 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Madeline
- Review Date: May 4, 2003
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 1998
Common Sense Media says
Great adaptation for young kids and fans of the books.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there's a kidnapping that younger children might find scary, and the overall absence of parents. Pepito's parents are loving but rather neglectful, and Madeline is an orphan.
What's the story?
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 (Hetty Jones). 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. Oscar-winning actress Frances McDormand plays Miss Clavel, the nun who cares for her charges with imagination, wisdom, and love, and courage. Veteran British actor Nigel Hawthorne is stern Lord Covington, who wants to sell the small house covered with vines and close down the school.
Is it any good?
Young children, especially fans of the books, will enjoy the film. Newcomer Hetty Jones is a spunky Madeline, brave enough to say "Pooh Pooh" to a tiger, smart enough to know that if she asks Pepito to be extra quiet he will find some way to do something noisy, and determined enough to find a way to stop Lord Covington from selling the school his late wife loved so dearly.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how the film compares to the book. Which do you like better? Would you have done anything differently if you were making this film?
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AGE
funny film
good movie, but not worth buying. there is a reference to a large bra as "boo_ie baskets".
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AGE
My girls loved it...but it's scarier than the books!
My daughters LOVE Madeline, and were excited to see this movie. The only issues I have with it were the references to death that are NOT in the books! In the movie, Madeline is an orphan. It works with the story line of the movie, but both of my children have had anxieties about me and/or my husband dying since watching the movie. Also, the benevolent benefactor of the school dies in the hospital while Madeline is there recovering from her appendix removal. Her husband, whom we later learn is simply unsure how to deal with his grief, decides to sell the school. The drama is keyed-up in the movie, making too scary for some young fans of the books.
That said, the film is well-acted and enjoyable, and while I, too, object to the "boobie-baskets" choice, it fits the scene. (The owner has just informed the school mistress that he will be closing the school, and the girls have refused their dinner, sneaking down to the kitchen later they are up to no good.) While I would have preferred that the movie stick closer to the story line of the books, we (my mom, the girls & I) all enjoyed the movie and recommend it!
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Kid, 11 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
This movie is great.
Kids any age can watch this movie. I think it is a great movie because there are a lot of funny parts. All the little girls were great actors. I think Miss Clavel was a great teacher to them. Thats all I have to say about this movie. See you later.
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AGE
Madeline is spunky, yet boring.
This movie is boring. Madeline just isn't a enjoyable character, and the rest is just meh.
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AGE
Thanatophobics beware...
If you have a fear of hospitals/doctors/medical stuff, then I don't reccomend this to you. Maybe it's just me, but the hospital scene where Miss Clavel and the paramedics are rushing Madeline to the surgery room, and where she's got this gas mask over her head, well that's all too much for me. Whenever I hear the word "Surgery" or "Operation" or "Hospital" I just practically go into a panic attack.
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Kid, 12 years old
November 24, 2010
AGE
Very good movie.
This movie is very good, but there are some scary scenes. I enjoyed every minute of it and it is so much better than the show.
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AGE
caution - not as innocent as the book - watch it with your kids so you can point out inapproriate behavior
It was very exciting for my girls to see the movie after they had read the book several times.
The movie is surprisingly quite well done and entertaining -
BUT there are several elements that made me very uncomfortable having my children view it:
untrue to the book Madeline is an orphan, there is a lot of bullying and arguing amongst the girls, inappropriate innuendo about the boy next door, name calling, a scene where Madeline realizes that a chicken she has befriended has been cooked for dinner, a benefactor dies and there is semi-teary discussion about it, there is an extensive inappropriate scene involving undergarments and one child prancing around in a bra, there is a kidnapping, and Madeline seems to get into too much trouble, as well as taunt and instigates fights - etc, etc, etc,
Having said that - we started watching the movie before I realized that maybe we shouldn't be watching it -
but I tried to explain correct behavior or expected behavior at every turn. So I was pretty much on edge during the viewing - but the kids liked several of the scenes and hopefully a lot of it went over their heads!!???????
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Kid, 12 years old
January 31, 2012
AGE
Madeline is not very good
Educational: You learn about Paris.
Violent: Madeline and her enemy Pepito, get kidnapped and held for ransom, and Madeline's friend chicken gets cooked for dinner, Lady Covington dies, and Maedline has a giant scar on her stomach (no blood shown)
Inappropriate content: The girls play with bras, Helene mentions a million different husbands and talks about tattoos, the girls disrespectfully call Lord Covington "Lord Cookoo Butt", even to his face, and then Madeline lies about saying it.
Language: Quite a few bad words are mentioned in this film including "Idiot", and "Butt" which get used over and over and over again.
If I were an adult, I would not allow my children to see this, because I would not want them to act like Madeline and her friends. Also I know that my parents objected to the movie.
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| Topics: | book characters |
| Studio: | Columbia Tristar |
| Director: | Daisy von Sherler Mayer |
| Cast: | Frances McDormand, Hatty Jones, Nigel Hawthorne |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 88 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | July 10, 1998 |
| DVD release date: | December 15, 1998 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | momentary language |
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