I'm first!:-) Review from reel.com: Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003) *** Country: Luxembourg Running Time: 95 mins. Director: Peter Webber Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth Not a lot is known about 17th-century painter Johannes Vermeer, except that he died in early middle age, leaving 11 surviving children and 35 paintings that have survived into the 21st century. One of those paintings, "Girl with a Pearl Earring," was only re-discovered in 1882 and its origins remain a mystery. Inspired by a reproduction of the portrait on her wall, author Tracy Chevalier attempted to solve the enigma in novel form. It is Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring that now inspires Peter Webber's drama of the same name, a portrait of artist and model as well drawn as anything painted by Vermeer himself. The Vermeer (Colin Firth) of Girl with a Pearl Earring is a man under constant pressure. He lives in his mother-in-law Maria's (Judy Parfitt) home with his many children and demanding, usually pregnant wife Catharina (Essie Davis). Money is always an issue as he depends on the capricious whims of his patron, van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson). Into this situation steps 17-year-old Griet (Scarlett Johansson), forced into servitude by her own family's money troubles. Assigned the task of cleaning Vermeer's studio, she becomes increasingly intrigued by the painter's art. For his part, Vermeer is gratified to have someone in his household show genuine interest in his work. The two grow ever closer as Vermeer trains her to mix his paints and she begins spending more and more time in his studio. She becomes his reluctant model when van Ruijven, a vulgar man with a taste for beauty, commissions her portrait. Webber's drama could be a Vermeer painting itself; it is uncommonly beautiful, shot through with an amber glow by cinematographer Eduardo Serra with 17th-century Delft expertly re-created by production designer Ben van Os. But this is a delicate drama, a romance where the emotions are necessarily repressed by the conventions of the times. It calls for subtle performances from Firth and Johansson. Webber draws that out of them. The relationship between Griet and Vermeer plays out almost like a dance. The whole movie plays like that, a romance and a history told in waltz time. � PAM GRADY

(Mari) I'm first!:-) #^&&!! And I was watching out for it, too. Ok, well not really. Thanks for the review anyway. ;-D

aha mari, hilarious interview, total perfunctory mode, will give us another opportunity to groan, sigh and occasionaly rant (and we're sooo good at it) (mr. f) �I do like to mix and match� now, that would explain not only the choice of roles, but the brown shoes/blue suits heresy as well... (the interviewer) �the light stuff� as he puts it, because for the classically trained actor, stardom occurred through the pages of Jane Austin and one Mr Darcy jane austen, light stuff ? have i missed something somewhere ? �sporadically romantic which means that I don�t have a permanent romantic view of life,� says the cynical Firth how do you jump from "sporadically romantic" to "cynical" ? don't you just love it when interviewers try to cram as many adjectives as they can ? mix n match indeed... it�s Firth�s decade-old image of the shirtless Darcy have i missed something somewhere, again ? Perhaps for that reason he allowed himself to play the predominantly silent, internal and not particularly sexy Vermeer... (tress) Not particularly sexy? Hmmmmm.....I beg to differ! was about to comment along the same lines. clueless interviewers, love it ! (karen's comment) Do you think he goes down to the union hall and waits for jobs, like a plumber or an electrician? now karen, you didn't read well : he just sits around at home aimlessly, waiting for the role of the century to come in the mail. sort of a 'mission impossible' thing (tugudugudu, wawawawawa, peeloolee, etc. [am trying my hand at verbally reproducing the theme]). do you think he's hoping for HS copies to self-destruct ?

Both movies playing at this fest in France that begins tomorrow... http://bossa.nerim.net/actualite/2003/Dinard_03/ecrans_dinard/version_comque_9_sept_03.htm www.festivaldufilm-dinard.com

(Sophie) now karen, you didn't read well : he just sits around at home aimlessly, waiting for the role of the century to come in the mail. LOL! Evelyn has already corrected but I have it on good authority there is a Starbucks next door. Thanks, Mari, for the review and Maria for news about the Dinard Fest of Brit films.

(Sophie)he just sits around at home aimlessly, waiting for the role of the century to come in the mail. ...and I thought those roles arrived with Father Christmas and the Easter Bunny;-)

Hommage aux Studios Ealing cette section comprendra la projection d�un documentaire intitul� ForeverEaling, r�alis� par Andrew Snelle et narr� par Daniel Day-Lewis. The Dinard FF will have Colin in three films! GWAPW, LA and this. Thanks, Maria! Sophie, tu peut aller? The relationship between Griet and Vermeer plays out almost like a dance. The whole movie plays like that, a romance and a history told in waltz time. We are starting to see a difference between the female reviewers and the males. Chick flick. Thanks, Mari!

(Linda) ...and I thought those roles arrived with Father Christmas and the Easter Bunny;-) ROTFL...you mean they don't? Don't tell me that the tooth fairy has nothing to do with scripts too? Oooohhhh....I am grieved indeed. Grieved and shocked...but is is certain - absolutely certain? ;-) Even if ODB is a good boy? No scripts in his stocking? Thanks Mari....and Maria...that FF would be a blast, but I do think the DH will begin to draw the line somewhere. Dinard is just a short little 'boat ride' from the UK too. Wonder if ODB will attend?

Sorry if this has been posted, or if the source is unreliable. Rotten Tomatoes has the release date for T as Feb.27 (wide) http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Trauma-10003310/preview.php

(moon) Sophie, tu peut aller? aaargh! non, j'peux pas y aller ! due to previous engagements, i'll be a good 500 miles away from dinard... yeah, i can hear the chorus already, wot is 500 miles, etc... and to think that i don't even have a release date for france... oh well, i might be in l.a. this christmas.

(Linda) Rotten Tomatoes has the release date for T as Feb.27 (wide) The width of that release date is only as far as the Union Jack flies. That is when the film comes out in the UK only. The latest word (as of a week or two ago) is they haven't worked out the details yet on US distribution.

(Karen) The latest word (as of a week or two ago) is they haven't worked out the details yet on US distribution. GAH! Nearly had a heart attack thinking about LA in November, GWAPE in January and Trauma in February! Too much (Not! But you know what a mean...ODB Bliss Overload is a powerful thing)!! But, by your remark Karen, are we to then assume that there will be a US distribution on this film (getting ready to do Snoopy Dance in my cube)!??

