More Secret Gardens (DVD)

The Secret Garden

Advantages: A great film for all ages.
Disadvantages: There aren't any

The Secret Garden is about a girl called Mary Lennox (Kate Maberly) whos parents die in India and Mary is brought to England because her uncle Lord Archibald Craven (John Lynch), who after losing his wife is hardly at the manor, is her only living relative (he was married to her aunt who also died) and is brought to Misselthwaite manor in the Yorkshire moor by Mrs Medlock (Maggie Smith) who is a sour and strict with the rules. While at the manor Mary finds out secrets, hears crys in the night and after a lot of snooping around the manor comes across her cousin Colin Craven (Heydon Prowse) who is the same age as Mary and is worried that he is ill and is going to die. With the help of Martha (Laura Crossley), Mary's maid who has a kind heart, Mary learns to play outside and makes friends with Marthas brother Dickon (Andrew Knott). They ...

giantpanda21 02.03.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of The Secret Garden (DVD)

The whole world's a garden

Advantages: Faithful adaptation of a classic novel, beautifully filmed
Disadvantages: The upper and lower class divide

. His acting is a bit odd perhaps because he is trying to portray a man in mental anguish, but he came over as if he was on drugs or something. I expected someone a bit more ordinary I suppose. What I loved about the book, and is brilliantly portrayed in the film, is the secret garden. I was charmed as a child at the idea that I could make things grow, and the fact that Mary's gardening education takes place in a garden that no-one else visits was an added excitement for me. The movie was filmed at various locations, but has been put together so well that I thought it was all one location. The garden is wildly beautiful, high walls, towers and rambling roses, and it is a real pleasure to see it suddenly turn into the place of tranquility that it is supposed to be. The house is also stunning, all high ceilings and magnificent staircases ...

sunmeilan 25.07.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Secret Garden (DVD)

WHOLE WORLD IS A GARDEN

Advantages: cinematography, music, direction, spiritually uplifting
Disadvantages: those allergic to bunnies and lambs will think it twee

and finds the secret garden of the title. She starts to grow things, helped by Martha's brother Dickon - a village lad a bit older than her (and mysteriously allowed to just frolic on the moor rather than made to work to support the family). Discouraged by virtually everybody, she also explores the inside of the manor and finds Colin: her cousin and Lord Craven's son, bed ridden and even more spoiled and sour than she was when she arrived in England, and even more unhappy; rejected by his father, believing that he is going to die soon. I will not tell you if Colin indeed dies, if Mary gets sent to the dreaded boarding school, or if Colin's father breaks out of his 10 year old depression after the death of his beloved wife in childbirth. If you know the story, you know how it ends, and if you don't, it will enhance your pleasure of watching ...

magdadh 30.11.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Secret Garden (DVD)