Colin Firth and Julie Walters to Star in The Secret Garden #basedonabook #book2movie

Far be it from me to say not another adaptation of The Secret Garden! Especially not with Colin Firth attached as her widowed uncle. The classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett was one of my favorites as a child; it’s likely where I got my love of ivy-covered garden walls and half-hidden doors.  

The book has been adapted several times. First in 1949, with Margaret O’Brien, Herbert Marshall and Dean Stockwell in the leads, followed by adaptations in 1975, 1987 and 1993.

To be honest, I don’t think any of them captured that magical feeling one got as a child from the book.

‘When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. 

The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary's only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers a way in—and becomes determined to bring the garden back to life.

But who knew Colin Firth has actually been in The Secret Garden before? He played the grown-up Colin Craven! 

This time around he’s joined by Julie Walters as Mrs. Medlock who runs the household with young actress Dixie Egerickx (not a typo!) as Mary. We’ll soon be seeing a lot of her, she also plays Gillian Baker-Hyde—the little girl who plays with the dog— in the upcoming The Little Stranger.

Jack Thorne (Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams) is penning the script.

1949

1975

1987

1993

2017

You can stream the 1993 version in most of the usual places.

And you can watch the trailer here.

It will be ages before The Secret Garden hits the screen. Your children may be all grown up by then. Might as well suggest they read the book now. A Secret Garden Awaits!