Natasha McElhone and James Purefoy will star in historical drama “Heaven & Earth” for Focus Films. Marleen Gorris will direct the $15 million film, written by Malcolm Kohll and Marsha Levin. David Pupkewitz and Kohll produce.

Story revolves around Britain’s first female doctor, James Miranda Barry (McElhone), who was forced to disguise herself as a man in order to practice medicine. Pic will tell the story of the early 19th century love affair between Barry and the governor of Cape Town, Lord Charles Somerset (Purefoy).

Shooting begins Dec. 10 in the U.K. and will move to Cape Town, South Africa, for six weeks sometime in January.

Much as I would have liked to see Sophia Myles play James Miranda Barry the casting choice of James Purefoy (Sophia’s co-star in Mansfield Park and The Prince and the Pauper) is brilliant.

Synopsis:
Directed by Marleen Gorris, this is based on the remarkable true story of James Miranda Barry. In the early years of the 19th Century Barry graduated from Edinburgh University Medical School aged 21. Barry was appointed army surgeon to the Cape Colony where she performed the first successful Caesarian operation and rose through the ranks to eventually become Surgeon General of the British Army. It was only when the undertaker was laying out the body of the eminent physician that a startling discovery was made – Dr James Barry was in fact a woman.