The Secret Garden (1949) User Reviews

How Does Your Garden Grow?

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 14 May 2009]

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.

"My garden, my very own garden".

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 27 March 2011]

This was a surprising little gem to catch on Turner Classics this morning; I had only been aware of the 1993 version and did not know of an earlier one. This is only the third film I've come across utilizing the black and white transformation into color technique, probably best known for it's use in "The Wizard of Oz". The other one I'm thinking about is Abbott and Costello's "Jack and the Beanstalk".

Ostensibly a children's movie, I kept considering why so many scenes were played out in darkness with that horrible crying sound of the young Colin Craven (Dean Stockwell). The old, dark Craven mansion was, in the words of the film, an excellent house for bitterness and not for children, but fortunately, Mary's (Margaret O'Brien) alliance with Dickon (Brian Roper) helped their new friend to find joy in life along with the ability to walk. It still bothers me, even after the picture is over, that the sour Uncle Craven (Herbert Marshall) was willing to subject his own son to a debilitating condition instead of insisting on a cure that could make him a happy young boy again.

That all had to do with the death of his wife of course, ten years earlier due to an unfortunate accident. It's somewhat mysterious that the picture would take the viewer in the direction of a crime implicit in Mrs. Craven's death when there was already enough tension to go around. The virtually abandoned son would have been privy to those whispered conversations as well, adding even more to his imposed misery.

Fortunately it's the youngsters who carry this picture. O'Brien, Roper, and Stockwell form a unique trio, blooming as it were, along with the newly tended garden after the abandonment of a decade. Though the feel good ending seems somewhat forced, it's appropriate that the old Uncle is cured of his own personal demons to redeem himself as a father to the young Colin.

One of a bazillion versions of this film, this one is excellent and very watchable

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 6 January 2007]

I've only seen two versions of this film--this 1949 version and a made for TV version from 1987. Both films seemed very different from each other and I have no idea which is closer to the original story having never read it. Considering what often happens to books, perhaps neither is very close! Regardless of the case, this is a fine old family film--one that is very watchable for adults as well despite being a "kids' film".

The movie stars an older Margaret O'Brien. Oddly, throughout the film, people tell her she is ugly, but if that was supposed to be the case, Ms. O'Brien just wasn't ugly--maybe she needed some "uglying up". While this DIDN'T seriously impact the film, it was inconsistent and seemed awfully cruel--I would have probably just dropped these lines from the film. In addition, Dean Stockwell starred as the "crippled boy" and Brian Roper played "Dickon". Now at this time, O'Brian and Stockwell were stars so they got higher billing, but Roper did a wonderful job as well--too bad his part and billing got a bit overshadowed.

The story seems, at first, to be about Ms. O'Brian and the death of her parents. While she IS very important to the film and the central character, you soon see that the film is far more than a film about a poor orphan girl. Instead, the focus shifts when she is taken to live with her seriously disturbed uncle. Then, slowly, the story of how he became so mentally imbalanced and how his boy (Stockwell) became an invalid unfolded. This was brilliantly handled and I loved how both O'Brian and Stockwell's characters grew emotionally though the film. I also liked how black and white cinematography was used but when the secret garden came to life, these portions of the film were in vibrant color (much like in the WIZARD OF OZ).

It's a good film that is relatively low on the "sappiness scale"--good story-telling without being too heavy-handed or overly sentimental. Excellent writing, direction and acting--no complaints from this old curmudgeon!

Come Play In This Garden

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 17 March 2002]

A strange little girl finds peace for her troubled heart after confronting the mystery of THE SECRET GARDEN.

Based on the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this family film is a perennial favorite, in no whit dimmed by more recent, flashier versions. The excellent production values by MGM allow the viewer to experience the weird atmosphere of Misselthwaite Manor and the joyous fecundity of the Garden.

