38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best version-keeps in character with the book, November 24, 2003
By A Customer
I have now seen two other versions of The Secret Garden, and this one (the first I ever saw) Remains my favorite. The reason is I have a couple problems with the other versions
In the old 1949 Edition, Mary wasn't portrayed correctly. She's supposed to be (at the beginning) a girl with an attitude (for lack of a better way to put it.) She's supposed to be completely emotionally unnafected by her parent's death (according to the book)as they had never attempted to spend time with her. In the old 1949 version, Mary has an emotional outburst upon learning of her parent's death. That is out of charachter. In this version, she's more concerned about the doll she dropped when she was told. Her attitude in this 1987 version seems more in charachter.
In the 1993 version I do not like the way they took the concept of "magic" and twisted it into a seance in the garden. That is extremely out of charachter with the book. When the book speaks of "Magic" it almost hints at miricles/the hand of God. This 1987 movie kept in charachter with that.
Basically, I think this version is truer to the mysterious (in a good way) tone of the book. the manor is beautiful! and the whole scenery is in charachter with the book. The only thing they contradicted the book in was having Mary and Colin not related. In the book they're cousins. But in this version they're unrelated, which is obviously because they have Mary and Colin getting married. The only thing I would change is the actors that played the two boys, Colin and Dicken. They were pretty good actors, but both were too old. Dickon should have been someone more Mary's age, and the actor that played Colin (although he has a sufficient baby face) reveals his real age at the end when he can stand up and walk. Way too tall. Look at the scene with him and his father walking together in the garden. Colin's way to tall to be 10 (his supposed age). Other than that, this is a superb version of the movie, which any Secret Garden fan should own. Hallmark has quality! (insert gold crown here)
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
love it. Love It. LOVE IT!!, August 4, 2003
By A Customer
i've seen this movie at least 200 times since i was seven years old, and though i've had to purchase it more than once... i still love it! the beautifully romantic soundtrack gives you a soulful account of what's happening in the story, and the very talented director found some of the most talented actors that played their parts beautifully. it's a staple of my own film collection, and i hope everyone sees it at least once!
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
DVD could be better, May 29, 2002
This review is from: The Secret Garden (Hallmark Hall of Fame) (DVD)
I really like this version of The Secret Garden, and it would rate more stars if the DVD had been better. The transfer appears to have been made from material a few generations removed from the negative. The result is a fairly grainy picture with quite a bit of dirt, dust, etc. and lacking in sharpness, clarity, contrast, and detail. The picture isn't horrible, but it just should've been better--and I expected better from Hallmark. I don't want to disuade anyone who loves this movie from buying a copy on DVD, I just wish companies would stop viewing their films as "product" to sell and start treating them as artistic efforts to be treated with care. To do any less shows a lack of respect for the artists who made the film and the viewers who expect that they will not be given a defective item when they plunk down their money. In conclusion, this is a good movie, but let the buyer beware.
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