A Little Princess (1986) (TV)

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Director:

Carol Wiseman

Writer:

Frances Hodgson Burnett (novel)

Release Date:

21 February 1987 (USA)

Plot:

Sara Crewe is the pampered darling of her father, an army colonel, and the Victorian London girls' school where he places her...

Plot Keywords:

Child | Schoolgirl Romance | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Maureen Lipman	...	Miss Minchin
Amelia Shankley	...	Sara Crewe
Nigel Havers	...	Carrisford
David Yelland	...	Captain Crewe
Miriam Margolyes	...	Miss Amelia
Annette Badland	...	Cook
John Grillo	...	Barrow
André Maranne	...	M. Dufarge
Marianne Borgo	...	Mariette
Natalie Abbott	...	Becky
Johanna Hargreaves	...	Henrietta
Meera Syal	...	Anna
Alison Reynolds	...	Ermengarde
Jessica Simpson	...	Lottie
Katrina Heath	...	Lavinia

Runtime:

USA:163 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Quotes:

Cook: Books! What does a skivvy want with books? They don't teach you how to scrub floors do they?

Movie Connections:

Version of "A Little Princess" (1973)

True to the story, not to pop culture (yay!).

This is definitely the best version of "A Little Princess" that I've ever personally seen. Unlike that crappy 1995 one set in New York or the one with Shirley Temple making me want to slap her, the PBS version had a Sara who looked like Sara as she was described in the book. Not only that, she *acted* like the Sara in the book, not like a whiny, boring little snot. All the acting was very good, especially Miss Minchin's sister (Miriam Margolyes) and the other schoolgirls. The screenplay was excellent. Without relying on copying the actual words and phrases of the book (although crucial plot moments were often almost word-for-word), it was very true to the spirit and intention of the book and didn't offend people who have loved and re-read the story. This is unusual for a movie based on a book. Also, the cinematography showed the dreariness of Sara's life and world very clearly with its rainy, muted colors.

All in all this was a completely wonderful movie. See it if you possibly can, although since it was broadcast on PBS at least ten years ago it's probably hard to find .