivious men and silly men and infantile men. To live like Bridget Jones is to gather with friends to obsess over your vile twit of a boyfriend. It is to worry at nights about dying alone and being found, months later, half-eaten by an Alsatian. It is to stew over your "status": irrevocably and damnably single. Some women, of course, do not relate to Bridget at all. If they ever wanted a man, they drove their hooks into him early, and skipped the single life entirely, except perhaps for that short feminist excursion in college. To these women, and to many men, the neurotic power of author Helen Fielding's creation is difficult to understand. Why, they ask, does Bridget obsess so much about things so ridiculously small? Why does she tabulate calories, cigarettes, lottery tickets, alcohol units, etc. in such hideous complexity? Why can't she just take control of her life and stop defrosting chocolate croissants? Some women relate to Bridget in the most powerful of ways, recognizing at once her description of the worst bits of being a singleton (as Bridget calls them), just as they creep closer to (or past) the age of thirty. (Thirty is when all of the Bridgets of the world find themselves inducted into the knitting circle of eternal spinsterhood.) The irony of it all is, Bridget Jones has plenty more to say about modern men than she does about women. The escapist film adaptation seems to recognize this fact - perhaps because director Sharon Maguire was the inspiration for one of the book's foul-mouthed singletons, Sharon (or, as fans will doubtless remember her, "Shazzer"). It's a funny adaptation, and quite charming, but it follows a more hackneyed romantic-comedy script than it should. A significant part of the charm of Helen Fielding's Bridget is the fact that almost every mistake is repeated, usually more than once, and bad choices seem to make quite a lot of sense when understood from Bridget's perspective (NB: The film omits one of the funniest characters from the novel - Bridget's insane grandmother). There is, unfortunately, insufficient space in a 97-minute film for a full portrait of the complex Bridget, and the book's moments of sheer loneliness - drinking alone, eating alone, watching bad TV alone, - don't' get communicated on the big screen. Still, Maguire deals more extensively with the two men who joust for Bridget's affections: her lecher of a boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), and the stolid, conservative, intelligent barrister Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). A Good Man Is Hard to Find The men in Bridget's life sum up the inevitable choice of a singleton - on one hand, the unreliable and suavely egotistical (but always passionate) Cleaver, whose penchant for intra-office romance is positively Clintonesque, and on the other, the less-than-flashy Darcy. In The Edge of Reason, Fielding's sequel to her original book/diary, Bridget is astounded to discover that Darcy votes Tory (the horror!). When one is a singleton, the population of available men often dwindles to the few who are either frighteningly boring or career womanizers; members of that rare breed of available "nice guys" are nowhere to be found - all of them are either married, uninterested, or gay. And sometimes they're all three. If there is one thing that Bridget Jones recognizes more than anything else, it's that, for those women who do not enjoy the prospects of single life, it has become increasingly difficult to find a nice guy, let alone an attractive one. Forget about debonair knights in shining armor; women of today have been forced, through the harsh reality of the relationship scene, to lower their standards to the point where they'll accept just about any fellow who can stand on his two feet without falling over or vomiting on his shoes. Sometimes they'll even settle for overgrown fratboys. Or they'll try to find a substitute for men entirely - Bridget makes such an attempt with her career, first in publishing, then on television, but runs into some difficulties. Her list of objectives before an office party is a good illustration: Monday 17 April Am going to work out clear set of objectives� Not to get too pissed. To aim to meet people to network with To put the social skills from the article into action To make Daniel think I have inner poise and want to get off with me again. No. No. (crossed out) To meet and sleep with sex god. (crossed out) To make interesting contacts in the publishing world, possibly even other professions in order to find new career. Oh God. Do not want to go to scary party. Want to stay home with bottle of wine and watch Eastenders. Bridget's determination to 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" is admirable. But the pickings are thin. Through no fault of her own, Bridget and women like her live in a period of time where, if nice guys are scarce, gentlemen have been hunted down to extinction. The true reason that many women empathize with Bridget Jones isn't just because of the embarrassing social situations, the cliquish infighting among friends, or the loneliness of single life, but that they recognize the painful reality of her situation. The number of available men who exemplify masculine ideals and gentlemanly conduct are few and far between. And regardless of the reasons for such a famine, until a significant number of men begin to change, to stand up on their own two feet and treat the fairer sex with respect and honor, the population of Bridget Joneses will surely increase, with no end in sight. Bridget, like Diogenes before her, is just a nice girl desperately searching the world for an honest man - or, in this case, the last gentleman.