2003 Fund Raising Status!! Over 75% There!! Before tallying up the results from our regional bake sales and kissing booths, I want to congratulate those Drooleurs who have been baking up luscious goodies and kissing anything with or without lips in the supreme service of Firthettes everywhere. Still, we need everyone of you, both active Drool participants and lurkers, to make this place viable for another fun-filled year. I want to thank all the wonderful people who have come forward, contacted me about making donations, and followed through with checks, money orders or PayPal transfers. What truly amazes me is the wonderful community of lurkers, who tell me how much they love it here at Drool and that it has become a fixture in their day. With the number of hits we get here, I know it is a daily *must visit* for many more who rely on Drool for current information on Colin and for the lively banter amongst die-hard Firthettes, with nothing better to do than eat chocolate truffles and paint their nails. Here's this week's list of Drool Darlings: So, let's keep this fund drive rolling and I hope to hear from more of you soon. If you're in another country and want to make a contribution, please email me at nomdedrool@yahoo.com to discuss your options. And, if I haven't emailed you an acknowledgment, then I haven't received your donation. Remember, as Colin has stated in many of his interviews:

One more Important administrative note. Nomdedrool has gotten off her #$%^^ and started to compile Drool Darling email listings by geographic area (UK, US, Eur, Asia, Australia, Planet Zharg, etc.) because there are a couple of offers that will be done in advance by email before being publicized here or on firth.com. Sorry to be cryptic about it, but, well, I like being cryptic when I'm not dragging my wet blanket around. ;-)

Renee in London last night: http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30500-12808239,00.html

Another Review http://www.reelfilm.com/tiff0302.htm#girl It doesn't really matter whether or not you're aware of the fact that Girl with a Pearl Earring is an actual painting from the 17th century; the film works as a drama involving a young peasant girl. Scarlett Johansson stars as Griet, a 17-year-old sent to work as a servant in the Vermeer household. Patriarch Johannes (Colin Firth) is a tortured painter that hardly seems to enjoy his work, but there's no denying his ample talent. But Vermeer's lack of inspiration changes after he spots Griet cleaning a window in his study, and though his family and village disapprove, Vermeer begins to paint the young woman. Unlike a lot of films set in this time period, Girl with a Pearl Earring manages to entertain throughout - primarily due to Griet's compelling nature. She's someone we sympathize with, and because it occasionally seems as if everyone is against her (particularly Vermeer's wife, who presumably suspects the two of having an affair), her plight becomes all-the-more intriguing. It's that fish-out-of-water lement that keeps the film interesting initially, with Griet working to insinuate herself into the lives of the Vermeer family (particularly Johannes, obviously). But as the movie progresses, it becomes more about Griet being painted secretly - which isn't quite as compelling as her attempts to blend into the household. Still, director Peter Webber (making his debut) does a fantastic job of establishing the Dutch landscape of the past; the poorer areas are dank and dirty, while the wealthy neighborhoods are as elegant and ornate as one might imagine. It's interesting to note that certain sequences - such as when Griet and a suitor walk through a forest - are shot in such a way as to look like paintings; as it turns out, this was intentional and such moments have been crafted to replicate actual, well-known paintings. *** out of ****

Great sleuthing Murph and Katty! Leaves me time to do my nails and eat those bon bons, hey Karen?;-) Where is that damn polish anyway..........

Remember the scapular/panic button everyone noticed around ODB's neck at the TIFF? He appears to be wearing the same thing in some of the location photos for Trauma ????

(Bonnie)Remember the scapular/panic button everyone noticed around ODB's neck at the TIFF? He appears to be wearing the same thing in some of the location photos for Trauma ???? Scapular? Perhaps the Lady in Red is a rogue Nun?;-)

dear droolers..since delurking, have not had the chance to participate...but have learned that for those of us who have not had the opportunity to see HS (as they have taken their sweet time distributing it in the US), have learned it is to open nation wide Dec 26. don't care if it's good or bad...can't wait for a new Firth fix...for us on this side of the pond, Nov and Dec will be banner months...hope this is something you can share....

*yanking my wet blanket back to the computer* (Lori) HS...have learned it is to open nation wide Dec 26. Afraid not. That date has been around since the April one was canceled way back in Feb or March. I thought the studio used that to indicate that it would be released by the end of the year, but it is truly meaningless. At that time of year, theater screens are at a premium for the potential Oscar contenders and the megablockbusters for the kiddies. No one dumps a film then. The date is totally bogus. (of course, I thought the Florida rumor was idiotic too) ;-)

My gawd! Taken for an upcoming magazine article perhaps? http://colinfirth.casa-feliz.net/images/categories.php?cat_id=107

Whoopsie Daisies, I see Maria had already posted it on Firthology. (Sorry, I figured they were "new";-)

Thanks for the pics Mari and Maria. He is just a dream.

Mari and Maria-Thank You for brightening my day!!!!! # 6 is the favorite.

Wow! Mari/Maria excellent find. Thank you. Firthology? I'll be right there!

(Pam)Thanks for the pics Mari and Maria. He is just a dream. You are sooo right! All I get in my woodpile is spiders and snakes.... What am I doing wrong? Lovely pics, I thank you.

Thanks for the pics Mari and Maria. I'll just have to repeat it again, That man is Gorgeous !

GWAPE at the Hamptons FF 10/22-26.. http://hiff.ezmweb.com/2003/hifffilms2003.pdf

GWAPE at the Hamptons FF 10/22-26. Season's over. Stephen Speilberg and that crowd are gone. Only the beachcombers & housekeepers are left;-((

For non-Acrobat folks, just go here and you can click on the schedule and then the page for GWAPE: http://hiff.ezmweb.com/2003/boxofficeinfo.asp It is playing in two theaters on Friday, Oct 24th.

