Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 14, 1993 TAG: 9308140037
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAY BOYAR ORLANDO SENTINEL
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Another interpretation of the situation, however, is that the movie in question didn't fully hold the attention of the children who had come to see it.
This second possibility seems far more likely, especially since "The Secret Garden" has a high-literary tone, an extremely leisurely pace and virtually no action. It is, in other words, just the sort of solemn, well-intentioned kids' picture that parents sometimes get more excited about than their children do.
Set mainly in and around a large rural estate in England, the movie is based on the 1911 story of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett (best known for "Little Lord Fauntleroy"). Burnett's "Secret Garden" has already survived a few attempts at adaptation, including the 1949 movie, the 1987 TV movie and, most recently, the 1991 Tony-winning Broadway musical.
Early in the new film, we meet Mary Lennox, a sullen and imperious 10-year-old who, upon being orphaned, comes to live with her cold, distant uncle, Lord Craven.
As he rarely sees the girl, Mary is left in the firm hands of Mrs. Medlock, the Gothic estate's starchy caretaker. Basically, the movie shows Mary's personality blossoming as a result of caring for both a "secret" garden on the estate and for Colin Craven, Lord Craven's sickly son.
As directed by Agnieszka Holland ("Europa, Europa," "Olivier, Olivier") from a script by Caroline Thompson ("Edward Scissorhands," "The Addams Family"), "The Secret Garden" has intelligence going for it - and a lush, dark texture.
When you get right down to it, the subject here is death, especially the legacy of death. And the filmmakers do approach this sensitive topic with great delicacy and, in the end, optimism.
As Mary and Colin, young Kate Maberly and Heydon Prowse make an appropriately morbid pair, and Maggie Smith is at her most dauntingly severe as Mrs. Medlock. There's an unexpected sweetness in John Lynch's Lord Craven and a welcome jollity in Laura Crossley's servant girl.
As I say, the movie's dark themes, unhurried pace and talkiness make it something of a gamble for many children. But older children - especially those who have been asking specific questions about death - may find some nourishment in this gardeni
The Secret Garden
A Warner Bros. release playing at Valley View Mall 6 and Salem Valley 8. Rated G.
by CNB