IMDb > Madeline (1998)
Madeline
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Madeline (1998) -- Open-ended Trailer from Columbia Tristar
Madeline (1998) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
5.9/10   1,347 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Writers (WGA):

Ludwig Bemelmans (books)
Malia Scotch Marmo (screen story) ...
more

Contact:

View company contact information for Madeline on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA) more

Genre:

Family | Comedy more

Tagline:

In an old house in Paris, that was covered with vines...

Plot:

Redheaded young girl Madeline is very good at getting into trouble, but she's also fantastic in solving problems as well... more | add synopsis

Awards:

4 nominations more

User Comments:

Lacking in suspense and quite simply arduous in places, the kids aren't even that endearing. more (30 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Frances McDormand ... Miss Clavel
Nigel Hawthorne ... Lord Covington (segment "Lord Cucuface")
Hatty Jones ... Madeline
Ben Daniels ... Leopold the Tutor
Arturo Venegas ... Mr. Spanish Ambassador
Stéphane Audran ... Lady Covington
Katia Caballero ... Mrs. Spanish Ambassador
Chantal Neuwirth ... Helene the Cook
Kristian de la Osa ... Pepito (as Kristian De La Osa)
Clare Thomas ... Aggie
Bianca Strohmann ... Vicki (as Bianca Strôhman)
Christina Mangani ... Chantal
Rachel Dennis ... Lucinda
Pilar Garrard ... Beatrice
Jessica Mason ... Serena
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:

Madeline (France)
more

MPAA:

Rated PG for momentary language.

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

France | USA

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Company:

Jaffilms more


Fun Stuff

Goofs:

Continuity: Madeline's bed is on the right side of the bedroom at the start, but, later, it is on the left side. more

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Miss Clavel: Something is not right.
more

Movie Connections:

Version of Madeline (1989) (TV) more

Soundtrack:

In Two Straight Lines more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
2 out of 6 people found the following comment useful.
Lacking in suspense and quite simply arduous in places, the kids aren't even that endearing., 28 January 1999
Author: Ben Walsh (ben.walsh@mcr-evening-news.co.uk) from Manchester, England

"In an old house in Paris covered with vines Twelve little girls were learning their lives."

So, begins this muddled children's yarn. The title character (Hatty Jones), one of "twelve little girls who live in a line," is a feisty, redhead orphan, who attends a posh girls' school in Paris. Her teacher and mentor is a nun, Miss Clavel (The Coen Brothers' favourite actress Frances McDormand), and her contemporaries are a bunch of spoilt young girls, who come out with such debatable witticisms as, "It is better to be super everything, than super nothing!"

Plainly a pain in the rectum, Madeline causes all kinds of "jolly" and "super" havoc throughout the film. This includes plummeting from a bridge into the Seine, releasing a scourge of mice and having her appendix out. By attempting to blend together too many elements from Ludwig Bemelmans's classic children's book series, Madeline only serves to nonplus and alienate its audience.

Essentially there are three plots. Firstly, when the benefactor of the school Lady Covington passes away, her husband (Nigel Hawthorne) resolves to close the school. Secondly, there is the loneliness and mischievous antics of Pepito, the son of the Spanish Ambassador who has just moved in next door. Lastly, there is some vague, poorly explained abduction scheme involving Pepito's tutor (Ben Daniels) and a bunch of clowns, Les Idiots.

For a children's film of this sort to work, the bad guys have to be truly wicked. However, Ben Daniels isn't remotely scary and only comes into play with the obligatory car chase finale. Madeline lacks the sinister sense of say a Roald Dahl creation and also falls flat as a charming piece of entertainment. Lacking in suspense and quite simply arduous in places, the kids aren't even that endearing. An irritating and uneven film, suited to ages 3 to 6.

Ben Walsh

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Madeline (1998)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Location of house used in Madeline film! meggysmom4052871
Pepito Musical_Fanatic
this movie is NOT for very young children wendytech-2
favorite quote ox_emely
french girls with english accents? hmmm sweetprincess
ending hippopotomonstrosesq-1
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