Beasts of the Southern Secret Garden
Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 11:21AM 
JA from MNPP here, taking a look at the news of the day - newly Oscar nominated writer Lucy Alibar, who adapted her play into the movie Beasts of the Southern Wild, has just been announced as the writer of a new movie adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's much loved (not to mention much adapted) 1911 serial-turned-novel The Secret Garden. For a hot minute it seemed as if Guillermo Del Toro was going to direct it, but he's too busy making giant robots fight giant monsters so he's just gonna produce.
The Secret Garden is about, well, a largely orphaned girl who gets left to her own devices amid overgrown nature, where she allows her imagination to run wild. Sound familiar? I just can't imagine how Alibar got the gig. Apparently the action is being shifted from England to "the American South at the turn of the 20th Century," as well.
The Secret Garden's already been adapted several times - I remember liking the 1993 version with Maggie Smith, although it's been a very long time since I've seen it.
Reader Comments (7)
Are we to understand that the film is going to be played by Quvenzhané Wallis?
JA: Beasts was adapted from a play called "Juicy & Delicious."
Whoopsie thanks for the info, Volvagia! I'll fix that.
what a pity Del Toro is not going to direct this...
I saw the 1993 version of "The Secret Garden" at 14 by chance - I was not really into that kind of movies then - and I immediately fell in love with Kate Maberly (who place the central character) in so many ways. At 10 she carries the movie perfectly well. Also, Maggie Smíth was perfect of course. I still like to watch it every once in a while, when I'm in the right mood.
I don't need another adaptation, but well, ... if they want to do it, ok...
The musical version is absolutely gorgeous. Wouldn't mind hearing 2 great voices singing In Lilies Eyes. Maybe James Marsden and some other good singer. It would be amazing!!!
The 1993 version is going to be hard to top, not just because Maggie Smith is in it (though that's certainly a factor), also the cinematography by Roger Deakins (so much nature, so much green, simply breathtaking), that score by Zbigniew Preisner and of course, the performances of the three child actors. What I love about The Secret Garden is that it allows the children to be utterly unpleasant and somewhat unlikable at the beginning, only to transform as the film progresses. The film is not shy about showing these character's flaws. JA, you really should watch it again, as I believe it to be a masterpiece and one of those children's films that is certainly enjoyed and treasured by children but I think is better appreciated as an adult (given its themes and all the beauty that surrounds it). It was directed by Agnieszka Holland by the way......