Regarding accents, it has always seemed to me that some Americans (from the South) are a little better at English accents and English actors are a little better at deep Southern accents, due to the de-emphasis of both on the "r" sound. However, as far as the generic "American" accent goes (i.e., the ones who pronounce their "r's"), I've noticed over the years that the mistake most English actors make is going overboard on the hard "r" sound (or whatever it is called). In other words, they overpronounce it. I recently saw a film called "Judas Kiss", which starred Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson. Much as I love both of them, their accents were not totally convincing. Rickman came off a little better because he was doing a "southern" accent. But every now and then he would come out with an "rrrrrr" sound (like "harrrd"). I've never heard anyone from the U.S. who actually pronounces r's that way. Emma, bless her heart, tried very hard, but did not sound at all "natural" to me. However, I must admit they sounded as good as the non-Southern American actors whose Southern accents varied from poor to fair. I guess my point is that not everyone is good at accents, and some American accents are easier than others. Something I noticed recently when I re-watched "A Thousand Acres" was that CF's accent reminded me a lot of someone, but I couldn't decide who. It took me a while to figure it out, and it finally came to me--he sounded like Johnny Carson (a native Iowan). Although I've never read the book, presumably it is set in Iowa or some nearby state, so whoever coached CF did an excellent job. The only trouble was, I love CF's English accent so much that hearing something else coming out of his mouth caused a kind of harmonic dissonance in the auditory centers of my brain. It was like he was being dubbed. Of course it's possible that someone from Iowa would disagree with me, but I found his accent quite good. And the visuals were not bad, either.

I guess MOB will have to be put on hold as Annova reports that Catherine McCormack is to take over from Nicole Kidman in the erotic thriller The Cut opposit Geoffrey Rush.

(LouiseJ)I've noticed over the years that the mistake most English actors make is going overboard on the hard "r" sound Yes, I think that Colin does that, too. Perhaps it's because the British accent generally drops so much of the r sound (except if you're from Cornwall), causing them to overcompensate. I found the overpronounced r a bit distracting when I saw 1000 Acres. And he used the same accent in 3DOR. I can't wait for Hamlet, when (I assume) he'll be using his own accent.

Spending another productive day at work, I noticed the two items on eonline that were amusing. I have been reading through the old posts since finding this place, so the little piece of fan fiction that the first item relates to is fresh in my mind, but probably 3 years old for regular posters "Assante has been working on a stage version of the life of Paul Gauguin, focusing on the years the 19th-century French painter spent in Tahiti. He hopes to follow up the play with a big-screen biopic about the artist." The next item on the page was about Meg Tilly Tilly gave up her career for marriage and motherhood after tying the knot with Sony Pictures chieftain John Calley in 1995. She has two teenage children by her ex-husband, producer Tim Zinnemann, and a 10-year-old son by actor Colin Firth. Tilly, who starred in such pictures as The Big Chill and Agnes of God, has made it clear: "For me, family comes first." I know that for people who have never come across drool fan fiction, the first item has nothing to do with Colin Firth, but I thought it was a funny coincidence to have those two items on the same page of gossip...i wasn't even looking for a firth fix Shannon (forgot to post my name previously)

some assorted questions from a dim-bulb latecomer: 1) is Conspiracy being shown in the UK or have I missed it completely? all I can find is press for HBO 2) in a similar vein, what's the score with Londinium re UK viewings? 3) just watched SLOW for the third time in 3 days *sigh* then read the "Bucket" notes on the film (top site BTW) where it says that Matthew has had a heart attack whilst up to naughty stuff with someone elses wife, hence he is in South of France to recover/hide out - how do you know? where is this in the film? When Rev. Fola reads out from the newspaper its clear that Matthew is a bit of a dodgy character re other people's wives, and when he is found outside Nimi's house someone says "it says in the paper its his heart" but I must've missed the MI bit 4) entering a comp to try and win a DVD player to benefit from all the potential BJD extras - wish me luck - party at my house if I win!!!

Here's the place to vote on ET online: http://www.etonline.com/html/page_meter/hff2001/

I just voted. So far, so good. CF is leading with 36% of the vote, RZ is also ahead with 42%, and BJD has the lead with 33%!

I just voted, too. Colin is up to 38%. It says that only your first vote counts. Next time I visit my father, I'll vote on his computer, too. Hmm, who else do I know who'll let me "borrow" his/her computer for a few minutes???

Up to 48% now. Gotta love a committed fanbase. :) In my recent CF completist mode (I blame y'all), I rented A Thousand Acres and watched it last night. Wow, what an intense story. Has anyone read the book? Jess was an interesting character; in a way, the least developed of any of the main-ish characters. You don't get a real sense of why he does anything he does, which is frustrating. I thought CF did pretty well w/ an American accent, but it sounded weirdly flat and not very Iowan to my midwestern ears. But all the possible faults of this movie aside, the scenes w/ CF in nice tight jeans make it all worthwhile. ;) I didn't see any archived discussions of ATA at firth.com - would anyone else be interested in discussing it in detail?

