Christina Reviews *The Secret Garden* (1987)

             ****
         Most everyone knows the basic premise of The Secret Garden, but I just want to take a moment to extol the virtues of the Hallmark version.  Usually I don’t much care for Hallmark movies, but this was the way in which I was introduced to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s story of little spoiled girls, hypochondriacs, boys who talk to animals and secret gardens, so it will remain a fond memory for me. 

         Gennie James was really good at playing a contrary brat, and there was something sad and haunting about Derek Jacobi’s performance.  Jacobi plays the aloof Mr. Craven.  I have heard that Mr. Craven is not Mary’s uncle in this version, and the reasoning, I suppose, is that this way Mary and Colin are not cousins and can, therefore, marry in the end.

        Oh, and the boy who played Colin was really good at playing a whiny nuisance.