The movie can be enjoyed for the plot alone, but there are other, deeper, levels which can be appreciated as well. Most of the main characters are desperately unhappy when the film begins, but the spontaneous love of life exhibited by the Sowerby family - which leads directly to the discovery of the Garden - ultimately brings about the redemption of several (but not all) of the others. This Joy is not altogether of our world. If the viewer senses the unseen Presence of Something Bright & Beautiful in the Garden, so be it.

The film's main drawback - and this is a small quibble - is the intent to increase tension by adding a possible murder mystery to the plot (How did Colin's mother really die? Did Archibald Craven kill her?). This is quite unnecessary, the story has enough conflict already. But the desire to add additional menace to the Dark Old House theme probably proved irresistible - as well as giving the excellent British actor, Herbert Marshall, more dramatic gristle on which to chew.

The plot revolves, as it should, around the experiences of three children, each peculiar in their own way. Margaret O'Brien, Dean Stockwell & Brian Roper flesh out their roles most agreeably. The adult roles are so well cast that one tends to forget that they are mostly caricatures: Dame Gladys Cooper as the wicked, frustrated housekeeper; Elsa Lanchester as the irrepressibly happy maid; dour Reginald Owen as the elemental gardener. Even the small cameo performances sparkle: Billy Bevan as an overheated British soldier in India; Dennis Hoey as Marshall's stern valet; Aubrey Mather & George Zucco as young Stockwell's doctors; and Norma Varden as his wise nurse.

Movie mavens should recognize Elspeth Dudgeon in the tiny role of Dickon's mother & the wonderful Marni Nixon as the dubbed singing voice of Miss O'Brien - both uncredited.

The film makes very judicious use of Technicolor to heighten appreciation of the distinctive nature of the Garden.

A classic!

[wisewebwoman · 9/10 · 21 March 2008]

This is a movie I never tire of seeing. Margaret O'Brien is just about perfect in the part of Mary Lennox, an orphan who finds herself in a house full of strange people.

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.

MGM at its classic best

[Ripshin · 28 November 2004]

Wonderful performances, and beautiful set design, make this film a definite must-see. No studio could match MGM's lush approach, and the stylized sets seen in "The Secret Garden" bring the script alive, in a fashion no "location" filming could have accomplished.

Utilizing a "partial" Technicolor application seen in "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Women," MGM manages to provide an emotional punch when it is most needed.

O'Brien is perfect in the lead, and minor supporting roles are cast to perfection.

A few of the scenes are surprisingly creepy.

Although, today, the film is labeled as "family," it can be surprisingly harsh, with none of the treacle that sinks many a movie intended for a general audience.

Not just for children

[zetazap8 · 7/10 · 26 November 2014]

This is my own opinion and "take" on the film.

You can understand the storyline from the main description, but the real story is that the subject is "the Garden of the Psyche". A B&W film, there is great usage of light and shadow for dramatic effect. It conveys a dreary, foreboding atmosphere, and a world devoid of color (Love and Joy).

A prominent symbol in this film is a raven. According to website www.ask.com, "...the raven symbolizes metamorphosis, change, or transformation...messengers from the cosmos...and help people to find answers to thoughts that they are unable to face...it is believed that ravens help to expose these secrets to help a person begin the process of healing from their effects..."

Mary comes to live with her uncle after her parents die in India from cholera, and she is deeply hurt by the loss of her parents, acting like a spoiled brat and insisting to be waited on/indulged as if she were a cripple.

Her uncle (Archibald Craven) is psychologically wounded by the loss of his wife 10 years earlier in a tragic accident, and takes out his grief on his son, treating him like a cripple.

His son (Mary's cousin), Colin, is told by doctors and other adults that he IS a cripple, and is a spoiled, miserable brat. An "outside" doctor eventually reveals that the boy is not crippled at all, and just needs some exercise and sunshine.

The discovery of the Secret Garden by Mary and Dickon begins to soften Mary's heart, and its subsequent clean-up becomes a labor of love. As the garden is healed, Mary and then Colin are healed psychologically, and become kind and thoughtful to each other. The three children become friends, and are bonded with a common love and joy about the Garden - which is translated visually when the Garden is shown in color.

