Fantastic page of captures, boss.Gotta put in the pic at the pianoforte, whoa! Steamy. Thanks Caribou..first time we've had captures before the trailer has even been shown! I don't like the long mangy hair though...Hands are better. "but I began to be bothered after a while that her mouth was always open. " Ohgod...think Jodhi May coached her? Methinks I'll quit reading the negative reviews.

closed

You're welcomes all around. I've been so excited to share this. (Moon)Caribou when does that scene take place, at the piano? Is he thinking of Griet? (Mari)Sounds like that's the scene where Scarlett said she felt wounded, watching him stroke and kiss his wife. This is a pic of the gold/persuasion/key scene. He's talking about having Griet sleep in the attic and Catharina lock her in herself but Griet and Vermeer aren't very close at that point so, I didn't get the impression he was thinking of her as much as the work she could do for him. I think SJ was referring to the red/caress/pianoforte scene. That's the one where Griet stops what she's doing and watches from the shadows. I haven't seen any stills of that one yet. But, it is so beautiful!

Thank you so much, Caribou and Karen. The hands alone are enough to make me completely smitten by this production, so who knows what the movie will do to me. Whatever - bring it on, nomatter the reviews. About the delaying in the UK; if it will help him win a BAFTA, you'll have to try to cope, Janet, though I know it must be hard. About HS, I got a mail from a UK site today, saying it will be released on dvd (R2) this November. So - only 2 months till I can judge for myself how god/bad it actually is.

Whew! I wish it were still cold and rainy, here. I'm so nuts. Those hands, those pictures. Karen and Caribou what can I say? Thank you just doesn't seem to do it. But, thank you. Moon, I had to see WAGW and TIOBE alone, many times. As soon as I'd say, "Anyone up for a movie" the whole neighborhood would clear out. Always reminded me of the wild west when everyone took cover before a gun fight. Sheesh.

Great! Great!! Great!!! What can I say that hasn't been said much better than I can muster up? I see the hands, and the dimples through the stubble and the eyes....... Great gallery Karen and Caribou! I'm guessing that the photos by the window is the scene where he asks her what colors she sees in the clouds. Don't answer... this isn't spoilers, I'm just gushing. I'm one of the fans of this book before ODB was in the picture and think he's perfect for this role. It sounds as though this is one of those quiet films that you have to *lean into*. I love it! Always so much more engaging IMNSHO and I love leaning into ODB. I'm tired of being clobbered at the *movies* and am sure I will watch this countless times.

(Moon) Good luck to our Toronto FF representsatives!!! We await your full report. Okay...I'm beginning to freak out a bit (beginning is stretching it...I've been in overload for a few days now, but tried to remain calm here because I didn't want to clutter things up here with my incessant babble...). I may not get on the board again before I leave, but will try to get to a PC as soon as I can after the Gala. I want to do Caribou proud...she did such an amazing reporting job. There a a few droolers that have my cell number and I will have it on as soon as I can...if they are awake, they are welcome to call and report any news back. I'll try to fill in the blanks a bit later...hope I am conscious and can remember everything! DH was very sweet and bought me a new camera yesterday. Holds 600 pics...I told him I didn't think I would be getting that many, but I can try...LOL!! Have a great weekend ladies! Hope to have a few pictures and stories worthy of sharing!

OMG, OMG, OMG! Thanks Caribou and Karen for the gallery.

Oooooh my! Thank you Karen and Caribou for those lovely pictures! Tress, I hope you have a wonderful time! Can't wait to hear all the news. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you don't pass out at ODB's feet;-)!

Caribou and Karen, thanks for sharing those pics. The one of him smiling is a heart stopper. Tress, best of luck to you and have fun at the Gala. Can't wait to hear back from you! How nice your DH bought you a camera. What a guy.

Tress! OMG! I just hope the best for you (knowing you already have the best at home...whatta DH!) 600 or bust! Go for it!

Okay, one little, last, loose end about Telluride and then on to Toronto and London!! Shoshana posted the TFF poster in post 1272. Did everyone except me realize it asks and answers the question: "Why did the chicken cross the road? To go to the Show!" DH understood the very first time he looked at it. I had to read the article telling me it was a chicken. I thought it was a duck and was thinking "Why is there a duck in Colorado?" DH said, "She has a very hard time with The Far Side." I guess so!!! Now, onward and upward to Toronto! Tress, I hope you have a wonderful, safe time. Hope you think it was worth your while! We all do eagerly await your report.

Tress, have a great time. So good of your DH to provide you with a camera. Remember to enjoy every minute. You never know if/when you'll get a chance like this. Go girl, go :-) Caribou, thanks for explaining about the poster. I hadn't found neither questions nor answers in the poster, but am afraid I'm a bit "onetracked" at the moment. I have my head full of CF pictures and not much else :-)

RE GWAPE release date. (Quote from BAFTA Site): Films are eligible if released within the awards year 1 january - 31 december 2003 or 'qualified' by being screened to academy film voting members by monday december 19th 2003 and then opened to a public paying audience for no fewer than 7 consecutive days by friday 16th january 2004. So at least I know the release date won't be any later than the first week in January. Small consolation!

Sorry for the double posting. For all of you lucky people going to Toronto, have a wonderful time, and take lots of pics!

Thank you Caribou and Karen for the wonderful pics. Brings it to life. Doreen and Caribou thank your so much for your personal observations. Great stuff. Mari and Murph thank you for all the articles and reviews, and Murph that pic is outstanding. I agree that this film is not going to be everyone's cuppa, some people just don't like this kind of film. IMO liking or disliking a film is a very personal thing. I think viewers are all going to like it for their own personal reasons, some for the book, some for the cast, and some just for Colin. But for whatever reason this seems to be a winner and I can't wait to see it. Good luck Tress. Have a blast.

Wqw, those pics are great! Thanks a lot Caribou and Karen for sharing them. Tress, have a wonderful time in Toronto and good luck.

Thanks Caribou and Karen for the wonderful caps. I was blown away by the one with him smiling at Griet after reading all the comments about JV being so reserved and repressed. And the one with his hands on Catharina's neck and *neckline* just about made me pass out;-) Thanks Dorine for sharing the SJ interview. I'm intrigued by her comment on how she felt so jealous when she saw JV caress his wife. This film set must have been v. intense for everyone concerned. Tress, take every opportunity of enjoying yourself and don't forget to check out his cologne when he leans in for the photo;-) We are with you in spirit and can't wait to hear your reports!

