April 27, 2001
Apparently Colin Firth is discussing working on this film again.
Maid of Buttermere
According to a story on the PA's website ananova, Colin Firth is "being lined up" to appear as John Hatfield in the filmed version of Melvyn Bragg's book.
Other actor's are to include Catherine McCormack and Thora Birch. "Bille August has been pencilled in to direct the film".
The ananova story describes the plot: "It focuses on a charismatic rogue who plots to seduce a wealthy debutante. He instead falls for the local village beauty and has to convince her that his feelings are sincere"
January 18, 2000
The following story from The Hollywood Reporter was "premature",
according to its producers.
See Lisbeth's news page for more details
Colin Firth and "a full cast of English actors" will appear in a romantic period piece set in England at the turn of the 19th century.
Based on a true story.
Budget: $8.1 million
Updated: January 15, 2000
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Lola's 5-year plan: 50 films
By Pamela Rolfe in Madrid
More details:
Produced by: Lola Films (an independent film company in Spain)
a film by: Carlos Saura
Writer: Raymond Khoury
Title: The Maid of Buttermere
Statement by Lola Films CEO Andres Vicente Gomez:
"I want to do films in English, but not necessarily American films," Gomez said. "What I want to do is films that are justified being shot in English, films that can be called mainstream and can be distributed around the world."
"The slate ... will be more commercially viable than previous years, will mix bigger-budget English-language films featuring international stars with known Spanish talent."
The film will probably be based on the book, The Maid of Buttermere, by Melvyn Bragg.
Excerpt from a review of the book in Publisher's Weekly:
"Bragg ... has here combined fact and fiction to produce a remarkable tour-de-force, a penetrating psychological novel based on an actual court case of 1802. John Hatfield, ex-convict, forger and bigamist, decides to improve his fortune by impersonating Colonel Alexander Augustus Hope, a member of Parliament and brother of the Earl of Hopetoun. He sets out in a methodical fashion to seduce a young heiress and elope with her, thereby laying claim to her fortune. But while courting his intended victim in th
e Lake District, Hatfield falls in love with Mary Robinson, a local beauty, and marries her. Exposed as an imposter by a suspicious colonel, Hatfield flees. The Bow Street Runners are sent after him and the chase is on. Hatfield-Hope is gradually revealed as a man who is at once a pathological liar, a religious mystic and a philanderer with a huge sexual appetite, whose unflagging devotion to 'his Mary' is oddly touching."
For additional information about the book, including excerpts, see Lisbeth's webpage.
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