Customer Reviews

The Chalk Garden (Amazon.com Exclusive)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've always like Hayley Mills movies. "Pollyanna" was achingly sweet, and "The Parent Trap" was corny but delightful. However, I believe her performance in "The Chalk Garden" is her best. This well-crafted film deals with the relationship between a young girl, played by Hayley Mills, living with her grandmother and the new nanny, played by Deborah Kerr, hired to care for her. The young girl is a pyromaniac who compulsively manipulates and lies, perhaps as her way of handling what she feels is a loveless existence. Kerr's character, who has a dark secret, is able to identify with the young girl, and the movie follows her attempts to win the girl's friendship and eventual trust and to teach the girl that there is still love in her life.

This is a moving film which deals seriously with its themes. It is a little melodramatic in a 1960's sort of way, but nonetheless remains quite involving and absorbing for the audience. I enjoyed it very much. Interestingly, John Mills (Hayley's father) also has a supporting role in this film as the butler and is quite good in his capacity. Overall, a high 5 stars recommendation for the whole family!

This is a rather unusual little film which is based on an unusual play by Enid Bagnold. Kerr is a mysterious woman who is applying for the position of governess at a stately old house. Kerr hasn't any experience nor references to give to her staid but essentially tender-hearted employer (played carefully by Dame Edith Evans, grotesquely dressed in lavender much of the time). Hayley Mills plays the troubled Laurel, a sprited, lying adolescent girl of 16 - who is much like Miss Madrigal (Kerr) was at the girl's same age.....There is an astonishing twist and a fairly satisfying ending - however, this movie is hardly high on most people's list of favourites, somehow. The symbolic film title refers to the chalk dominated soil of the garden - in which nothing can grow without additional nourishment - Evans hired Kerr because of the latters knowledge that nothing will possibly grow in a chalk garden without potash and other necessary and vital nutrients essential for thriving flowerbeds -an allegorical parallel to Laurel herself: the girl will never grow to be a gentle, loving and giving soul without her mother's love - which is cruelly withheld from her by her seemingly devoted and selfless Grandmother...

Not anamorphic, but widescreen nonetheless, and the print of THE CHALK GARDEN is beautiful. Only flaws are that it's DVD-R and not pressed, which means it will function on some players while other players will reject it, and there is no menu whatsoever, no way to navigate other than manually. Otherwise, it's a knockout.

Enid Bagnold's play, directed for the big screen by Ronald Neame in 1964, is a touching story about a mystery woman, Madrigal (Deborah Kerr) who answers an ad for a companion for a teenage girl. But this is no prim and proper young English lady - Laurel (Hayley Mills) is a troubled youth who resides with her wealthy grandmother (wonderfully portrayed by Dame Edith Evans, who plays a crusty aristocratic Briton like no one can), and who spins lies, sets fires and steals without a thought to consequences. Obsessed with murder and criminal cases, she is accustomed to having her own way, and sets out to expose her new governess as a madwoman or something worse. Despite the child's negative attitude, Kerr stays on, trying to reach out to Laurel, who in reality, feels so unloved and unworthy that her anger could get her into deep trouble later on. Miss Madrigal attempts to bring Laurel's mother, Olivia (Elizabeth Sellars) back into the picture, but this only adds to the tension within the household. Maitland (Sir John Mills), the butler, seems to have an uncanny understanding of all the goings on and a wry sense of humor that most likely keeps him from blowing a gasket.

Laurel begins to unravel Madrigal's secret, which comes full circle when a distinguished judge and family friend comes for a visit. The realization of her conviction for murder (it is never really confirmed whether she was guilty of the crime or not), serves as a reason as to why she has been so determined to save Laurel - she fears that the girl will end up on the same path she did. Madrigal opens the eyes of all around her - "You should be frightened - you see before you the woman Laurel may yet become! The child who lied, cheated and hated, because she could not believe the simple fact that she was loved! You wanted the truth - and the truth may still save Laurel!" I cannot stress enough that the cast is uniformly excellent, bringing the film's message to the viewer's attention without bashing them on the head with it. Hayley and her late father act marvelously together, and Kerr embodies her role with such mystery, knowledge and concern that you never feel any malice for her, even after her past is revealed.