Thanks to Caribou and Karen I have reached an almost fevered anticipation of this film - I may have to protrate myself upon my fainting couch with a cold rag on my forehead until this thing reaches Austin:-D Me thinks this fervor stems from us being teased by WAGW and HS, knowing what volcanic dramatic and erotic potential can be just around the corner. Please, please, please - may this one be it! (Mari) Just go see it yourself. I sometimes go to the movies by myself, and have noticed many lone women in theaters. One of them just might have been me. You may be self-conscious the first time -but once you do it, it gets easier and easier (kinda like loosing your virginity...)

These bits are in the NY Times (9/7) interview with Johannson: "...Of Mr. Firth, she laughed, "Colin was just so amusing."... "In Girl With A Pearl Earring," Johannes Vermeer (Mr. Firth) ensures the eternal youth of Ms Johannson's Griet, his maid, by painting her portrait. The picture scandalizes the household, but restores Vermeer's foundering reputation. With her eyebrows bleached to white, and her lips perpetually sealed in deference, Ms. Johannson makes a spectacle of disappearing. Moreover, her own luminosity seems to justify her special intimacy with light, as when she semi-cleans the windows of Vermeer's studio so as to illuminate his still-lifes without eclipsing them."

Good luck, Tress!! Looking forward to your report. I'm sure it will be extra special. (Hen) I was blown away by the one with him smiling at Griet after reading all the comments about JV being so reserved and repressed. He broke into a smile a few times (one big toothy Valmont type); whenever she "got it." (and the one by the window is the "color of clouds" scene)

Canadian TV alert!! There will be a televised interview with Colin on CBC sometime next week. No details yet.

(Louise) but once you do it, it gets easier and easier (kinda like loosing your virginity...) How many times can you lose it? ;-) Don't mind me, I finally saw HS last night. Thanks to all for the great GWAPE extravaganza. It's doing wonders for my recovery from HS-itis.

(Sonia) It's doing wonders for my recovery from HS-itis. To paraphrase Glinda, is this a good disease or a bad disease? Let us know on Spoilers. ;-D

(Karen) To paraphrase Glinda, is this a good disease or a bad disease? Let us know on Spoilers. ;-D Since I need to recover from it, you decide ;-) Details on Spoilers later tonight. For now, gotta run.

Well, many people have *never* recovered from P&P, so it could go either way... I know people who adore L-dum. Anything is possible and that's why Baskin Robins makes 31 flavors. ;-D

Off you go, Tress. Good wishes and vibes are coming your way. Remember, if fainting occurs...fall forward. More from the NY Times article in this mornings Arts and Leisure section: I loved the title and the bit in bold print: Scarlett Johansson, Indie Ingenue and Expert Lolita. ...She's making a specialty of teenage muses. Next to receive the treatment: Bill Murray and Colin firth ...She believes men over 40 need women like her. "Men have no aid to tell them that they're getting older," she said. "They just see their bodies decaying. A young, fertile, fruitful woman can help you across that bridge." This season alone, Ms. Johansson becomes two more young, fertile, fruitful women, crossing mortal bridges with middle-aged characters played by Bill Murray and ,Colin Firth in high-minded and subdued movies. ...Of Hollywood, Ms. Johannson proclaimed, "When vanity's all around you, you can feel filthy." Of social life, she sighed, "Opium's big right now." Of Mr. Firth, she laughed, "Colin was just so amusing."

My best wishes for your success, Tress! If only there were a song for Tress as there was for Caribou, so for right now I'll hum "O Canada" and think good thoughts. ;-)

(Louise) but once you do it, it gets easier and easier (kinda like loosing your virginity...) (Sonia) How many times can you lose it? ;-) I'll be more vigilant in supplying double winkies in the future.

(SJ) "They just see their bodies decaying." Eowww!! :-(

(SJ)They just see their bodies decaying. Not a good mental image, lol. Tress, best of luck on your trip! (Shoshana) If only there were a song for Tress as there was for Caribou "Blame Canada" ;)

SJ interview...She believes men over 40 need women like her. "Men have no aid to tell them that they're getting older," she said. "They just see their bodies decaying. can help you across that bridge." Grimace. I thought "young fertile, fruitful woman" was what keeps the myth of their youth going and a swift kick in the butt was what helps them cross that bridge;-D

Tress...don't forget to take...

On line version of the NY Times section mentioned the other date. (Free registration of USA residents required) Crib Sheet: What To Read At The Movies

Here's the final poster for Love Actually, courtesy of Sue (an AR fan):

I like that Colin's "above the bow" ;-D

Thanks for the poster Karen its, great, and I love the 31 flavors. So true. Ms J is quite open in her comments. Thanks everyone for the news.

(Karen)I like that Colin's "above the bow" ;-D Hee hee, me too. Thanks, K. Again, many many thanks to Caribou for those wonderful captures from GWAPE, and for the lovely way you've described the film. Your reports have been a joy to read! Please do consider posting a review on Ain't It Cool News and Dark Horizons. Was just pondering the fact that Lion's Gate only has a single web page for this one so far, whereas Karen has an entire site built already!:-) Here's more GWAPE-related stuff from the NY Times article on SJ: In "Girl With a Pearl Earring," Johannes Vermeer (Mr. Firth) ensures the eternal youth of Ms. Johansson's Griet, his maid, by painting her portrait. The picture scandalizes the household but restores Vermeer's foundering reputation. With her eyebrows bleached to white, and her lips perpetually sealed in deference, Ms. Johansson makes a spectacle of disappearing. Moreover, her own luminosity seems to justify her special intimacy with light, as when she semi-cleans the windows of Vermeer's studio so as to illuminate his still-lifes without eclipsing them. Reflecting on the pretty movie, Ms. Johansson credited the film's director of photography, Eduardo Serra, with achieving a balance of light and shadow that could stand alongside Vermeer's. "Our D.P. was incredible," she said. "He knew immediately how to light me." (Ms. Johansson, who plans to direct someday, attends closely to all details of film production.) One of Mr. Serra's techniques, however, unnerved her. "I always had a fill below me," she said. "It's that thing that a lot of older actresses have to get rid of their imperfections." One evening, a camera assistant explained it to her: "You have this little bit of" � she squeezed some flesh around her lips � "that's raised." Ms. Johansson gasped, in earnest, at the memory. She pouted. Even contemplating her shortcomings, Ms. Johansson's self-assurance was breathtaking. And no flaw was apparent.

