DramaFamilyFantasy

The Secret Garden

- The timeless tale of a special place where magic, hope and love grow.

A young British girl born and reared in India loses her neglectful parents in an earthquake. She is returned to England to live at her uncle's castle. Her uncle is very distant due to the loss of his wife ten years before. Neglected once again, she begins exploring the estate and discovers a garden that has been locked and forgotten. Aided by one of the servants' boys, she begins restoring the garden, and eventually discovers some other secrets of the manor.

Release Date : 1993-08-13

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Warner Bros. PicturesAmerican Zoetrope

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Mary Lennox

Original Name : Kate Maberly

Gender : Female

Character Name : Colin Craven

Original Name : Heydon Prowse

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dickon

Original Name : Andrew Knott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Medlock

Original Name : Maggie Smith

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mary's Mother / Lilias Craven

Original Name : Irène Jacob

Gender : Female

Character Name : Martha

Original Name : Laura Crossley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lord Archibald Craven

Original Name : John Lynch

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ben Weatherstaff

Original Name : Walter Sparrow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cook

Original Name : Valerie Hill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Betty Butterworth

Original Name : Andrea Pickering

Gender : Male

Character Name : Will

Original Name : Peter Moreton

Gender : Male

Character Name : John

Original Name : Arthur Spreckley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major Lennox

Original Name : Colin Bruce

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ayah

Original Name : Parsan Singh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Grandmother at Dock

Original Name : Eileen Page

Gender : Female

Character Name : Grandfather at Dock

Original Name : David Stoll

Gender : Male

Character Name : Girl at Dock

Original Name : Tabatha Allen

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

_**Beautiful, reverent, awe-inspiring**_ To be honest, I remember seeing previews of this movie way back when it came out (in 1993) and thinking to myself, "WHY would anyone want to see such a film and why would anyone make it?" Well, about five years later it appeared on TV one night and I started watching, fully expecting to turn it off within 20 minutes or so. WOW -- was I ever wrong! What I saw was beautiful and captivating, artistic and entrancing -- filmmaking of the highest order. "The Secret Garden" is a movie of such artistic quality that it ranks up there with the hallowed original "Apocalypse Now" (although they're totally different genres). It's no surprise that Francis Ford Coppola had his hand in both pics -- he was, of course, the director of "Apocalypse Now" and he's the executive producer of "The Secret Garden." In any event, the cinematography is breathtaking and the score is awe-inspiring, ranking with the best in cinematic history. ***PLOT SPOILER*** The story's about a spoiled 10-year old English girl, orphaned in India, who comes home to live on her uncle's vast estate in the early 1900s. The girl, Mary, finds herself trapped in a mysterious, colossal manor -- almost a castle -- tyrannically managed by a life-stifling witch, Mrs. Medlock, in the frequent absence of her uncle, Lord Cravin. Because Mary is intelligent, independent and sly she is able to reconnoiter the manor and learn its forbidding secrets. The biggest secret is that her aunt died ten years earlier and her son, Colin, still lives there, albeit confined to a bed, sickly and unable to walk. Her uncle never healed from this heartbreak. Mary discovers another secret in her explorations, a hidden garden, closed off and neglected since her aunt's death. After meeting the sickly and sad Colin, Mary inevitably finds a way to sneak him into the garden along with her pal Dickon. She senses that Colin isn't as sick as everyone is convinced; she knows the best thing would be to get him out of the dreary castle and the oppressive clutches of Mrs. Medlock. Mary and her secret garden are the keys to restoring health, life and freedom to Colin, Lord Cravin and the gloomy manor. ***END SPOILER*** "The Secret Garden" is sort of a 1990's version of the outstanding "Pollyanna" with Hayley Mills (1960). Both pics involve a young girl restoring a spirit of joy and liberty to a lifeless community. The difference is that Mary is not even remotely the "glad girl" Pollyanna. In fact, look for the hilarious line from the old gardener who responds to Mary's puzzlement concerning her lack of friends. "The Secret Garden" is no doubt labeled a "children's film," which is a shame because it transcends such a limiting category. The ending's too quaint for my tastes but, nevertheless, this is a beautiful work of wonder and deep mystery, which can be enjoyed by people of all ages -- children and adults. The film was shot in England and runs 101 minutes. GRADE: A