Madeline

Madeline is a typically troublesome young red-headed girl who is a ward of the church under the care of Miss Clavel. However just as good as she is at getting into trouble she is equally as good at working out a way out of it. When the kindly Lady Covington dies, Madeline's school loses its most ardent sponsor and faces closure when Lord Covington decides that he no longer has to humour his wife by keeping it open. Obviously none of the girls want this to happen, but Madeline must also deal with other problems as well – not least of which is some sort of plot surrounding Pepito, the son of the Spanish Ambassador.

I had not heard of this film or the famous stories from which it had come but I watched it hoping for a strong child character in a strong family comedy drama. Sadly what I got was a very muddled film that has a couple of plots and forgets to do a great deal with any of them. I appreciate that the character is the heart of the film but that doesn't excuse how messy and poorly focused this is for the majority. It does have some good aspects about it and I can see why some older pre-teens might like it but younger than that and older than that might struggle. For me the main thing the muddled delivery did was rob it of a sense of fun and prevent anything flowing.

At times the tone is silly and childish, at others it is serious and intimate – but it never feels like it is all in one movie and again fragments the flow of it. The cast try hard to work with it but understandably they seem unsure of the tone of the film (a fault that must be put at Mayer's door) and it shows. McDormand is solid but unspectacular while Hawthorne clearly felt that turning up for his scenes was enough. The star is of course Jones as Madeline. She is a strong character but not developed beyond what she can do herself. I have no vested interest in the character but I was a little disappointed with what they did. Daniels is poorly used while De La Osa is purely annoying.

This all might just about do the job for the older, pre-teen audience but younger won't care and older will want more than this delivers. A muddled film that never really settles down or decides what it is doing.

Sitting through "Madeline" was like a cool breeze on a hot day. Hatty Jones is talented enough to carry the movie, Frances McDormand makes a hell of a nun, and the supporting cast was fine also. I would rather sit through this movie again than ever see most of the summertime garbage we are 'treated' to. The opening and closing credits were beautiful, too. Being a thirtysomething guy, I was unfamiliar with the "Madeline" books, but I have a feeling the movie captured the spirit of the books. A job well done; I loved every minute of it.

In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.

If you don't know and love those lines, and if your children don't either, then none of you are likely to enjoy Madeline very much.

Ludwig Bemelans wrote those opening words for the first Madeline book published in 1939. Admirers of Bemelans cite his charming, economical use of words and images. He also illustrated his stories. Madeline the film is by all accounts a faithful homage to this man's notable children's literature.

It's possible that some parents have schooled their children to appreciate the Madeline tales but if they haven't it's likely that Madeline will be considered a little too tame by all but the real littlelees. There's just none of the brash, relatively violent noise of most children's film fare here.

However the film does star Frances McDormand (Fargo) and Nigel Hawthorne (Yes Minister, The Madness Of King George) and they do what they can with a film that some will find charming.

Hawthorne in particular is particularly touching in one of the final scenes. And young Hatty Jones is appropriately determined and fearless.

Taken from the classic books by Ludwig Bemelmans, Madeline is the darling story of 12 little girls who live in a boarding school. The woman in charge of the home is a nun, Miss Clavel (Frances McDormand). Red-headed Madeline is the smallest of the girls but is, nevertheless, fearless and curious. The film follows Madeline's escapades as she has her appendix out, clashes with Pepito (the boy next door), falls in the river and more. There is a subplot concerning the approaching sale of the school and what it will mean to the girls who live there. Is it possible to have a happy ending?

This extremely watchable movie for children is a wonderful addition to the repertoire of good children's films. Hatty Jones is a delight as Madeline and the other little girls are fun and expressive. The leap from book to movie is smooth and successful; the film includes many of the books' key elements and will thus be appreciated by Bemelmans' fans. There is more than enough action and humor to keep children interested from start to finish. Adults will be charmed by the film as well. Recommended for families who are looking for quality alternatives to Disney, Beethoven the dog, Charlotte's Web, etc.

In Paris, twelve girls study in a school owned and sponsored by Lady Covington (Stéphane Audran) and managed by a sister, Miss Clavel (Frances McDormand). The youngest and orphan is the six years old Madeline (Hatty Jones). Their neighbor is the Ambassador of Spain, his wife and his son Pepito. When Lady Covington dies, her husband decided to sell the house. Meanwhile, some bad guys plan to kidnap Pepito. This average comedy is very predictable. However, the little, sweet and adorable Hatty Jones makes the difference. This was the last movie I watched in 2003 and I do not regret, since it is a nice family entertainment. My vote is six.