(Ms. Johansson, who plans to direct someday, attends closely to all details of film production.) That's the answer to my question. Thanks, Mari!

Thanks, Karen for the LA poster. I keep forgetting about this one with all the GWAPE news.

(Karen)I like that Colin's "above the bow" ;-D Karen, thanks for the great poster. I love when he does that secretive little almost-a-grin. Also, was very pleased with the new films in the NYT. Thanks for the heads up. The pic of Vermeer and Catharina under my fingers... wow!

Wire Image is starting to put up the GWAPE publicity pics, just taken. Looking as devastating as ever (from what I can see). I'm sure the Boss can figure out a way to see them larger.:-) http://www.wireimage.com

The idiots have the name of the movie wrong.:-(

Thank you Mari, (Mari)devastating as ever (from what I can see). I'll say. Wow. The second picture is v.devastating. If he looks this good two hours from now, we may never hear from Tress, again. She will have drowned herself in that bucket Evelyn posted yesterday. (Mari)The idiots have the name of the movie wrong.:-( Sheesh! I just e-mailed the idiots and let them know!;-(

I've got an account at Wire Image - Not supposed to copy, but just this once....

Mary, Thank you. You're a star!! BTW, what's happened to his curls?

Thanks, Murph. I have an account, too, but didn't think I could crop all the disclaimers around it. ;-)

Thank you Mari and Murphy! (LindaK)Sheesh! I just e-mailed the idiots and let them know!;-( All is right now. Thanks! So is Tress in the midst of Firthful rapture now? I find I can think of little else than wanting to be in Toronto too.

I've put all four pics up here...hopefully we'll get more from the screenings http://www.firth.com/p_eye8.html

Oh YUMMY! He's got 2 parties to straddle tonigt! Lucky lucky Laura. Thaks Murph and Karen for the othewrs. http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030908/capt.1062979397.canada_film_festival_cpth109.

Grr, let's see if this works: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/030908/168/57d32.html&e=3&ncid=707

Thanks all...lotsa teeth...lookin' happy. Has two winners;-))))

Okay, have added the Laura Linney one to http://www.firth.com/p_eye8.html

(Karen) I've put all four pics up here...hopefully we'll get more from the screenings That open neck and untucked shirt is killing me. *sigh* If he'd had stubble, too......just say "Goodnight, Gracie." ;-D

(Evelyn) Thanks all...lotsa teeth...lookin' happy. Has two winners;-)))) .....night on the town.....stag! ;-D

(Janet)BTW, what's happened to his curls? Looks like he's getting ready for Mark Darcy mode?;-) OMG Tress should be in his presence right about NOW! Thank you, Karen and everyone for the pictures and links.

Thanks Murph, Karen and Mari for the fantastic photos. Evelyn, he's wearing your suit to the LA premiere! We should have warned Tress to take some smelling salts;-) (Dorine)That open neck and untucked shirt is killing me. *sigh* If he'd had stubble, too......just say "Goodnight, Gracie." ;-D I say Amen to that!

New one from the GWAPE premiere:

Don't know I can be doing this..but here it goes

Ahhh, Karen you beat me to it..good thing yours worked and mine didn't;-).

He looks AF fantastic.

Wireimage pics are up. Not many of Colin. :( Maybe more later?

I've added two of them. Can't crop the other two long shots because of Colin's height. You can see the others here: http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=GLS====35193&str=&styp=&sfld=&PageNum=1&lg=Y There might be more eventually. Wonder why there aren't more from the Love Actually special screening.

Just got off the phone with Tress....for the *3rd* time tonight � cell phone problems on her end. (big winkie for Tress). She wanted me to pass a few things on. Will rattle off a few notes and she can fill in the more colorful details when she gets back and is available to post (probably not until Wed, possibly very late Tues). These notes are in no particular order or importance. **The movie was beautiful. More interesting descriptions on the way. **No confirmation on baby info when asked by someone....just smiled. **Not overly gabby to fans. Scarlett whisked right through, no autographs. He looked like he would do same, but hesitated, then signed some. They were positioned right where he got out of the limo. She got there 4 hours early. **She got 11 pics, about half are stunning (or some adjective like that), she said. **He was signing some then turned to leave, she whined his name, and he came back to sign hers. **She was pierced by Colin....yep that�s right! When he handed the book and Sharpie back to her, he handed back point first and it stabbed her. **Sat one balcony above him with excellent sight line to him. **Called on stage at beginning, but he (nor SJ) didn�t speak. **After the movie, was able to stand near him approx 10 feet away for "extended" period of time with perfect sightline of him standing there, hands clasped in front, smiling closed mouth, dimply smile. Then walked right past her 5 feet away. **Dennie Gordon there. **Was, in fact, wearing *brown* shoes. :-(

(Dorine) **She was pierced by Colin.... Hee hee hee, that's wonderful! Couldn't wait for Tress's "juicy" report!

Oooh! Can't wait to hear Tress fill in all the details and see those "stunning" pics. *salivating profusely* Premiere magazine, which sponsored the gala held a party tonight. So far, no pics of Colin, though Scarlett was there, as well as Mary Steenburgen and Jennifer Tilly. Not like he didn't know anyone else going.

For those of us in the US...he's on our our continent tonight!!!

BBeautiful pics! Thanks Karen, Mary, Mari, Dorine! Can't wait to hear all the details from Tress! Good news for LA... http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/entertainment/films/articles/6583875?source=Evening%20Standard

Great pictures and reports. Thank you very much Thanks for the link, Maria (btw - are you a nightowl too? :-)) http://www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk/03/girlwith.htm I hope, this hasn't been posted before. Okay review af GWAPE

(Karen)Wonder why there aren't more from the Love Actually special screening Was wondering that myself as LA was earlier in the day. Thank you, Dorine, for the Tress report. Autograph, pictures, piercing. She did fantastic. I can't wait for her to post. Brown shoes, huh? What else is new;-) ... thanks Maria and Annette. Karen, great job on the pictures, thanks very much.