I guess MOB will have to be put on hold as Annova reports that Catherine McCormack is to take over from Nicole Kidman in the erotic thriller The Cut opposite Geoffrey Rush. The Cut isn't going to be filmed until the winter, and datesare still tentative. I'm sure MOB will go ahead. Up to 48% now. Gotta love a committed fanbase. :) I voted (it's about time he actually won something, enough of all this " the under-rated Colin Firth" stuff) and it was 47% - so voting does count! She has two teenage children by her ex-husband, producer Tim Zinnemann, Are Meg Tilly's children the grandchildren of Fred Zinneman ("High Noon" "From here to Eternity" "Day of the Jackal" "A Man for all Seasons" etc)? Possibly *the* greatest Hollywood director. MLSF is still showing on "Front Row" cable TV - gets a very good review as well, "delightful", "charming". Rachel, I also like SLOW! Conspiracy and Londinium haven't been shown in the UK. I would expect that the BBC will show Conspiracy sometime. Londinium seems to have completely disappeared....which I find disappointing, in view of the absolute tosh (unknown Brit actors, dreadful reviews) that gets released every week. The cast of CF,IJ, Stephen Fry and Jack Dee is a good one (in the UK context). Oh well, ...:-( There was a very large spreadof photos (a continuation of the Daily Mail theme) of CF in Now magazine a few weeks ago. Also a mention of "Hamlet"...CF has told friends that he "misses appearing live on stage". I also think CF will be aware of the "competition" in Hamlet and the inevitable close scrutiny of our unkind critics, and will not have undertaken this lightly - it's not a vanity project. He'll be very well prepared. Dr Zhivago - I know this is TV, but I like the format - 2 100 minute films (not a series) at �10 million - �5million per TV film...comparable to MLSF, and way over the budgets for SLOW, RV and FP!!!

Just voted - Colin well in the lead! I love ATA too, both book and film, and would be happy to discuss both. The book gives a much better sense of Jess's motivations, IMO, and his background is explained more, whereas in the film he just appears and floats about without much explanation. Not that I have any complaints about watching Colin float about in jeans - should've stuck to the book description for his run tho - go check it out! Glad I'm not the only recent completist round here!

from today's paper: Fever Pitch will be shown on FilmFour next Saturday at 8pm - blurb "An Arsenal supporter falls for a non-football fan" well if that isn't minimalist I don't know what is! Part of their Capital Cinema season, films about London. Also "Hornby and Thompson team up for comedy on career girl's blues": Nick Hornby, the novelist famous for portraying the obsessions of British male culture, is writing a film about the dilemmas of a successful career woman. His co-author is the actress Emma Thompson who may also play the leading role. In the film Fast Forward, Lara, a thirty-something TV executive, is confronted with the choices facing millions of women torn between married motherhood and a career, after she sees a video of her future. From the Sunday Times - will type up the rest if anyone wants me to! Wonder if Lara will have a love interest? hmmmm wonder if Nick Hornby's Arsenal supporting actor friend might play it ;-)

(Rachael) he is in South of France to recover/hide out - how do you know? where is this in the film?... No, you didn't miss all these things. They were probably cut out. The production notes were written long before this movie came out and it underwent lots of editing. **Have located the cookie file for the ET voting and deleted it. But so far am still unable to revote. However, if you have both Netscape and Internet Explorer, you can vote with both of those...at least once! (Laura T) I didn't see any archived discussions of ATA at firth.com - would anyone else be interested in discussing it in detail? Actually, it was done but I haven't gotten around to editing it yet.

BTW, have you all seen the front page link on ET to vote for the awards? A little biased! There's an animated image showing the award logo plus Nicole Kidman and Johnny Depp! Pathetic...

I just voted and it said 46% for CF and RZ. It said 43% for BJD. All three are well in the lead! Very exciting! Thanks, Karen for the link. (rachael)hmmmm wonder if Nick Hornby's Arsenal supporting actor friend might play it ;-) I don't think CF is much of an Arsenal or football fan, only his character in FP (I read that in one of the articles on him), but I would love to see him in a male leading role like that, too ;-)! Most of Emma Thompson's stuff plays in the UK as well as the US, so it would be easy to view and review ;-). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lora, I thought I'd read somewhere that although CF isn't a mad keen footie fan he's been persuaded by NH to go to Arsenal games sometimes. Could be wrong, could just be some dreamt up newspaper blurb.

C.F. 55% R.Z. 55% BJD 54%

(KarenR)Actually, [discussion of ATA] was done but I haven't gotten around to editing it yet. Cool; I look forward to reading it when it's up. Rachael, I'll look for the book version at the library when I get a chance.

C.F. 55% WOW! This is wonderful, but a bit scary, too. Such a strong lead so early could spur voting by fans of the others. Must watch the numbers, and if he's slippng, go to friends houses and use their computers to vote extra times!

CF now 49%. Keep voting.

