THE SECRET GARDEN
A film review by David Wong Shee
Copyright 1994 David Wong Shee
CREDITS *
Directed by Agnieszka Holland. Written by Caroline Thompson and Frances Hodgson Burnett (novel). Cinematography by Roger Deakins. Music by Zbigniew Preisner. Acted by: Kate Maberly; Heydon Prowse; Maggie Smith; John Lynch. Production designed by Stuart Craig. Edited by Isabelle Lorente.
SYNOPSIS
Following the death of her parents in a natural disaster in India ten year old Mary Lennox (Kate Maberly), newly orphaned, is returned to the United Kingdom by the colonial authorities. Her next of kin is a wealthy uncle, Lord Craven (John Lynch) and she comes to live in his mansion set in deep the British countryside.
Arriving at the peak of winter, the huge largely derelict house stands amongst desolate fog laden moors, in an atmosphere of pervading despair. The household live seemingly under a curse, blighted by the death of Lord Craven's wife during childbirth ten years earlier.
Undaunted by her surroundings, however, Mary explores the derelict labyrinth of, she is told, at least one hundred rooms; as well as the extensive grounds and fallow gardens which surround it. She discovers her aunt's favorite garden, sealed off since her death. She also comes across a cousin she never knew she had, Colin Craven (Heydon Prowse), estranged from his father, Lord Craven, all his life due to the tragic circumstances of Colin's birth. Colin is an invalid who has lived all his days confined to bed, destined it appears, never to see the light of day.
The film depicts Mary's liberation of herself, and her uncle and cousin, from the smothering burdens of their shared and individual pasts.
COMMENTS
A tale for children and for those who remain, as they say, forever "children at heart".
The plot contains all the elements one would expect of a childrens' story set in Victorian times: orphaned aristocratic children; a tyrannical housekeeper (Maggie Smith); mysterious, hidden places where seeds of, figuratively, magical rejuvenation are eventually to be found. As with all good (children's) stories several key existential challenges must be faced and overcome:
* The catastrophic abandonment of parental death.
* The fear of the new and unknown.
* Mistreatment and neglect by supposed guardians.
I must say I was surprised that, apart from a little long distance telepathy, there was no recourse to magic (nor appeal to any other supernatural agencies for that matter) to bring about the resolution to bitter realities. The (s)hero (Mary) survives and rescues those around her by drawing upon the indomitable resilience of the human spirit; and its eternal capacity for redemption from despair and for triumphing over the destructive consequences of death.
All in all, a fine and enchanting piece of cinema.
"If you look at it a certain way, all the world is a garden"
Mary Lennox
* Courtesy of the rec.arts.movies database.
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