The Secret Garden

The earthquake scene always scared me. Mary!

R1 lol in the novel it was cholera that killed her parents

It was a Broadway musical by Carly Simon’s sister, too.

R3 Have you seen it? Is it good?

I've read the book several times both as a kid and as an adult. Only seen the Margaret O'Brien version of the movie, plus the awful movie of the kids as adults that came out in the 90s;

R5 Which adaptation??

The ending of the 1993 version is a real trip. Literally. It's crazy.

I like the Margaret O'Brien version. Read the book many times as a kid.

The musical is great-if you like that kind of thing. Gladys Cooper was seriously scary as Mrs. Medlock in 1949 film.(And a very unattractive Margaret O’Brien.)

I was in a theatrical version of this as kid, local community theater. I played Colin and I’m sure my English accent was atrocious. I loved my costars tho and it was a well done show with real flowers in the “garden”. Had such a crush on Dicken too- an older boy with clear braces.

After our show, my parents took me to NYC to see the musical which was amazing. Realized years later that I saw the first run with John Cameron Mitchel as Dicken. His voice on the recording is great. I met him years later at a bar and he gave me tickets to see Hediwg and we went out for drinks after the show ( he wasn’t in it any longer but it was at the downtown theater). I’m sure he was disappointed I brought my Bf.

When I was teaching middle school years ago one of my black students started to read the novel and was horrified by the blatant racism at the beginning. We had a great discussion about the character of Mary, and how hateful she is at the beginning. I asked the student if she felt the racism was really what the author believed, or if it was a literary device to make the character unappealing. She said she'd have to read the whole book before she could answer (boy, as a teacher did that make me feel proud). In the end, she loved the book because of how transformed Mary was, and how she transformed the lives of the people around her. And the racism? She said that it wouldn't have appeared so shocking or out of place when the book was written, but it shouldn't be changed because it gave you insight into the character and how she viewed the world.

Sometimes we don't give young people nearly enough credit for being able to understand things...

Yes-like our dear girl from the Walmart. She was just having a bad day and ‘’Y'all don’t know what she been through’’

The Hallmark Hall of Fame version features possibly the worst English accent in the history of film:

I was born in 1991 so I grew up watching the Maggie Smith movie at home and in school. I don't remember ever liking or disliking the movie and book. I was exposed to that story so much that it was just part of the pop culture background.

Thank you for that story, R10. I loved it. You sound like you were a really engaged, great teacher xo

I ADORED the musical. I saw it on. Broadway and it remains one of the most delicate and deeply moving experiences I’ve had.

That said, the oak I dragged along fell asleep.

But I will never forget that afternoon and the tears and joy. And How John Cameron Mitchell made me swoon.

I love the Maggie Smith film. She scared me as a child!

Fun Fact: The director of the 1949 version, Fred M. Wilcox, also directed 'Forbidden Planet' a few years later, starring DL fave Leslie Nielsen (and personal favorite, Anne Francis).

R8 Maggie Smith was also terrifying!

The real crippled kid died very young.

R19 who?

It’s a true story? OMG

[Quote] The Hallmark Hall of Fame version features possibly the worst English accent in the history of film:

Even worse than Penis Von Lesbian?

I don't think it is a true story

It was a favorite of mine as a kid. I’ve shown it to my nieces and they love it too.

There are a few versions, MGM made it in 1949 with Margaret O’Brien and Dean Stockwell and it was done for one of those English tv channels in the 70s. The 1993 version is best.

Agreed