An expressive musical score, lovely cinematography, both on location in England and at London's Pinewood Studios, as well as the intrigue surrounding Kerr's character make for a fantastically rich viewing experience.

I was amazed when I saw this movie recently. I have always been a Hayley Mills fan, but in this film she gives one of her greatest performances. Deborah Kerr and John Mills give excellent performances as well, as the mysterious governess who tries to keep Hayley on track and a butler who sides with her all the way. Her grandmother, however, doesn't see that Hayley is headed for trouble and actually encourages her to do whatever she wishes. It is a little suspenseful but highly dramatic classic film. I highly recommend it.

This excellent film has been reviewed by many and all agree that the performances of Haley Mills, Deborah Kerr, John Mills, Edith Evans, and the supporting cast are all first rate. I cannot add any new praise that hasn't already been stated by other reviewers both professional and amateur. I can, however, add two complimentary views about the film that have been greatly overlooked. The first is the beauty of the location shots that were used. The stark white cliffs, the expansive panaramas, and even the estate settings were all breathtaking and added greatly to the enjoyment of the film. The second was the outstanding musical score written and conducted by Malcolm Arnold. The various motifs were reprised and expanded upon throughout the film. Even the opening credits showing the Universal globe logo were underscored with the haunting melody of the theme music, a very nice approach which showed the care that was taken to make this a truely entertaining experience. If there's one regret that I have it's that someone really missed the wonderful opportunity to record and release the complete film soundtrack. The opening theme music sends goose bumps up and down my spine, something that does not happen too often at the movies! This adaptaion of Enid Badnold's play is what good film making is all about.

This extremely interesting story stars Deborah Kerr, Hayley Mills, and John Mills. Hayley Mills play the troubled teenager caught between her grandmother and her own mother in a custody battle. This child is in real trouble as she loves to set fire to things. Into the situation comes a mysterious governess.The governess seems to have a mysterious past. She is the only one person who can reach the troubled teen.John Mills plays the caretaker of the residence. The movie takes an unexpected turn when someone walks into the residence that Deborah Kerr knows from her past. Buy the movie and find out the unexpected ending for your self.

Edith Evans is the wealthy grandmother to troubled teen Hayley Mills. Mills lives with her grandmother, since Evans is unhappy with her daughter's second marriage and wants to protect her granddaughter. John Mills works as the butler and Deborah Kerr is the latest in a long line of governesses hired. Hayley has a way of scaring them away. Kerr seems to have arrived without much of a past or family ties (but that becomes clearer later). Hayley is angry at her mother and the world and feels very isolated and it's up to Kerr to find a way (whatever the cost) to get through to her.

The performers are all strong. It's the kind of role that Deborah Kerr did very well, while Hayley is good in a character that requires her to be more than just cute. John Mills is solid as the butler, while Evans has some good moments as she realizes that not only her garden is inhospitable to growth, but so is her home and relationships to her daughter and granddaughter.

The music is a little over the top, as are a few melodramatic moments in the script, but the story is entertaining as the tug-of-war between the governess and her charge heats up. It's an interesting character study.

Hayley Mills is a troubled teenager wrapped in a web of lies and imagination and probably headed for serious problems when her grandmother hires Deborah Kerr as her governess. Kerr intrigues the girl and, in the process of uncovering the mystery Kerr exudes, Mills is pulled out of her obsessive self-involvement. Wonderfully acted by all.

I received and returned two copies of one of my favorite movies, "The Chalk Garden." The movie itself is excellent, with superb work by Deborah Kerr, Edith Evans and Felix Aylmer and a classically well-tooled text. But I'm sorry to report that they were unplayable. Both copies froze continuously. I'd skip ahead a few minutes and then back up a little, but the discs would freeze again and again. I was satisfied with Amazon.com's handling of the matter, but it made me wary of the manufacturing of DVD-R's. DVD players seem to be sensitive to the glitches. I am about to try one more time - this time with "The Whisperers."