Eventually, Archibald resolves to sell the house, including the Garden, and the children are beside themselves with grief. He learns from the realtor/banker that the Garden is in bloom and beautiful (after having been abandoned for 10 years), and he rushes to break into it and see for himself. The children are all there, and it's in color. Colin is sitting in his wheelchair, and in a plea to his father to save the Garden, gets up and walks stiffly into the waiting arms of his father; all are healed and are truly in the Garden of Joy.

IMHO, much like classics such as "It's a Wonderful Life" and "The Wizard of Oz", it is well worth your time to watch it, because of the journey that it takes you on, even if you know how it ends.

A Forgotten Classic

[abooboo-2 · 9/10 · 9 April 2001]

Going in I was not familiar with the enormously popular children's book upon which it was based, but I have to believe the folks behind this version did a wonderful job condensing the material and preserving all the elements which helped make the book such a success. It's even a little hard to believe it was derived from a book targeted at children as the film deals with some fairly mature subject matter and has rather an adult, realistic edge. It's very impressive, certainly a meticulously crafted, heartfelt production that builds nicely to a moving conclusion. (Plus, the scenes shot in color are breathtaking.) The very visual director, Fred Wilcox, is remarkably adept at establishing mood and atmosphere through the ominous use of sets and lighting. Margaret O'Brien (repeatedly and inaccurately told in the movie how unattractive she is) who was soon to kiss childhood and stardom goodbye, is given a great part to play and is extremely appealing. (As is a very young Dean Stockwell, playing a difficult character who all too easily could've been unsympathetic.)

Also, I have to quarrel with the other post, where someone asserts that the movie is badly dated. Quite the contrary, the story zips along at a refreshingly swift pace and never lags. The movie should hardly be faulted (and in fact should be commended) for not having flashy MTV style edits every five seconds or a bombastic score. It's a very rewarding experience for both children and adults alike.

Good, but not great, version of the classic story

[jamesrupert2014 · 7/10 · 21 February 2017]

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.

If only I had a secret garden...

[RandyRodman · 9/10 · 10 April 2001]

This film's sweet imagery and quiet pace made me long for my own secret garden. It's hard to imagine there ever was a time when people could live in this sort of peaceful solitude, with no telephones, radios or any of modern life's other annoying distractions. I strongly recommend this movie for anyone who needs a brief respite from their hectic life. It will serve as a much needed reminder of the joys of a simpler time, whether that time ever really existed or not. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to check on available cottage rentals on the moors.

P.S. While this film was originally intended for children, I doubt that any but the brightest and most thoughtful of today's kids will enjoy it, due to it's slow, deliberate pacing and complete lack of comic-book action, though the tantrum scene between Margaret O'Brien and Dean Stockwell will probably grab their attention.

Herbert Marshall's film

[Philipp_Flersheim · 7/10 · 2 December 2021]

There is some really impressive acting in this film. Margaret O'Brien (playing Mary Lennox) is excellent as a spoilt child initially unable to come to terms with the disappearance and death of her parents. Her tantrums look absolutlely believable. And Herbert Marshall (as her uncle Archibald Craven) was an inspired choice. Marshall was suffering from the loss of a leg in consequence of an injury sustained in WWI. The phantom pain never left him; his prosthesis tormented him, and he had taken to drinking. Here he plays a similarly tormented character, and he could not be more convincing. By contrast, Elsa Lanchester as Martha (the merry maid of Misselthwaite Manor) is overacting, as is Brian Roper, who plays Dickon a bit too much as the friendly yokel. The trick pioneered in The Wizard of Oz (1939) of showing certain scenes (here the restored garden) in colour whereas the rest of the film is in black and white had become a bit trite by the end of the 1940s. Still, all in all a very enjoyable picture.

