“A Little Princess” (1986–1987)

A Little Princess 

Brief Description:

Sara Crewe enters a London boarding school a wealthy lady when she bids her father farewell as he enters the British Army, but her lifestyle quickly vanishes when her father suddenly dies, and Sara must endure a life of servitude.

Date: 1986–1987

Genre: British-American period drama adapatation

Running time: 2 hours 43 minutes

Cast: 

Maureen Lipman as Miss Minchin

Amelia Shankley as Sara Crewe

Miriam Margolyes as Miss Amelia Minchin

Annette Badland as Cook

Natalie Abbott as Becky

Alison Reynolds as Ermengarde

Katrina Heath as Lavinia

Joanna Dukes as Jessie

Johanna Hargreaves as Henrietta

Jessica Simpson as Lottie

Nigel Havers as Carrisford

David Yelland as Ralph Crewe

John Bird as Mr Carmichael

Annie Lambert as Mrs Carmichael

Antony Zaki as Ram Dass

Meera Syal as Anna

Director: Carol Wiseman

Production company: LWT

Based on: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Wikipedia page

Watch on Archive

(watched on Tubi)

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 3.5/5

I grew up reading and rereading (and copying down) A Little Princess, so I am a tough critic. I think the book got the setting pretty well. I don't think it did very well getting the feel/vibe of the book, and I personally think the filming is terrible (everything is so yellow?!). 

Characters: 3.5/5

While the characters are somewhat accurate to the book's portrayal, they become their own new thing. Sara is not a storyteller, for example, and seems more 14 than 12. Ermengarde isn't bad, but Lottie isn't much herself, and Becky's more of a comic side character than the sweet, pathetic book character. Miss Minchin is both worse and better than she is in the book, at alternate times, and Miss Amelia is much more sympathetic, while the cook is horrid (accurate, but so grating!). Ram Das is fun, if wholly redone; Captain Crewe is horrid (way too old); the Carmichaels are pretty good, though the father's a bit too old; Lavinia & Jessie are both worse and dumber (Jessie is much less nice than she is in the book); and the Aya is a whole new invention. I was really confused by her position in the Crewe household—she seemed to be almost the mother/wife figure, and Captain Crewe treated her more like he owed an account to than a servant. 

Plot: 4/5

The plot follows the book's plot somewhat. Obviously it condenses/removes some things and other it stretches out into a whole new thing, which I suppose is to be expected. I felt it really skimped on the message/feel of the book and just delivered a drama instead of a sweet, encouraging story. At certain points it got harder to handle because of the injustice and cruelty, which is easier to read than to see. 

Theme/Message/Topics: 2/5

Literally none, unless it's be kind because you don't know when you'll need the kindness of others... 

Content: 1/5 (low)

A mention of "magic" and "magicians" when Sara tries to figure out how her room got redone; a few liberties of the imagination about heaven. 

Violence: 2/5 (low)

Mild violence (slapping); mild verbal violence; a scene where the girls twist Ermengarde's arm behind her back until she says mean things about Sara.

Overall: 3.5/5

It's not the worst thing ever, but to be honest I don't think I'll be rewatching it simply because it's so long and I don't like it enough to spend all that time on it. My little sisters liked it though.