Woowoo!!! As to any sightings of solo male moviegoers, Gill said, ``If that ever happened, I'd fall off my chair.'' What's his phone number? Those people in LA really should get out more. I saw plenty of guys each time I've seen it. They go in packs too! Really, now, Miramorons need better market research types. These are the same people who said they couldn't find any interest for Bridget between NYC and LA. *shaking head*

Hey, I heard Colin himself say "this isn't just a 'chick flick'".

In the Making of BJD did anyone notice the Gnat's comment that he was worried that Colin would win the film but that he had more funny lines "I counted them". An interesting insight into his reasons for taking the part.

Wondering hopefully if this documentary will ever be available in US? Sounds like lots of new material, kitchen gadgets, and similar. Perhaps on the DVD...

But we know that the Gnat didn't sign on the dotted line until after Richard was onboard to write him a part worthy of his...talents. (I also expect that the part wasn't as large or good prior to that)

About Gnat's counting of lines--do we ever know if anything he says is: (a) true (b) something he made up to be cute/outrageous (c) something a PR person told him would be cute/outrageous Let's send Gnat to be interviewed by Chevy!

Thanks Ann for the article from National Review (good mag;-) "but that they recognize the painful reality of her situation. The number of available men who exemplify masculine ideals and gentlemanly conduct are few and far between. " Written by a man too!!

Great to hear that BJD is No 1! Although I'm not sure that it's totally "women driven". Surely some men are smitten with BJ/RZ, or do they really prefer "stick insects"! Wondering hopefully if this documentary will ever be available in US? Sounds like lots of new material, kitchen gadgets, and similar. Perhaps on the DVD... I'm sure it will be on DVD...it's 30 minutes long, equally divided between interviews and lots of very brief film clips. In the Making of BJD did anyone notice the Gnat's comment that he was worried that Colin would win the film but that he had more funny lines "I counted them". An interesting insight into his reasons for taking the part. Yes, I noticed that, Allison! I could actually understand why CF thought about whether he should take the part of MD. In audience pleasing terms, the role of the attractive cad with all the funny lines is a surer bet than the romantic lead who has to start off by being very dull. The romantic lead is often the duff role. CF was being asked to reprise Darcy, knowing that revisiting a role is always a risk and critics are more than ready to pounce, and also knowing that he had to compete (and the movie has been marketed along the lines of "who's sexier?") with a slimmed down Hughie (fresh from a stint in a "fat farm" in Thailand!), who had the part specially written for him and is a crowd favourite, certainly in the US. BTW on the subject of slimming, I thought that whereas CF looked great in the movie, in the documentary "in the flesh" he looked way too thin! Wasn't BJD shot just after his second stint at the Donmar? I saw some excellent video shots of him (in his parka!) and he looked much chunkier, and it suits him! He's nearly 6'2" and has a broad frame - he should fill out a bit, not lose it! The problem is that he often has to appear on the screen with English actors who are shorter, and much slighter in build than him and thinner in the face,(the Fiennes bros, and, indeed, HG - if you see the photos of CF and HG at the Premiere, he seems to tower over Hughie.) But a slight stature often translates well onto screen, making normal look "heavy". But I like normal. Also, if he's going to do three hour performances of Hamlet, the weight will be dropping off him. Definitely needs to recharge on pasta. Just MVHO :-)

in the documentary "in the flesh" he looked way too thin! Now I do have to disagree here. Who was it said you can never be too rich or too thin? I really hate beefcake. I much prefer the lean look and that is what CF is. He is not thin. He is lean and slender. I love the look. He puts weight on round his jowls - yuk! In SIL he did look v jowly. Incidentally I always thought that the reason he might have looked a bit heavier in SIL was that he had just given up smoking and might have been due to a surfeit of mints or whatever.

I just have to say when we went, I noticed one guy with an umbrella. LOL!! I wonder what that means. ~LaDonna

(Allison) I much prefer the lean look Me too! I think he looks fantastic, especially when the clinging shirt suggests a toned bod. (Bethan) Wasn't BJD shot just after his second stint at the Donmar? Hardly. His Donmar run ended in January, whereas filming didn't begin until mid- to late May, plenty of time to lose weight and build sleek muscles. Also, didn't all the Cornel ("Bodybuilder to the Stars") Chin interviews say that he was brought in only about 2 weeks before they began? It's very likely that all this behind-the-scenes footage was shot toward the end, when Colin (having been on this regimen for close to 2 months) was at his leanest and meanest. ;-D ~~~~~~~~ LaDonna: Did you get my email re: how to effect the name change?