In 1947, a 10-year-old girl called Mary arrives at Misselthwaite Manor, a cold, wintry house in Yorkshire, England, that belongs to her uncle. So begins the new film adaptation of The Secret Garden, in which Mary – with her sick cousin Colin and friend Dickon – discover a magical garden that’s “capable of extraordinary things”.
The first sentence of the original novel, written by Frances Hodgson Burnett in the early 20th century, describes Mary as “The most disagreeable-looking child ever seen”. Dixie Egerickx, who plays Mary in the film, agrees. “Mary is not a nice person at all initially,” she tells The Week Junior, “but she changes and we can watch her grow and change.” Through nature, and friendships that grow like the plants in the garden, Mary is restored…