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Madeline

Play trailer Poster for Madeline PG Released Jul 10, 1998 1h 30m Kids & Family Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
65% Tomatometer 31 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Parisian schoolgirl and orphan Madeline (Hatty Jones) schemes to save her boarding school and home from being closed and sold by its owner, the severe Lord Covington (Nigel Hawthorne), whose benevolent wife (Stéphane Audran) has recently passed away. Madeline's sweet antics are often a burden to her goodhearted but stern headmistress, Miss Clavel (Frances McDormand), whose true appreciation of Madeline is revealed when Madeline and a schoolboy named Pepito (Kristian de la Osa) are kidnapped.

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Madeline

Madeline

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Critics Consensus

It may be a tad tedious for older viewers, but Madeline's clever, adventurous heroine is likely to charm its intended audience.

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Critics Reviews

View All (31) Critics Reviews
Ella Taylor L.A. Weekly This pleasant but pedestrian live-action film has one great thing going for it in the shape of Hatty Jones, a tiny Brit with currant-bun eyes full of forthcoming transgression. Aug 30, 2016 Full Review Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Rated: C Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media Great for young kids and fans of the books. Rated: 3/5 Dec 25, 2010 Full Review Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) An underrated gem Apr 11, 2020 Full Review Leigh Paatsch Herald Sun (Australia) This charming kids' pic has aged very well indeed, and is a surefire selection for any young viewers who like their movies mischievous and magical. Rated: 4/5 Oct 12, 2018 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Jul 21, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kasey R Great movie! If I could rate it higher I would. Highly recommend for all ages! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/26/24 Full Review Audience Member Even 25 years later this is a lovable, warm hearted adaptation for children of all ages Based on the beloved children's book series by Ludwig Bemelmans back in 1939 focusing on a Parisian child who's oh so curious and brave at the same time played by Hatty Jones The time period is actually set during the 1950s as Lady Covington's school for girls houses 12 little girls headed by Frances McDormand as nun Miss Clevel about to be sold by Mr. Covington His wife dies and he feels it's best to close the school but the girls attempt to stop him in their own way The story is pretty much a collection of the many stories written as this young girl encounters many different challenges and adventures She has her appendix removed, meets a new boy named Papito, is rescued by a dog named Genevieve, and attempts to face Lord Covington It's a brisk 95 minutes but carries quite a lot of charm, childhood innocence, and Jones as Madeline uses enough of her spunk and creativity to succeed Her friends and Miss Clevel are just as likable Whimsical sensibilities are abound with director Daisy Von Scherler Mayer managing to bring the illustrations of the book to life along with the likability of its star A lot of great messages; we can't have something just by wishing it, we shouldn't judge people too quickly This is still one of my favorite childhood films and a very decent adaptation that'll appeal to parents and children for generations Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/10/23 Full Review andy h A sweet memory for several millennials and gen zers, Hatty Jones undeniable adorability and frances mcdormand's undercooked presence make this a worthy treat for family's who watch the cartoon or read the books. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie was okay. I did like it much more than I thought I would! It will probably appeal more to girls than boys, just because of the nature of the film. Some of the content might feel childish to older viewers, but its really a film for all ages. I liked Frances McDormand as the teacher. She was fun to watch! Nigel Hawthorne was also great as the headmaster! The story kind of got a little dry halfway through, and became kind of cheesy! Overall, though it was an okay film! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review steve d Unwatchable and deeply boring for all but the youngest viewer. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Madeline is a pleasant little film based on the children’s books written by Ludwig Bemelmans. The story is about a school for young girls that is at risk of being shut down. This is particularly frightening for little Madeline who doesn’t have any parents to take care of her if the school is closed. We see the girls get into a number of silly situations along the way, mostly prompted by the actions of Madeline. I wouldn’t necessarily describe her as a trouble-maker, but she is a bit precocious at times. Hatty Jones was simply adorable in the role, and I never found her obnoxious or annoying. I liked how this film shows the relationships between the young kids, because it all felt authentic based on the way children that age will treat one another. Casting Frances McDormand for the role of the nun/teacher Miss Clavel was a great choice, because she nails that mix of stern and compassionate. The film is quite juvenile and silly, so it’s not exactly made for me, but I think those qualities are perfect for the target audience. It does a wonderful job of finding the right tone for a kids’ movie without being aggressively juvenile or condescending, and I will probably end up recommending it to some of my friends with young ones. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/27/20 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Parisian schoolgirl and orphan Madeline (Hatty Jones) schemes to save her boarding school and home from being closed and sold by its owner, the severe Lord Covington (Nigel Hawthorne), whose benevolent wife (Stéphane Audran) has recently passed away. Madeline's sweet antics are often a burden to her goodhearted but stern headmistress, Miss Clavel (Frances McDormand), whose true appreciation of Madeline is revealed when Madeline and a schoolboy named Pepito (Kristian de la Osa) are kidnapped.
Director
Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Producer
Allyn Stewart
Screenwriter
Ludwig Bemelmans, Malia Scotch Marmo, Mark Levin, Jennifer Flackett
Distributor
Columbia Tristar, TriStar Pictures
Production Co
TriStar Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Kids & Family, Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 10, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$29.8M
Runtime
1h 30m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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