Customer Reviews
Classic - By: K. Walker, 09 Aug 2008 
I never got to the cinema much as a child & could count on one hand how many times I went, but I do remember out of alll of them, The Secret Garden moved me the most. As an adult, I rarely watch TV or films & have a low boredom threshold, but I can watch this film over & over & cry every time. Mary Lennox is played superbly by Polly Maberly & the film is one of those rare gems that is truly as good as the book.
Enchanting tale - By: Kona, 24 May 2008 When an earthquake in India leaves her an orphan, Mary Lennox is sent to live at her uncle's remote estate in England. The spoiled, bratty Mary is quite miserable with no one to talk to or play with & a stern housekeeper (Maggie Smith) hovering over her. When Mary begins exploring the manor, she discovers not only a secret garden but also a secret cousin!
This is a beautifully-filmed children's story about the power of friendship & overcoming adversity. I wasn't familiar with the 1911 book (although I want to read it now), & I expected something awful to happen to the garden or the children, but only good things happen, so it's ideal for kids of alll ages.
The Yorkshire location is lovely & the acting is uniformly wonderful. The joys of bringing an old garden to life & befriending a shut-in child are the simple, yet profound pleasures of this story. Highly recommended for those who like sweet, sentimental stories.
Great family movie! - By: SPN, 22 Mar 2008 We watched this for our family movie night. Our 4 & 6 year old girls were enchanted. In the middle of the movie, our 6 year old said "this is a reallly good movie mom." Not a dry eye in the house at the end! We alll enjoyed this movie & I'm sure this will be a family staple.
Beautiful - By: Nell Robin, 21 Sep 2007 I love this story. It has a certin magic about it. Its a very well thought out story line & Kate Maberly preforms Mary very well.
It has a wonderful soundtrack which adds to the enjoyment of the film.
Visually stunning! Beautiful in every way! - By: Taran Wanderer, 03 Aug 2007 I had never seen any versions of 'The Secret Garden,' nor had I read the original book by Frances H. Burnett, but it did appeal to me, that's why when I ran into it at my local video store, I couldn't help myself from buying it, I payed $4.99 for it & I quickly realized what a bargain that was. This movie was worth every penny, absolutely gorgeous.
This is one of those films, aimed mainly at children, that the whole family can enjoy, both the young & old. The story centers around Mary Lennox, recently orphaned, sent to live with her uncle at an old manor, surrounded by a gloomy & foggy moor. At first, Mary doesn't seem to enjoy it, not because she misses her neglectful parents, but because she is lonely & longs for someone to play with. At the manor, she must live with the mean Mrs. Medlock, whom she dislikes, however, Mary soon makes friends with Martha, her younger brother Dickon & a young ill boy named Colin, who is Mary's cousin. Mary discovers many secrets, as why Colin is always kept in a lonely bed & why her uncle is so down & depressed, but the biggest secret she finds is the entrance to an old garden, which she & her new friend Dickon help bring to life.
This movie, as I have already stated, is beautifully filmed, with lots of beautiful landscapes & settings & the most breathtaking melodies ever, many following the tone of the closing song "Winter Light." The actors portray their characters wonderfully. The film doesn't particularly have much humor, most of the comic relief here is given by Martha, in a way she is a funny character, this is a good thing for the film not to have much humor, it adds to it's 'gloomy' beauty.
This movie inspired me to read the book, at first I had a bit of trouble understanding what was going on, both in the book & in the film, I especiallly had a bit of trouble understanding the Yorkshire accents of some of the characters, but after repeated viewings, I began to understand better. I would recommend this film to anyone, if you get a chance, get the soundtrack as well, as the music is one of the stronger points of the film.
