ABC KIDS MOVIE MATINEE: THE SECRET GARDEN {ANIMATED} (TV)
Summary
This program is an animated version of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 novel concerning Mary Lennox, a young girl orphaned in India who finds refuge with her wealthy English guardian, Archibald Craven. The story begins in India as two soldiers discuss why Captain Lennox didn’t clear out his house after a cholera epidemic hit the countryside. While closing up the captain’s house, they find the willful Mary, who can’t understand why she’s all alone. She’s told that her mother and father are both dead before being put on a ship bound for England. Mary then sings of “Home.” She’s greeted at the dock by Mrs. Medlock, the no-nonsense housekeeper to her reclusive uncle Archibald. Mary and Mrs. Medlock begin the long journey to Archibald’s sprawling Yorkshire estate, Misselthwaite Manor. Archibald watches as Mary enters, but refuses to meet with her. Mrs. Medved takes Mary to her room, while also touching base with a mysterious doctor on the staircase. The next morning, Mary is awoken by the maid, Martha, and is instantly annoyed by her. Exploring the grounds, Mary meets gardener Ben Weatherstaff, who chastises her for a bad attitude. However, Mary takes a shine to her late Aunt Lillian’s housebound cat, Darjeeling. Hearing a child’s cries, Mary realizes that Martha is lying about the origins of the noise.
Later, Mary finds a garden with no visible entrance and is determined to discover the mystery behind it. Weeks later, when spring arrives, Mary sees the door into the garden but realizes that it’s locked. Martha’s brother Dickon meets Mary on the moor and reveals that he’s “an animal charmer.” Dickon tells Mary that the garden has been locked for ten years. Finally, Archibald calls for Mary and asks if she wants a governess. She asks for “a bit of earth” to grow a garden. He says the request reminds him of his wife, Lillian. He also says that he’s leaving for a lengthy stay in Scotland that night. Later, Mary again hears the cries and wanders the corridors to see who is making them. In a dark corner, she overhears Mrs. Medlock tells Archibald’s brother that he should be in charge of Misselthwaite. She also gives him some cash from the household funds. Mrs. Medlock finds Mary and locks her in her bedroom. Darjeeling quickly shows Mary a secret passage leading to the outside. After Mary imitates Dickon’s “animal charmer” skills, the friendly Robin sings “If You Listen to the Meaning, Not the Word” to Mary. As soon as she joins him, Mary discovers the key to the garden. Entering through the nearly rusted door, she explores the secret garden, which Robin says was once the loveliest area in England. Robin also tells Mary that she looks like Lillian. She then determines to bring the garden back to life with the help of Dickon. That night, Mary finds that she can now communicate with Darjeeling, who agrees to show her who is crying. He takes her to a little boy wailing in his bed in a remote wing of the manor. He says his name is Colin, the sickly son of Archibald and Lillian. He says his father hates him as Lillian died while giving birth to him. Mary plans to have Dickon push Colin in his wheelchair to Lillian’s secret garden.
The next day, Dr. Craven refuses to let Colin go outside. Later, Mrs. Medlock gets the doctor to write a strong prescription for Colin and outlines what might happen if the boy becomes healthy. In the garden, Robin tells Dicken and Mary how Lillian died in an accident there as Archibald and Darjeeling watched. Archibald subsequently locked up the garden and Darjeeling vowed to never leave the house. Mary thinks Colin will be healed if he realizes that his mother was killed by her fall in the garden, not by childbirth. In Colin’s bedroom, he refuses to take the medicine from Mrs. Medlock, letting only Mary stay with him. Mary and Dickon take Colin to the garden over Mrs. Medlock’s objections. They sing “Growing, Growing, Grown” until Ben orders them out. Proving that he isn’t “a cripple,” Colin takes a few steps before falling. He wants to help restore the garden, while efforts to regain his strength should be kept as a surprise for his father. Inside, Mrs. Medlock tells Dr. Craven to write to Archibald and have Mary sent away, thus halting Colin’s progress. Martha overhears the plan and decides to take action.