From Daily Mail Growing up in Tasmania, Essie Davis�s artist father used to tell her that if something was worth doing, it was worth doing well. �Do it with all your heart�, he said,� she recalls. That advice seems to be at the core of what makes Ms Davis such a compelling actress. In the movie Girl With a Pearl Earring (based on Tracy Chevalier�s fictionalised tale about how Johannes Vermeer was inspired by a scullery maid to paint his masterpiece), Ms Davis has taken the supporting part of Vermeer�s wife Catharina (pictured right, opposite Colin Firth as Vermeer) and turned her into a tortured soul. I don�t know that I would have taken much interest in Vermeer�s wife without her fully-fleshed performance. In the film, Vermeer bans his family from the studio where he paints, but allows entry to the maid, played with rare grace by Scarlett Johansson. �It�s terribly undermining when the maid is allowed in, and there is obviously more than work to be done in there,� Essie said. �It must be terribly saddening to watch your husband get a new best friend,� she added. �I was very concerned that she shouldn�t just be the bad, pain-in-the-ass wife�. Essie succeeds in her aim. (We�ve seen the pic)

Would that be the 'fondling' pic? ;-)

LOL. Yeeeeees

(Bonnie)# 6 is the favorite Same here! To die for . . . sigh. This lady has quite a collection. Among my faves are the ones from the SIL Los Angeles premiere--too funny, they're all half shot. Check out # 7 in particular--now we know there was a third party involved in the Bennifer break-up. ;-) ;-)

When did this guy get get so verbose? I get muddled reading it, shaking my head up and down and then back and forth... 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. http://www.thehotbutton.com/today/hot.button/2003_thb/030908_mon.html

I have not seen this, but I often wondered how all of these storylines would play out be resolved. The guy has some valid points, though. But then, again, it's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback. Thanks Maria.

Thank you Maria! Odd that he keeps saying "eight story lines". I counted ten...and he did not mention the two that I disliked. The 'body doubles' and the 'condom boy'. Wish they would dump them...seems that they are forgettable enough. I'm not going to get into too many details about Love Actually. LOL! At least I warned you I would go on and on and on! He's a fibber! 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. I liked the suspended storylines, IRL we often don't know what happens to people we 'meet'. I like that Curtis left it up to the audience to work out/think about...I get tired of plots that are all nicely tied up and given Hollywood endings. Give me ambiguity and I'm a happy girl.

This originally appeared in the LA Times a couple of weeks ago, but I was too cheap to register for their subscription service.;-) True romance Even with Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson at his disposal, the writer of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Bridget Jones's Diary is still nervous, writes Patrick Goldstein. As the author of a series of wildly successful British film comedies and sitcoms, including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bean, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones's Diary, you would imagine Richard Curtis might have conquered his fear of failure by now. But when the engaging 46-year-old writer took the stage recently at the venerable Elgin Theatre at the Toronto Film Festival to introduce Love Actually, his much-anticipated debut film as a director, it was clear all he could think about was not glittering prizes but impending doom. He recalled that when Four Weddings was shown in Salt Lake City, Utah, during a Sundance Film Festival in the early 1990s, a volley of obscenities that Hugh Grant sputtered at the beginning of the film didn't go over especially well with a large Mormon contingent in the audience. "Before the credits were over," Curtis dryly recalled, "47 very large people walked out of the theatre." History did not repeat itself in Toronto more recently. Packed with an all-star ensemble of British comedic actors, as well as a couple of American imports, Love Actually earned a rousing reception from the packed house. Set largely in London at Christmas, it weaves together an array of romantic entanglements, some broadly funny, others bittersweet. As with Curtis's other films, the humour is layered with authentic emotion - the wry comedy of awkward situations and rude surprises, as well as the wincing humour of longing and heartbreak. The jokes are stoked by Curtis's abiding affection for pop culture, whether in a scene where a bereaved husband blasts the Bay City Rollers at his wife's funeral, or a vignette at 10 Downing Street, where the prime minister, played by Grant, looks for inspiration from a photograph of Margaret Thatcher, muttering under his breath, "Oh, you saucy minx". Due out in December, the film features the return of such Curtis regulars as Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson and Rowan Atkinson, plus Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley and Bill Nighy, who plays an ageing rock star trying to make a comeback with a holiday-season remake of the lowbrow pop standard Love Is All Around. As in most Curtis films, love is the inspiration for both the story and the laughs, though the media-shy writer-director, who has only rarely given interviews until now, is loath to analyse the reasons behind his preoccupation with the subject. When asked for an explanation over lunch the day after his premiere, Curtis has quite a comeback. "I'm sure my girlfriend Emma could get to the bottom of it," he says, "since she's a real Freud - Sigmund Freud's great-granddaughter. But I haven't asked." Curtis sighs and stares at his soup. "A lot of it has to do with my first real girlfriend leaving me. I suppose I've been trying to repair the damage ever since." He cannily pauses for a moment before adding: "I guess I owe her a lot of money for sleeping with that other guy." As someone whose films are unabashedly commercial, Curtis is hardly the sort of edgy artiste you would expect to see at a film festival like this. But in the past couple of years, the Toronto festival has undergone a transformation, presenting Hollywood fare alongside obscure Korean dramas and Brazilian documentaries. Nearly every studio has a big release here, including such star-driven films as Matchstick Men (Warner Bros), Out of Time (MGM), School of Rock (Paramount), Veronica Guerin (Disney) and The Human Stain (Miramax). Love Actually is sure to cause a mini-stir in England for Grant's depiction of a bachelor prime minister who takes potshots at Tony Blair and falls for a quirky female staffer. (When she complains about her nasty ex-boyfriend, he says, "You know, being prime minister, I could just have him killed.") It also offers a tart political exchange between Grant and Billy Bob Thornton, who plays a bellicose, philandering American president that Curtis views as a partial mix of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Curtis dreamed up the idea for the movie while in Bali on a six-month "life-experiment vacation" with his family, which includes girlfriend Freud and three young children. Forced to take a long walk each day to cure a back ailment, he gave himself the job of recalling the various romances he and his friends had experienced. Firth, for example, plays a broken-hearted writer who escapes to the south of France, where he falls in love with his housekeeper; she speaks only Portuguese, he only English. The inspiration came from a vacation Curtis and Freud took in the south of France; Curtis drove their beautiful housekeeper home each day, though neither spoke the same language. No romance ensued. "Still, it gave me plenty of time to think of plot points." Curtis has worked almost exclusively in recent years with the people he knows best, Working Title producers Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan. It was Bevan, before Working Title was founded, who produced The Tall Guy, Curtis's first film. "You won't find many people who've had an easier ride in movies than I," he says. "And that's almost entirely due to Tim and Eric." It's a sign of the producers' value for Curtis's work that, starting with Notting Hill, he has had final cut on his films, picking the directors as well as most of the cast. "Richard has been in the cutting room for years. His sense of quality control is as refined as anybody I've known," says Bevan. Finally, on Love Actually, Curtis put himself in the director's chair. "I really got the urge in the editing room," he says. "I found myself longing to see the things underneath a performance - for example, the vulnerability underneath a character's ambition. I really was a monster. I'd have a particular delivery for a line in mind and I couldn't understand why the director wouldn't get it for me. So I'd bully them until we got it and then we'd look at the rushes and I couldn't tell which version was mine after all." The best surprise of being on set each day was seeing how the actors constantly breathed fresh life into his script. After watching the footage of a brief sequence between Neeson and the boy playing his young stepson, Curtis says, "I cut a 10-minute explanation of their relationship out of the film, simply because after you saw Liam's body language and heard the pitch of his voice, you didn't need it. That's a truth you get from the actor that's deeper than anything you can write." - Los Angeles Times