It would appear that Ewan MacGregor's fans are starting to make themselves known...and Colin's lead will quickly dissipate. Remember, guys, you can vote twice if you open another browser. Deleting that cookie didn't seem to help. Need some technical know-how here.

Deleting that cookie didn't seem to help Remember to empty your recycle bin.:-) Are Meg Tilly's children the grandchildren of Fred Zinneman ("High Noon" "From here to Eternity" "Day of the Jackal" "A Man for all Seasons" etc)? Possibly *the* greatest Hollywood director. Yes they are. Tim Zinnemann, Meg's ex-husband, is Fred's son.

KarenR: Deleting that cookie didn't seem to help. Need some technical know-how here. Well, I don't know how technical this is, but try this: 1. On Internet Explorer, select Tools, Internet Options, Delete Files, OK This should delete most of your temporary internet files. 2. Then select Tools, Internet Options, Settings, View Files 3. Select Edit, Select all, File, Delete This clears out the "stubborn" temporary files. When I did this, I was able to go back to the site and reach the "vote" section again. I'm not sure if it counted my second vote, but I believe it did. You might also get rid of your "history" files before casting another vote: Select Tools, Internet Options, Clear History, OK Assuming they haven't figured out a way to identify you without cookies, etc. I think this should work.

Karen, how many cookies did you delete? ET online is VERY sneaky. They put TWO cookies into your temp internet files. So scroll down through your temp internet folders until you find the second one. That's all I had to delete. didn't have to delete the files for all the downloaded images, either. I hate to do blanket deletions of every file, as there are cookies that I don't want to bother reloading/resetting. But I do wander through Windows Explorer every so often and delete any cookie that I don't find helpful/friendly. When I did that today, I discovered the second ETonline cookie. Interestingly, it does not show up in the same place in the list of files because their filenames are different enough to not be in alpha order. Never underestimate the determination of a Drooleur!

I was wondering if there was any news of new projects for CF? Or at least possible roles? Radio 5 has a "From the Movies" spot, and over the weekend there was a report on how the success of BJD has made RZ and HG very much in demand - Huge is linked with at least three new roles, ditto RZ. No mention of CF. I know there's MOB, but that dates back pre-BJD.

oh my ... Virgin have a sale on and I picked up English Patient for a fiver *sigh* what a film, gets better every time I see it; Colin's scenes in the taxi, wordless, watching katherine come and go, are stupendous; sometimes I think he acts better when he doesn't speak than when he does (or is it sacriledge to say that around here?) Not that I mean he doesn't act when he speaks, merely that he is better than anyone else I can think of at letting an emotion flicker across his face and the audience sort it out for themselves. oh crikey, I think I'm going to have to go and see BJD again!

(Rachael) Colin's scenes in the taxi, wordless, watching katherine come and go, are stupendous Yes, it's wonderful. I think I read somewhere that the director cast Colin with that scene in mind, because he knew that Colin could convey so many feelings without saying a word.

BTW, I caught a showing of Conspiracy a couple of days ago on one of HBO's other channels (Signature, the *women's* channel) and they played a much longer intro piece before the movie, where not only do KB and ST talk but Colin did as well plus the director.

News of casting of "Forsyte Saga" in the Telegraph. Damian Lewis as Soames, plus Ioan Grufyyd and Rupert Graves. I'd love to see Colin getting another meaty dramatic role, like Soames. He only seems to be offered lightweight/ supporting roles these days. Perhaps "Hamlet" will remind casting directors that he can *act*! Sorry to sound miffed...but I can't understand why in five years he's not been offered something substantial on screen!! I think "Hamlet" is very much his own initiative...perhaps out of frustration at not being offered challenging roles.

Bethan, that information about the Forsyte Saga's casting was posted on Odds and Ends several days ago as it has *nothing* to do with Colin.

Neither does Dr. Zhivago.

Sorry, I'm hopeless at checking Odds and Ends. The "something" to do with CF is just my heartfelt hope to see him in a strong serious dramatic role once again, where he has scope to develop acharacter and demonstrate that he's a fine actor. And I just feel disappointed when other actors "get the gravy". I won't mention Dr Zhivago again.

Posted this on 149 too � Sam West�s replies to a questionnaire his fans sent him: If you had been offered a part in Bridget Jones' Diary, which role would you choosen? Haven't seen it. Umm... Anything that Colin does is probably worth coveting. (He's doing Hamlet next, which is nice) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SamWest/message/4508 His answers are very amusing.

Re SLOW: I am thankful. :-) Re casting: I wish there was a way we could find out what Michelle Guish is casting ahead of time. She seems to be credited with casting CF the most. She seems to be a woman with impeccable taste who knows the scope of Firth.