Sorry, but I forgot this According to the link below. Scarlet Johansson will be on The Today Show on Wednesday...of course to talk about her "other" film, but maybe she'll spill the beans to Katie. Thought will all the anticipation of publicity this site may help. http://talkshows.about.com/bldailysched.htm

Way to go, Tress! Can't wait to see those pictures and hear more of your encounter with ODB. Thanks Dorine for reporting on Tress's success. Thanks Karen for getting those pics up so quickly. And thanks to Maria and Annette, as always, for your great finds. This place is going to rock this week! Bring it on!!!

A not-so-in-favour review about GWAPE: The movie earned strong notices at its world premiere last week at the Telluride Film Festival, and Lions Gate plans to release it for prime Oscar consideration in early December. But beyond the dark-hued, Vermeer-inspired color palette, there's not much of interest here -- certainly not the overwrought central drama about Vermeer's wife (Essie Davis) and her jealous rage toward the maid. It's a literal and figurative case of watching paint dry. http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/living/6707639.htm

Enjoying the perks of 'Mr. Darcy' British actor Colin Firth finds lots of benefits to being typecast in the Pride and Prejudice role Jay Stone The Ottawa Citizen Monday, September 08, 2003 ADVERTISEMENT Colin Firth wants you to know that he is not Mark Darcy. His children do not call him Mr. Darcy. His private life is not lived in drawing rooms. He does not want to be buried in a Victorian smoking jacket, the way Bela Lugosi insisted on being dressed in his Dracula cape in the grave. Still, the British actor with the charming voice and impeccable manners is forever associated with Mr. Darcy, the love interest in the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and the rival for Ren�e Zellweger's hand in Bridget Jones's Diary, not to mention the upcoming sequel. It's a burden he is happy to bear. "I would say the perks are stronger than the adverse effects," Firth said yesterday during a round of Toronto film festival interviews to promote his latest movie, Girl With A Pearl Earring. In that film, he plays Johannes Vermeer, the 17th-century Dutch painter. The movie is historical fiction and speculates on how Vermeer came to create the famous painting of the title, the portrait of a young girl turning to look provocatively at the viewer. The answer has something to do with rising star Scarlett Johansson, who plays an alluringly innocent maid in the Vermeer household. Firth's role is almost silent; his Vermeer has long hair and a week-old beard, and he works quiet hours in his studio obsessing over colours. He is not Mark Darcy, but neither, says Firth, is the role a real departure for him. "I don't think it's enough of a departure to call it a departure," he enunciates in a voice that was trained for the British stage before it found its place in a series of romantic films. "I've played a fairly taciturn character in period drama before. But not quite like this." Because not much is known about Vermeer, Firth had to invent him from looking at his paintings -- which are so scattered around the world that the prospect of "visiting all the Vermeers in the world" is used as a synonym for wide travel in the film Hannibal -- and reading about his life. "The tacit nature of the character has been drawn somewhat on the tacit nature of the paintings. You have this sense of quiet in the work within what must have necessarily been a chaotic household. There's no question about it, with 11 children running around. It was an active world. He grew up in a pub. The beer consumption was enormous. This was a world that wasn't as calm and tranquil as the paintings might lead you to believe." Firth said he found both the paintings and the character elusive, which was what drew him to a role in a movie that he thinks is a risk: will people want to watch a slow-moving story, designed as beautifully as a Dutch masterpiece, about how a famous painting was created? It's the kind of risk that Firth's success has allowed him to take. And the success is mostly due to the non-elusive Mr. Darcy. "He's certainly taken over my public life, and interviews. And he helps me get a table in a restaurant. ... I doubt if I would be doing Girl With A Pearl Earring right now if it wasn't for Mark Darcy." The actor -- who co-stars in the upcoming Love, Actually with Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson, which had a work-in-progress screening at the festival last night -- says there's no concern about being typecast in the Darcy role. "It's bigger than me anyway. It's fine. As long as it's not stopping me doing other things, which it clearly isn't at the moment. My own experience has felt very varied through it all. I would say it's very much an asset that's enabled me to be employed. It gives me a living. And it gives me a little bit of choice. It means I'm a little more feasible." The Austen role has turned Firth into something of an unlikely sex symbol: Mr. Darcy's charm and commitment to love, as well as Firth's wavy-haired good looks, have engaged thousands of female fans. Firth says he has heard this mentioned before, but he still has the grace to blush. "People have told me that sort of thing. Anybody would be flattered. I have pretty well the same reaction as any guy. Where do you meet these people?" His mysterious Vermeer may not provoke the same reactions -- the long hair, the subject matter, the non-romantic tone make it unlikely -- although he plays the role with the same undercurrent of decency familiar in all his performances. He says that he looks for that in all his characters because it's an actor's responsibility to humanize the people he inhabits. Firth, who lives in London with his wife, grew up in a crowd of art students, but he says he was the only one who didn't really understand visual art. He didn't know what he was supposed to look at in a painting. "I panicked a little," he says. "It didn't move, it didn't speak, it didn't sing, it had no narrative, and so I used to wonder where this impact was supposed to come from." He understood the impact for the first time when he walked into the Rothko Room of the Tate Museum in London one day years ago and was struck by the enormous canvases of Mark Rothko. Vermeer, he says, is the other artist who engages him, although in a different way. "Vermeer is much more obtuse in a way, much more inaccessible. And also there's a whole bunch of paintings of women with jugs of water and writing letters, and there's nothing interesting particularly in the subject matter. It's all in the common currency. Other people in his town were painting the same images over and over again. So there's just something in the way he did it." Toronto International Film Festival � Copyright 2003 The Ottawa Citizen