Thanks, Mari, for the article. More has been added to the official site for Love Actually, though nothing important or even additional pics of Colin (still a big goose egg): http://www.loveactuallythemovie.com/

Gah! Non gore Trauma pics!!(And look, leather necklace/leash etc. still on neck!) And bed head for Tress!! http://www.myriadpictures.com/film.php?film=17

Maria, thank you so much! And thanks to all for the article, reviews, news and all. Believe I am grateful for every detail, provided to this great place, even though I don't post my gratitude that often ! About the necklace, a friend suggested it could be a medalion of some sort (perhaps Sct. Christopher, protecter of travellers or something like that). Perhaps Livia is Catholic and he got it from her??? BlackStar has set a releasedate for Hope Springs, dvd (R2) to Dec. 6th, 2003. They are usually very accurate in their dates, so I hope this is correct.

(Tress)And bed head for Tress!! ...and stubble for Linda. LOL, everytime you say 'bed head' I think hair products. (Tress)And look, leather necklace/leash Leash? LMAO. Electrically charged or plain?

(Linda)Leash? LMAO. Electrically charged or plain? LOL. Can't help but recall the line in FF in the convenience store when they are watching and commenting on the lady stacking cat food and Ms. Zane's character says to Joe, "You come when I call." ;-)

About the necklace, a friend suggested it could be a medalion of some sort (perhaps Sct. Christopher, protecter of travellers or something like that). Perhaps Livia is Catholic and he got it from her??? I assumed it was a medal of some sort. We have Catholic friends that wear a necklace with a Saint's medallion all the time. Even if he's not Catholic, it could be some symbol that he feels very strongly about. Michelle

(Maria) And bed head for Tress!! GAH! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Thanks Maria for the traumatic find! Scarred, scruffy and in need of a hug! I'm dying to know what's at the end of the leash (besides the "If lost, please call Tress for immediate pick-up" thing ;-D) and am wondering if it is the same thing he had on in Toronto. I bet it could be a medalion of some sort. The shirt he wore to TIFF was pretty snug. Pics show no evidence of anything big/bulky (ID/Pass or rumored panic button). Hopefully we'll get to see in Trauma!!! Can't wait for this one.

He loves this hidden look...

(Mary)He loves this hidden look... And it loves him back! Thanks Mary! (Tress)I'm dying to know what's at the end of the leash He seems so fond of it lately, my guess is that it is kid-made or related...awwww (getting sentimental about something I just made up..sheesh..)

(synopsis of "Trauma" from site) When he learns that his wife, Elisa, was killed in the accident, his entire world collapses.... But his mind starts playing tricks on him. Elisa, Elisa, can you hear me, Elisa? ;-) (Tress)I'm dying to know what's at the end of the leash Do you mean aside from the red fingernail? ;-)

(Karen)More has been added to the official site for Love Actually, http://www.loveactuallythemovie.com/ Thanks, Karen--I just checked and they've added quite a bit today, including a much better (i.e., lotsa Colin;-) trailer! Nice find on the Trauma site, Maria--thanks. (Lisa)Do you mean aside from the red fingernail? ;-) Heh, heh, heh.:-)

Thanks for the finding the pics, Maria. They're high enough resolution to enlarge very well and have put them here: http://www.firth.com/trauma_gal1.html

"News" item from today's Mail on Sunday: I'm too sexy for my role TV star is cut from film for "stealing show" off Colin Firth By Claire Newbon His brilliant performance as Chancellor Gordon Brown in The Deal, the TV drama about the battle for the Labour leadership, won rave reviews. But David Morrissey says his next role, in the British film Girl With A Pearl Earring, has been edited out after producers realised his performances were overshadowing those of his co-star, Colin Firth. "Apparently they had real trouble in every scene I was in with Colin," said Morrissey, 40, last night. "All the tests they did, showing the film to an audience to gauge reaction, ended up with people saying, "Which guy are you supposed to fancy?" "So they have re-edited it and I have ended up on the cutting room floor. Angry? No - but I'm obviously rather disappointed." That disappointment is magnified by the producers tipping the film to be a strong contender at next year's Oscars ceremony. Liverpool-born Morrissey recorded his scenes earlier this year with Firth, who became a heart-throb after starring in TV's Pride and Prejudice. Firth plays artist Johannes Vermeer in the new film, based on a best-selling novel by Tracey Chevalier. Morrissey had been due to play 17th century scientist Antony van Leeuwenhoek, Vermeer's close friend and neighbour who achieved some of the greatest discoveries in the history of biology. The film also stars Essie Davis. Morrissey, whose long-term partner is novelist and former actress Esther Freud, has enjoyed a successful TV career. Earlier his year, he starred in the political drama State Of Play and won plaudits for his role as Kiffer Finzi in Hillary and Jackie, the 1998 biopic about Jacqueline du Pre, the brilliant British cellist who died from Multiple Sclerosis. His movie career has been less high profile and his last Hollywood part was a small role in the 2001 film Captain Corelli's Mandolin, which had mixed reviews. Last night producer Andy Paterson confirmed Morrissey had been edited out of GWAPE but denied the decision had been based on findings from a test audience. Paterson suggested that Morrissey had only been joking when he said that the decision had been taken to protect Firth's sex-symbol status. "David is an extraordinary actor but we really wanted to tell the story through the main character's eyes and for reasons of adaptation we found that David's part took you away from that," he said. "He has been very grown-up about what has happened and he knows how things work and that this is all part of the process. "He is a great mate of mine and Colin's and he also knows the author, Tracy Chevalier, so I can't imagine that there would be a problem." Text accompanied by pic of DM as himself and smaller one of CF and ED in GWAPE (the fondle scene).

