The Secret of Moonacre

Directed by: Gabor Csupo
Produced by:
Cast: Ioan Gruffudd Tim Curry Natascha McElhone Juliet Stevenson Dakota Blue Richards
Based on: The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
Music by: Christian Henson
Released: 2008

Plot: Maria Merryweather inherits a book after her father's death: The Ancient Chronicles of Moonacre Valley. She reads of the first Moon Princess receiving magical pearls from the moon. At her wedding with a Merryweather, her father, a de Noir, presented the couple with a black lion, while the groom gifted his bride a unicorn. When the princess revealed the pearls, the two families were possessed by greed.

Forced to leave her London home, Maria and her governess, Miss Heliotrope, go to stay at Moonacre Manor with her estranged uncle Sir Benjamin Merryweather. Sir Benjamin warns of bandits and instructs Maria to stay away from the forest and the de Noirs, the rival family. After riding with her uncle, Maria hears a distressed cry and sneaks into the forest, where she is surrounded by bandits, including a boy named Robin de Noir. Before they can kidnap her, Sir Benjamin's intimidating black dog, Wrolf, frightens them away.

When Maria finally continues reading the book, she discovers that the two families fought over the pearls and the Moon Princess cursed Moonacre Valley to be plunged into eternal darkness at the rising of the 5000th moon, unless a "pure heart" is heard. The Manor's chef Marmaduke tells Maria she is the new Moon Princess, as she can see the unicorn, and only such a one can undo the curse. Maria figures out that the very next full moon will be the 5000th. Frightened, she runs away and finds a cave inhabited by a woman named Loveday. Loveday reveals she herself was a Moon Princess, but failed to unite the families and break the curse. Maria realises that the de Noirs stole the casket containing the pearls and the Merryweathers took the key to it.

Review: Maria Merryweather is a fourteen year girl who discovers an amazing secret while attending her Fathers funeral. She inherits a book that reveals a strange tale of a family curse that affects Moonacre Valley. As the story evolves Maria learns that she is able to break the curse and free both her family and the de Noirs family.

Maria makes friends as she learns what she mst do to save the valley and those she has come to love. The story is a wonderful and fanciful tale of love, friendship and belonging. Told in a similar fassion as many quaint old faery tales. It takes the viewer on a journey through several interwoven plots.

Well worth watching with the younger members of the family.

M J Flack