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The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden

Drama · Family · Fantasy · 1993

A young British girl born and reared in India loses her neglectful parents in an earthquake. She is returned to England to live at her uncle's castle. Her uncle is very distant due to the loss of his wife ten years before. Neglected once again, she begins exploring the estate and discovers a garden that has been locked and forgotten. Aided by one of the servants' boys, she begins restoring the garden, and eventually discovers some other secrets of the manor.

Movie details

The Secret Garden

“The timeless tale of a special place where magic, hope and love grow.”

1993 Drama · Family · Fantasy 1h 41m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.4 / 10

Community rating

A young British girl born and reared in India loses her neglectful parents in an earthquake. She is returned to England to live at her uncle's castle. Her uncle is very distant due to the loss of his wife ten years before. Neglected once again, she begins exploring the estate and discovers a garden that has been locked and forgotten. Aided by one of the servants' boys, she begins restoring the garden, and eventually discovers some other secrets of the manor.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Secret Garden?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Mary Lennox is born in India to wealthy British parents who never wanted her. When her parents suddenly die, she is sent back to England to live with her uncle. She meets her sickly cousin, and the two children find a wondrous secret garden lost in the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Agnieszka Holland

Written by

Caroline Thompson

Kate Maberly

Kate Maberly

Mary Lennox

Heydon Prowse

Heydon Prowse

Colin Craven

Andrew Knott

Andrew Knott

Dickon

Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith

Mrs. Medlock

Irène Jacob

Irène Jacob

Mary's Mother / Lilias Craven

L

Laura Crossley

Martha

John Lynch

John Lynch

Lord Archibald Craven

Court is in session

Put The Secret Garden on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.