Thanks Barbara, but it looks like this joking comment by Morrissey is destined to be repeated everywhere and taken seriously. If Paterson is such a good friend of DM's, he better tell him to cut it out but I guess it is too late as the quip is out of the bag. ;-) As if anyone could believe DM being more sexy than Colin...

You might want to read the review posted here: http://www.lff.org.uk/films_details.php?FilmID=99

Courtesy of Jennie, from the August/October 2003 issue of Schuh magazine (http://www.schuhmagazine.co.uk/) thought the entire article is not online FIRTH IMPRESSIONS by Mike Davies Renowned for his portrayal of two Darcys, one in period drama Pride & Prejudice and the other in box office smash Bridget Jones's Diary, Mike Davies finds out there's more to Colin Firth than meets the eye. An updated rework of 1958 romance The Reluctant Debutante given a Disneyfied makeover, there's a scene in What a Girl Wants which Colin Firth is hardly likely to forget. And it's a safe bet audiences will find it rather memorable too. Firth plays Lord Henry Dashwood, a man who's become weighed down by the responsibilities of an aristocratic family tradition and a blossoming political career and has forgotten that long ago, when he fell in love with a free thinking, beautiful young American he viewed the world in a rather different way and knew how to let his hair down. Back then he married the liberated Libby (Kelly Preston) in a romantic Moroccan ceremony but events - and his self-interested advisers - conspired to break up the romance. What he didn't know, until she turns up unexpectedly on his doorstep, was that he'd also fathered a child, Daphne (Amanda Bynes). And when this lively American teenager finally seeks out the father she's never know, his life is turned upside down. Misspent Youth Henry begins to remember what it was like when he rode a moteorbike and listened to the music he loved. Which gives rise to the scene in question as Firth pulls on his leather trousers and stands in front of a mirror giving it some serious air guitar to very loud rock music. The 43 year old Firth breaks into a huge grin. "Yes, dancing in leather trousers. I did wonder if there's a good chance it could kill my career," he laughs. "I very rarely get asked to do the self-mockery thing on a big scale. I certainly very rarely get asked to do it in front of a mirror! And I spent most of my youth doing exactly that. I mean, that was me. Far more than the guy in the suit I'm sort of known for playing." As yes, the guy in the suit. If even he believes that's how people think of him, doesn't this tend to suggest that, like Hugh Grant, Firth's got himself pigeonholed as, well, the Colin Firth character. "Actually I think the Colin Firth character is probably more easily identified by other people than by me," he says running a hand through casually tousled hair. "I usually get asked about the type of character I've been playing - the stiff English gentleman who's always in a suit or always in period costume or always confused. It used to be that I was always paranoid or that I was a loser. There's usually one character type that you seem to associate yourself with at one time or other." Born in Grayshott, Hampshire, Firth made his stage debut in the school panto as Jack Frost but it was while playing Hamlet during his final term at Chalk Farm Drama Centre in 1982 that he was discovered, making his stage debut opposite Rupert Everett in Another Country based on the Maclean/Burgess spy scandal, reprising their roles for the 1984 film version. However, obscurity beckoned and Firth spent much of the next decade going largely unnoticed. But then came the BBC's Pride & Prejudice placing him firmly into the spotlight as the thinking woman's crumpet. And it's there he's remained. For a long time, though, it did seem Firth was forever going to be seen only as Mr Darcy. More specifically Mr Darcy in that wet shirt image of sex on period drama legs. And just when it looked like the fuss was dying down what did he go and do? Bridget Jones's Diary playing someone called, that's right, Darcy. However, while he admits it's hard to get through an interview without the words "Pride & Prejudice" cropping up at some point, Firth has long since put it into perspective. "I don't think the Darcy thing will go away. If I brought about world peach the headlines would read, 'Mr Darcy solves world peace', but apart from the problem of trying to think of anything clever to say about it, the pin-up tag doesn't encroach on my life at all. I suppose there's worse things to be known for." Big Daddy Firth genuinely doesn't seem fussed about public perceptions nor does he dispute that the characters he plays can seem similar, because to some extent all parts are autobiographical. "Acting tens to be perceived as the art of transforming yourself", he muses. "I actually don't see it like that. With a couple of very notable exceptions I think all actors are pretty sameish in most of what they do." "And there's nothing wrong with that. I have made attempts - with greater or lesser success - at transformation. I find it quite a fun exercise, but I find it far more interesting taking whatever it is that I might bring to a situation and apply it to the [Ed note: something missing]. In fact it's harder in some ways to play a character closer to yourself than someone wildly different." So what is it that will tip the decision in favour of taking on a movie? "It can be the people you'd be working with, it could be the pay cheque, depending on the circumstances. Often it doesn't occur to me until I get asked that some things can be perceived as repeating oneself to the point of typecasting." Although most people probably won't clock the fact, What a Girl Wants isn't the first film for which Firth's taken parental duties on board either. He was also a dad in Hugh Hudson's barely seen My Life So Far. "Yeah, I was father of an already grown person in that one too. You'd think you'd start with a newborn baby wouldn't you, and work you way up." He laughs. Fairytale Fantasy It wasn't that though that almost caused him to pass on the movie. "I didn't take an interest in it initially. I was scanning the horizon for something and it didn't strike me as very new territory for me for obvious reasons. It's fairytale stuff and I was always slightly split about the whole issue of fairytale escapism versus keeping a foot in reality." However, director Dennie Gordon flew over to convince him to take the role. "She did say she wanted me to the exclusion of anyone else, which is quite a seductive thing to hear. We chatted and what often happens is that it starts to get personal and becomes an issue about working with someone you've started to know and like and you can get involved without realising you are involved. With What a Girl Wants I liked Dennie and I really started to like this guy Henry. Despite the trappings of his character, I actually found him strangely believable and it didn't feel like some of the characters I've played before." Even the whole fantasy thing grew on him. "What I really liked is how much it owns up to being a fairytale. It practically starts with Once Upon a Time...And it makes no bones about giving a very mythological view of London." Following on from the romantic comedy Hope Springs earlier this year, What a Girl Wants seems to be just the tip of a whole flurry of Firth movies. In November he dons a smock to play 17th century Dutch artist Vermeer in Girl with a Pearl Earring ("a bit ironic because I have no artistic talent whatsoever and it entailed hours of lessons just to look like someone who wouldn't drop his paintbrush"), to be followed a couple of weeks later playing a cuckolded husband in Love Actually, an ensemble romantic comedy that marks the directing debut of Bridget Jones's screenwriter Richard Curtis and reunites Colin with its co-star Hugh Grant. Then next year will see him ringing the dramatic changes with the Hitchcockian thriller Trauma as a man who wakes up from a coma to learn his wife died in the car accident. Trying to put his life back together he suddenly starts seeing her everywhere. Thinking he's losing it he visits a therapist who takes him to a psychic who chillingly says they think his wife might actually be alive. He's also due to travel to South Africa to film The Dead Wait playing a South African army officer in a story of retribution that spans 20 years from the bloody Angolan War of 1983 to present day South Africa. And, of course, there's the much anticipated Bridget Jones sequel, The Edge of Reason which, after a lengthy "on again off again" saga is finally set to go before the cameras now that Renee Zellweger has accepted a modest �15 million (a mere �13.5 million more than her fee for the original) to pile the pounds back on. Firth will be back as Mark Darcy, now Bridget's live-in lover, but despite appearing in the book he won't be called upon to play himself. "No," he smiles, "I think that will be cut out."

