The third adaptation of the 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a scenic and moving tale of three children and a secret that will change their lives. When ten-year-old Mary Lennox (Kate Maberly) becomes an orphan after her self-absorbed parents die in an earthquake in India, she’s sent away from the only place she’s ever known to live on her uncle’s estate in London. In such a big place, she tries to keep herself occupied by exploring and comes across – you guessed it – a secret garden. She also makes some friends along the way: the sweet, nature-loving, Dickon (Andrew Knott), and the sickly, unfortunate Colin Craven (Heydon Prowse).
Directed by Agnieszka Holland, The Secret Garden uses the smallest of things cast your mind back to innocence, like the tune of a red robin, or an abandoned garden swing. You see through children’s eyes how the world can be cruel and unjust, but hopeful and magical at the same time. It’s a family film, but that doesn’t just mean it’s for kids. However old you are, this film is a warm and charming must-see.
You can watch The Secret Garden on Amazon Prime here.
Written by Libby Briggs
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.
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