User reviews

When I started watching this film I had no idea it was going to have such an impact on me.

I'm not much into what some may call tear jerquers, but this film really impacted on the way that I'll see such film in the future. The combination of superb acting,, the overall story, and the personal touch from the characters, made for a superb film experience.

The story consist of a neglected young white girl, from a family who's patriarch grandpa Foley mistreats her and tries to force her into prostitution, and into hustling soldiers for money. She resists , and find the love and affection she didn't get at home in a black childless couple , excellently played by Ossie Davis, and Della Reese.

The bond that develops between the girl during the ages of 7 and 14 is really unique, equally moving is that despite coming from a dysfunctional family she becomes under the guidance of the couple a fine young lady.

This is a film that should be watched by all. The storyline is among the best I've watched.

I saw this on Easter Sunday recuperating from a Bleeding Ulcer. This film moved Me so much that I purchased the DVD when it was available. Just showed it to some family members this past month for it is on Amazon Prime. Please watch.

I know the real little girl portrayed in this movie. I grew up with her. As an adult she would appreciate the comments about how you were moved by the movie. She was involved with the book in the hopes of helping people who went though similar situations. . If you have the time please read Childhoods Thief by Rosemary Evans.

This was a wonderful movie. I loved it & yes it did make me cry. The movie is set in rural Tennessee. It's about a poor, unloved & unwanted little white girl & her black neighbors, who are older & very loving & nurturing to her. The story is being told by the girl, who is now grown up, to her daughter. Her story begins with her birth on a stormy rainy night during the depression. The girls grandfather is a no good, drunk who takes the baby as soon as she is born and drives off with her & leaves he beside the road in the rain. But to his surprise someone brings the baby back & leaves her on the front porch of their house. The grandfather is very mean to the girl through out her childhood & even beats her & tries to get her involved in prostitution when she is only 14 (to support the family), but the girls refuses & fights back. It is her neighbors who take her in & lovingly care for her, but they must bring her back because she is white & they are black. The old black woman (Della Reese) lets the no good grandfather know that she is the one who brought the girl back when she was a baby & she won't stand for him beating her. I won't give it all away, but this is one you really will enjoy watching. I'd never heard of it before, but it is the best movie I've seen in a long time. I highly recommend it. A great family movie. Della Reese was superb! I give it a 10!

If possible, this could become a classic. It's already a very good movie but in a few years, the popularity of "Chasing Secrets" or "The Secret Path" should increase. I loved it right from the start and it was a bit difficult to prevent the tears rolling down my cheeks. No, I didn't cry but some scenes can make a person feel down. That's maybe what makes it a good movie. If you can actually feel what the characters feel, you'll remember it for a long time, I'm sure of that. I'd like to end by saying you should see this movie - if you ever get the opportunity, please TAKE it - because there's no doubt it will get to you too. 8/10 is the perfect score for "The Secret Path".

I first saw this movie last year on TV and liked it instantly. Than I saw it again in High School and liked it even more. This made for TV movie starring Della Reese and Madeline Zima was done very well and it was touching for an adult or family audience. The story was about a little girl growing up with nothing in an abusive household and finding what turned out to be her best friend on the other side of the path, Honey. This is a good story of racism and heartbreak. And loyalty and caring.

The secret path, saw it today on Lifetime. Oh my goodness, what can I say except I loved it. I thought the story was so sad and yet there was hope laced throughout the story. Just when you think it can't be any worse, the child runs towards hope and love.

I was glued to the TV and when they reran it, watched it again. I cried, I got upset, I got angry and I came to the internet to find a book on it, wondering about those unanswered questions. I did find the book online, and it seems so much more than the movie, so much more abuse really happened to the character JoAnn in real life than the movie dictates. I've ordered the book and am waiting anxiously to read it.

I'd recommend this movie to anyone to see. As an sexually abused child it touched a few nerves, and yet ended up same as my life, on an uplifted note. Hope. Healing. Learning. Self mending.

Special note the family actors playing the lead role at different ages was a brilliant idea. Kudos.

To the real Joann, I'm glad you sought help, and I'm so very glad Dr. Evans could help you. I hope you only see and find joy in your life, and when life isn't so great, know that there's an entire world that wishes you all the best the world has to offer, be well.

Book - Childhood's Thief : One Woman's Journey of Healing from Sexual Abuse By: ROSE MARY EVANS (Think it's out of print BTW)

I loved this film. Great story, great writing, superb acting. More than worth the time spent viewing it. Only downside is that it wasn't adapted for the big screen.

This was an unadvertised gem put on in Australia as a trivial midday movie.

Viewing it reminded me of the impact that "Colour Purple" had when I watched it among a large audience many years ago. That movie profoundly affected me & others around me I observed. But this movie that I'd never heard of, clearly makes a similar impact but in its unique way on its individual subject matter.