Reviews of GWAPE and LA from Moviehole's Paul Fischer. So now it begins, the busiest North American film festival on the planet. The first weekend is where it all happens: the biggest stars, the biggest films and the studios run overtime with press junkets, screenings and interviews. Day One was more tiring than usual since I chose to get an all-night red eye from Los Angeles, arriving in sunny Toronto at 6 am. No sleep, just enough time to check in, and begin with my first screening here of Girl with a Pearl Earring, a speculative account of the life of Griet, a 16-year-old girl who appears in Johannes Vermeer's painting of the same title. Set in 17th century Holland, Griet (Scarlett Johansson) is employed by Vermeer (Colin Firth) as a housemaid to care for his six children, his jealous pregnant wife and his uncommunicative mother-in-law. Tensions arise when Vermeer's wife suspects intimacy between her husband and the girl, and climax when she discovers that Griet borrowed her precious pearl earrings to sit for the now famous portrait. Perhaps not the ideal film to sit through having had less than two hours sleep, Girl is a leisurely paced but seductive period piece, glorious on the eye, and a dazzling in its subtle tone. It�s quite the year for the beautiful Johansson, whose performance here is graced with intricacy and maturity. She emits much with little dialogue, encapsulating a portrait of repression desperate for her own inner freedom, and the actress communicates those feelings with skill and depth. She is a major star-on-the-rise. Firth is equally magnificent as the tortured painter. Breathtaking to look at, Girl with Pearl Earring is a fascinating and remarkable tale, beautifully crafted by first-timer Peter Webber. Saving the best to last and the perfect way to end the day, is Love Actually, marking the directorial debut of the ingenious Richard Curtis. Toronto screened the film as a work-in-progress, and aren�t we glad they did! This ensemble comedy tells ten separate (but intertwining) stories of love in London (with a small portion set in France), leading up to a big climax on Christmas Eve. One of the threads follows the brand new (unmarried) Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) of the United Kingdom, who on his first day in 10 Downing Street falls in love with the girl (Martine McCutcheon) who brings him his tea (Emma Thompson plays his sister; Alan Rickman plays her husband who falls for his secretary). Another story follows the relationship between a widowed stepfather (Liam Neeson) and his young stepson, who ends up giving the youngster love advice. Then there�s the writer [Colin Firth] who falls in love with his Italian housekeeper. We live in cynical times, and so a film such as Love Actually, a grown up film for adults, is a rarity and a welcome surprise. Curtis has written a perfect screenplay, one that combines the comic irreverence we know so well, with finely etched characters who possess a flawed humanity. As deliriously funny this film is at times, it remains a moving and even heartbreaking tale of the pangs of love, loss, requited and unrequited love, and deep friendships. We see here the genuine love between men and women, fathers and sons, close friends, lusty betrayals, and in fact a microcosm of human relationships, with all their idiosyncrasies. We are human, and maestro Curtis has crafted the most perfect human comedy in years, with performances to match, from Hugh Grant�s delightful Prime Minister, to a perfectly controlled and magnificent performance by Emma Thompson. Multi-textured with a variety of tones that encapsulate human behaviour in all its diversity, Love Actually is a wonderful, comic and poetic work, stylis ly crafted, and a joy to watch and listen to. This Christmas, Love Actually is the perfect end-of-year film, and the most exquisite romantic comedy seen in a decade. And on that note, it�s good night till another bracing day of Festival madness. - PAUL FISCHER Friday Sep 05 Campion In the Cut-ting room Wasn't he going to stay away from action? McYeah whatever..."Super" who? Angel's on the Outfield First Sign of the "Apocalypse" Universal aboard Whedon's wonky ship Clints Bits - 5/9 Thursday Sep 04 Interview : Eli Roth "Man Thing" picks playmates and pad Lucas in the "Bat" mix too? It's all about Anderson? Not as 'Fantastic' as what we thought she was up for What Cinemas will be showing in 2020 What's with Edgerton and Swords? He had "A Beautiful Mind" too? Clints Bits - 4/9 Wednesday Sep 03 Interview : John Singleton - Boyz N the Hood DVD Star-studded "Oceans" flow into France You'd think his Timeline was running out? Karvan her up another piece of Lucas Angel seems to be back in the 'Buff

Whoops, sorry for not cutting out the extraneous stuff. Dorine, thanks for Tress's early report.

Thank you ladies for then reviews and pictures. Tress sounds like she's had a blast. Can't wait to read all about it and see the divine pictures.

(Moon Dreams)Thank you ladies for the reviews and pictures. I also need to add my thanks. I have enjoyed drooling through the weekend's posts.

