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osprey_archerI snagged the 1998 Madeline largely because it had a female director, but it turned out to be the perfect choice for something light and charming to watch with my mother.
It’s based loosely on the series of Madeline picture books, although I suspect they’ve added quite a bit in to get the story up to feature-film length: do the original books contain a threat to sell the school and a kidnapping? Both of which sound like they might weigh down the movie, but the story is clearly occurring in the charmed world of children’s movies, where the school will never be sold and the kidnappers will clearly be comically inept.
There’s a slight note of seriousness in orphan Madeline’s concern what will happen if the school closes: will she be separated from Miss Clavell (played by Frances McDormand, just as charming here as in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), who has become like a mother or at least a loving aunt to her? This gives the movie a bit of grounding, so it doesn’t just float away like a soap bubble. But for the most part, it’s delicious brain candy.
I particularly liked the way the movie dealt with Madeline’s classmates, the twelve little girls in two straight lines. There are too many for us to learn all their names in the svelte hour-and-a-half running time, and the movie doesn’t expect us to, but all the same they’re not simply an indistinguishable mass. Each girl has some character traits, like the one who is always slow on the uptake, or the dark-haired girl with the gleefully gruesome sense of humor, or haughty blonde Victoria who often argues with Madeline - but nonetheless cries with all the others when Madeline goes missing near the end.
It’s based loosely on the series of Madeline picture books, although I suspect they’ve added quite a bit in to get the story up to feature-film length: do the original books contain a threat to sell the school and a kidnapping? Both of which sound like they might weigh down the movie, but the story is clearly occurring in the charmed world of children’s movies, where the school will never be sold and the kidnappers will clearly be comically inept.
There’s a slight note of seriousness in orphan Madeline’s concern what will happen if the school closes: will she be separated from Miss Clavell (played by Frances McDormand, just as charming here as in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), who has become like a mother or at least a loving aunt to her? This gives the movie a bit of grounding, so it doesn’t just float away like a soap bubble. But for the most part, it’s delicious brain candy.
I particularly liked the way the movie dealt with Madeline’s classmates, the twelve little girls in two straight lines. There are too many for us to learn all their names in the svelte hour-and-a-half running time, and the movie doesn’t expect us to, but all the same they’re not simply an indistinguishable mass. Each girl has some character traits, like the one who is always slow on the uptake, or the dark-haired girl with the gleefully gruesome sense of humor, or haughty blonde Victoria who often argues with Madeline - but nonetheless cries with all the others when Madeline goes missing near the end.
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Date: 2019-02-05 01:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-02-05 05:07 pm (UTC)As she is called Miss Clavel in the books, I expect the filmmakers felt they shouldn't change it even if it's not technically correct.
And yes! Madeline does have her appendix out! They even do the scene where ALL the girls say they want their appendixes out.
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Date: 2019-02-05 09:19 pm (UTC)(I saw the '98 Madeline when it came out -- my sister was Peak Madeline age at the time -- and remember enjoying it, but not all that much about it.)
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Date: 2019-02-05 10:32 pm (UTC)'98 is over twenty years ago now. Isn't that weird?
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Date: 2019-02-05 03:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-02-05 05:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-02-05 05:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-02-06 12:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-02-06 12:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-02-06 12:44 am (UTC)