Caribou, heehee re SLOW - I found this group of women here, see how God had buttered my bread! And even if someone came with ten cans of sardines, you couldn't take my obsession away from me :-)

Holy moly! Another actor who corresponds directly with his cyberfans. *pout* Cute, nonserious answers though. Didn't have any idea he went to Dartmouth. Thanks, Marianne. (Caribou) I wish there was a way we could find out what Michelle Guish is casting ahead of time. She seems to be credited with casting CF the most. So the idea would be to ensure that *other* casting directors take notice. There really seem to be only two important ones in the UK: Guish and Celestia Fox. Don't mean to put a damper on things, Bethan. We all have our pet projects and take notice of news of other actors being cast in what may be desirable projects but we tend to talk about them on O&E. Just a little housekeeping for duplicative posts.

Don't mean to put a damper on things, Bethan. Oh, I'm not easily dampened....but am not very happy about casting (in general) in British TV/movies. Sam West (an excellent actor, who we see too little of...he would have been very acceptable as Soames) said recently in an interview (have posted this before) that the theatre had given him a second chance as once you were over 35, it was difficult to get good parts. I think he has a point....especially British movies, and often TV drama. (The casting of "Forsyte" is very youthful) Which is why I hope CF's appeal is now more global! I'm very interested in seeing what kind of offers he gets post BJD... (enough of Hughie and RZ!!)

(Marianne) Sam West�s replies to a questionnaire his fans sent him: Thanks, Marianne. I enjoyed Sam's responses a lot and am glad to know he thinks well of CF. Since we know it is highly unlikely Colin would ever participate in a fan-chat I guess this is the next best thing :-).

(Jana)Since we know it is highly unlikely Colin would ever participate in a fan-chat I guess this is the next best thing :-). Ya' never know....;-)) Jonathan emailed the editor of his website and sent good wishes to all of his fans.. http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/3782/index.html I remember someone telling Colin that brother communicated with his fans.... Was it you Mari?

Now, this looks interesting or at least would seem to have possibilities. Too bad Ananova keeps referring to it by the wrong name with the wrong url. But I've found it at: http://www.heritagetheatre.com Classic stage productions to be recorded for posterity Classic stage productions are to be recorded for posterity by Heritage Theatre and sold on DVD and video. The first releases will include the Royal Shakespeare Company's The Winter's Tale. Other productions to be featured include Bristol Old Vic's world premiere of Denial by Arnold Wesker, and Betty Buckley live at the Donmar Warehouse. Heritage Theatre, which was set up last year by a group of former BBC employees, aims to build a catalogue of videos of live performances to sell across the English-speaking world. Further details are available at www.heritagetrust.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~ A pity that they weren't around a couple of years ago, as these people have a relationship with the Donmar. But perhaps they can be persuaded to record another great performance next February at the Riverside??? info@heritagetheatre.com

From the "Are They Kidding?" Department of Ananova: Dame Judi's play affected by her filming schedule Several performances of The Royal Family have been cancelled due to the film commitments of its lead, Dame Judi Dench. The production is due to open at the Theatre Royal in London's Haymarket in October....Dame Judi will by then be at the tail-end of filming The Importance Of Being Earnest, in which she plays Lady Bracknell.

I remember someone telling Colin that brother communicated with his fans.... Was it you Mari? Boy, it sure sounds like something I'd say.;-) But no, that was someone else. Jon sounds like a sweet guy. I know Mickie has periodically sent fan questions to him and he always responds. She says his agent is nice too, very responsive (not like the guard dogs at ICM.;-) Karen, I think Ananova gets its scoops from peoplenews.;-)

(LauraT) But all the possible faults of this movie aside (ATA), the scenes w/ CF in nice tight jeans make it all worthwhile. ;) Amen, sister. The sweats weren't too bad either. However, I most liked Jess framed in a doorway - The film ends for me after the courthouse scene.

He was hiding. Here he is -

Sideburns were rather longish, don't you think? ;-)

Yum Thanks for the picture, Heide! That long, limber frame in a lovely relaxed pose. Tousled curls. Sigh. I loved the way he looked in ATA. And no, Karen, I think his sideburns are just fine. I like them just as they are.

Another "Hamlet" has just opened in London - a version by Steven Berkoff, who has re-written most of the Bard's lines. It's a two-hander (just Hamlet and Ophelia) and (to quote the review) the two of them share a love that makes Romeo and Juliet seem half-hearted. More from the review... 'Can you credit Ophelia asking Hamlet to furrow her fertile fields, or a now-randy prince talking of his sap rising, his lava pouring into her, or Ophelia comparing his testicles to persimmons which she wants to squeeze...' The real thing will seem quite tame by comparison! Clearing away some books, I found I had a Heinemann Educational copy of TIOBE (aimed at schools) with an excellent introduction by Sir John Gielgud (who played Jack Worthing). He obviously took playing Jack just as seriously as he did playing Hamlet. It's too long for me to type out, but a couple of quotes give the flavour.. "It is not easy to achieve the style, the lightness, the apparent ease the play demands. Above all it is hard to act it with a deadly seriousness, yet with an inner consciousness of fun - the fun with which one plays seriously a very elaborate joke. The pace of the comedy must be leisurely, mannered: and everybody must, of course, speak beautifully - but the wit must appear spontaneous, though self-conscious. The text must be studied and spoken so as to arouse a cumulative effect of laughter from the audience." Gielgud offers several observations on how to play Jack. Catherine McCormack is appearing in a Sam Shepard play at the Donmar. It's an ensemble performance by a cast of six, and her role sounds like one of the smaller ones, not particularly crucial.

