The Secret Garden (1949)

Must See Movie...

As Good As It Gets

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Child star Margaret O'Brien leads a young(ish) central cast including Dean Stockwell and Brian Roper. The first two looked a couple of years older than the 10 year old characters and Roper was 20, and although he looked younger than that, he didn't look like a child (albeit the character is supposed to be a little otherworldly, think Francis of Assisi or Melampus). The black and white cinematography is good and the transition to colour when the Secret Garden begins to bloom is quite effective. While not as scenic or true to the book as the 1994 version, this is a good retelling with the notable exception of the axe scene. Why the writers felt that the possibility of murder needed to be introduced, then immediately dropped, into a children's tale of love, loss, and rebirth is beyond me.

It looks like there have been a gazillion version of Frances Hodgson Burnett's popular novel for children made. This one apparently is the most popular, the one most people will remember.It's a wonderful allegorical tale about how one has to give in life in order to receive. It also is about the maturing of a couple of really bratty kids.Margaret O'Brien is a child of the British Raj in India, quite used to having things her own way as her parents are a big-shot and his lady. But when both are taken away by an epidemic, she has to go back to Great Britain to live with an uncle, Herbert Marshall for whom the mildest thing that can be said is eccentric.She's given rather restrictive use of the vast house, though the grounds are her's to roam with the exception of a garden that is locked up. Many years ago Marshall's wife has died there and it's her death and the circumstances thereof that have driven him to the brink of dissolution and insanity.O'Brien also finds she has a cousin roughly her age who is bedridden with paralysis in Dean Stockwell. Stockwell has not born his affliction well and in fact is a bigger brat than she is. Dealing with him has forced her to confront her own misbehavior.A large part of Stockwell's problems are his doctor and caregiver in the persons of doctor Aubrey Mather and housekeeper Gladys Cooper. They like having him dependent on them, it increases their position in the house, as for Mather, he's making a whole living off Marshall treating his child.The younger brother of maid Elsa Lanchester, Brian Roper, also becomes a friend to both as they discover the locked up and neglected garden and use it as a playground. With the special love that children bring to something, interesting things start happening there.Most of the cast are familiar names to the American cinema, all the adults are card carrying members of the British colony in Hollywood. But Brian Roper was imported from across the pond because of the fact that he spoke with a Yorkshire brogue, he was native to that part of England. It does lend an air of authenticity to the film. Roper had a fair career for about a decade, mostly in his native country. I believe this is his one and only American film appearance.The Secret Garden is a fine adaption of the children's novel, maybe the best one ever done. The adults are hard pressed in this one to even get their innings in as the kids totally steal this film.

I was mesmerized the first time I saw this film as a child. I was quite happy to stumble upon it recently and experience it again as an adult.It is quite an atmospheric film - capable at producing quite differing moods. There is the scary, creepy mansion; the beautiful grounds and terraces; the spoiled and crippled boy that throws tantrums; and finally the beautiful restored garden presented in Technicolor (the rest of the movie was in black and white).I like how the movie leaves you guessing as to what is going on. Who is the boy heard screaming and why? It creates a certain tension and suspense. Also, what happened to make the master lock-up the secret garden - what is the horrible secret? I appreciate that they don't spoon-feed us the history of this strange place, but allow us to discover the facts slowly.Margaret O'Brien is in the last years of her child stardom and unfortunately doesn't transition well in later roles. She does fine in this film, although many may find her whiny, spoiled character a tad annoying. I actually think she acted more naturally as a young child - it seems the very young take to fantasy and imagination almost like second nature. Here, her acting begins to look more "stagey".This film plays very much likes a children's mystery. But I think adults will find much to enjoy. There are great performances by big stars such as Herbert Marshall and Gladys Cooper. On occasion, there is some overacting - like the "extremely" happy maid, Martha. But the exaggerations will play well to children.I consider this film to be a great escape - so let yourself be transported to "The Secret Garden"!

I have watched both versions of this film, the original which is this 11949 movie, and the re- make of 1994. The kids - who are all the lead characters - are annoying in BOTH films! They are so irritating I wouldn't watch either version again.Here, young Margaret O'Brien fakes an English accent which immediately makes her annoying to hear because her accent is obvious. Her character, "Mary Lennox" pouts, most of the time and I don't find that entertaining. Her constant simpering also is revolting. This is better than the re-make, however, which also throws in New Age baloney, typical of something done in the '90s.At least in this classic film, we get to see people like Herbert Marshall, Dean Stockwell, Gladys Cooper, Elsa Lanchester and Reginald Owen, all well-known and established actors. In the re-make, the only actor of note is Maggie Smith.This is a young girl's movie, and little else. If you are adult male, don't watch either version.