A Little Princess

I’ve written about this very topic months ago, but at the time, was unaware that such a similar film existed. There are films that exist, far and few between these days, that really focus on the magic of being a child. In the 2000s, we’ve been flooded with popular culture bashes in airports, and animals playing sports. But what happened to the magic of being a child? What happened to the honest smile of a fairy tale? Why does Tim Allen keep on making “Santa Clause” films?

Novelist Frances Hodgson Burnett brings us the tale of a girl born to a British soldier in India. Having to join the war effort in 1940, he brings his daughter to a boarding school for girls located in New York. There, she stays until he is able to return… if he’s able to.

Very similar in story and theme to “The Secret Garden,” this film brings the audience closer to the imagination of a child, and the hopes and dreams of those that are forced to rely on their imagination for happiness. The film thrives on storytelling, as the main plot parallels a story Sarah (Liesel Matthews) tells the children in Miss Minchin’s (Eleanor Bron) school.

Director Alfonso Cuaron works perfectly with the children to create a world of both imagination and harsh truth. Both symbolism and solid acting help portray Sarah’s desire to see her father again. A bit of mysticism is added with the character of Ram Dass, an Indian delegate that traveled with Sarah to New York. His presence brings an air of curiosity throughout the film, as well as a constant hope that he will somehow bring the magic that Sarah so often speaks about, to the audience.

I don’t want to talk long about this film, as it’s one that most likely only a few have seen, or will see. It’s a children’s movie, with perfectly crafted themes. Though I would suggest “The Secret Garden” over this film, these two seem to go hand in hand in creating the hope that the spirit of children’s imagination still exists in us all. 6.0 of 10