Colin decides to help restore the garden, then regain his strength as a surprise for his father. Inside, Mrs. Medlock tells Dr. Craven to write to Archibald and have Mary sent away, thus halting Colin’s progress. Martha overhears as the two plot to frame Mary for pushing Colin into a dangerous situation. As Mary shows Archibald’s study to Colin, Martha finds and warns Mary of the sinister plan. As their conversation is overheard by Mrs. Medlock, Martha is subsequently fired and Mary is locked in a deserted room. Darjeeling finds Mary and plots with her to send a message via Robin to Archibald. Darjeeling musters the courage to go outside and find Robin. The bird subsequently flies to Mary, who sends him off to Scotland. The next day, Mrs. Medlock turns Dickon away at the door, saying that Colin and Mary aren’t leaving the house. Later, Mrs. Medlock fears that she’s going crazy from Colin’s incessant screaming. She again tells Dr. Craven that they must control Colin with potions so that their scheme to take over the manor will come to fruition. When Mary worries about what may have happened to Colin, Darjeeling opts to steal Mrs. Medlock’s keys. Meanwhile, Dickon climbs into Colin’s room and attempts to rescue him.
In the kitchen, Darjeeling sees Dr. Craven mixing a potion for Colin. When the doctor leaves, Mrs. Medlock makes a more powerful poison, singing “The Manor Will Be Mine.” Bringing the keys to Mary, Darjeeling tells her the latest news. As Mary enters Colin’s room, she and Dickon hurriedly try to get Colin out of the house. The three race to the garden, with Dr. Craven and Mrs. Medlock in pursuit. After Dickon goes for help, Mrs. Medlock and Dr. Craven corner Mary and Colin in the garden. However, Archibald returns in time to hear Mrs. Medlock’s threats against the children. After seeing Colin walk across the garden, Archibald realizes the level of deception engineered by Mrs. Medlock and his brother. Archibald banishes them both from Misselthwaite. Finally, Archilbald says that he will now stay at home and care for both Colin and Mary, after which Mary reprises “Home.” Includes commercials. This program is closed-captioned.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 5, 1994 11:30 AM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:28:23
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:34929
- GENRE: Children's; Animation
- SUBJECT HEADING: Children's; Animation
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1994
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Education Is Fun" campaign
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Cool Tools children's tools
- TV - Commercials - Kellogg's Pop-Tarts cereal
- TV - Commercials - Kellogg's Rice Krispie's Treats cereal
- TV - Commercials - Mattel Jennie Gymnast doll
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Nestle Quik chocolate milk mix
- TV - Commercials - Partnership for a Drug-Free America
- TV - Commercials - Playskool Dollhouse Stable toy
- TV - Commercials - Post Alpha-Bits cereal
- TV - Commercials - Post Golden Crisp cereal
- TV - Commercials - Post Honey-Comb cereal
- TV - Commercials - Stargate toy figures
- TV - Commercials - Twist 'n Style Tiffany doll
- TV - Commercials - U.C.L.A. School of Public Health
- TV - Promos - "ABC Family Movie: Ernest Scared Stupid"
- TV - Promos - "Siegfried & Roy: The Magic, the Mystery"
CREDITS
- Eugene Ted Tchoe … Executive Producer
- Mike Young … Producer
- Ellen Freyer … Producer
- Dave Edwards … Director
- Young K. Lee … Director
- Libby Hinson … Writer
- Frances Hodgson Burnett … Based on the book by
- Misha Segal … Music by
- Honor Blackman … Cast, Voice , Mrs. Medlock
- Derek Jacobi … Cast, Voice, Archibald Craven
- Glynis Johns … Cast, Voice, Darjeeling
- Victor Spinetti … Cast, Voice , Dr. Craven
- Anndi McAfee … Cast, Voice , Mary Lennox
- Joe Baker … Cast, Voice , Ben Weatherstaff
- Felix Bell … Cast, Voice , Dickon
- Richard Stuart … Cast, Voice , Colin
- Frank Welker … Cast, Voice, Robin