Mildred Goldfinch (also referred to as Miss Goldfinch) is a main character in Barney's Great Adventure. She's never appeared outside of content related to the respective film. Referred to as the "bird lady", she's a birdwatcher who knows everything about eggs and birds. Goldfinch, who lives in a cuckoo clock treehouse, is the neighbor of Eliza and George Greenfield. She was portrayed by Renee Madeline Le Guerrier in the film.
Background[]
Development[]
In the original concepts by Stephen White, who wrote the screenplay for what would be Barney's Great Adventure, Miss Goldfinch was a very comedic character. Later, the director decided to tone down her personality to provide contrast in the film from the other, more upbeat characters.
Goldfinch's appearance is much different than what was suggested in the original screenplay:
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Role in film[]
Unlike the final version of the film, Goldfinch was depicted to be a member of Bird Buddies International. She also was to have her own song in the film, which in the script was under a placeholder titled "Bird Song". It was to be a fun, energetic song about the glories of birds while also being a time to explore more of Miss Goldfinch's house. After the song, she tries to help Barney and the children learn more about the egg, but she discovers that it's not in any of her books. While she thinks of that as great news, given that it means she's discovered something new, it dawns on her that the people at Bird Buddies International might not believe her due to her past mistakes in reporting birds. Similar to Cody, she just wanted to be someone special. Barney suggests that she look one more time so she can have her name in the "Field Guide to Feathered Friends". After the egg moves, Goldfinch discovers that the egg is alive and tells the others that it'll hatch when all the rings on the egg have changed color. After she takes a picture of the egg, she decides to take it to the World Headquarters of Bird Buddies International, leaving the others to tend for the egg and how to do it. Informing the others that she'll be back in the evening, Goldfinch flies to Bird Buddies International.
Later in the film, we see Goldfinch on a flight delighted to show the egg off to Bird Buddies International while also feeling relieved that the egg is in safe hands (in which at that point in the film, it wasn't). She eventually makes it to Bird Buddies International with hope that she'll be seen as a hero, but in reality she's called loony. Mr. Featherby, a snooty bureaucrat, informs her that the past fifty-seven times she's made a report, she's been wrong everytime (such as a "Wood-necked Tailflapper" turning out to be a feather duster, the "Great Honking Roadrunner" being a fried chicken delivery truck, and the "Giant Yellow-billed Song Sparrow" being Big Bird from Sesame Street). Featherby does make it clear to her that if a bird hatches from it, she'll be put on the cover to "Field Guide to Feathered Friends".
Flying back to Barney and the kids, she sees them outside her plane window flying on a plane made of cardboard boxes. As it turns into the evening, Goldfinch comes into the barn where everyone is gathered and witnesses the egg hatching. She takes a picture of the baby bird that hatched and takes another picture when the mother bird comes for her baby, hoping for a chance to be on the cover to "Field Guide to Feathered Friends".
Role in film[]
Barney's Great Adventure[]
In the film, Barney and his friends visit Miss Goldfinch in the hopes that her great knowledge of birds will help them identify the rainbow egg that has landed on the farm. While searching through her library, she finds a book and explains to the group that it is in fact not a bird at all, but the egg of a Dream Maker, Twinken. Unlike the original script, Miss Goldfinch wore all khaki.
Appearances[]
Barney's Great Adventure[]
Trivia[]
- Stephen White, who wrote Barney's Great Adventure, wanted Miss Goldfinch to be be portrayed by Andera Martin.
References[]
- ↑ Barney the Movie: The Writer's Cut November 21, 2022 Retrieved July 28, 2024