Remember the discussion about the vein in Conspriracy, well, looks like it's his own:

Can anyone translate Danish? Why Hugh Grant? And is there a problemene? August regisserer kostymedrama Den danske regiss�ren Bille August skal regissere "The Maid Of Buttermere". Av: Linda Lorentzen ( 19.04.2001 11:00:55) Filmen er et kostymedrama fra Englands Lake District og bak prosjektet st�r det spanske produsentselskapet Lolafilms. Filmen er basert p� en bok av Melvyn Bragg og handler om en kjekk kjeltring som forf�rer rike unge piker. Problemene starter da han forelsker seg i en vakker pike i landsbyen. Ingen skuespillere har forel�pig blitt linket til prosjektet. Innspillingen vil starte til h�sten og har et budsjett p� 90 millioner kroner. Prosjektet var opprinnelig i hendene p� det store Hollywoodselskapet MGM, og de hadde b�de Colin Firth og Hugh Grant i tankene, men n� har alts� Lola overtatt. August har allerede jobbet med prosjektet en stund. Han har tidligere hatt stor suksess med filmer som "Pelle eroberen", "�ndenes hus" og "Fr�ken Smilas fornemmelse for sn�". Hans siste film, den norsk-svenske "En sang for Martin", g�r n� p� norske kinoer. Tilbake

I've put it up at the Tea Room where there are some Danes, but looking at the date of this news item, it is precisely when Bille August's name was released as being associated with this project. If anyone is at the Karlovy Vary (sp??) film fest going on right now in the Czech Republic, they can ask him what's doing, as I saw his name and that film (Song for Martin) are there.

hello I'm new but I think I can help, my Danish isn't great but here goes: Bille Agust has been put in charge of Maid of Buttermere, which has been taken over by the Spanish Lolafilms. The film is based on the book by Melvyn Bragg, blah...the problems start when he falls in love with a country girl...No film stars have promised themselves to the project, shooting will start in the autumn and has a budget of 90 m Dkr (thats about �9m I think)The project was originally in the hands of MGM which has stars like Colin Firth and Hugh Grant in their grasp(?) but now Lola's taken over...then there's stuff about Agusts previous film works eg Smillas feeling for Snow.

Amazing! A translation in less than an hour. Thanks so much, Ursula, for doing a great job and even doing the currency conversion, although the last Ananova item set it at �6m. ;-) *I know currencies fluctuate*

Welcome Ursula: Quite a debut!!Thank you. "No film stars have promised themselves to the project", Ah ha....There is still hope....;-) But they better hurry.Autumn is almost here. The vein picture!!Sideburns need trimming...actually he needs a trim job all over. Great pic though..he looks so happy. Renee is congratulating him on son.

And Huge is picking his nose. ;-)

Thanks for the translation, Ursula!

(Bethan)Catherine McCormack is appearing in a Sam Shepard play at the Donmar. It's an ensemble performance by a cast of six, and her role sounds like one of the smaller ones, not particularly crucial. Darren Daglish "The London Theatre Newsletter" A LIE OF THE MIND at the Donmar until 1 September "The acting is of the highest quality. Catherine McCormack is exceptional as 'Beth'. The first scenes when she is in hospital unable to talk or walk properly were painfully realistic"

De-lurking Swede here that admires the great translation from danish by Ursula but thought that I'd add my little bit to it too (as danish is quite like swedish). The danish text hints that MGM was thinking about starring either Colin (oh why, o why didn't they? ) or Hugh but instead this Spanish company took over and that probably means that Colin is out of the picture. *sigh* /gabriella

as a relative newbie, and at the risk of sounding cheekily pushy, I was wondering if there was a date when droolers are heading for Hamlet, as I'd like to get a ticket and it would be cool to meet up with some fellow firthaholics, as I don't have any mates who can tolerate my obsession enough to have a trip to Londinium with me!

Ursula and Gabriella! I didn't want anyone to feel left out and I want to encourage you both to continue posting, regardless of whether we have Danish news items requiring translation. ;-) (Gabriella) The danish text hints that MGM was thinking about starring either Colin (oh why, o why didn't they? ) or Hugh but instead this Spanish company took over and that probably means that Colin is out of the picture. *sigh* Actually, that's the first mention that MGM ever had this property. It is definitely possible as books are optioned all the time. However, I'd sooner believe this writer got his/her facts a bit mixed up because it was the Spanish company (Lola) that had Colin's name associated with the producted in April 2000. A year later, the director was changed and the film company apparently still wanted CF to play the part with Catherine McCormack, but there's never been any confirmation of his interest in doing this...(thank god)

Is there *another* product of Hamlet????? I suspect that Ophelia will become the main character: From Ananova: Angelina Jolie 'to play Ophelia in London' Angelina Jolie is reported to be planning to appear in London's West End. The Tomb Raider star is considering playing Ophelia in a stage production of Hamlet, to be directed by her brother James Voight. It would be the first time Jolie has acted on stage. www.entertainment.news.com.au reports Jolie's father, Jon Voight who plays Lara Croft's dad in Tomb Raider, said: "I'm sure if she decides to play Ophelia she will be a success."