(Karen)As if anyone could believe DM being more sexy than Colin... In his dreams. Though DM does have a better American accent Thanks Jennie, Karen and Mari.But I can't get the railer to work on the LA site. "He's also due to travel to South Africa to film The Dead Wait playing a South African army officer in a story of retribution that spans 20 years from the bloody Angolan War of 1983 to present day South Africa. " There ya' go Leah. Glad to see this one mentioned. I don't want that book to take residence on my night table;-)

Sort of a Sixteen magazine or Tiger Beat type thing (am aging myself!) , courtesy of JennieT too: http://www.firth.com/articles/03womansown_929.html FYI, they've used a pic from the Rome Press Conference for TIOBE, in the hotel courtyard, leaning on a column.

(Evelyn)Thanks Jennie, Karen and Mari.But I can't get the railer to work on the LA site, I could only get it to work using Quicktime. Windows media was distorted. Ditto the thank you to Jennie, Karen and Mari. However, I can't get the link to work from Karen's post. (Evelyn)Glad to see this one mentioned. I don't want that book to take residence on my night table;-) Is it safe to read, yet? (Karen)Tiger Beat...Wow, was that a blast from the past...ah Bobby Sherman and Davy Jones.....

(closing tags)

Thank you all for the news and articles. :-) Nothing here, that we haven't seen before, but I do like this picture and the comments, switching over the site: http://www.girlwithapearlearringmovie.com/

Which link doesn't work?

Thank you ladies! The cf site gets better and better, Karen, thank you! Tokyo is a hugely seductive presence, gorgeous looking From the London FF. The same reviewer of GWAPE did Lost in Translation and she actually thought Tokyo looked gorgeous and Colin was tolerable as Vermeer? She is really out of it. Morrissey, whose long-term partner is novelist and former actress Esther Freud I wonder if Esther is related to Curtis's girlfirend who is also a Freud?

Yes, the Freuds are all related. Esther is the daughter of the painter Lucien and great-grandaughter of Sigmund. Matthew and Emma (Richard Curtis' partner) are cousins).

Thanks for all the goodies Karen (lovely 'blown up' bed head pic is getting a lot of viewing from me), Barbara, Murph (for 'hidden ODB' pics), JennieT.... Love this version of the LA trailer. (Maria) He seems so fond of it lately, my guess is that it is kid-made or related...awwww (getting sentimental about something I just made up..sheesh..) ROTFL...... (Karen) Sort of a Sixteen magazine or Tiger Beat type thing (am aging myself!) , courtesy of JennieT too: LOL! I remember those articles!!! I am just thankful that Tiger Beat doesn't make magazines for 'big girls'. The DH wouldn't be able to take it....and I don't like the idea of removing staples from ODB's abdomen to pin him up over my bed! ;-)

(Karen)Which link doesn't work? It works for me, now. It was the Love It Loathe It. Thank you

*Loved* Tiger Beat! (CF) I don't like it when someone comes up to me with a scrap of paper and a borrowed pen, and says, "Ere, sign this." I don't mind being recognised or signing autographs, but there is a well-mannered way of asking.... .....though I don't mind whining at me from behind. If I get annoyed, I just hand back the pen, point first, so it jabs them in the hand. ;-D

(Dorine)though I don't mind whining at me from behind. If I get annoyed ...I take refuge in the loo;-)

(Dorine) though I don't mind whining at me from behind. If I get annoyed.... (Linda) ...I take refuge in the loo;-) LOL...hey! I think I'm being mocked! ;-D That's alright....I am merely a 'fledgling fan'. Despite my numerous blunders, ODB was very kind (i.e. he didn't scream for security to haul me away). If he meant to poke me, he did it with panache and it was greatly enjoyed....the run to the loo I feel badly about....but he was staring....and then I was staring....and I'd still be there if he hadn't made a break for it. So thank goodness he had enough wits about him to run...quickly.....away.......;-D

Thanks Mari, Karen, Maria and anyone else I missed for all the reviews and links. Love the new Trauma pics, Maria. Have we seen ODB in anything other than that faded blue pullover in the Trauma pics? I am very curious about this film. Hope it is in the Hitchcock vein and not just another bloody horror film. Tress, I thought we had established that ODB was simply waiting for Scarlett outside the loo, and not hiding from you;-) You are still my hero!

