Not entirely captivating by all means, but very sweet and charming. While the story has some weak spots and the screenplay superficial at times, what saves it is how it is filmed and acted and how it keeps to the spirit of the picture books. I for one loved how it was filmed; I wasn't expecting another Wizard of Oz or Secret Garden, but the film is very nicely shot, with some dark serious tones but I particularly loved the shots of the Parisian skies. The music is beautiful as well and has a certain liveliness to it. The acting is very good; Hattie Jones has a very likable spunk and with her cute appearance the camera clearly loves her. Frances McDormond is perfectly cast as Miss Clavel, staying true to her character. Nigel Hawthorne is given less to do, but he does well with what he is given as Lord Covington(or Lord Cukooface as the girls call him). Overall, this is a charming and I think underrated film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Precocious young Madeline is an English orphan, one of twelve girls under the care of school mistress Miss Clavel (Frances McDormand) in Paris. She hates their neighbor, the arrogant Spanish ambassador's son Pepito. She falls into the river and is rescued by a stray dog which is given the name Genevieve. Lord Covington attempts to sell the school and there is the evil Leopold, the tutor.

I don't know much about the source material. The movie needs to get going a lot sooner. The girls meeting Pepito needs to be earlier. The hospital section leads to the touching reveal at the end but it could be done with a lot less time. It doesn't need to go to the hospital. It just needs the portrait. Once they have the mice fight, Pepito and Madeline can get into a prank war which would serve as filler in the middle. It takes awhile but this gets better.

In Paris, twelve girls study in a school owned and sponsored by Lady Covington (Stéphane Audran) and managed by a sister, Miss Clavel (Frances McDormand). The youngest and orphan is the six years old Madeline (Hatty Jones). Their neighbor is the Ambassador of Spain, his wife and his son Pepito. When Lady Covington dies, her husband decided to sell the house. Meanwhile, some bad guys plan to kidnap Pepito. This average comedy is very predictable. However, the little, sweet and adorable Hatty Jones makes the difference. This was the last movie I watched in 2003 and I do not regret, since it is a nice family entertainment. My vote is six.