Film

The Secret Of Moonacre

Cert: U

Description: Orphaned at a young age, plucky 13-year-old Maria Merryweather is forced to leave behind her old life to seek lodgings with her eccentric and gruff uncle, Sir Benjamin Merryweather, on the isolated Moonacre Valley estate. Accompanied by the caretaker, Miss Heliotrope, Maria soon learns of an ancient feud between her family and the De Noir clan, whose young son Robin takes an immediate dislike to the teenage Merryweather. Searching for clues in her one possession, a book of stories bequeathed by her late father, Maria realises that she holds the key to reuniting the warring estates by tracking down a set of magical pearls before the next full moon. However, the De Noirs will stop at nothing to hinder Maria in her quest and should the girl fail, Moonacre Valley will be destroyed forever.

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Dir: Gabor Csupo.

Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Tim Curry, Natascha McElhone, Ioan Gruffudd, Juliet Stevenson

Country: Hun/UK/Fr.

Year: 2008.

Duration: 103mins

Cast struggle in Secret of Moonacre

Lacking something: Secret of Moonacre

By Derek Malcolm
5 Feb 2009

The Hungarian Gabor Csupo is an able animator but his live-action adaptation of Elizabeth Goudge�s children�s tale leaves a lot to be desired.

The production design gives us plenty for the eye but a dull screenplay and patchy editing hardly bring the fantasy to life. Dakota Blue Richards is the 13-year-old London orphan sent away to live with her uncle (Ioan Gruffudd) in the country where she finds an ancient curse has been destroying the family for centuries. She has only until the next full moon to sort it all out. Tim Curry, Natascha McElhone and Juliet Stevenson also struggle in the cast.

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I love the movie and even though Robin is mean at first then a friend I LOVE him hes the cutest boy ever!

- Abby, England, Manchester, 22/02/2009 10:41
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I loved the film it was so good and guess what ROBIN IS THE CUTEST BOY EVER!!!

- Grace Hemsley, Rickmansworth England, 13/02/2009 12:14
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i loe this film it is amazing but i really want to watch it again on the computer. i think robin is so so so cute

- Hannah French, marcham, 08/02/2009 11:44
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