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The Secret Garden (2020 film)

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The Secret Garden
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMarc Munden
Written byJack Thorne
Based onThe Secret Garden
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyLol Crawley
Edited byLuke Dunkley
Music byDario Marianelli
Production
company
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 7 August 2020 (2020-08-07) (United States)
  • 23 October 2020 (2020-10-23) (United Kingdom)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million[1]

The Secret Garden is a 2020 British fantasy drama film based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the fourth film adaptation of the novel. Directed by Marc Munden and produced by David Heyman, it stars Dixie Egerickx, Colin Firth, and Julie Walters. Set in 1947 England, the plot follows a young orphan who is sent to live with her uncle, only to discover a magical garden at his estate.

The Secret Garden was released via premium video on demand in the United States on 7 August 2020 by STXfilms, and will open in theaters in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2020 by Sky Cinema. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

In 1947, Mary Lennox is found by British forces in her parents' home in British India, she is sent away to her uncle Lord Archibald Craven's Misselthwaite manor in Yorkshire, England. Neglected and forsaken by her parents who were killed, she is an unpleasant and unkind young girl who has had to repress her own emotions.

Upon arriving at the estate, she is introduced to Mrs. Medlock, a strict and firm lady who is Lord Craven's servant. Mary is given instruction to not explore the house and is confined to her room. There, she meets Martha, Mrs. Medlock servant who is unsettled by her demands. Mary decides to leave the estate to explore the forest nearby and stumbles upon a stray dog whom she names Jemima. Later that night, she hears tiny screams and wailings throughout the corridors only to find Lord Craven's bedridden son, Colin Craven. The next day, Lord Craven sees to Mary in his Study and confides in her to not cause any trouble. Mary continues her escapade of heading to the forest. She calls out to Martha's brother Dickon who fades within the mist of the moors and later finds Jemima leg caught in a bear trap. She helps Jemima who runs away and continues to traverse the garden.

Mary is then guided by a robin to a stone statue with a key within it. She leaves the garden as Mrs. Medlock calls out for her. Back at the estate, Mary meets with Colin again as he talks about having a hunchback and is not able to walk. She reveals to him of a garden in their estate but makes Colin uninterested. She later snoops around, finding a room with pictures of both Mary's mother and Grace Craven. She grabs a souvenir, a pearl necklace.

The next day, Mary heads back into the garden to find Dickon who offers to help heal Jemima. Mary then brings Colin on his wheelchair for the first time to the same room with his mother's pictures and dresses. Both Mary and Dickon hatch a plan to bring Colin to the garden in hopes of healing his mobility. But upon returning, Mrs. Medlock catches Mary for stealing the pearl necklace and is reprimanded in the form of attending school. Later confined in her room, Mary finds letters written by Grace Craven in a rocking horse. She persuades Colin to read them and the three continue reading letters in the garden.

Mary decides to leave the estate. An afflicted Lord Craven in his study, tries to light a candle. The next morning, Mary, Dickon and Colin are in the garden when they notice black smoke coming from the estate. Colin persuades Mary and Dickon to leave him to check it out. Mary enters the burning estate to find an estranged Mr Craven looking for his son in the blazing fire. She tries to convince him to escape, until he is met by a hallucination of his wife, Grace who guides them out safely. The fire brigade arrives and the two leave safely. An anxious Lord Craven and Mrs. Medlock are brought by Mary and Dickon to Colin in the secret garden. Lord Craven gazes in awe at his son's mobility as the two rekindle their relationship.

The film ends with Lord Craven rebuilding the estate and Mary, Dickon and Colin all having fun in the secret garden.

Cast

Production

It was announced in June 2016 that Heyday Films and StudioCanal has teamed to adapt the book into a new movie version, hiring Jack Thorne to write the screenplay.[2]

In January 2018, Marc Munden was set to direct.[3] Colin Firth and Julie Walters were cast in April 2018 as filming commenced at the end of that month.[4][5][6][7][8] Some of the film was filmed in Yorkshire.[9][10] Filming has also taken place within Iford Manor Gardens, near Bath and the National Trust site of Bodnant Gardens, near Conwy, North Wales.[11] Filming locations also include Woodhall Estate, Hertfordshire, Trebah Gardens, Cornwall, Harlaxton Manor in Lincolnshire, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset & Puzzlewood, Forest of Dean and Helmsley Walled Garden in North Yorkshire.

