El jardín secreto

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.

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

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.

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.

The Secret Garden is a rare treat where in the screenwriter and director actually understand their source, The Secret Garden by Frances Hogsden Burnett, and make a translation to the screen that not only captures the essence of the book but enhances the story as well. Too often directors spoil the story with their own self-interested spin (Little Big Man and Chocolat come immediately to mind)but here is a jewel that leaves the viewer saying "That was as good as the book." A genuine triumph.

The cast is outstanding, the children in particular, Kate Maberly as Mary Lennox above all. Even to the most minor extra everyone brings a smooth and compelling reality to the story.

However, the real star is director Agnieszka Holland. Against a challenging climate ( a rainy location) she manages to create a movie with a touching commentary on how children can literally change the world. Her insightful grasp of the themes of isolation, growth and rejuvenation, the need for a balance between nurture and allowable risk are all managed through the controlling metaphor of a garden. The artful rendering of these literary themes are what many directors apparently find most challenging ( I'm looking at you Arthur Penn)and generally blissfully ignore them compensating by glib insertions, extra action or clumsy sentiment. Not so here.

Not only is her focus exemplary but the photography is amazing. The interplay of light and dark, the time elapse photos of clouds rolling and flowers emerging all set to beautiful music captivate the viewer. The rainy weather was not shunned but used to fullest effect. I can only imagine the discipline it must have taken to wait for the sun to peep out from the clouds and then roll film hoping that the cast can pull off the shot before the light changed and a second take became a long wait. Fortunately all are up to the task and the film, the final scene in particular, results in a brilliant piece of motion picture art.

The 1993 version of The Secret Garden is a must for every family film collection, one the parents and kids can enjoy for its sophistication or simply for the great way in which this timeless classic is retold.