Le Secret de Green Knowe

In 1944, the young teenager Tolly (Alex Etel) travels to the family real estate Green Knowe in the countryside of England to stay with his estranged grandmother Mrs. Oldknow (Maggie Smith). His mother went to London to search for information about his beloved father, who is missing in action in World War II. Mrs. Oldknow is trying to sell Green Knowe since she has financial difficulties and does not have any valuable asset to sell. During the night, Tolly meets two ghosts in his room and he goes to his grandmother to ask whether she believes in ghosts. Mrs. Oldknow explains that the manor has many ghosts from their family. Soon Tolly learns that he can travel to the beginning of the Nineteenth Century and he discloses secrets from the past of his family while waiting for his mother and the news about his father.

"From Time to Time" is a flawed but highly entertaining film with a naive story of ghosts and time travel. The cinematography is very beautiful and the cast has great names, such as Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins and Carice van Houten among others. My vote is seven.

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This is a film that would easily have been made 40 years ago - that it was made now is remarkable. I never read the book upon which it was based so I came to it on its own merits - and it stood more than just well. This is a film to be savored like a fine wine - it has rich nuances. There is so much that is good about it - from writing and acting to photography and set design.

It is an atmospheric film. Beautifully captured - the two time periods are both portrayed in evocative detail. The mood for 1941 feels iconic but real - like it would have been - in memory - quiet, all in muted wintry grays with the detail of the house and its rooms presented to the eye like paintings. By contrast, 1811 has a warm and vivid lushness like a dream. Fascinating choices.

Beautifully acted - of exceptional note is Maggie Smith. Hugh Bonneville gives a wonderful performance as Captain Oldknow. I found the marital relationship between the Captain and his foreign wife, as acted by Hugh Bonneville and Carice van Houten, as his wife Maria, intriguing. Made me wonder about how that relationship was portrayed in the book. Pauline Collins and Timothy Spall and Dominic West all excellent, as are the actors playing the children. Well done all round.

This film made me curious about the book. In fact, I will likely read the book now.

I hadn't heard a thing about this movie when it came out, but seeing Maggie Smith and Dominic West and Hugh Bonneville in the cast, I had to give it a try. I loved time travel books a lot when I was young and I wish I'd known about the book series this comes from, because it would've been perfect for me. I loved the look and the tone of the movie, with just enough adventure and mysteries to solve to keep me riveted. Yes, the tone is a bit somber at times, and I wasn't crazy about Alex Etel's performance as Tolly (he's fairly wooden), but it really moves well and there are enough other characters to focus on, so overall, I quite enjoyed it. Maggie Smith isn't as fun as she is on Downton Abbey, but few things are that amusing, after all. Dominic West, Pauline Collins, Hugh Bonneville, Timothy Spall and Harriet Walter are wonderful in smaller roles, while Eliza Bennett and Kwayedza Kureya, both new to me, are charming as the children in the Regency era. I also have to say that I loved the fashion in the past, with both Carice van Houten and Douglas Booth looking especially dishy in those clothes. I would say this is definitely a children's movie, but also good for adults who are children at heart (like me).

Time travel has been an interesting subject for film over the years, and here's another one: "From Time to Time" (2009) starring Alex Etel, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, and Christopher Villiers.

Etel plays Tolly Oldknow, a young English boy during World War II who is sent to stay with his paternal grandmother (Smith) when his father is declared missing and his mother leaves home to either find him or obtain information about him. The house is an old family home which will have to be sold soon, as his grandmother can't afford to keep it up.

Tolly discovers that there are ghosts in the house, of which his grandmother is aware. He soon finds that he can go into another time and witness family happenings.

He learns about family scandals and secrets back as far as 1805 and comes to know the residents, his ancestors. And he finds that one of the mysteries has relevance today.

Very sweet, warm, well-acted story that really draws one in, as the youngster and grandmother get to know one another and bond. I really liked it and recommend it.

Quite a different type of movie I normally watch, but it kept me occupied and once the story started to unfold was pleasantly interesting.

The production was good and well acted, which made this fable a quality fairy tale of sorts. Anyone who loves ghostly dramas will enjoy this delightful film.