This is the second time Colin Firth has acted in a film adaptation of The Secret Garden; the other having been released 33 years earlier, and one of Firth's earliest films.

Release

The Secret Garden was originally set to be released by StudioCanal on 3 April 2020, but two weeks before the release the date was pushed back to 14 August 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[12][13] In August 2020, Sky Cinema purchased the foreign distribution rights to the film, and will release it in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2020.[14] STX Entertainment will handle the American release, distributing it via PVOD on 7 August 2020.[15] Global Road Entertainment had initially acquired the North American distribution rights in May 2018,[16] but sold them to STXfilms in March 2019.[17][18]

Reception

VOD sales

In its debut weekend, the film was the top-rented on Amazon Prime and fifth on FandangoNow.[19]

Critical response

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 66% of 56 reviews of the film were positive, with an average rating of 6.22/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Faithful in spirit while putting its own spin on the source material, The Secret Garden adds a charming entry to the long list of this beloved book's adaptations."[20] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 62 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[21]

References

  1. ^ {{Cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/08/08/us/ap-us-film-the-secret-garden.html |title= Reimagining ‘The Secret Garden’ for a New Generation |website= [[New York |language=en |date= August 8, 2020 |access-date= August 9, 2020}}
  2. ^ David Heyman And Studio Canal Reteam For Classic Tale ‘The Secret Garden’, Tap Jack Thorne To Adapt
  3. ^ Marc Munden To Helm ‘The Secret Garden’ For David Heyman & Studiocanal
  4. ^ Tang, Estelle (May 14, 2018). "There's Going to Be a 'The Secret Garden' Movie and Colin Firth Is in It". Elle. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  5. ^ Colin Firth, Julie Walters Discover ‘The Secret Garden’ For Studiocanal, Heyday Films
  6. ^ Global Road Digs ‘The Secret Garden’ In North American Distribution Deal – Cannes
  7. ^ Allen, Ben (April 27, 2018). "Colin Firth and Julie Walters to star in classic children's adaptation The Secret Garden". Radio Times. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  8. ^ Ritman, Alex (April 27, 2018). "Colin Firth, Julie Walters Join 'The Secret Garden'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  9. ^ Newton, Grace (March 4, 2019). "The Secret Garden: The Yorkshire locations that appear in new Colin Firth and Julie Walters film". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  10. ^ Southern, Keiran (April 27, 2018). "Colin Firth and Dame Julie Walters to star in The Secret Garden". The Independent (Press Association). Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  11. ^ Jones, Mari (28 June 2018). "Major Hollywood film is being shot in this North Wales garden". North Wales Live. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  12. ^ "Coronavirus: Studiocanal UK Shuts London Office, Moves 'The Secret Garden' From April To August". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2020-03-21.
  13. ^ "How coronavirus is hitting entertainment events". BBC News. March 13, 2020. Archived from the original on March 13, 2020.
  14. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (August 4, 2020). "'The Secret Garden' Moves From Studiocanal To Sky In The UK, Sets October Launch". Deadline. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  15. ^ Parlevliet, Mirko (June 18, 2020). "The Secret Garden Movie Coming to PVOD on August 7". Vital Thrills. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  16. ^ Roxborough, Scott (May 12, 2018). "Cannes: Global Road Buys 'The Secret Garden' for North America". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  17. ^ STXfilms To Uncover ‘The Secret Garden’ Starring Colin Firth & Julie Walters
  18. ^ Galuppo, Mia (March 25, 2019). "STX Nabs Colin Firth-Starring 'The Secret Garden' for North America". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  19. ^ Brueggemann, Tom (August 10, 2020). "Shia LaBeouf's 'The Tax Collector' Scores on VOD and in Theaters; 'The Secret Garden' Strong". IndieWire. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  20. ^ "The Secret Garden (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  21. ^ "The Secret Garden (2020) Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
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