| Director | Chris Noonan |
|---|---|
| Genre | biographical film, drama film |
| Runtime | 92 min |
| Country | United Kingdom, United States |
| Budget | $30 million |
| Box office | $35.8 million |
Beatrix Potter and her chaperone, Miss Wiggin, visit the publishing house of Harold and Fruing Warne, who decide to publish her book The Tale of Peter Rabbit. While Beatrix is thrilled, the Warnes privately think the book is ridiculous and only agree to publish it because they promised their younger brother, Norman, a project.
Norman and Beatrix meet, and realise they share a vision for her work. As production of the book begins, Norman introduces Beatrix to his mother, and his unmarried sister, Millie, who befriends Beatrix. Tensions rise in the Potter household, as Beatrix's social-climbing mother, Helen, is unhappy about her daughter spending time in the company of tradesmen, and believes that the venture will fail.
However, sales are very successful, and Norman encourages Beatrix to submit other stories for publication. Eventually, Beatrix's father, Rupert, voices his support of Beatrix's career, after hearing about the popularity of her books from his friends at the Reform Club. Encouraged, Beatrix invites Norman and Millie to her family's Christmas party. Beatrix tells a story she is writing especially for Norman, "The Rabbits' Christmas Party", giving him a painting from the story as a present. Finally unchaperoned, Norman proposes to Beatrix, and she happily accepts.
Beatrix's parents disapprove of the match, but she stands firm, reminding her mother that both her grandfathers were tradesmen. Beatrix learns that not only can she survive on her own with her books, but that she is now a wealthy woman from her royalties. Her parents eventually suggest that Beatrix and Norman keep their engagement secret over summer, and promise that they can marry if their feelings remain unchanged after that. The Potters holiday in the Lake District, and Beatrix and Norman maintain a regular correspondence.
After a few days without a letter from Norman, Millie writes, saying that he is ill. Beatrix returns to London only to find that Norman has already died. Grieving, she shuts herself up in her room; she turns to her drawing, but discovers that her characters disappear off the page. Millie visits to comfort her, and Beatrix decides she must leave the family home.
She buys a farm in the Lake District and moves there to resume her work. She hires a farmhand to run the farm and finds comfort in her surroundings. Millie visits, returning the painting of The Rabbits' Christmas Party. With the help of her solicitor, William Heelis, Beatrix outbids developers at auctions and buys many other farms and land in the area to prevent them being built on.
Despite her mother's disapproval, Beatrix married William Heelis eight years after moving to the Lake District. Beatrix donated of farmland she had purchased to the British people through a land preservation trust, which now forms part of the Lake District National Park in North West England. Her stories became the best-selling children's books of all time.