Ballet Shoes (Emma Watson, Yasmin Paige, Lucy Boynton)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s fifteen years since we watched the 2007 film ‘Ballet Shoes’ (originally made for television). I know the story well - it’s adapted from Noel Streatfeild’s best-known book, also called 'Ballet Shoes'. But my husband had almost entirely forgotten the plot. It seemed like a pleasant evening’s light viewing. Although the book was originally written for older children, the author wrote crossover books before the concept was popularised, and I like them just as much as an adult as I did as a child.

The beginning of the film introduces the young Sylvia, who is taken to live with her great-uncle Matthew (known as GUM) when her parents are killed. GUM is a delightfully grumpy (but benevolent) man who grows believably older each time we see him; he’s extremely well played by Richard Griffiths, who is probably best-known as the obnoxious Vernon Dursley in the ‘Harry Potter’ series. Sylvia is accompanied by her nanny, known to all as Nana, perfectly portrayed by Victoria Wood.