The Secret Garden

The timeless tale of a special place where magic, hope and love grow.

1993 • 101 min • Drama · Family · Fantasy

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Synopsis

A young British girl born and reared in India loses her neglectful parents in an earthquake. She is returned to England to live at her uncle's castle. Her uncle is very distant due to the loss of his wife ten years before. Neglected once again, she begins exploring the estate and discovers a garden that has been locked and forgotten. Aided by one of the servants' boys, she begins restoring the garden, and eventually discovers some other secrets of the manor.

Our family guide

Best from age 7

Movie Knight Score

990 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
74 Audience · 989 · 49%

After an earthquake in India, a young orphan girl is sent to live with her reclusive uncle in a grand English manor. There, she discovers a hidden, overgrown garden and, with the help of new friends, begins to restore it, unearthing family secrets along the way.

Violence & peril: 2/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 0/10
Romance & sensuality: 0/10
Scary moments: 3/10

Heads up

Themes of grief and abandonment
Some eerie mansion scenes
Discussion of illness and death

What it models well

Healing and renewal
Friendship and compassion
Overcoming grief and loneliness
The power of nature

Talk about it after

Coping with loss and change
The importance of empathy
Finding joy in unexpected places
Connecting with family history

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Secret Garden. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Where to watch

Country

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Top billed cast

Director: Agnieszka Holland • Crew: Caroline Thompson

Trailers & clips

Original Theatrical Trailer

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
_**Beautiful, reverent, awe-inspiring**_ To be honest, I remember seeing previews of this movie way back when it came out (in 1993) and thinking to myself, "WHY would anyone want to see such a film and why would anyone make it?" Well, about five years later it appeared on TV one night and I started watching, fully expecting to turn it off within 20 minutes or so. WOW -- was I ever wrong! What I saw was beaut...
Wuchak, TMDB Community