From Dave Poland's Hot Button column; interesting . . . THE NEXT SMALL STEP towards the negative is for Love Actually: The Work In Progress, which screened here Sunday night for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The film, whether they change a single frame (or byte, since we saw the film projected digitally) or not, is going to be a success. There is no question. Richard Curtis is the current master of this form of film comedy - as a writer. Four Weddings & A Funeral, the adaptation of Bridget Jones's Diary, The Tall Guy, Notting Hill and now, Love Actually. A great run of films. And all the charm of those pictures is on display here. However, he is also a first-time director here and it does show. There are not a whole lot of overt problems in his direction, but there are a number of occasions where his work as a writer is less successful than it deserves to be because his director just doesn't have the tools he will, I'm sure, some day have. But the bigger problem is the room that one tends to get as a writer-director. Watching Love Actually, one gets the feeling that Curtis heard a lot of "yes" and not nearly enough "no." There are eight concurrent stories in ". That makes it by far Curtis' most ambitious piece of writing. And I can well understand why he would be so ambitious. After all, every one of these stories is smart, clever and full of promise. He could have done any one, two, three or four of them in his sleep. And that would probably have been a much better idea for someone attempting to direct a film for the first time. Because one of the things that happens in a good writer/director relationship is the creative tension between the person of words and the person of the bigger visual and written picture. Yes, as a writer, you have a visual sense of your script. But there is something to filmic language that demands a different set of tools. People are touting Sofia Coppola's screenplay for Lost in Translation for awards, but as good as the words are, I can't really consider separating them from her visuals. I'm not going to get into too many details about Love Actually. You don't need to know and I don't need to tell you. But the trouble telling eight concurrent stories is that while they can all have great beats and special moments, any traditional screenwriter - which Curtis certainly is - eventually looks to create a second and third act for each storyline. Second acts are often the hardest, since you have neither the freshness of the new nor the thrill of the completion of the journey to work with. And having 8 second acts is a pretty tall order for one movie - especially when half the stories are really not three act stories, but rather just elongated punchlines extended into "complete" stories. The problem is, all eight stories are treated in the same way. To be a little clearer, the Keira Knightly, the Liam Neeson and the Kris Marshall sequences are really set-up, punch-line, sweet conclusion pieces. There is nothing inherently wrong with them. I quite like them all. But they don't have the depth, in particular, of three of the other segments and there is no signal of that to the audience. In the middle is the Colin Firth sequence, which has more build that those three, but is still a bit of set-up, punchline, resolution. Finally, the Hugh Grant, the Emma Thompson/Alan Rickman and Laura Linney sequences are built to carry a complexity and richness that the others are not. The problem there is that none of them have enough time to really develop fully. And, in fact, both the Rickman/Thompson and Linney storylines are left hanging just as they get to the emotional vein that screams for significant additional screen time. I mean, they literately stop dead in their tracks. There may well have been more to them, but I would not be surprised if extended sequences amaged the pace of the film and the decision was made to stick with the happiness. The one sequence I haven't mentioned, which is one of my favorites, is the Bill Nighy stuff. It is really funny and really smart and deeply honest. But it is also feels like the rubber cement of the piece, flowing all over the movie, but concentrated only in a few special spots. But again, it isn't used that way now. The effect of all of this is the difference between a good movie and a truly great, perhaps legendary, romantic comedy. Every story works, but they are stuck together the way a nine-year-old does a woodshop project. The sharp edges of nails and the unbalanced angles and splinters hang out all over the place. But you forgive it all because you like these people so much. If I were in Working Title's shoes, I would reexamine the cut. I would unbalance the various storylines. I would open with the wedding and the chorus singing "All You Need Is Love" and let that play on through credits, somewhat like The Big Chill. I would consider dumping a few of the music cue gags, which are a Curtis signature, but displayed here to excess. I would be more careful about doing fat jokes in a movie that devotes a lot of time to being sensitive to the beauty of a woman who is not rail thin. And then there is the third act, which may be unfixable with what's been shot. The sense that there is true genius in this film would come, I think, with a closer that truly brings all eight stories together without making it feel like an absurd unreality. It is a huge request and I am not sure that I have ever seen any movie come close to making it happen. Even the frogs in Magnolia were more thematic than about story. But indeed, that was what would have satisfied me. If all eight stories were not compelled to come together in the third act, the load would be lightened enormously - because it may be impossible to do all eight. So instead, we get four of the stories just kind of petering out, three coming to a head in one joined sequence, one having its own stand-alone close. The result is that the film kind of stumbles at the finish line instead of coming in super strong. Again, Love Actually is a good movie that will do strong business and be well liked if they don't change a frame. But in the back of my mind, I know that Harvey Weinstein would unquestionably ride this movie to a Best Picture nomination. Though it has sickened me in the past, his hard ass attitude about cutting his movies would be welcome here. All the elements are there. But somehow, I don't see that happening here. And as a result, I saw a movie that I really like, but am having a hard time loving, actually.

Back to work in Toronto the morning after the night before! Yesterday's experiences were quite something! The first amazing thing that happened when my friend and I arrived at the Festival was that we met Tress and Vera! The very first people we talked to at the barricades outside of Roy Thomson Hall! It was great to meet all of you and it made the experience that much more fun. Tress and Vera were in great positions on the barricade when Colin pulled up, and I had just left the line up to sneak in behind them. Their pictures will be amazing! But Tress and Vera will give you all the minute-by-minute details as they were on that barricade for over 4 hours! Not to mention their Denzel encounters (who also looked extremely good!)! I ran over to see the "Love Actually" arrivals - tickets were next to impossible to get for the show. There were dozens of Colin fans in the "Rush Seats" line, begging the TTF line coordinator to let them in on a small number of rush seats. They even posed for pictures with the coordinator, saying that he was the next best thing to Colin - what women will do to get tickets! Colin pulled up to the screening a half hour before the film started, taking us all by surprise. Security and access to Colin was much tighter at the Elgin Theatre because it is situated on the city's busiest street and the sidewalk is regular width. We stood across the street and had a perfect view of him. A group of Firth fans from out of town were beside me, screaming for him to turn around. He was all smilles at this premiere, shaking hands, talking to the very few fans who were squeezed in amongst journalists. The red carpet at the Elgin was very short, so Colin was inside with most of the journalists within a few minutes. Laura Linney came in almost at the same time. There were rumours that Liam Neeson was to show, but he didn't. It really is quite a surreal experience to see him in the flesh. A woman who was standing beside me said she had come to the Festival just to see if Colin was "real" and not just a figment of her imagination! I could perfectly relate to her feelings! At the GWAPE premiere, you had much better access to a much longer red carpet. Scarlet came in first, looking very much the "STAH". She went right to the press. Must say though, the screams went up when Colin appeared. But to Tress's comment, he wasn't all smiles. He signed a lot of autographs - our lucky ladies included - but he didn't appear to be enjoying it. The trials of being a star? Jet lag? Two premieres in one night? Maybe he was saving his energy for the journalists? He was all smiles when Peter Webber introduced him on stage inside. He got the loudest applause, by far. But yes, there were those nasty brown shoes! I probably wouldn't have noticed had I not been a Drool-er (my girlfriend wondered why I was laughing). My friend commented that Colin did have the Mark Darcy look going on, and I believe he is ready for the sequel. He was somewhat tanned and just all around gorgeous - it was amazing being on a few feet away from him. He looks better in person, gals! The movie is very lush, very beautifully shot. Caribou, you described it perfectly! It got a very long round of applause at the end. As my friend (a GWAPE book fan) said, it will not appeal to everyone and Webber takes some liberties with the plotline. It was introduced as a film with profound "silences" and this is quite true, but I do miss the Griet narration from the book. Webber uses lots of tableaux and it works wonderfully. Colin is superb as Vermeer! Absolutely perfect! He knows how to do the "longing gazes" better than anyone - he has perfected it in this movie! All in all, it was a great deal of fun! I am astounded at the number of Colin fans in attendance - they were everywhere. I met many great people and told some Colin fans about everyone here at Spring, so we may grow our community! Again, Vera and Tress, great to meet you!