Wonderful story

[garnetdragonsue · 10/10 · 25 December 2006]

The Secret Garden was a wonderful story with really great characters. I just saw this one yesterday morning for the first time. Was interested as it listed Dean Stockwell in it and I have enjoyed many things he has done as an adult actor. Especially the character he played in Quantum Leap. I did not realize he played one of the children until the end of the movie and was just blown away. I loved him as Colin Craven. I just did not have a clue that was him. It's amazing how evident his talent shows through at such a young age. And all the others in the film portrayed their characters just as wonderfully as he. This is definitely a movie people of all ages can enjoy.

A Classic - but dated.

[Jill-68 · 6/10 · 12 February 2001]

I saw this movie on t.v. when I was a young girl in the mid-sixties. I remember especially the scenes of Margaret O'Brien walking down long, dark corridors in a seemingly haunted house where the wind always blows at night...or is it the wind? Later, I read the book and realized it wasn't a scary story at all....just one of the best children's novels ever written. If a movie can get a child to go and read the book - well, it must be good. But I'll be honest here: I recently rented it for my 11 yr. old daughter (who also has the book....and more up-to-date video interpretations), and she was a bit bored. The movie does plod at points....the camera lingers too long....the lighting is not all the best (but very effective when it's supposed to be dark - those corridors, remember?). She did express delight when the film turned from b&w to color as the garden came to life....she thought it was clever. But mainly she was being polite by watching it with me. It IS dated. Sigh. Question: How many fans of this movie grew up to be fans of Wuthering Heights? To me, they're always intertwined....as if these large estates on the moors bordered each other....80 years apart.

Best directing style of any version

[HotToastyRag · 5/10 · 17 March 2019]

I know The Secret Garden is a classic story, and my mom always get a lump in her throat when she watches the Herbert Marshall movie, but I don't really like it. First of all, I'm not a sucker for children, so when there's a story that revolves around them, I'm a bit of a hard sell. In the story, a little girl lives in a big, mysterious house and hears moaning and wailing in the middle of the night. She investigates and finds the noise is coming from a little boy with back problems. They become friends and together with another little boy they tend and nurture a hidden garden to coming back to life. I understand that the garden is a metaphor, but I don't like the message. So, given all that introduction, I think it's clear why I don't really like this story.

However, if you do like the story or you are undecided and want to give it a chance, your best bet is to watch the Herbert Marshall version. He plays the cold, shut-off man who just needs hope and tenderness, like the garden. The children are Margaret O'Brien, Dean Stockwell, and Brian Roper, and the likable maid is Elsa Lanchester. Plus, this version has a pretty cool and effective directing choice that no other version I've seen has included. What is the unique feature? I can't tell you without giving away a spoiler, so you'll have to watch it to find out.

Remarkably lovely

[waia2000 · 8 April 2001]

This is an excellent adaptation of the famous children's book by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Margaret O'Brien shines as Mary Lennox, a British girl orphaned in India and sent to live with her nearest relative, a gruff reclusive uncle (Herbert Marshall). A very young Dean Stockwell is quite good as Mary's cousin Colin. The interaction between these children and a third, a local boy named Dickon (Brian Roper) is handled well. The story, told in a straightforward manner is warm and touching, with a number of humorous moments. Highly recommended.

Utterly Magical

[robert-temple-1 · 10/10 · 22 April 2010]

