I remembered recently that I watched a movie version in elementary school which had a little epilogue. Mary returns to Misselthwaite as an adult, speaks to Ben and enters the garden. Ben asks her if she heard about Dickon, who was killed in the war (WWI). I remember feeling really upset about the idea of Dickon being killed off, because he was my favorite character. Then, Colin returns, and it is obvious he was wounded in the war. He and Mary embrace and kiss, and he asks her to marry him. As a child, I thought the idea of marrying your cousin was gross. As an adult and a scholar of children's literature, I just find this epilogue unnecessary. What's wrong with the book's conclusion, and leaving Lord Craven and Colin and Mary in the garden, happy together? I wanted to rewatch this little addition to the story, so I tracked down the version on youtube, finding out that it's a made for TV Hallmark production from 1987. However, I received a very pleasant surprise when Colin Firth appeared on screen, playing the adult Colin:
Even though I knew it was my beloved Colin Firth, I wanted to see it in on IMDB. After another click, I discovered that a new film of this book is being planned, and Colin Firth will appear in this one as well, but as Archibald Craven.
The new film shifts the setting from the Edwardian era to the second World War, but most of the story seems consistent with the original.
As if I'm not already on overload with TWO new Little Women films on the way, and watching the second season of Anne with an E, now I have yet another book to film classic to theorize about, Google like crazy, and analyze.
I also found out that there is a steampunk-inspired direct to DVD version of The Secret Garden . . . the trailer did not entice me though.
I think I'll just go back to thinking about Colin Firth again. . .
Ahhhh, there we go. . . .
This is my favorite version but actually they are not cousin in the hallmark movie. I believe Archibald is her godfather.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's interesting. I guess I'll need to track down the entire Hallmark version and re-watch it soon.
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