The Secret Garden

While I have called The Secret Garden a family film, that doesn't mean it's just for children. It is a film for all ages, and sure to be enjoyed by all of them, too. A vivid and affecting film, it's got many things going for it: mesmerizing cinemetography and time-lapse photography, a good music score and script, breathtaking sets, wonderful direction, great acting, even gorgeous flowers! Agneiska Holland does a great job at bringing out all the subtle little points and details in the story and great performances from her young cast, particularly from Kate Maberly as Mary. Heydon Prowse is good, too, as Colin, and so is Maggie Smith as Mrs. Medlock, the frusterated, overprotective housekeeper who seems to be mean, but really is only doing what she thinks best. One of the few films I've seen that I can call perfect with conviction; definitely should be seen and appreciated.

This version of TSG is probably the best ever made. The film is so lovingly directed by Holland, I've been told that this story was one of her favorites growing up.

Heading a wonderful all-star cast is Kate Maberly as Mary Lennox. Maberly carried her character beautifully, she didn't appear to be acting as much as actually getting into character. Her attitude and personality changed as things got better in life. Maggie Smith, one of my personal favorite actressess, is wonderful as Mrs. Medlock. Others like John Lynch and Andrew Knott add more magic to the production.

Hayden Prowse was wonderful as Colin Craven. Surprisingly enough, this is the only movie he's ever been in. I certainly wish he acted more often for he has good talent.

8 out of 10

I simply adore this movie. I can watch it over and over and never grow tired. It's simply stunning. Mary Lennox is an orphan who must stay with her cold and emotionally unattached uncle in his expansive manor. Here, she keeps to herself and finds an old garden and brings it back to life with the help of the staff and a young boy named Dicken. She comes to meet her cousin, the lil brat Colin, and teaches him to walk again despite being told he's unable to. The garden is apparently magical, but in a realistic way. There's no fairy dust or other such nonsense. It's just allowing people to believe in themselves and be happy. The music is touching as are the relationships of the characters. Colin wanting to marry her despite their 1st cousin status was a little too much for me, but didn't cause a break in the movie. I wished they had shown what she looked like as a grown up instead of avoiding her face, but I guess that's to keep her forever young in our minds. The mean maid (whose name i forget she was in Sister Act) provided a challenge to Mary, but nothing she couldn't handle and eventually won her over. Mary was a royal brat at first, but only cuz she didn't know how else to be since her parents were self-involved. I was glad to see her come out of it. Dicken was such a cool kid, I loved him a lot. He was smart without having to go to school for it and was just loveable and helpful. In other versions, he and Mary were supposed to get together, but he died in some war and she took up with Colin. I really liked him though. Colin was a sicly kid who they constantly fussed over and he was snotty to show for it. He calmed down a little too, but could still be a royal pain. He was temperamental and that was annoying, but that was his character. The father, Lord Craven, was only emotionally unattached because his wife died in childbirth and he thought his son wasn't able to be healthy and he would just run away. How English of him, lol. The garden was absolutely beautiful and gorgeous. Made you wanna be a kid again and just frolick around in it. All the animals and plants were inviting. It seemed simplistic and a good place to be. Even though Mary was young, she could still make a difference to herself and others and that's what makes the movie special and timeless.

The 1993 adaptation of The Secret Garden is one of two major adaptations of novels by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The Secret Garden sees Mary Lenox (Kate Maberly), a 10-year-old British girl who was born in India. She is a spoiled brat who has her own personal servant, but is emotionally distance because she was neglected by her parents. But after a massive Earthquake in India, Mary is orphan and sent back to England to live with her uncle. The Northern English manor is run by a harsh matriarch, Mrs Medlock (Maggie Smith) and limits Mary's access to most of the house. But Mary forms friendships with the servant girl Martha (Laura Crossley) and her brother Dickon (Andrew Knott) who has great animal taming abilities, discovers her aunt's secret garden and finds her 'sick' cousin Colin (Heydon Prowse).

The Secret Garden does share similarities to A Little Princess, both feature young girls who grew up in India, have lost their parents in some form, both are forced to go to move to a foreign land, have to deal with an authoritarian figure, befriends a servant girl and there is a character who has a magical element to him. But there are differences as well: the main one being the central characters: Mary is a more selfish, spoiled character who has to learn to open up, show emotions, be kind and help her people whilst Sara in A Little Princess has to keep her imagination and kind spirit despite the hardships and lost she suffered. The actual story and setting for both stories is also different with Mary having to help to her cousin, lead to have a passion and learn about her family's past.

In comparison to A Little Princess the direction is more sombre and bleaker tone. Director Agnieszka Holland shot the film using a grey fillers and added with the mostly winter setting and barren landscape of the moors gave the film a drowsier feel. Comedy, fantasy and whimsy is toned down and The Secret Garden is a much more grounded and serious film until the end. But it is a delightful family film for all ages and genders.

As well as the Earthy look Holland brought there is also some fantastic music from Zbigniew Presiner: perfectly fitting for the film throughout. Those I am a sucker for choir music.

The cast is great throughout the filmmakers did find some very talented young actors who gave very convincing performances. Many of them have gone on to have fairly successful careers beyond the film and brought out the interesting aspects from their characters. I personally thought Maberly was actually a better actress then Eleanor Bron was in A Little Princess and she did give a very emotional performance in that film. Smith is also a very formable present, as she is always is, and have very strange motivations to why she is treating Colin the way she does? Is it out of crudity, love or protection? It is up to the audience.

The Secret Garden is a very good and strong family film that is serious minded and old-fashioned, but in a good away. I personally preferred The Secret Garden to A Little Princess and I speak as a fan of Alfonso Cuaron.

Right from the beginning, you sympathize with this neglected yet spoiled little girl. Normally I adore Maggie Smith, but here the director is so astute, Maggie becomes Medlock and makes your blood boil with her officiousness and her thin-lipped inability to see or feel for the children. Luckily they all fend for themselves and create a world both unbelievable and wholly needed in our dry and hurried lives. It is for films like these that I go to the theater. It is because of stories like these that my sleep is peopled with gorgeous landscapes and interesting remarks.