Hey...testing...is anyone there??

For those unfamiliar with Reese Witherspoon's work or the regard in which she's held by critics, take a look at these comments from Todd McCarthy in his review of Legally Blonde:Beaming star wattage out of every pore, not to mention her hair, Witherspoon once again proves herself a comedienne worthy of comparison to such golden era greats as Carole Lombard and Ginger Rogers. Seemingly at the center of every frame of the picture, the actress possesses an evanescence that floods everyone and everything in its proximity and here dignifies and elevates material that proves more appealing conceptually than it generally manages to be in the playing. Like her character, who will let nothing, least of all her own limitations, stand in her way, Witherspoon isn't about to let spotty dialogue and some directorial clumsiness prevent her from showing what she's made of... At this point, Witherspoon is one of a very small number of screen actors one wants to see in anything she does.If you want to read the full review, it is here: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010709/en/review-filmblonde_1.html

doesn't seem like it...hm... Anyway I'm glad to be part of this 'conference', as I am a great fan of CF. I simply can't wait until the premiere of 'Bridget Jones Diary' (in Denmark;oD)

ups...

Dinah, your posting has worked but this is not a chatroom. People post messages and often go away for periods of time. So do not expect to be able to carry on a chat-type discussion here. But you are very welcome here and we have lots written about BJD on Topic 149 and its predecessors which have been filled up with messages (145, 131 and 80, where it all started many years ago). We also have a Spoiler topic where people who have seen the movie have been discussing it in greater detail. That is Topic 126. Hope to see you joining us regularly. :-)

Thank you for telling me... there was a slight misunderstanding there, but now it is quite solved:o) I wonder what CF is doing after the BJD-movie... could anybody tell me?

He worked on Conspiracy with Kenneth Branagh, which was shown on the US cable channel HBO in May (and is still showing) and has just finished making The Importance of Being Earnest with Rupert Everett, Judi Dench, Reese Witherspoon and Frances O'Connor. He is now officially *on vacation* You can lot of information by reading the older messages here, which I suggest you do. This is the main Drool page, where you will see all the topics that are full of information. Also, you should check The Bucket site, where all the news on CF's works are kept, organized by project. http://www.spring.net/karenr/mdbro/main.html

He is now officially *on vacation* Where is this info from? I.e., how official is it? (Just curious.)

Am back. Have been very busy mounting my own production of Hamlet (why not, everyone else is). ;-P Thought you'd like to know ODB's still in the lead over at the ET site (38%). RZ and BJD are also still leading their respective categories. Welcome, newbies! (Karen) take a look at these comments from Todd McCarthy in his review of Legally Blonde See Todd gush. See Todd fawn. See Todd gush some more...though I agree, RW's a great actress. Am sure she'll do wonders with Cecily. (Anawedon'tnova) Several performances of The Royal Family have been cancelled due to the film commitments of its lead, Dame Judi Dench. The production is due to open at the Theatre Royal in London's Haymarket in October....Dame Judi will by then be at the tail-end of filming The Importance Of Being Earnest Hmm. Maybe she'll be looping that tricky handbag line. ;-)

Eileen: Do they mention any dates for The Royal Family? I'll be over then and would love to see a production of it w/Dame Judi in it.

(Karen)Remember the discussion about the vein in Conspriracy, well, looks like it's his own Thanks for the picture, Karen. Since our Conspiracy discussion of it, I had also noticed it in the restaurant scene at the end of WoF, when Brian is sitting at the table with Valentin (before he goes up to the juke box). And also in FF in the bedroom scene, but in those two places it wasn't the bluish color, it was just visible. "Despite appearances" (of it), I like him, just as he is ;-)! (Evelyn) Great pic though..he looks so happy. Renee is congratulating him on son. I agree it is such a sincere and genuine greeting. He really has a great respect for Renee. I noticed it also in the (BJD promo) VH 1 interview, too. He didn't say much in the interview (Huge and Sharon M. did), but when Renee was talking, the camera included him looking at her with great respect and admiration. Evelyn you are so clever to put it all together with the timing of the London premiere, the birth of his baby, and their greeting. I had forgotten. Or maybe you were there and overheard it ;-)?

Welcome Ursula and Gabriella and Diane! Too many Hamlets is not a good thing. You'll have all the men wanting to see Angelina and all the women going to see Colin! LOL! Reese knows how to steal a scene, but will he let her? I can't wait to see TIOBE.