This is the Margaret O'Brien version of this timeless story, which is based upon the famous children's' novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It is not only for children, however, but also for young at heart adults. Its underlying themes are surprisingly adult, namely grief, loss, and despair, and the possibility of redemption through the power of the imagination. First filmed in 1919, this is the second cinema version of the story, which has been filmed a total of five times as a feature film and three times as a TV series. Agnieszka Holland directed a superb version in 1993, two years before TOTAL ECLIPSE (1995, see my review) and four years before WASHINGTON SQUARE (1997, see my review). But although I like to 'go Dutch' by watching Holland, her version does not surpass this one. The uncle threatened by madness through grief is here played absolutely perfectly by Herbert Marshall, whose raving despair is pathetically convincing. And in the lead we have the incomparable Margaret O'Brien, who could easily 'carry' any film she was ever in. Although the initial scenes in India are a bit stilted in this version, as soon as we get to England and the gigantic Yorkshire mansion surrounded by its 'wuthering winds', as Gladys Cooper, the terrifying housekeeper, calls them, and lashed by unremitting rain and storms, we have settled in for a traditional tale which is going to be well told. This is all aided by a magnificent performance as the country boy Dickon by the child actor Brian Roper, who retired from acting eleven years later, in 1960, and died in 1994. But this performance of his lives on in the memory. Young Dean Stockwell also does very well indeed as the crippled boy Colin Craven, though he overdoes his tantrum scenes, and that was a serious failing of the director's, in allowing all the tantrum scenes to be unconvincing. Among the stars of this film are a brilliant tame raven and a tame lamb and fox cub. I have been unable to discover the name of the raven, but he deserved a Bird Oscar, because he is in so many scenes and did such a superb job. Elsa Lanchester plays an eccentric maid named Martha who has the curious characteristic of never stopping laughing. That is not an easy role to play, but she pulls it off. Try never stopping laughing and see what I mean. This film employs the device used ten years earlier in THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), of turning from black and white into colour at significant moments. Here, the colour occurs when they enter the Secret Garden. There is a profound psychological significance to this Secret Garden, which the grieving Herbert Marshall has kept locked for ten years so that no one dare enter it, because it represents his living heart, to which he has barred all access, as he has attempted to seal himself off from feeling after the death of his wife. Naturally, it is the spontaneous innocence of the children which achieves the access to this locked and forbidden area, both of the grounds and of the psyche, and achieves a renaissance of joy in a withered remnant of what had once before been joyful. That is why I call this story timeless, because it has all the elements of a successful myth, told simply but full of meaning. And that is why it has resonated so deeply with the public for more than a century. However, as innocence is no longer fashionable or even respectable, and as all children are meant to be forced to have sex education at the age of five, eight year-olds are on crack cocaine, and ten year-old girls are getting pregnant, all without even a blush to the public, and all wholly taken for granted, I suppose that the days when THE SECRET GARDEN could speak to anyone are soon due to expire. This is called, in case you had not noticed, the terminal decadence of civilisation. Sometimes our powerlessness to do anything to stop this accelerating decline of the world in which we live leads one to watch a lot of old movies, just in order to recapture the time before things got so bad. Even the worst days of the world wars, and the most sinister of the old films noir, were not as menacing of the blunt and inescapable reality of today's world, as it hurtles towards its inevitable doom, because it has lost its heart, or should I say, its Secret Garden. There is one more thing I should say about this film, which is a remarkable irony, namely the fact that its screenplay is by Robert Ardrey (1908-1980). Younger people of today may never have heard of Ardrey, but in 1961 he published an international best-selling book, African GENESIS, which had an incredible impact upon modern culture and transformed the public's view of humanity's origins. It was followed by another book, THE TERRITORIAL IMPERATIVE, in 1966, and others after that. Ardrey was an anthropologist, and he propounded the 'killer ape theory' of mankind's origins, whereby deep-seated violent aggression was built into our makeup and at the basis of much or most of human behaviour. The entire 1960s saw a ferment of feverish discussion and debate about Ardrey's views, and they were discussed continuously in the press and in other people's books for years on end, well into the 1970s. Much of what Ardrey propounded in 1961, which shocked the world, is now accepted without question by society in general. How strange that the screenplay to this film THE SECRET GARDEN was written by the later author of African GENESIS! There would seem to be no two works so far apart as those. Ardrey was one of two 1940s Hollywood screenwriters who would later have a mammoth intellectual impact upon Western society, the other being Ayn Rand, who scripted LOVE LETTERS (1945) and her own brilliant THE FOUNTAINHEAD (1949).