Just saw this on aolnews: Updated: 09:40 PM EDT Pearl Earring' wins top prize at Dinard By Shiraz Sidhva, Reuters DINARD, France (Hollywood Reporter) - Director Peter Webber's visually striking film "Girl With a Pearl Earring," starring Colin Firth and Scarlett Johannson, won the top award on Sunday, at the 14th Dinard Festival of British Films. Inspired by the enigmatic painting of the same name by 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, the film was a "technical tour de force," according to French producer Charles Gassot, who headed the jury of eight. The anonymous girl in the painting and the fact that there is little on record of the Dutch master's life, has generated centuries of historical speculation and three recent books. The film is based on Tracy Chevalier's eponymous tale of a young girl, Griet, who finds work in Vermeer's prosperous Delft household in the 1660s, after her family loses its fortune. The 16-year old girl attracts the master painter's attention and becomes his model until she is driven out of the house by the painter's jealous, perpetually pregnant wife and his meddling mother-in-law.

(Evelyn)"He's also due to travel to South Africa to film The Dead Wait playing a South African army officer in a story of retribution that spans 20 years from the bloody Angolan War of 1983 to present day South Africa. " There ya' go Leah. Glad to see this one mentioned. I don't want that book to take residence on my night table;-) I'm also glad it is mentioned. I am waiting patiently, VERY patiently ;-) and I can be so good at being patient. ;-);-)

So sorry I forgot to thank Annette for the link to the GWAPE poster. This one certainly produces vibratons and I can't wait to see it on the big screen. Our smoulderer is back in full force!! I keep telling myself that January is just around the corner.

Seattle Times on the Toronto FF films: A world away is "Girl with a Pearl Earring," based on Tracy Chevalier's novel. A quietly soulful first feature from British director Peter Webber, it's less about character and drama than about the way golden light from a dusty window catches a young woman's face. Colin Firth is the brooding 17th-century Dutch artist Vermeer, Scarlett Johansson is the servant girl who becomes his muse, and every frame of the film is ravishingly beautiful, thanks to Eduardo Serra's cinematography. Not much happens, but audiences will be far too busy devouring this gorgeous film with their eyes to care.

Following up on Ada's news . . . Firth, Johansson Vehicle Wins Top Prize Mon, Oct 06, 2003, 09:10 AM PT LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Known to many singletons as Mark Darcy, Colin Firth, along with his co-star, Scarlett Johansson, had something to celebrate over the weekend. Their latest movie, "Girl With a Pearl Earring," won the top prize at Dinard, a French film festival solely dedicated to British cinema, according the BBC. The film was awarded the Hitchcock D'Or prize, named for the legendary director, Alfred Hitchcock, who once lived in the Brittany town where the festival is held. Making his big screen debut is director Peter Webber. The film also stars veteran actor Tom Wilkinson and Essie Davis, who portrayed Maggie in "The Matrix Reloaded." Based on the novel by Tracy Chevalier, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" tells the tale of a 16-year-old Dutch girl (Johansson) who becomes a maid in the house of the painter Johannes Vermeer. She consequently becomes the subject of one of his most famous paintings. Johansson ("Ghost World," "The Horse Whisperer") can currently be seen in Sophia Coppola's indie hit, "Lost in Translation" alongside Bill Murray. Firth is busy reprising his role of Mark Darcy in the upcoming "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" which also stars Renee Zellweger. "Girl with a Pearl Earring" will be released in New York and Los Angeles in December.

From Box Office mag: GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING **1/2 "Girl With a Pearl Earring" is an adaptation of the kind of feminist fiction that is often no more than a high-art equivalent of Harlequin romance. This setting for 16th-century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer's famous portrait is told from the point of view of the maidservant who sat for it. Although it's an elegantly lit and beautifully composed literary conceit, the hushed tones of the picture are the kind usually reserved for lighting incense sticks instead. Colin Firth plays the tempestuous painter like a muted Heathcliff still prowling the moors in "Wuthering Heights." Tom Wilkinson, portraying the morally corrupt art patron who keeps Vermeer alive, goes in the opposite direction. He acts up a storm as if he thought the camera might forget that he's there. Only Scarlett Johansson as Griet, the subject of Vermeer's painting, gives a delicately nuanced performance. In what is essentially a pantomime role, Johansson infuses her character with enough emotional shadings to bring the painting to life for us. In "Girl With a Pearl Earring," she is the only gem among the scrap jewelry.-Kevin Courrier

Thaks, Mari and Ada. This bodes very well for the BAFTAS.

(Moon)This bodes very well for the BAFTAS.. My thoughts, exactly. V.exciting news, indeed! Thanks Mari, Ada, and Karen for the GWAPE/Dinard news

In addition to the Grand Prize, voted on by the judges, GWAPE also won the the Public Prize at the Dinard Film Festival, which I assume means it was voted best by the public. http://www.festivaldufilm-dinard.com/ "Girl with a Pearl Earring" de Peter Webber a re�u l'Hitchcock d'Or' (Grand Prix) et l'Hitchcock d'Argent (Prix du Public). " I'm surprised that it didn't also win the photography prize, since it was such a " "technical tour de force," and all critics agree that the cinematography was great, but maybe the judges wanted to spread the prizes out more. Dinard is a film festival that only includes British films, and GWAPE was in the running with only 5 other films I never heard of, but it still gives you hope that the film will be a success.

Saw an ad in this week's Entertainment Weekly for an advance screening of LA in certain U.S. cities. No VaBch (of course:-(.) but Philly, DC, NY, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, LA, SanFran. To win free passes go to www.ew.com/freescreening and register.

Colin is scheduled to be on E! News Live this Friday, October 10. Show airs at 7 PM. From their website: Lynda Lopez travels to London for a sit-down interview with Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson and Colin Firth for their new movie Love Actually. Also, I saw the new GWAPE book in stores today, with the poster photo on the cover. Says "now a major motion picture." Also has a quote from Time mag (concerning the book) on the front. No pics inside.:-(

(Mari) Colin is scheduled to be on E! News Live this Friday, October 10 Oh, goodie! Hola did say this was the weekend for the LA press junkets there. More lovely courses to go! :-)

Re: the Box Office Mag review... Good grief. What crawled up that critic and died??? Obviously predisposed to dislike it based (his?) opinion of books written about and by women. Shouldn't have reviewed it since so clearly biased.