Evelyn you are so clever to put it all together with the timing of the London premiere, the birth of his baby, and their greeting. I had forgotten. Or maybe you were there and overheard it ;-)? LOL. I wish.... I was just returning from the NY Premiere where he was Not! But I do remember the boss telling us that's what he was saying at the post London Premiere party at Mezzo's;-) He is now officially *on vacation* (Echo)Where is this info from? I.e., how official is it? (Just curious.) *Official* like out of his own mouth. He said in a post BJD interview that he was going to take a vacation to be with his family. Do they mention any dates for The Royal Family Check with Albemarle theatre website, you can get your tickets from them too. but I believe it's November. Previews late October.

just saw the translation of danish... If you have such problems another time... well, I'm a Dane:oD And would be glad to help... If I find any Danish articles I'll translate them and send them to you:o)

Welcome to Diane, Ursula, and Gabriella. We're glad to have you on board! (Moon)Reese knows how to steal a scene, but will he let her? I can't wait to see TIOBE. I have noticed that about her so many times (even in the previews for Legally Blonde)and you are so right, the interplay between them will be terrific to watch. He won't likely let her get away with too much though ;-). I think Reese will also draw a whole other audience (male and female) to TIOBE and therefore to Colin (in a handsome and debonaire role, not to mention clever) and this conference center will be buzzing by June next year! Hope new roles will abound as well ;-).

(Eileen) Have been very busy mounting my own production of Hamlet (why not, everyone else is). ;-P Pffft! Will it be set in Joisey? ;-) I really think the Jolie-Voight thing is missing an opportunity of a lifetime if they really have to pursue doing Hamlet. Think of it, Angelina would be Gertrude and brother James can play Hamlet. *smooch smooch* ;-) Frankly, I think Angie is a little old to be playing Ophelia. Methinks she would be better suited for a Lady MacBeth or a gentleman of Verona. ;-) (Echo)Where is this info from? I.e., how official is it? (Just curious.) (Evelyn) *Official* like out of his own mouth. He said in a post BJD interview that he was going to take a vacation to be with his family. Not to mention that personal email that I sent around... (Lora) and this conference center will be buzzing by June next year! What do you mean "will" be buzzing? ;-) This place gets lots and lots of visitors but most lurk.

(Karen) Will it be set in Joisey Nope. They wouldn't let me set it there 'cause they don't like the way Danes are being represented. ;-) Actually, am having a hard time keeping up with the competition. Will be tough to outdo that production Bethan mentioned. Not to mention that personal email that I sent around... You mean CF's completed vacation request form, right? ;-D

This place gets lots and lots of visitors but most lurk. Been a while since we had any stats from Terry. How many hits/day since Bridge? And how many for The Bucket? For a while there you were off the chart! "Just curious";-)

(Eileen) You mean CF's completed vacation request form, right? ;-D Exactly, it was completed, sent in, received all the proper approvals and put in his personnel folder right behind the doctor's note supporting FMLA request.

(Evelyn) *Official* like out of his own mouth. He said in a post BJD interview that he was going to take a vacation Yes, but has anyone thought of asking him again the following day? He usually has a different answer then... ;-)

(Evelyn) *Official* like out of his own mouth. He said in a post BJD interview that he was going to take a vacation (Echo)Yes, but has anyone thought of asking him again the following day? He usually has a different answer then... ;-) LOL. Poor guy. He's got so many dependents now on different continents to consider.So many people to please....including *us*:-)

So many people to please....including *us*:-) Ooooh, and I'm extremely hard to please... ;-)

(Karen)What do you mean "will" be buzzing? ;-) This place gets lots and lots of visitors but most lurk. Sorry, Karen, I should have said "will be buzzing *even more*!" He'll be so good as Jack that he's bound to get more to join in and to delurk! Just like after BJD!

Right--first order of business is dropping the superfluous "-Jen" that I've been using. It's been making me feel like the missing Mouseketeer. Can I just change names like that, Karen? Second (and most important)--Nick Hornby will be live online with the Washington Post today at 1:30 EDT. I swear this is not OT, as we can shower Mr. Hornby with questions about working with ODB, both in a film and as an author. Here's the link: http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/01/author_hornby071101.htm Am off to draft a question for Mr. Hornby...submit early and often!

Nick Hornby is also being interviewed on Fresh Air today. (NPR)

To minimize the duplication, I've moved LauraT's comments about NH (even though they mention CF) to O&E.

(Or he could be the offbeat English friend who thinks baseball is stupid and prefers soccer.) actually I can better relate to that :D

(Karen)Angelina Jolie is reported to be planning to appear in London's West End. The Tomb Raider star is considering playing Ophelia in a stage production of Hamlet, to be directed by her brother James Voight. Egads! And I was just going to ask if any Ophelia's have been suggested for CF's Hamlet. And if Hamlet is 40ish, how old does that make Ophelia? Let's just put AJ in CF's play and imagine the publicity that would get, minus some credibility ;-) And while I'm here, I've found a perfect work opportunity for CF! I'm, of course, referring to the Harry Potter movies. Apparently they'll be filming the sequel very soon and the casting so far has been quite perfect. And if I had a 10 year old son, I'd love to do a film that he'd love to see. So who should he play? Snape would've been fun but Alan Rickman has that. I'm thinking Professor Lupin, or Sirius Black. Plenty of sequels to be in, as well! Anyone else hereabouts read the series?

