jacobs-greenwood Directed by Fred Wilcox, based on the much filmed Francis Hodgson Burnett novel of the same name, with a Robert Ardrey screenplay, this is a terrific family film (and a tear-jerker for most parents) which also features a heartfelt ending.Margaret O'Brien is Mary Lennox, a girl whose family dies from Cholera. She is shipped off to live with her emotionally withdrawn Uncle (Herbert Marshall), whose wife died some years earlier. Her Uncle is a wealthy man with a large estate which includes a mysterious high walled, locked enclosure. One day, Mary discovers that there is an invalid boy, Colin (Dean Stockwell), living in the estate's vast mansion. Colin, the neglected son of her Uncle, is an ill-behaved, bedridden boy who is either crying, yelling at the staff (which includes Elsa Lanchester and Gladys Cooper; Reginald Owen is the estate's groundskeeper), or sleeping. Though his frequently absent father has employed several doctors, Colin remains a cripple. Mary also meets a local boy, Dickon (Brian Roper), who's good with animals. With him, she shares her latest discovery, a key which leads them to a door in the high walled enclosure. Upon opening the door, they discover a neglected garden. They decide to keep their discovery a secret; they also decide to work in the garden to restore it to what it once was. Mary wants to share their secret with Colin, whom she's come to know. In fact, she's the only person in the mansion he wants to see. She is its only resident that can keep him from misbehaving, because she's not willing to put up with his tantrums herself.Through Dickon and Mary, Colin is able to experience the garden and eventually gets well enough to visit it himself, in his wheelchair. Evidently, Mary's Uncle had locked the garden and thrown away its key because it was the site of his wife's death. When he discovers that the children have found the key, he rushes to the now fully restored garden (in Technicolor!) where he sees his son, who is so excited he walks to his father for the very first time!

dougdoepke Intrigued by the title, I wanted to see this movie back in '49, but missed it. Probably didn't have the money. Anyway, I'm really glad to have finally caught up with it. From the stylized backdrops to the shrewd use of Technicolor to the overriding performances, the movie's a real treat, both as story and metaphor.Poor little Mary's (O'Brien) parents have died, and she's been sent to live with her cold- hearted uncle (Marshall) in a big gloomy mansion. She's been shunned and told she's homely by her parents, and now, in the mansion, her uncle refuses even to see her. As a result, she's become understandably mean and bratty. It doesn't help that in the night, she hears piercing unearthly screams, while the servants race to a mysterious upper room. Turns out it's her uncle's bed-ridden young son Colin (Stockwell) in torment. He too has been rejected, told he's crippled, and must stay in his room. Thus, he never gets to go outdoors into the sunlight. As a result, he too has become mean and bratty, like his young cousin. On the whole, I don't think I've seen more jarring behavior from adolescents than these two unfortunates, especially when they wreck his bedroom trying to outdo one another in meanness. Good thing there's a servant's young son, Dickon (Roper), to serve as an emotional anchor.But then, in her wanderings around the grounds, Mary discovers what amounts to a strange presence. It turns out to be a secret garden that no one ever talks about. Its grounds are surrounded by a high wall and a locked gate kept hidden by overgrown brush. But every time she pokes around, the gardener shoos her away. Naturally she's intrigued. What's in there, and why are the contents kept locked and secret. Seems Dickon, her frequent companion, would also like to find out. Now, unknown to them is the uncle's story behind the garden. Seems the uncle was having tea with his beloved wife in the garden when it was open and happy. But then out of nowhere a tree branch fell and crushed her. Ever since, he's been haunted, trying to bury the memory behind a locked gate. As a result, he too has become withdrawn and unhappy, thus adding to the travails of his young son and niece. Now, except for the servants, it's an intensely unhappy household.All in all, it's hard for me not to see the "secret garden" as a kind of metaphor for the inner lives of the three family members. I want to merely suggest the following view of what may be going on in the subtext, without claiming it was anybody's "intended" meaning. Now, all three for various reasons, have sealed off their inner lives not only from others but from themselves. Thus each harbors his or her own locked "secret garden" and allowed it, like the real one, to become untended and unflowering. Hence their unhappiness. But where to find the key to unlock the gate not only to the real garden but to themselves. The raven-- perhaps standing for free flight-- finds the real one; Mary, I think, finds her own inner key in the yellow daffodil blossom a beautiful sight. When she holds it up, it shows her what the garden could become if it were tended. That she needs to unlock the gate comes from her seeing her outer self in the tormented Colin. By helping him, she's also helping herself to open up to what's been sealed off. In Uncle's case, he more implausibly adjusts through knowing that the garden is again open and flowering. The tending is thanks to Dickon, Mary, and Colin who have since joined together, instead of remaining enclosed and apart. Thus the "secret garden" is no longer secret, either the real one or the metaphorical one. Using Technicolor to express this transformation from the gray was, I think, a daring and striking move. Now all four sit together, enjoying the garden and each other. A happy family, at last.It's O'Brien's film that she carries in effective fashion. At times, she's close to going over the top, yet her presence remains a strong one throughout. Stockwell too registers in a difficult role, requiring screaming hissy-fits that O'Brien answers in kind. Perhaps surprisingly, the illustrious supporting cast hasn't much to do. Marshall has only a couple extended scenes, while Lanchester provides a dollop of comic relief in her one extended scene. As the third member of the youthful trio, Brian Roper provides solid support. Too bad he didn't stay in the USA. On the other hand, I can't help thinking that George Zucco's benevolent doctor was an effort at compensating for Aubrey Mather's corrupt medical man who keeps poor Colin in unneeded leg braces.Anyway, the movie's a fine, atmospheric production from MGM, with a strong storyline and a good moral. It may have taken decades, but I'm glad I finally caught up with it.

PudgyPandaMan 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"!

ccthemovieman-1 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.