In honor of the first blooms of spring, there’s no better time to revisit “The Secret Garden” (1993), Agnieszka Holland’s hauntingly beautiful adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved novel. While the film was released over 30 years ago, it remains a timeless piece of storytelling, capturing the quiet magic of nature, healing and rebirth with an artistry that few family films dare to attempt.
The heart of this film is, without a doubt, Kate Maberly as Mary Lennox. In her first major role, Maberly embodies the transformation of a cold, neglected child into someone capable of love and wonder with remarkable nuance. Her performance is never overplayed–there’s a sharpness to her early disdain, a stubborn resilience that makes her eventual thaw all the more rewarding. She is supported by an equally strong young cast, including Heydon Prowse as the sickly yet spirited Colin and Andrew Knott as the earthy, ever-optimistic Dickon, as well as Dame Maggie Smith, who brings her signature presence to the stern yet complex Mrs. Medlock.
When I first watched “The Secret Garden,” I was young enough that much of its melancholy washed over me unnoticed. It wasn’t until a later rewatch that I truly appreciated the film’s delicate balance of darkness and light. Holland’s direction does not shy away from the loneliness that pervades Misselthwaite Manor—the way the house creaks with ghosts of the past and the way the moors stretch vast and unwelcoming. But as the garden blooms, so does the film itself, bursting into vivid life with lush cinematography and a sweeping score by Zbigniew Preisner.
One of my favorite details about “The Secret Garden” is how it treats its titular space not just as a location but as a character in its own right. The garden is as wounded as the children who find solace in it, locked away and forgotten, waiting for someone to care enough to bring it back to life. It is a rare and beautiful metaphor that reminds us that healing takes time, patience and a little bit of faith. It blooms alongside the children who tend to it and comes to life as they find belonging and friendship through one another.
“The Secret Garden” may not have been an Oscar darling in its time, but it has endured as one of the finest literary adaptations of the ‘90s. A film about resilience, renewal and the transformative power of nature, it is the perfect watch for the changing of seasons. As the first signs of spring begin to peek through the cold gloom of winter, “The Secret Garden” feels like an invitation to step outside, breathe deeply and remember that even the most forgotten places can bloom again.
Rating: 5/5