I cannot understand why it was not glorified for the inspiring & dramatic suspense that unfolds effortlessly as the characters each do their thing, acting & reacting like ping pong balls in a vacuum. Nothing is contrived. But the willful spirit of the young girl who initially bewilders her wise Negro friends she meets by chance, proves to be a catalyst of emotion, both for the participants on screen, & viewers who are drawn to be MORE than passive detached observers.

"Chasing Secrets" ("The Secret Path") surely will leave a massive impact upon the soul of most anyone who dares to be open to a wonderfully uplifting experience of the best in humanity, even in such strongly adverse circumstances. One of the few times I have ever felt so moved was when I read Harper Lee's classic novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" which has echoed through my heart & soul occasionally, like a welcomed breeze, over the 20-25 years since!

The passion of this beautiful Negro lady, as protagonist of exceptional insight in her pain & past, supported by her soul-mate & husband in their lives of accumulated hardship, activated by her young unlikely friend evolving, transform the injustice layered in the drama, but even more so, the viewer, as the comments of other viewers here at the IMDb website, likewise reflect.

This magnificent movie is not to be missed!

I am a Lifetime Movie Network and Lifetime lover. This movie came on LMN titled Chasing Secrets. I had no idea what it was gonna be about, but once I started watching it, I couldn't take my eyes off of the TV. This movie had me crying, laughing and it gave me such a warm feeling inside. I am trying my best to find out where I can purchase this movie so that I can watch it over and over with my family. The movie had some of the best child actors I have ever seen. It also had outstanding adult actors, my favorite being Della Reese. It is a movie that the entire family can view together and learn many lessons from it. I recommend this movie to any true movie lover. My hats off to the writer and director of Chasing Secrets.

I watched this movie and I loved it, I found this website while trying to find out how to buy the movie so I can watch it again. I completely agree that this move may become a classic. For me it was a tear jerker, my husband watched it as well which is rare and he enjoyed it and said if I buy it he will watch it again which is very rare. The movie is about a neglected girl in the south who is taken under the wing of a very unlikely couple, I believe it was set in the 40's. Della Reese is fantastic in this movie as usual and too tall is a great actor too. The ending wasn't how I hoped it would be, but like I said I will watch it again and probably again. I recommend it to everyone.

I had absolutely no plans to watch this movie but YouTube kept giving it to me and I am so glad it did. This was such a special and beautiful story of love between people and how it can heal. I was on the edge of my seat thinking something so terrible was going to happen the whole time because it was just too good to be true. The little girls acting was just spectacular and Della Reese and Ossie Davis just shine on screen in everything they do. This reminded me of the most beautiful parts of life and that love u get from your elders. Elders that actually have some sense! I can't say enough good things and I'm crying right now.

I have admired Della Reese as an actress for many years. I saw a clip of this movie that I had never seen...so I watched it. I will not mention spoilers here. I will tell you that it was an inspiring, heartfelt and faith based story. It is accurately based on the time period (historically speaking), and the location of the story...in the 1930 and 40's, in a southern state in the U. S. I recommend this movie for it's faith inspired and heartfelt message. That we're never alone, and that in unity we can overcome adversity with faith. It is a good movie for family with older children. I loved the movie. I was moved by it, and I would encourage others to watch it. Della Reese did many awesome works as an actress. This was one that I am truly glad I watched.

Truly 1 of the most beautiful stories ever told.

(TO THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO GIVE THIS FILM A BAD REVIEW PLEASE CONTINUE TO READ BELOW!) IF UR ABOUT TO RATE THIS MOVIE POORLY & GIVE IT A NEGATIVE REVIEW, THEN DO ME A FAVOR 1ST, TAKE 2 FINGERS & PRESS THEM AGAINST THE RIGHT SIDE OF UR NECK, DO U FEEL UR HEART BEATING? K, NOW DOUBLE CHECK AGAIN, CAUSE ONLY THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A HEART COULD ONLY GIVE THIS MOVIE A BAD REVIEW & RATING.... Normally, my ratings are 4/10, which means I enjoyed it & will watch it again someday. Any movie I rate lower than that I'll never watch it. My rating system is different. U see like I said above, it's rare for me to rate something 7-8/10. I've never rated anything 9/10 or 10/10, cause there's no such movie that deserves a perfect rating. Some have come close. Such as, Titanic, Armageddon, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Gone with the Wind, A Walk to Remember, Ever After: A Cinderella Story, & this movie "A Secret Path." Those types of movies I enjoy, now movies like, Star Wars, Terminator saga, Every single movie Tom Cruise plays (except the 2017 The Mummy) Matrix saga, Indiana Jones saga, Lord of the Rings saga, those I gave ratings of 1/10.

This movie played a role in shaping my character as I grew up. I just wished that Jo Ann would've returned to Honey & 2 Tall before they passed away. Or at least had a scene that showed letters to each other (Honey & Jo Ann) just some kind of reassurance that Honey & 2 Tall knew what became of their little girl.