Back to the Secret Garden | |
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Written by |
Frances Hodgson Burnett (Characters from book) Joe Wiesenfeld (story) |
Directed by | Michael Tuchner |
Starring |
Camilla Belle Joan Plowright Aled Roberts Cherie Lunghi Leigh Lawson |
Theme music composer | Allyn Ferguson |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language(s) | English |
Production | |
Producer(s) | Nick Gillott |
Cinematography | Ian Wilson |
Running time | 100 minutes |
Distributor | Hallmark Entertainment |
Release | |
Original release |
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Back to the Secret Garden is a 2001 family fantasy film. Produced for television, the film serves as a sequel to the 1987 Hallmark Hall of Fame film, The Secret Garden. It contains some of the previous characters such as Lady Mary and Sir Colin Craven, who are now married, and Martha Sowerby, who is now the mistress of Misselthwaite Manor, which has become an orphanage for children whose parents died in World War II. They had appeared as children in the original story some 40 years earlier, and are now middle aged adults.
Dickon does not return, as he died while fighting in the war.
In 1946, Lady Mary Craven (Cherie Lunghi) visits an American orphanage, telling the children about an exchange program that will allow one child to travel to England and stay at Misselthwaite Manor, which is now an orphanage. She meets young Lizzie Buscana (Camilla Belle), who is in the garden trying to take care of her mother's rose bush. Lady Mary tells Lizzie about the exchange program and the secret garden, whereupon Lizzie agrees to participate so she can see the garden for herself.
Lizzie arrives in England and is met at the train station by Martha Sowerby (Joan Plowright), who runs Misselthwaite Manor. Lizzie quickly discovers that the children are only allowed to be in the garden on Sunday after church and must be on their best behaviour and not touch anything.
Making friends with Geraldine, Steven and Robert (Aled Roberts), Lizzie visits the garden after curfew and realizes that she must help it. Returning to the manor Lizzie notices a fire in Robert's room, caused by Robert having fallen asleep with a candle still lit. After alerting everyone and helping put out the fire, she is questioned by Martha as to why she is still dressed and how she knew there was a fire. Lizzie tells Martha about her illicit visit to the garden, and Martha discovers that Lizzie stole the key to the garden. Martha discovers that Geraldine told Lizzie about the key, but Geraldine believes the key should belong to Lizzie, and that the garden has chosen her, instead of Martha, who could not find the door.
Geraldine (Florence Hoath), who is jealous of Lizzie, learns that Ms. Sowerby gave the key to Lizzie, and persuades Steven to steal it in revenge for Lizzie's rejection of his feelings. When Lizzie finds the key missing, she assumes that Robert has taken it, knowing of his animosity towards her. She goes to find the key with Robert and discovers that it was Steven (Justin Girdler) who took it, on Geraldine's instructions, and threw the key in the pond. Lizzie confronts Geraldine, who initially denies it, but confesses when Martha punishes her for being a liar.