How about Normal?

Going to see Julia Roberts in 'Duplicity' this week, I was surprised at her showing signs of being a normal human being. Despite a knock out figure, fabulous clothes and great performance she had circles under her eyes and perhaps, a little trouble teetering about in cork heels. Who'd a thought it? After a while you get accustomed to it especially as this film breaks all the rules of a 'caper' movie. There is no doubt that she is one of the most stylish women on screen but she seemed happy to appear slightly less than perfect for 'Duplicity'.

This is even more of a surprise considering I have just found out that movie stars can and do appear on screen in less than perfect form, safe in the knowledge that their flaws can be removed in post production. I know that models do this but I did not know it was possible for the moving image. It is of course, incredibly expensive.

It is well known that Oliver Reed died during the making of 'Gladiator' and that he was computer generated for the remaining scenes but personally, I didn't think that worked out well. Call me naive but it never occurred to me this would happen with live action when it was a matter of looks only.

So perhaps it is great virtue in Julia Roberts that she is approaching human and not unearthly beauty in her latest film. It is a real brain teaser and has that rare and almost extinct creature, the mature and clever older woman working successfully in the corporate world.

There was one such in the first film I ever saw - Hitchcock's 'The Lady Vanishes' which starred a magnificent Dame May Witty as a devious and adept spy outwitting the Nazis in deepest war torn Europe. I never got over seeing a portly matron cheerfully going about her business under great pressure and in constant danger.

And why are we so surprised to see this now? What is the problem with Susan Boyle? In days of yore, the slightly less than fantastic face and figure was not received with such astonishment. Bring it back I say and lets have some - how to put it...every day people in our media.