Samantha & Nellie

The story about Samantha Parkington, a privileged girl, who lives with her grandmother played by the wonderful Mia Farrow in Mount Bedford, New York along the Hudson River in the Hudson River Valley about a couple of hours north of New York City. In the beginning, Samantha is playing with Eddie Ryland, her neighbor and nemesis who enjoys bullying people into giving him money. Samantha befriends Eddie's new maids, young sisters--Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny whose mother died. Their father moved them to the country. Instead of working in terrible factories, they work in the Ryland estate in the Hudson River Valley. While Nellie is working there, Samantha and her become close friends despite their obvious differences. When Samantha's Uncle Gardner comes home, he announces his engagement to Cornelia Pitt, a woman's right to vote activist, and he plans to bring Samantha to live with them in New York City. Wherever Samantha goes, adventure follows. I don't know how similar this is to the books but it's an okay film. The acting is okay. The child actors are wonderful in their roles. The film reminds of an old Shirley Temple movie. It's for a family audience!

I was surprised when I heard this was being made into a movie. My sister read the American Girls books when she was a kid, and I never expected them to make a movie out of them. But all things considered, I thought the WB did a good job.

First of all, Annasophia Robb is a cute little kid, and at twelve years old, she has the potential to be a talented actress. She did a great job in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and looked as if she had fun while doing it. In the movie, Annasophia plays Samantha Parkington, a ten-year-old girl living in New York in 1904. The acts of the film are divided into the four seasons. In the spring, she makes friends with the servant girls living next door. In the summer, she meets her uncle's new wife. In the fall, she moves in with her aunt and uncle in the city, and then helps her three friends escape from an orphan home. In the winter, everyone lives happily ever after.

The orphanage reminded me of a federal prison, and the warden, er, manager reminded me of Carol Burnett in Annie. I also liked the movie's message about helping the needy. That's what made it a family movie.

So maybe it wasn't Emmy worthy, but if you have kids, or you just like cute movies, you'll like this movie.

10 stars

I greatly enjoyed this sweet, gentle film set in 1904, about two young girls who become friends, and the troubles that befall them and how they deal with those problems.

The young actresses playing these roles did very well and made the characters seem real, and made me care about them. All the little girls were adorable.

Samantha is well off financially and lives with her grandmother (played by Mia Farrow - a treat to see her), but Samantha is an orphan and has lost both her parents in a boating accident.

Grandmother's beautiful, old mansion is out in the countryside and Samantha is a little bit lonely, when an Irish lass, Nellie, her father, and Nellie's two younger sisters arrive, to work at the neighbor's home next door.

Nellie's mother is deceased, and her family is poor, so they all have to work, despite being only children. (The film also deals with child labor.) Nellie and Samantha become fast friends, and Samantha is quite resourceful in helping her friends.

I really liked this movie and highly recommend it. Young girls will love it, and it has enough story interest that an adult will not be bored watching it either.

This is the kind of movie that leaves you with a magical, wonderful, warm feeling. It was full of warmth, kindness, giving, bravery, joy,loyalty, beauty... The scenery was beautiful as well and complimented the wonderful storyline, which takes place in the early 1900s. Samantha is shipped off to New York, where she misses her home town and friends. In New York, however, she shows great strength and bravery as we are taken along her adventure. Children and adults alike can enjoy this movie, and Samantha, for the most part, is a wonderful role-model for young girls. I wish more movies were made of this high quality! This movie was an absolute delight, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A couple hours ago I watched this movie that i rented from Blockbuster "Samantha: An American Girl Holiday" I thought AnnaSophia Robb did an excellent job as Samantha Parkington and no one i know could have done a better job. I know it was her first major movie and in some parts you could tell she was a little nervous but she played it well and so did Mia Farrow as Grandmary. The whole cast did well! Anyway the movie is about a girl named Samantha(Annasophia Robb) around 10 years old living in 1904, who has to move in with her Grandmary(Mia Farrow) because of the loss of her parents. Her Grandmary teaches Samantha how to become a proper lady. One day a girl named Nellie(Kelsey Lewis) moves in next door to work as a servant. She lives with her father and her to sisters. Soon something happens to her father and she has to be sent to an orphange. Can Samantha get her out? Watch the movie to find out! Great for all ages! May be harder for younger children to understand. Excellent classic!