Worth a Watch - BALLET SHOES

Since I've been setup with Netflix, my world of movie-watching has exponentially improved. First of all, for how many movies The Hubby and I watch, Netflix is much cheaper than rentals. Also, I have a hard time standing at the library and browsing through drawers-full of DVDs and Blu-rays. They are listed alphabetically instead of by genre, and so I find myself looking at more titles that I would never ever watch than what I might give a try, and by the time I get through only two drawers I'm ready to give up. And with Netflix you don't have to load and unload discs. That might seem a trivial thing, but when you go through as many movies as I do, skipping this step saves a lot of time and frustration.

I'm also finding a lot more movies (and TV shows) that I would have never seen otherwise (such as the one I'm highlighting today which first aired in the UK) and I want to share them. So part of my new blogging regimen is going to include more movie-talk. I'm still technically on hiatus right now (I know, I keep saying that), but I thought I'd give you all a movie rec to check out in my absence.


Ballet Shoes
2007; a BBC One made-for-TV movie
based on the 1936 novel, Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
genre: childrens' drama
ages: 8+
offensive/harsh language? none
sexual content or innuendo? none
romantic elements? limited (between adult characters)
diversity? limited (non-nuclear family; minor characters of varying nationalities)
tags: ballet, theater, performing arts, orphans, 1930s historical

This is the story of three orphan girls adopted by an eccentric explorer and his also-orphaned niece (now grown up). They are given the same surname, Fossil, and raised as sisters even though they have absolutely zero blood relation to each other.

While the rich explorer is off on expeditions, the money at home is quickly dwindling, and Sylvia, the girls' legal guardian, opens up a few rooms to rent in their huge house. It is through these new renters that the potential of the orphan girls is finally given a spotlight. Through mutual efforts of all four newcomers, plus the girls' guardians, the three of them begin training in the performing arts.

Posy, the youngest (pictured middle in the image above), focuses on ballet. Her biological mother had left her a pair of pointe shoes, and it is her dream to one day be big enough and talented enough to dance in those shoes.

Pauline, the oldest (pictured right), excels in all of the arts -- dance, vocals, theater -- but her first love is theater. She then goes on to audition for paying roles, which helps in the financial situation at home.

Petrova, the middle sister (pictured left), doesn't really care for any of the arts, but goes along with it because she has such a big heart. She also auditions for paying roles to help bring in more money. But her real dream is to be a pilot.

And that's what the gist of this sweet story is about-- finding and reaching your dreams. All three of the girls, at different times, are faced with direct challenges to their dreams, and must make difficult choices to either achieve them, or give them up.

I also like the message of being true to your own identity. Just because you are raised in the same household doesn't mean you are all built from the same mold. Each girl is a unique individual, yet also recognizes her role as part of the same group-- family.

I highly recommend this movie for both children and adults.

~Lydia