The Secret Garden [1994] - DVD (Kate Maberly, Maggie Smith, Heydon Prowse, Andrew Knott, Laura Crossley - Dir: Agnieszka Holland)

Filmed before (and quite nicely) in 1949, Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic children's story was remade for this admirable 1993 release, executive produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by acclaimed Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland. Splendidly adapted by Edward Scissorhands screenwriter Caroline Thompson, the film opens in India during the early 1900s, when young Mary Lennox (Kate Maberly) is orphaned and sent to England to live in Misselthwaite Manor, the gloomy estate of her brooding and melancholy uncle, Lord Craven (John Lynch). Because the uncle is almost always away on travels, struggling to forget the death of his beloved wife, Mary is left mostly alone to explore the estate. Eventually she befriends the young brother of a staff maid and Lord Craven's apparently crippled son, who has been needlessly bedridden for years. Together the three children restore a neglected garden on the estate grounds, and in doing so they set the stage for a moving reaffirmation of life and love. Filmed with graceful style and careful attention to the intelligence and cleverness of young children, The Secret Garden is that rarest breed of family film that transcends its own generic category, encouraging a sense of wonder and optimism to become a rewarding experience for viewers of any age. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews of The Secret Garden [1994]

poetoftheocean
Glasgow
18th October 2008

beautiful and charming :)
I used to watch this film many moons ago when i was younger, and ive since rediscovered it, only to find that this film is as good as, if not better than i remembered it! The setting is beautiful and the Yorkshire dales give the film a wonderful sense of mood too. The acting is brilliant. Maggie Smith is class all the way as Mrs Medlock, and John Lynch is a surprisingly good choice as Lord Craven. The children too are brilliant here - most notably Andrew Knott as Dickon, and there is an utterly charming romantic attraction theme between his character and that of Mary Lennox which runs through the film! <3
All in all, a wonderful film that is sweet and innocent, just like every childhood should be :)

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kimpsky
London, UK
9th August 2008

Classic
I never got to the cinema much as a child and could count on one hand how many times I went, but I do remember out of all of them, The Secret Garden moved me the most. As an adult, I rarely watch TV or films and have a low boredom threshold, but I can watch this film over and over and cry every time. Mary Lennox is played superbly by Polly Maberly and the film is one of those rare gems that is truly as good as the book.

Kona
Derbyshire
24th May 2008

Enchanting tale
When an earthquake in India leaves her an orphan, Mary Lennox is sent to live at her uncle's remote estate in England. The spoiled, bratty Mary is quite miserable with no one to talk to or play with and a stern housekeeper (Maggie Smith) hovering over her. When Mary begins exploring the manor, she discovers not only a secret garden but also a secret cousin!

This is a beautifully-filmed children's story about the power of friendship and overcoming adversity. I wasn't familiar with the 1911 book (although I want to read it now), and I expected something awful to happen to the garden or the children, but only good things happen, so it's ideal for kids of all ages.

The Yorkshire location is lovely and the acting is uniformly wonderful. The joys of bringing an old garden to life and befriending a shut-in child are the simple, yet profound pleasures of this story. Highly recommended for those who like sweet, sentimental stories.

SPN
An American in England!
22nd March 2008

Great family movie!
We watched this for our family movie night. Our 4 and 6 year old girls were enchanted. In the middle of the movie, our 6 year old said "this is a really good movie mom." Not a dry eye in the house at the end! We all enjoyed this movie and I'm sure this will be a family staple.

Nell
Britain
21st September 2007

Beautiful
I love this story. It has a certin magic about it. Its a very well thought out story line and Kate Maberly preforms Mary very well.
It has a wonderful soundtrack which adds to the enjoyment of the film.