Breathless reports...thanks all. (Evening Standard)" Richard Curtis, screenwriter of Four Weddings And A Funeral and Notting Hill, has made a triumphant directing debut at the Toronto Film Festival with Love Actually." First from British press....I like:-)))

Ladies, thanks for all the great reports. Myou, I'm thrilled the Toronto trip has worked out for so many fans. (Go, Tress, Go!!) I haven't posted here in ages but finally have something a little bit noteworthy: I just saw a few seconds of Colin's CBC interview. It was a short segment on the festival. The reporter talked about the stars (Nicole, Anthony Hopkins) and then noted that the festival is about the movies. "A picture made of light" she called Vermeer. Tiny bit of Vermeer laughing while talking to Griet. He looks very manly and modern. The reporter said: "...more movie stars happy to discuss the projects." Shows Colin seated and talking, "I did fall in love with Vermeer's paintings about 3 or 4 years before this film." Reporter called GWAPE "beautiful, lush". There were also tiny clips of Tom Wilkinson eating and Peter standing outside looking so beautiful. Gorgeous skin. He doesn't look real. There must be more of this interview so I'll keep checking CBC. And other channels. I get so excited by such little clips! I can't imagine how the Toronto gals are handling this.

Thanks Maria, Mari and Annette for the news. In the Shadows on the Wall sidebar, it said the UK release is 16 January 2004. Not too long a delay. That's about when it will have expanded to more markets (hopefully) in the US. Note: The Evening Standard article also talked about only 8 stories in LA, as Mari noted before. No worries though about Colin's storyline. We know it didn't hit the cutting room floor. More from Canada: Easy to see why ladies dig Firth Memo from our reporter in T.O. reveals Colin is sexy and cool Glen Schaefer The Province Memo to: Carey Gillette, assistant entertainment editor From: Movie guy in Toronto Now, I know you were kind of mopey when I told you I'd be interviewing Colin Firth but, trust me, I did you a favour. If you were in that hotel room, you'd have died of a heart attack when he walked in with those faded jeans, the baggy blue shirt untucked and the top two buttons open -- even I could tell what this guy does to women like yourself, what Firth calls "this other thing." Here's him telling it: "Funnily enough, before all that exploded, I felt I was doing really well. I didn't think I was a star but I was fairly well up there, playing lead roles in interesting stuff, and getting about as much employment and recognition as I ever felt I had the right to expect. "So I was rather surprised when this other thing, starting with Pride and Prejudice, started up." That would be when he came out of that lake all wet. Ring any bells? "A lot of people felt I'd only just started right then and I'd been going along for 10 years. In some ways it was very weird to feel that my previous career had almost been cancelled." I'm hear to talk to him about his new movie, Girl With a Pearl Earring, about the Dutch painter Jan Vermeer. He's also got the big-budget ensemble romance Love Actually at the festival but the smaller movie is clearly a labour of love. "Oh, absolutely. It wasn't a payday, it was something I wanted to do, I never hesitated." The movie tells the fictionalized story behind one of the 17th-century artist's most famous paintings, suggesting that the girl in the painting was a maid (Scarlett Johansson) and that his wife and family were scandalized that he would use the maid as a muse. There's a suggestion that the girl is tormented by a forbidden obsession with the painter, and that Vermeer in turn found her a kindred spirit in creating his art. "In the end, he sacrifices a lot of people," Firth says. "On the other hand, he's in the grip of his own need to do what he does. I can understand very well what motivates him. He wasn't some indulgent bohemian." Firth, who has a child with former girlfriend Meg Tilly and two children with his current wife, Livia, says the notion of sacrificing relationships to art is something he identifies with. "I think I've made quite a mess of things through life in that respect. I'm settled now, not how I was before. Doing anything creative can be quite difficult for those around you. I don't think you have to be a genius on the magnitude of Vermeer for that to be the case." Getting back to the movie, "On the surface, he doesn't betray his wife but he enters into a very dangerous territory, as does this young girl." You hear that, Carey? Dangerous territory. Good thing you're in Vancouver. "This relationship engulfs him in the end, even though it's not consummated. Something inside him dies." I said to him that romance in fiction is best when it's not consummated and he agrees. "In terms of romantic drama, I think it's got to be like that. In fact, you can't really tell a great romantic love story about a happily married couple. Domestic bliss is the stuff of sitcom. "Great love has to have an element of the impossible. Whether Romeo and Juliet, or Tristan and Isolde, they're kept apart. Even in Jane Austen, they only finish with the coming together, you don't even get to a kiss in the books." I know, you're wondering if Firth thinks he's a romantic. "Obviously from a large part of what I do, I'm interested in emotion, its complications. I'm not necessarily an optimist in terms of romantic love. I'm not the type of romantic who enjoys the weepy movie and then sighs sweetly about it. "I am more interested in the obstacles and the impossible than I am in resolution and happiness. It's the thing we're all trying to get to grips with, that's what storytellers are doing. Trying to make sense of seemingly insoluble things." You see, Carey? You're better off back home, thinking about the obstacles between you and Colin. Look at the bright side. There's always the Fiennes brothers. Cheers, -- Schaef

(Myou), All in all, it was a great deal of fun! I am astounded at the number of Colin fans in attendance - they were everywhere. And Colin always wonder where they are! ;-) Hope he drops that line soon. Myou, you sly thing! So glad you had a great time. Did you take any pictures? If I were in Working Title's shoes, I would reexamine the cut. I would unbalance the various storylines. I would Typical British overbearing journalist. I would, I would, I would... Jealously will get you nowhere.