(Anyone else hereabouts read the series?) Am about to begin, because my little sister collects the books:)

Am I the only one who likes Angelina Jolie? I think she's a fantastic actress.

Having read all the Harry Potter books, and consulted my 12 yr old, who is an expert, we think Sirius Black is a good idea, as he's quite heroic, and only in books 3 and 4, or Lupin, in book 3, who is meant to be very handsome (she says); her other suggestion is Mr Weasley who is in books 2 3 and 4, father of Harry's mate Ron, has red hair and is an all-round good guy (very clever, works in the Ministry of Magic)!

Having read all the Harry Potter books, and consulted my 12 yr old, who is an expert, we think Sirius Black is a good idea, as he's quite heroic, and only in books 3 and 4 There was an item on the radio a few weeks ago and Hugh Grant was said to be up for consideration as Lupin and CF as Sirius. Haven't actually read this anywhere though. CF would make an excellent Sirius...he initially seems to be the bad guy but he turns out to be Harry's protector and godfather.

(Bethan)There was an item on the radio a few weeks ago and Hugh Grant was said to be up for consideration as Lupin and CF as Sirius. I love that you've heard this! I'm not sure if I care for HG as Lupin, but I'm happy to hear that someone else is thinking of CF. And I'd imagine that Rowling wouldn't object since she seems to be a sensible girl. Want to bet that she's seen P&P2 once or twice? I don't know if she has a say in casting but she has been working with the production. Rachael mentioned CF would be a good Lupin as well, and I'd agree. And Lupin will be returning to the series in the next book. CF as Mr. Weasley would be hilarious, as he has some of the funniest lines while being a wonderful, eccentric father. Reminds me a bit of MLSF, without the lusting! But Black has the most to do in the long run, I think, so I'll vote for him. Do you think CF would commit to so many sequels?

my original thought was Sirius, mainly for the reasons bethan said, but Mr Weasley was 12yo's idea and I think, a great one; I told her to think who Colin could play (she knows who he is!) and she said the problem with him playing Sirius is that at first he has to be ugly *ROFL* I think the commitment thing would be a major problem (being serious for a nno-second) Bryonny's comment about Mr Weasley being a really funny role reminds me of something I was thinking about on the drive home - I think Colin has really good comic timing and would love to see him in something really funny - I always saw Wessex as a comic figure as much as the bad guy, and his line that makes me laugh out loud is when he meets Lady Viola on her way to church, and asks her to go riding, she declines because it isn't her riding day, and he says "bless me, I thought it was a horse". Cracks me up every time!! Also in Relative Values, although I didn't particularly like the campness, I thought the timing and phrasing of some of the lines and gestures was spot on - I love the last scene where Colin and Julie Andrews lean over, perfectly synchronised, to watch Nigel go up the steps. any suggestions?

Rachael's daughter has a point about Sirius's looks, but that's only because he's been in prison for a long time, the poor dear. We're supposed to be afraid of him at first but I imagine he's darkly handsome once he cleans up and gets some food in him. Another chance for Colin to dye his hair black again ;-) The more I watch RV, the more I laugh (of course, I only taped the relevant parts). The whole "Here's looking at you" dialogue has me on the floor. If only the Baldwin would stop shadowing the star of the movie! And I love the girl guides. Anyone know exactly what CF says to the girls while they're having their photo taken? I can't figure out the last sentence.

any suggestions? I thought that he showe a flair for comedy in Fever Pitch. I loved the goofy look he got on his face when she told him he couldn't smoke but he could stay the night if he wanted to.

I love that you've heard this! I'm not sure if I care for HG as Lupin, but I'm happy to hear that someone else is thinking of CF. And I'd imagine that Rowling wouldn't object since she seems to be a sensible girl. Actually I got the wrong L... - it was Hughie for Lockhart (the vain "matinee idol" type in Book 2! Joanne Rowling may well know CF. She's a good buddy of Nick Hornby - in an newspaper interview for "Speaking with the Angel" he mentioned her as a friend who made a very generous donation, and he also thanks her in the Acknowledgements in the book. I think the commitment thing would be a major problem (being serious for a nno-second) I think Sirius is a pivotal role but there's not really much screentime - a very significant cameo! Definitely a child-friendly project though. But I've only heard this on the radio -it's probably just conjecture.

*What* does Harry Potter have to do with Colin. Can I talk about Moses now?

Ahh, there's nothing like summer, the season when speculation runs rampant... 1. Is CF on vacation? 2. What will his next project be? MoB? Harry Potter? Moses? 3. Will Moon see him in Umbria? 4. How much hair is left in back of his head? Don't know about you, but that last one keeps me up at night. ;-P