''Back to the Secret Garden'' is a 2001

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

fantasy film Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered a form of speculative fiction alongside science fiction ...

. Produced for television, the film serves as a sequel to the 1987 ''

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'' 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 World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. They had appeared as children in the original story some 40 years earlier, and are now middle aged adults.

Plot

In 1946, Lady Mary Craven (

Cherie Lunghi Cherie Mary Lunghi (born 4 April 1952) is an English film, television, and theatre actress, known for her roles in many British TV dramas. Her international fame stems from her role as Guinevere in the 1981 film ''Excalibur''. Her long list of ...

) 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, now an orphanage. She meets young Lizzie Buscana (

Camilla Belle Camilla Belle Routh (born October 2, 1986), known professionally as Camilla Belle, is an American actress, director, and producer. Early life Belle was born to Deborah Cristina Gould and Jack Wesley Routh, a country music performer and compose ...

), 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 Joan Ann Olivier, Baroness Olivier, (née Plowright; born 28 October 1929), professionally known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English retired actress whose career has spanned over seven decades. She has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony ...

), 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 Martha 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. Lizzie is told that maybe she does not need the key, because of the magic door. When Martha goes to meet Lady Mary, who has returned to Misselthwaite, she tells Mary of the garden's untended state, even though it has been well-tended in her absence. Lizzie realizes that the garden has been starved of children's love and fun; with the help of Robert she gathers the orphans, who run to the quickly-reviving garden. Lady Mary and Sir Colin (

Leigh Lawson Allan Leigh Lawson (born 21 July 1945) is an English actor, director and writer. Life and career Lawson was born in Atherstone, Warwickshire. He initially studied at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts before training further at the Royal Aca ...

) arrive with Martha and are amazed, as the garden does not look dead as Martha had described. Lizzie tells Lady Mary that the garden needed love and that she should not have it closed. Lady Mary informs Lizzie that the garden belongs to her, and that it took "a girl from across the sea, many years ago" to bring the garden back to life, and that it has taken a girl from across the sea to do it again, and that it is up to her to do as she wishes with the garden. Lizzie announces that the garden will stay open so that all the children can enjoy it.

Cast

as Lizzie Buscana * Aled Roberts as Robert * Florence Hoath as Geraldine * Justin Girdler as Steven *

as Martha Sowerby * George Baker as Will Weatherstaff *

as Lady Mary Craven *

as Sir Colin Craven * David Warner as Dr. Snodgrass *

Danielle McCormack Danielle Marie McCormack (born 18 September 1983) is an English actress and singer/songwriter and musician. McCormack is best known for playing Mel Barker on the TV show ''My Parents Are Aliens'' on CITV CITV (short for Children's ITV, ...

as Penelope * Liza Ross as Sister Mary * Lisa Martin as Doris *

Sheila Steafel Sheila Frances Steafel (26 May 1935 – 23 August 2019) was a British actress, who was born in Johannesburg, but lived all her adult life in the United Kingdom. Life and career Steafel, who was born in Johannesburg, trained at the Webber Dougla ...

as Miss Chillblaine

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Back To The Secret Garden 2001 television films 2001 films 2001 drama films 2001 fantasy films British fantasy films British sequel films Television sequel films 2000s children's fantasy films Films about children Films based on The Secret Garden Films directed by Michael Tuchner Films set in 1946 Films set in country houses 2000s British films