More from Toronto: I just spoke to Tress. She's in line for LA. She said she is fourth and is pretty sure to get in. She is still very high from her experience last night. She told me to go ahead and post these few tidbits in case she forgets. As Dorine mentioned she gets home v. late tomorrow evening. As Myou and Dorine reported, Terry was in a great position as he got out of the limo. she has great pictures of that which she said should be fantastic as they were unobstructed. Again, she mentioned that they tried to get him in the theater as soon as he arrived, but luckily he did stop to sign some autographs. She had two Bridget moments. After the film she went down the escalator, because she knew he was just one floor below. She then saw Colin point straight ahead and thought he was pointing at her. (a la Bridget/Daniel moment in the office)she then realized he was pointing and talking to Scarlet. The second moment came when she realized she was standing in front of the men's room and he was on his way there. She had to kind of dance out of his way. She wanted to leave then, but found herself still there when he came out. Tress said he just stood there for a moment then looked over and smiled, and shook his head. The group left the theater soon after. Of course she mentioned over and over how gorgeous he looked. She also mentioned that he has the Mark Darcy sideburns and his hair was dark. She also couldn't believe that, as he sat watching the film, he had his hand over his mouth in Mr. Darcy fashion. Lastly, she mentioned that Colin has been on the morning shows being interviewd for LA. She sends her best wishes to everyone, and will try to remember and fill us in on everything else. Thank Myou, Dorine, and Karen for the personal reports and articles.

Just a thought for the US people--be sure to catch E! News Live today, also ET, Extra, and Access Hollywood--sounds like there were lots of broadcast journalists around the Love Actually premiere. One of them might have snagged him. Alas, I won't be home tonight so I leave it in your capable hands . . .;-) Wonderful report, Myou! (Myou)He signed a lot of autographs - our lucky ladies included - but he didn't appear to be enjoying it. The trials of being a star? Jet lag? Two premieres in one night? Could be he was pooped by that time. Two films in one day potentially means two photocalls, two news conferences and two premieres. When that schedule came out, I said he'd be overbooked. But I was pooh-pooh'ed.;-)

(Karen's article) Easy to see why ladies dig Firth Memo from our reporter in T.O. reveals Colin is sexy and cool If you were in that hotel room, you'd have died of a heart attack when he walked in with those faded jeans, the baggy blue shirt untucked and the top two buttons open -- even I could tell what this guy does to women like yourself, what Firth calls "this other thing." Give this guy a medal for "getting it" !Heart attack still very much an option what with the pics, interviews and Drooler reports!

Wow, when it rains drool it pours! ;-D Thanks to all for the articles about the two films and the festival and to Myou for your report. And thanks to Dorine and Linda for their reports from Tress. Can't wait to hear back from her and see the pics. Guess she won't need a plane in order to fly home.;-) Am keeping my fingers crossed about her getting in to see LA.

Gaaah! Am having impossible time keeping. Can't read and update at same time. Need to clone self. ;-D Excellent and highly encouraging reports on GWAPE and LA by Paul Fischer, a grown up. ;-D (Poland) The film, whether they change a single frame (or byte, since we saw the film projected digitally) or not, is going to be a success. After what he said about GWAPE, I fear this guy is sooooo out of it to be utterly ridiculous now that he considers himself a director. Pathetic Excellent reporter-on-the-scene report Myou!! You've captured so much of the details of being in the crowd and awaiting the man himself, who obviously didn't disappoint in person or on the screen. What fun!! (Tress via Linda) She then saw Colin point straight ahead and thought he was pointing at her...she then realized he was pointing and talking to Scarlet. Scarlett who??? No, dear girl, he saw you and singled you out. You should stick to that story. ;-D The second moment came when she realized she was standing in front of the men's room and he was on his way there. She had to kind of dance out of his way. She wanted to leave then, but found herself still there when he came out. Tress said he just stood there for a moment then looked over and smiled, and shook his head. Oh dear!! At least you didn't follow him in.

From an email to me: I saw Colin yesterday at Torotno Film festival on GWAPE premiere. He was very nice and friendly with fans. I told him that I am originally from Ukraine and that he is very popular there. He seemed to be excited. The film is rather slow but visually rich and the performaces (especially, those of Scarlett Johansson and Colin) are great. Scarlett's performance is amazing. She has a great talent. We should watch for that actress.

Moon, I didn't bring the camera knowing others would capture it much better than I - I am horrible with a camera! Feeling very jealous of Tress today - if she's 4th in the rush line, she will definitely get in! Karen, such a great interview - Glen Schaefer has some skill! The newspapers today were still in the Nicole Kidman afterglow, so no Colin. There will lots of remote controls in overdrive tonight, looking for Colin clips!

(Tress' encounter via Linda) The second moment came when she realized she was standing in front of the men's room and he was on his way there. She had to kind of dance out of his way. She wanted to leave then, but found herself still there when he came out. Tress said he just stood there for a moment then looked over and smiled, and shook his head. (Karen) Oh dear!! At least you didn't follow him in. Am reminded of Bridget on the set of Fever Pitch: Suddenly realized we had stopped outside a door. Looked at door. Was toilet. Realized was on verge of following Mr. Darcy into toilet in manner of mad stalker. He sweetly excused himself and that was it. Was in mad self loathing love blur all through match and on way to opera..... Wonder if could e-mail Mr. Darcy in guise of lithe Italian cool enough to distinguish between stroll to next location and visit to toilet?

I should clarify about the men's room scene. Tress had gone down the escalator while the rest of her group used the toilets on the floor above. They and another crowd arrived down there while Colin was in the men's room. So a large crowd had gathered while he was in there not knowing he was in there. So I think his shake of the head and smile was a result of seeing everyone gathered there since it had not been crowded just a few moments before.

(Linda's clarification) So I think his shake of the head and smile was a result of seeing everyone gathered there since it had not been crowded just a few moments before. Oooh, but didn't Tress say it was one of her BJ moments that Lisa has described? But that is better. I don't know if you want to see all these, but here's another email: Yesterday I had the possibilty to see the Love Actually premiere in the Elgin theatre in Toronto!! And, Colin Firth was there!! Can you believe it? I did not even have tickets and was waiting in the rush line, but then someone came up and gave free tickets away. :-)) The movie did not have its final cut, but I just hope that they don't make it too short. Not a single minute of it was boring. It's really worth to see and very funny and very british too, concerning the humour. Even in romantic scenes something weird and unexpected happens. It's so hilarious!! And when Colin firth steps up the stage it's even better!! I thought you might be interested in my experience..;-)

(Karen)I don't know if you want to see all these, but here's another email I can only speak for myself: Bring it on!!

Keep the emails comin',Boss, and invite them to the B'day Bash. These are heady days.