A movie unequaled in excellence

[jvwas · 10/10 · 5 March 2002]

I saw this movie as a little girl almost Margaret's age. The impact of this delightful and moving performance forever remains in my memory. It has been unequaled by other Secret Garden performances...not even coming close! Margaret O'Brien needs to be invited to appear on talk shows, Larry King Live, to give us a chance to see her again.

Only One Drawback

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 27 March 2011]

This is, of course, a lovely story. And all the better this time for the wonderful child actors here. Margaret O'Brien alternates in this film between overacting (particularly when having a tantrum) to playing it just right in other scenes, fairly typical for this youngster. But, overall she is effective as a little girl who has been having a rough time of it, but mellows through her adventures surrounding her new life in Great Britain. Dean Stockwell is another favorite of the era, and he is delightful here, as well. I wasn't a bit familiar with the young actor (Brian Roper) who played the local boy, but he is, perhaps, the best of the lot.

Of the adults in this film version, Goerge Zucco, as the modern doctor, has perhaps the most interesting role. Star Herbert Marshall's role is small (compared to his usual film presence), but key, and he is always a wonderful presence. Elsa Lanchester is a bit over the top here, so I'm not sure she deserves many kudos. I didn't even recognize the gardener -- Reginald Owen.

It's a shame that MGM didn't spend just a little more money to make this film all in color, particularly considering its date -- 1949. I think it could have been made in color, yet sterile and drab while outside the garden, and then the beautiful color while in the garden. Perhaps that's why in recent years this film has been nearly lost in the public's remembrances when more recent color versions have been so acclaimed.

The ending comes all too fast, and a few more scenes showing a happy family would have been quite sentimental and a far better ending.

Lavish and well done adaptation of an enchanting book

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 13 June 2010]

The book by Frances Hodgson Burnett is an enchanting piece of literature. This adaptation is very good, and very good as a film, but can I be honest? I prefer the 1993 film, as I grew up with it, and it never fails to move me. The film could have been longer by three minutes, and Herbert Marshall I found rather dull as the grieving, melancholic uncle. However, this version of The Secret Garden is beautifully mounted, the cinematography, scenery, sets and costumes are very wondrous. Plus the music score, story and script still maintain the charm, and the direction is focused. In terms of performances Margaret O'Brien is very spirited as Mary, while Elsa Lanchester is typically splendid as Martha, Reginald Owen is charming as Ben Weatherstaff the gardener and Gladys Cooper is suitably beastly and tyrannical as Mrs Medlock. Overall, very well done and I liked it very much, it's just that I have a preference to the 1993 film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Not the best adaptation...

[callie-5 · 6/10 · 22 March 2008]

I was in 4th grade when our teacher read this story to us, one chapter at a time after lunch. It was a wonderful book that I read many times over.

This movie makes the third adaptation I've seen and while it certainly surpasses the 1987 version (the first version I ever saw and BOY was I disappointed!!), it isn't, IMHO, as faithful as the 1993 version.

I was skeptical that Margaret O'Brien could be as sour as Mary Lennox is written, but she did very well - just another side of her talent I hadn't seen before. But honestly, she was the only standout. Maybe, as someone else posted above, this version is dated, but the over-exaggeration of the emotions was so unnecessary. And all the extra dialog with Dr. Fortesque... I guess they had to give a reason for Mr. Craven to go out into the garden one last time.

A good movie to watch on a rainy Saturday afternoon, perhaps, but if you really want to know the story, watch the 1993 version instead. Or better yet, read the book!

Great movie for the whole family

[PudgyPandaMan · 8/10 · 5 February 2009]

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"!

