Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Stephanie There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Python Hyena Madeline (1998): Dir: Daisy Von Scherler Mayer / Cast: Hatty Jones, Frances McDormand, Nigel Hawthorne, Ben Daniels, Kristian De La Osa: Not nearly as complex or detailed as Harriet the Spy. Madeline is an orphan in a boarding school in France. Francis McDormand plays the headmistress who loves the girls but struggles to maintain discipline. The routine story regards the school owner's plan to sell the school. Along the way Madeline is saved from drowning by a dog, she sabotages potential buyers, and is kidnapped by circus jugglers. Directing by Daisy Von Scherler Mayer is fine with beautiful locations but the screenplay is shallow. As Madeline Hatty Jones is irresistibly charming but the chaos she is thrown into as the conclusion draws is ridiculous. McDormand in great form in what could be a standard issue role but elevates with care for the girls and the school. This coming off her Academy Award win and proving to be just as solid in this simplistic material. Supporting roles are typical family film cardboard cut-outs the function for convenience only. Nigel Hawthorne plays stereotypical strict owner who will predictably have a change of heart regarding the school's fate. Well made film that will mainly appeal to young girls but little material is objectionable for parents. Theme regards one's sense of well being, belonging and development. Score: 5 / 10

Jackson Booth-Millard I remember seeing this when I used to go to a children's club, we always had a film time, and I guess I just I wanted to watch it again to remember how lame and kiddie it was. Basically Miss Clavel (Fargo's Frances McDormand) is the head-mistress nun who looks after twelve children at the orphanage in France, and the youngest, smallest and at many times most troublesome is red-headed, parent-less and fantastic problem solver Madeline (introducing Hatty Jones). Every moment of this film sees Madeline getting into quite a few situations, and she proves that she has hardly any fear, and she can stand up for herself in front of the grown-ups, especially Lord Covington, aka Lord Cuckoohead (The Madness of King George's Nigel Hawthorne), who is trying to sell the school/orphanage. Also starring Ben Daniels as Leopold the Tutor and Stéphane Audran as Lady Covington. Think Annie (which I absolutely detest) meets Home Alone (a very good family comedy), and that is pretty much the film in a nut-shell, Jones is cuter than Aileen Quinn was, but I suppose the most watchable character for adults is McDormand, a good once-in-a-while (or just once, period) family film. Okay!

bob the moo Madeline is a typically troublesome young red-headed girl who is a ward of the church under the care of Miss Clavel. However just as good as she is at getting into trouble she is equally as good at working out a way out of it. When the kindly Lady Covington dies, Madeline's school loses its most ardent sponsor and faces closure when Lord Covington decides that he no longer has to humour his wife by keeping it open. Obviously none of the girls want this to happen, but Madeline must also deal with other problems as well – not least of which is some sort of plot surrounding Pepito, the son of the Spanish Ambassador.I had not heard of this film or the famous stories from which it had come but I watched it hoping for a strong child character in a strong family comedy drama. Sadly what I got was a very muddled film that has a couple of plots and forgets to do a great deal with any of them. I appreciate that the character is the heart of the film but that doesn't excuse how messy and poorly focused this is for the majority. It does have some good aspects about it and I can see why some older pre-teens might like it but younger than that and older than that might struggle. For me the main thing the muddled delivery did was rob it of a sense of fun and prevent anything flowing.At times the tone is silly and childish, at others it is serious and intimate – but it never feels like it is all in one movie and again fragments the flow of it. The cast try hard to work with it but understandably they seem unsure of the tone of the film (a fault that must be put at Mayer's door) and it shows. McDormand is solid but unspectacular while Hawthorne clearly felt that turning up for his scenes was enough. The star is of course Jones as Madeline. She is a strong character but not developed beyond what she can do herself. I have no vested interest in the character but I was a little disappointed with what they did. Daniels is poorly used while De La Osa is purely annoying.This all might just about do the job for the older, pre-teen audience but younger won't care and older will want more than this delivers. A muddled film that never really settles down or decides what it is doing.

byhc2003 Madeline is a cute movie for the whole family -- if you like things when they were more simple! The antics of this young girl, Madeline are somewhat typical, often funny, yet sweet and well-meaning as orphaned child who is lonely and sad. Miss Clavel played by the one and only lovely Frances McDormand has the best facial expressions a nun could have when exasperated, yet, she really loves all the girls, but especially Madeline. And Lord Coo-coo face, well there's just something about him that isn't quite right -- it turns out he's lonely and sad, too just like Madeline. I think this movie was a great way to disappear into a Saturday afternoon and forget all the chaos of the week and bring back fond memories of less rushed times. The entire cast is -- well, they're all a kick!