Beatrix Potter was one of my favourite authors when younger (not just of family literature but overall), being captivated not just by her use of language and her characters but also her illustrations. As a young adult her stories and characters are still timeless, some like Peter Rabbit being iconic in children's literature. 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' was the story that introduced me to her work and to this day it is still one of my favourites of her stories. 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' is the first of three Beatrix Potter stories that Rabbit Ears Productions adapted as part of their children's literature animated series.
The other two being 'The Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher' and 'The Tailor of Gloucester' (the latter being another favourite story of hers). Of the three it's the best in my view and is immensely well crafted and charming in its own way. It is ever so slightly disappointing at the same time, as whereas some of the company's adaptations were definitive versions of their respective source material (i.e. 'The Steadfast Tin Soldier' and the 'Just So Stories' adaptations were exactly as they should be done) their Beatrix Potter adaptations will always be inevitably compared by anybody familiar with the brilliant 'The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends' series and none of them compare to that series' adaptations of the stories in question. That is not disparaging 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit', it is great and doesn't really have anything wrong with it. Just not as good.
Animation is lovingly done and very elegant in its simplicity. The use of pastels and images being moved throughout the scene were done very effectively, the latter doesn't look limited or cheap at all and suit the mood well without any overused gimmickery involved. Will admit though there is a personal preference for the watercolour painting/drawing animation style for the 'The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends' adaptation, which is truer to Potter's illustrations.
Likewise to preferring the music in that adaptation, though will say that that aspect is very well done in this one regardless as well. It's simpler, in terms of how many instruments are involved and the slightly gentler tone but is in perfect harmony with the story and the animation style and has lively moments too. The writing has every ounce of the charm that the original story's prose had. The same goes for the story, which is just as entertaining but also a little quieter. Managing to be very faithful to the story in detail and spirit.
Meryl Streep's soothing narration delivery suits the material beautifully, it is so lovingly maternal and so well suited to bedtime storytelling. Which is exactly the right approach in my view, have always gotten the impression that the bedtime story approach in the narration delivery was intended in all the Rabbit Ears Productions' adaptations (that was certainly what some of the original authors had in mind and specified, namely Rudyard Kipling with 'Just So Stories') and that was often done incredibly well. Streep was one of the series' better narrators in this regard.
In conclusion, great adaptation but not the definitive version of the story. 9/10