Mistress Mary, Quite Contrary

[wes-connors · 7/10 · 24 May 2015]

After a cholera epidemic wipes out her parents and most of their Indian village, spoiled and disagreeable Margaret O'Brien (as Mary Lennox) is sent home to live with her reclusive uncle Herbert Marshall (as Archibald Craven) in Yorkshire, England. Accustomed to many devoted servants, young Miss O'Brien finds the new staff lacking. They don't think to hand her a biscuit. She has to dress herself. Her melancholy uncle prefers to remain a stranger. O'Brien is locked in her room at bedtime and told she must not explore the dark, moody mansion. At night, she hears the wailing of ten-year-old cousin Dean Stockwell (as Colin Craven). Sickly and bedridden, young Stockwell fears his death is near. Allowed outside to play, O'Brien meets robust young Brian Roper (as Dickon). The local lad is beloved by wild animals and tells O'Brien about a "Secret Garden" on the estate...

Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic novel has been made into several movies. Probably, none fully capture the nightmarish enchantment present in the original work. MGM and producer Clarence Brown succeed in the former, partially, by giving it a Gothic look...

Dreary and majestic setting (by Edwin B. Willis) and photography (by Ray June) make several early scenes memorable, but director Fred M. Wilcox loses focus as the pace dulls and story development becomes rushed. The character "Mary" becomes less relevant and her cousin "Colin" suffers from a too-hasty resolution. While fine performers, O'Brien and Stockwell do not have the appropriate script or appearance; as well as unlikeable, they should be frail, plain and sickly. Like "Colin", the "Garden" changes too suddenly. In this instance, the switch to color photography is harsh and turgid. Set design and costuming add to the increasing artificiality. Still, the film contains many moments which faithfully evoke scenes from the book. And, the character you'd most expect them to blunder turns out to be the best, as Brian Roper's "Dickon" is appropriately amazing.

******* The Secret Garden (1949-04-30) Fred M. Wilcox ~ Margaret O'Brien, Dean Stockwell, Brian Roper, Herbert Marshall

There Used to be an Innocent Age

[LeonLouisRicci · 10/10 · 23 August 2014]

A Time when the Innocence of Childhood was Enhanced with a Dreamlike Quality that was Both Inspiring and a Bit Scary. This is a Classic Tale, Mostly Written for Kids (especially Girls), that has been Filmed a Number of Times. It Seems the Best Version is this One, Perhaps because it was made when these Children were Still able to be Children.

The Move is a Wonderful Gothic, Fantasy, Semi-Horror Movie that is Thick on Atmosphere and Emoting. The Tantrum Scenes may be Dated and Somewhat Hard to Take but They are Short and the Film Moves Away to Other Things that are Poignant and Impressive.

All Three Child Actors are Superb and the Adult Cast is Nothing Less. This is a Film that is Strikingly Saturated with Warmth along side a Foreboding Landscape of Suppression and Psychological Maladies. it is Quite Different in the way it Blends Hopelessness, Alienation, and Buried Desires Resurrected by the Sheer Will of the Innocents and Manifested with Spiritual Healing.

A Near Perfect Movie that is a Throwback to a Different Era to be sure but Beneath the Layers of Dated Class Structure are Timeless Lessons that are Designed to Teach Children but it is the Children who End Up doing the Teaching.

HEY ACADEMY AWARDS......AN OSCAR FOR DEAN STOCKWELL PLEASE

[rickdumesnil-55203 · 7/10 · 30 March 2019]

THE movie is quite good without being excellent. love the scenery the atmosphere and the stellar character actors in it. miss o brien is ok but seems to be always pouting like her other films...never changes. BUT dean stockwell what a great boy actor unbelievable how he makes us belive in his acting. WHY does the cscars not reward him for the bulk of his work during 60 years. for his age he never did a bad performance and he often outshone the leading actors. WHILE HE IS STILL ALIVE AND WITH US....would be great to hand him an honory award. loved the animal scenes in the secret garden and seeing.....norma varden elsa lanchester and gladys cooper in the same film.

Strictly A Young Girl's Movie - Both This, And The Remake

[ccthemovieman-1 · 3/10 · 9 May 2007]

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.