Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
While lovely, ballet version is hard for kids to follow.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Tales of Beatrix Potter
What's the Story?
In a large country home in England's picturesque Lake District, a young girl named Beatrix Potter dreams up animals that come to life and dance through the countryside telling their stories. Viewers will meet characters Mrs. Tiggiewinkle, Jemima Puddleduck, Squirrel Nutkin, Peter Rabbit, and many others. One story dances into another until all the beloved characters scurry together in a triumphant finale.
Is It Any Good?
The Royal Ballet dancers combine grace with the whimsy of animal characters quite well and manage not to trip over their very long or very bushy tails. A huge effort was made with the costumes -- especially the animal masks -- and it must be incredibly difficult to dance in them. The Lake District setting is lush and beautiful, too, giving viewers a sense of where the author's inspiration came from.
What's missing is some sort of narration to help the youngest viewers, and even older viewers who haven't revisited the books in a while (ahem). Also, young Beatrix Potter appears occasionally, but not enough to tell more of her compelling personal story. It's a missed opportunity to make the lovely dancing and scenery a true homage to the beloved classic books.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about this interpretation of the classic children's books. Could you follow along? Were the animal characters how you imagined them? How important are words to tell these stories?
Can viewers think of other stories told convincingly without words? And how did the dancers convey the animals' emotions in masks? Did you know how they were feeling?
Which is your favorite Beatrix Potter story? Why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : June 30, 1971
- Cast : Alexander Grant , Frederick Ashton , Julie Wood
- Director : Reginald Mills
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Animals ( Wild Animals ) , Book Characters
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : March 10, 2026
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