L'école de tous les talents

"Ballet Shoes," released in 2007 and directed by Sandra Goldbacher, is a heartwarming tale based on the novel of the same name by Noel Streatfeild. Set in 1930s London, the film follows the lives of three adopted sisters - Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil - as they navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with pursuing their dreams of becoming performers.

The story begins with the three sisters living in poverty with their guardian, Sylvia Brown, who struggles to make ends meet. When Sylvia leaves to travel the world, she entrusts the care of the girls to her friend, Gum, who runs a boarding house. Despite their modest upbringing, the sisters share a deep love for the arts, each possessing unique talents and aspirations.

Pauline dreams of becoming an actress and eagerly embraces the opportunity to audition for the prestigious Children's Academy of Dramatic Arts. Petrova, on the other hand, is more interested in machines and dreams of becoming an aviator. Posy, the youngest sister, is a gifted dancer with a passion for ballet.

As the sisters pursue their respective passions, they encounter various challenges and setbacks along the way. From financial struggles to the pressures of the competitive performing arts world, each girl must find the strength and determination to overcome obstacles and follow her dreams.

One of the film's greatest strengths is its portrayal of the bond between the sisters. Despite their differences in personality and interests, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy share a deep love and loyalty to each other. Their unwavering support and encouragement serve as a source of inspiration throughout their journey.

The performances in "Ballet Shoes" are top-notch, with Emma Watson, Yasmin Paige, and Lucy Boynton delivering standout performances as Pauline, Petrova, and Posy, respectively. Their chemistry on screen is palpable, bringing depth and authenticity to their characters' relationships.

Beyond its charming characters and engaging storyline, "Ballet Shoes" also offers valuable lessons about perseverance, resilience, and the importance of following one's passion. Through the trials and triumphs of the Fossil sisters, viewers are reminded of the power of determination and the fulfillment that comes from pursuing one's dreams.

In conclusion, "Ballet Shoes" is a delightful and uplifting film that celebrates the bonds of sisterhood and the pursuit of artistic expression. With its compelling performances, heartfelt storytelling, and timeless themes, it is sure to captivate audiences of all ages. Whether you're a fan of dance, drama, or simply heartwarming tales of triumph, "Ballet Shoes" is a must-watch film that will leave you feeling inspired and uplifted.

One of my favourite books ever, having trained as a dancer and having children training as dancers we were glued to the box this evening, even though it was boxing day. Not exactly following the story of the book I loved it, and what is more, my adolescent children, cynical and critical, also loved it. Emma Watson is great, as are her 'adopted sisters', not one personage is out of place, and it filmed with loads of love and an eye for beauty and respect to Noel Streatfeild. I still slightly remember the 1975 series and this was just as sweet and nice. The dancing scenes are well executed, the dilemma's the girls are facing as well as those of Narnie are depicted in a good way. As in the book it is very much done with a slight tongue in cheek, never exaggerated feeling of love and harmony. Can't wait for the release of the DVD.

Sylvia Brown (Emilia Fox) was a young orphan when she came to live with her paleontologist uncle 'Gum' Great Uncle Matthew. On his many travels, he rescued three baby girls and give them their names. Pauline Fossil (Emma Watson) is rescued from a lifeboat. Petrova Fossil (Yasmin Paige) is a Russian baby. Posy Fossil (Lucy Boynton) is left by her mother with ballet shoes, necklaces, and some money. The girls vow to be in the history books. They take in boarders. The girls get to train in Madame Fidolia's dance school.

I don't know anything about the novel. The movie feels stuffed with a bit too much plot. The center of this should be the relationship between the three girls. I would have prefer concentrating solely on the girls especially with the terrific work from Watson and Paige. They're the heart of this anyways. All three are terrific.

The reason why I actually saw this movie is cause a girlfriend of mine is a die-hard Harry Potter fan, loves the movies and will look every movie the cast of HP has a part in. So watching this one with her, I had no expectations cause I didn't know what this film was about and to be honest, when it was over I still had no clue whatsoever what this was supposed to be. A drama, a comedy, a vehicle to boost some young talents careers? I had no clue. So after 90 minutes of twists and turns, unlikely coincidences and a kind of rushed happy end I was sitting there uttering the words "now this is bogus!". It's not that it was a bad movie per se, we have a very unlikely story, a very good but also very very stereotypically cast set of actors that act over the top, a weird storyline and lots of dancing. So I didn't have the feeling that it was a bad movie, but I still had no idea what this was supposed to be. The only thing I really took from it was that whoever is to direct the next film starring Emma Watson has to botox her forehead back to the stoneage cause her eyebrows have to stop moving when she is acting. I mean I ended up staring at them cause even though there is lots of dancing in the film her eyebrows are the things that move the most. On the other hand, it has been worse in the HP movies. However, it wasn't until I spoke with another friend of mine - another Harry Potter fan and mom of 4 kids - and complained about this film that I was told that this is an adaption of a child book classic. I suppose this was the godmother of all "duuuuh" moments someone can have, especially after I was lectured for a solid 15 minutes about how great the book is how her kids love it how much they can learn about the importance of hard work and taking care of each other and yadda yadda yadda plus just cause I'm a guy and not into the Harry Potter stuff I still have no right to badmouth the girl playing Hermione cause it's her fave character in the books. So, knowing that it's a kids book the stereotypical characters make sense and with that in mind the actors casted for the roles actually fit perfect. Richard Griffiths is befuddled and funny as always, Marc Warren can be the shy guy once more just to name a few. And so finally, the twist and turns and the happy end make sense too, so does the fact that I couldn't understand the story, cause it's made for little girls in the 1930s. I guess I really dodged a bullet there, for a few days I thought I was just stupid.

This is a TV film based on the book Ballet Shoes. It is about three adopted girls just after the First World War who all have different ambitions for the future.

This may come as a shocking statement to some, but I think this deserved to be in the cinemas just as much as Spiderman 3, Enchanted and that sort of thing. I like those films as well of course, but this is really something.

I like this for the brilliant acting from Emma Watson etc, the similarity to the Noel Streatfield book, a lot of the humour and the end of the story, it is one of my favourite parts of the film. It may miss bits out from the book, but those bits are the unnecessary parts and the parts left in are well-chosen. I cannot properly explain how and why I like this (the previous part of the paragraph was not totally what I meant), but I just recommend it to anyone who likes the book and people who like Emma Watson.

At the very beginning of the film, a young girl with no surviving relatives other than her uncle, goes to live with him in his huge house of fossils. Her life becomes happier, but it soon turns out to be hard work again when on his travels around the world, the uncle sends her three baby girls. These girls grow up to have bright personalities and mixed interests and talents.

Enjoy "Ballet Shoes"! :-)