A girl is sent to live with her uncle on his estate when her parents die. There she discovers much intrigue, family history and secrets and personal baggage. In particular, a screaming child... Read allA girl is sent to live with her uncle on his estate when her parents die. There she discovers much intrigue, family history and secrets and personal baggage. In particular, a screaming child and...a secret garden.A girl is sent to live with her uncle on his estate when her parents die. There she discovers much intrigue, family history and secrets and personal baggage. In particular, a screaming child and...a secret garden.
- Mr. Bromley
- (as Mathew Boulton)
- Muriel
- (uncredited)
- Charles, the Butler
- (uncredited)
- Raven
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThere are several moments when Mary (Margaret O'Brien) refers to her servant in India. When watching the film, one hears the word "servant", but Mary's mouth is clearly forming the word "Aya" as in other versions of The Secret Garden.
- GoofsElspeth Dudgeon (Susan Sowerby, Dickon's mother) was 78 years old. She, therefore, would have been well into her 60s when she gave birth to Dickon. However, this is not a Goof as actors frequently play characters of a different age than they are.
- Quotes
Martha: My brother Dickon will be coming up to see thee.
Mary Lennox: Your brother?
Martha: Aye, thou'll like Dickon. What a one he is for growing things and the animals. Half lives on it, he does, almost like an animal himself.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Some of the Best: Twenty-Five Years of Motion Picture Leadership (1949)
- SoundtracksHindu Song of Love
(uncredited)
Written by Lal Chand Mehra
Performed by Margaret O'Brien with singing voice provided by Marni Nixon.
Along the way she finds love in friendship, a love that was never shown to her by her parents.
The book on which this film is based by Frances Hodgson Burnett, was my favourite book as a child and I've given many copies to children over the years. This movie is quite a perfect replica of the book, apart from the injection of a totally unnecessary "crime" element. The characters are multi-dimensional, a wounded father flailing against the world and projecting illness on to his son. The son, Colin, played by a very young and handsome Dean Stockwell, in turn reacting with tantrums and hate to the world around him.
Mary has her own issues, feeling ugly and unloved due to her past in India.
Unhappiness reigns in the Manor House headed up by Herbert Marshall playing Colin's father - a brilliant performance.
There is a teeming cast of well known names to add to the flavour of the film: Dame Gladys Cooper as the housekeeper; Elsa Lanchester as the maid; Reginald Owen as the mysterious gardener.
The black and white filming adds a morbid darkness with the colour sequences in the garden contrasting beautifully.
The only flaw was the settish nature of the scenes, even the gardens are "back lot".
But these quibbles aside, some movies one can get immersed in afresh with each viewing. This is one that takes you in and doesn't let up till the final very satisfying frame.
9 out of 10.
- wisewebwoman
- Mar 20, 2008
Details
- Runtime1 hour 32 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1