THE SECRET GARDEN (2020) REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

When it was announced that there was going to be a second adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burtnett’s book, The Secret Garden, which was first published in 1911, a lot of people were sceptical as there had already been a successful adaptation that was released in 1993, which starred Maggie Smith as the cold hearted housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock. However, I think I was one of the few people interested in seeing what director Marc Munden had created. The Secret Garden was originally meant to be released in April this year, unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of cinemas and its release date was delayed. It’s finally been released in cinemas and available to watch at home on Sky Cinema, however, is The Secret Garden worth watching?

The Secret Garden focuses on Mary Lennox (Dixie Egerickx) who, after her the death of her parents, is sent from India to live with her uncle, Lord Archibald Craven (Colin Firth), in England. Following her arrival, she is met by Lord Craven’s cold-hearted housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock (Julie Walters), who informs Mary of the strict rules. Mary begins to explore her new home and finds her cousin, Colin (Edan Hayhurst), who is ill and has spent most of his life in his bedroom. Together, they find a wondrous secret garden lost in the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor.

In answer to my earlier question, yes, I do think that The Secret Garden is worth watching as it’s a faithful adaptation of Burnett’s book. Those who enjoyed the book will, most likely, appreciate what Munden has created. 

The most impressive aspect of The Secret Garden is the design of the garden which is filled with bright and warm colours. It’s a shame that it wasn’t released in April as it’s the perfect film to watch during spring. The film is at its most enjoyable when it takes place in the garden. The manor represents a dull and miserable setting, however, the garden is seen as a magical place to escape to. The contrast between the two settings is effective. After discovering the garden, Mary develops into a friendlier and respectable individual. The scenes that focus on Mary, Colin and Dickon (Amir Wilson) having fun in the garden are where The Secret Garden is at its most enjoyable. In today’s society, children have lost interest in playing outside and have become obsessed with technology and spend more time indoors so it’s refreshing to watch a film such as The Secret Garden where the children find entertainment through playing with each other in the garden. 

The performances, especially by the young actors, are strong, with Egerickx delivering a memorable portrayal of Mary. The film frequently cuts to Mary’s life in India where she had a happier life. Unfortunately, the death of her mother from cholera impacts her negatively. When she arrives at Misselthwaite Manor, Mary is unhappy, however, following her discovery of the garden, she quickly develops into a friendlier and more likeable individual. Both Hayhurst and Wilson are equally as impressive as Colin and Dickon, both of whom are interesting characters. Colin is a sick child who has never left his room, however, his health significantly improves after he visits the garden, unfortunately, his overprotective father refuses to let him out of the house. Dickon can speak to animals and soon befriends Mary after they meet in the garden. As the cold and uncaring housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock, Walters, who usually plays likeable and funny characters, plays against type as does Firth as Colin’s grieving father, Lord Craven. 

An issue that occurs most frequently with remakes is predictability. Those who have watched Holland’s The Secret Garden will not be surprised by what happens in Munden’s latest feature. The story focuses on Mary’s arrival at Misselthwaite Manor. After discovering the garden, she tries encouraging her sick cousin, Colin, to leave his room and visit the garden, unfortunately, she is forbidden to do so by her overprotective uncle and strict housekeeper. While it would have been easy to write Lord Craven off as a villain, the film provides a valid explanation for his behaviour as he’s struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife and Colin’s mother and the garden reminds him too much of her. When he discovers that Mary has secretly been taking Colin to the garden, he plans to have her sent away to a boarding school. This is where most of the drama and conflict comes in, however, unsurprisingly, this is all resolved fairly quickly and has a happy ending. 

I’ve noticed that, when it comes to family friendly films, the majority of them are aimed at children and are filled with immature jokes and a boring story, making it a boring and tedious watch for older viewers, especially parents who are watching the film with their children. This was the case with Dolittle which was released earlier this year and received a negative critical response. The Secret Garden is the definition of a family friendly film as there’s something for viewers of any age to enjoy. Children will like the adventures that take place within the garden and older viewers will appreciate the breathtaking visuals. 

While I do understand why a lot of people prefer Holland’s The Secret Garden, as I can imagine it was part of their childhood, I think that Munden has created a film that is a mostly faithful adaptation of its source material. It’s far from a perfect film, however, it’s one of the best family friendly films I’ve seen this year. 

The Secret Garden is available to watch at cinemas, however. I think that it’s worth watching on the big screen where the bright and colourful visuals can be appreciated more. However, it’s also available to watch on Sky Cinema, for those who don’t feel comfortable returning to the cinema. 

7/10