Cast:

Frances McDormand
Nigel Hawthorne
Hatty Jones

Director:

Daisy von Scherler Meyer


 


One of the most beloved heroines of children's literature is brought to life in this movie based on the classic series of books by Ludwig Bemelmans, about the "twelve little girls in two straight lines" who live in "a small house in Paris that was covered with vines," and especially "the smallest one," Madeline.


Synopsis:

Bemelmans' gorgeous water colors turn into gorgeously photographed Paris, set vaguely in the 1950s, setting the stage for Madeline's night-time race to the hospital for an appendectomy, her fall into the Seine and rescue by the brave dog Genevive, and her adventures with Pepito, the son of the Spanish ambassador. Frances McDormand plays Miss Clavel, the nun who cares for her charges with imagination, wisdom, and love, and courage. Nigel Hawthorne plays stern Lord Covington, who wants to sell the small house covered with vines and close down the school.


"Madeline is a charming and delightful family film. Sure to become as classic as it's story!"
- Film Advisory Board

"Madeline is charming and fast-paced, it even enthralls boys."
- USA Today


Hawthorne's character:

"The character in the book is very much a caricature English Aristocracy-type, which is familiar territory to me, but there's quite an interesting story thread involving him in a bereavement which is what attracted me to the character. Also, he's an authoritarian figure and because he poses a threat to the little girls, they look upon him not just as a figure of awe, but slightly as a figure of fun."


Reviews:

Boxoffice Magazine
CNN Showbiz
The New York Times
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Christian Spotlight on the Movies