Have been away from Drooling in order to keep a sense of respect for Yom Kippur. But now's time to crawl back to the fun! (Meg)Good grief. What crawled up that critic and died??? LOL! Everyone is entitiled to her or his own opinion, right? But yes, he's obviously still wrong. ;-) (Ada)...an advance screening of LA in certain U.S. cities...Atlanta... Thanks Ada! For once something comes to my home town. Have no idea why I signed up for it, though, as I will be with the Drooler's contingent in NY. Maybe passes could be transferable from city to city... Of course, must win passes first. (Katty)"Girl with a Pearl Earring" de Peter Webber a re�u l'Hitchcock d'Or' (Grand Prix) et l'Hitchcock d'Argent (Prix du Public)." Bravo! May the accolades continue to come!!!

The new Premiere Mag with RZ on the cover also with interview. Nothing new on TEOR or Colin. Tells the interviewer she can't reveal much of the story, but that it follows the book [Ed Note: "Duh"]. But on page 40 there there is a nice paragraph ...top of page... ON LOCATION LONDON What if you woke up from a coma following a car accident that killed your wife and found the country mourning for a celebrity, like, say, Princess Diana, or a pop star? How would your grief measure up to the grief of a nation? Thus begins TRAUMA , a psychological thriller in which a widower (Colin Firth) starts seeing his dead wife around his creepy new apartment; meanwhile, his ethereal neighbor (Mena Suvari) begins introducing him to the spirit world. "You don't know if she's real or not." Suvari says of her character. "It's about someone whose grief leads him to a kind of madness," says director Marc Evans (My Little Eye) , on location at London's run-down St. Pancras Chambers,perhaps best known as the point of departure for the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films. "It reminded me a little bit of paranoia films I liked in the '70s, some of the Polanski films and Don't Look Now" Firth says. "It's unashamedly trying to mess with your mind." ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Accompanied with small map of UK with location on London and two head shots of Colin and MS. St. Pancras is about the closest he ever got to the Harry Potter films;-((

Thanks ladies for all the news bits. The Fall 2003 issue of FLM magazine, which you pick up free at Landmark Cinemas has a small listing for GWAPE, with usual pic of Colin and SJ, with one paragraph story synopsis. Hopefully, there will be a bigger article in the Winter edition.

Thanks, Evelyn, Katty and Mari. Let the games begin! Even Trauuuuuma news in Premiere. Excellent!

An interview with Laura Linney, talking a little bit about LA: http://www.darkhorizons.com/news03/laura.htm

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for all the news and pics. This is going to be such a great time.

Lion's Gate has the Academy and guild screening sessions set up for GWAPE: http://www.lionsgateawards.com/index_flash.html#

From Film Threat's Telluride FF round-up: An ebullient Peter Webber introduced his superb �Girl With a Pearl Earring� (****), based on the best-selling novel. Beautifully shot, the film is an extrapolation on the creation of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, played by Colin Firth with his usual aplomb. Marked by stunning cinematography evoking Vermeer�s work and a particularly effective score, Webber�s �Earring,� featuring a tour de force by actress Scarlett Johansson, was another fest highlight.

Thanks for the screening info, Mari! Wonder if there's a limit on the # of RSVP's. ;-D

A couple of relevant sections from Martin Grove's column: Although it would be nice to think that all movies put up for Academy consideration or for consideration in other key awards races have an equal chance of being seen, that's just not the case. There always have been the big movies that everybody's dying to see and that generate immediate RSVPs when their screening invitations are received. These are films that people have no problem making time to see. You don't have to ask your spouse if she or he wants to go because you know instantly that they'll be thrilled to go. Some recent examples of such films are "Intolerable Cruelty" and "Love Actually," both from Universal....As for "Love Actually," here we're talking about writer-director Richard Curtis, who wrote "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Notting Hill" and "Bridget Jones's Diary." And we're talking about an ensemble cast including the likes of Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Colin Firth. Plus, we're talking about a film that looks terrific because it's set in London during the Christmas seaso . You'd have to be crazy not to go to a screening of "Love Actually! " [...] Of course, a good question is whether the pirates want to copy and then try to sell movies that nobody's really heard of. Only a handful of the pictures entering the year-end marketplace are really the kind of high profile blockbusters that a self-respecting pirate would stoop to digitizing....I'd be surprised if there were pirates out there drooling over the prospects of copying lower-profile films like "21 Grams," "Girl With a Pearl Earring" and "The Company." I don't mean to suggest that these aren't good movies. It's just that at this point they're still waiting to be acclaimed by the critics and endorsed by the awards givers. After that happens, the pirates may well want them, too. But for now it's hard to make a case that sending out DVD screeners of such films would result in global piracy. ~~~~~~ While I don't think all that much about Grove, he does explain the realities of situation on voters. You can read the whole thing here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/columns/grove_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1995638

They are chatting on BBC London this morning about who our celebrity leader should be after Arnie's win (oh my) - Colin has been mentioned. I like it.

I'd be surprised if there were pirates out there drooling over the prospects of copying lower-profile films like "21 Grams," "Girl With a Pearl Earring" and.... Ha ha ha ha, hee hee hee....ROTF!

(EmmaB)They are chatting on BBC London this morning about who our celebrity leader should be after Arnie's win (oh my) - Colin has been mentioned. OPB (Our Politico Boy) would love it.LOL;-)

(Emma), They are chatting on BBC London this morning about who our celebrity leader should be after Arnie's win (oh my) - Colin has been mentioned. I like it. You mean after Arnold California celebrity leader, England is looking for one? ;-) What exactly is that about? There always have been the big movies that everybody's dying to see and that generate immediate RSVPs when their screening invitations are received. That always happens. The independents are just going to have to offer popcorn or frapuccinos at their screenings. ;-)

Interesting tidbit from an Atlanta newspaper about this super scholar-athlete with EXCELLENT taste: http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/1065604772149760.xml Female Scholar-Athlete of the week "Year: Senior; Sport: Volleyball. Academic highlights: Rachel has a 4.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 weighted scale, scored 32 on the ACT and 1,460 on the SAT... ...If you could have dinner with anyone of your choosing, who would it be? I would have dinner with COLIN FIRTH because I love him as Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice," and it's fun to talk to anyone who has a British accent..."

I would have dinner with COLIN FIRTH because I love him as Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice," That's why she's the Scholar of the week;-)Smart gel.

"I would have dinner with COLIN FIRTH because I love him as Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice," Indeed a young woman with great taste. And I would offer him dessert as well;-)