But it’s not long before the Fossils learn that being a star isn’t as easy as they first thought…īallet Shoes follows three orphan Fossil sisters Pauline, Petrova and Posy who were adopted by eccentric explorer and enthusiast of fossils, Great Uncle Matthew (Gum for short). The girls grow up in comfort until their money begins to run out and nobody can find Great Uncle Matthew.Things look bleak until they hit on an inspired idea: Pauline, Petrova and Posy will take to the stage. All three were adopted as babies by Great Uncle Matthew, an eccentric and rich explorer who then disappeared, leaving them in the care of his niece Sylvia. Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil are sisters – with a difference. Ballet Shoes is a fine family film and shows that girl power isn't necessarily a modern invention.Genre: Classics, Children’s, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, British Literature And scenes of the girls working hard to improve at the performing arts school emphasize that perennial lesson - that nothing worth achieving comes easily. Costumes, soundtrack, and sets are as high value as one would expect from a BBC production, bringing 1930s London to life. The cast of this BBC production is top notch, and fans of Hermione in the Harry Potter movies will probably enjoy seeing Watson in the Pauline role, though her acting is upstaged by that of the girls playing her sisters. Another sister who shows real talent as a ballerina is chastised when she speaks of her ambition, becomes unsympathetic in her pursuit of it, but then is lauded when she lands a spot with a professional ballet. There are also some mixed messages about the value of ambition and hard work: The sister who dreams of landing another steady acting job is accused of being selfish, though it's clear that those jobs are keeping the family afloat. Ballet Shoes presents an interesting slice of life that may seem anachronistic to children raised in the era of celebrity worship, and may require some explanation of the term 'working actor.' As the sisters achieve success on stage and in film, the family's money prospects don't visibly improve they must still take in boarders and worry about paying the bills between curtain calls.

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