简介：DaisyvonSherlerMayerdirectedthisfamilyfilm,anadaptationofthefamedbookseriesthatAustrian-bornwriter-illustratorLudwigBemelmans(1898-1962)launchedin1939withtheopeninglines,"InanoldhouseinParisthatwascoveredwithvineslivedtwelvelittlegirlsintwostraightlines.Intwostraightlinestheybroketheirbreadandbrushedtheirteethandwenttobed.Theysmiledatthegoodandfrownedatthebadandsometimestheywereverysad.Theyleftthehouseathalfpastnineintwostraightlinesinrainorshine--thesmallestonewasMadeline."Thislive-actionfilminterpretation,setduringthemid-1950s,expandsonplotelementsfoundthroughoutseveralbooksintheseries.LordCovington(NigelHawthorne)planstosellthesmallFrenchboardingschoolwheretheyoungorphanMadeline(nine-year-oldBritishactressHattyJones)liveswithothergirlsunderthesupervisionofsympatheticschoolmistressMissClavel(FrancesMcDormand).Hospitalizedafteranappendectomy,MadelinewandersdownthehospitalhallwayandmeetsCovington'sdyingwife,LadyCovington(StephaneAudran),anencounterwhichbecomesanassetinMadeline'seffortstosavetheschool.MovingintothehouseadjacenttotheschoolisthefamilyoftheSpanishAmbassador(ArturoVenegas),includinghisyoungsonPepito(KristiandelaOsa),whospendsagooddealoftimewheelingaboutonhisVespa,sonoisyitservestoirritatepossiblebuyersoftheschool. WhenMadelinefallsintotheSeine,sheisrescuedbyadog,Genevieve,whoimmediatelybecomestheschool'smascotandpet,despitethe"nopets"ruleandMissClavel'sallergytodogs.Pepito'ssomewhatsinisterBritishtutorLeopold(BenDaniels)engineersaplanthatleadstothecountyfairkidnappingofPepitoandMadeline.FirstfilmedbyUPAintheearly'50sastheOscar-nominatedanimatedcartoonshort,Madeline(1952),decadespassedbeforeotheradaptationsappeared:the23-minuteMadeline'sRescueandOtherStories(1990,availablefromFacetsVideo),narratedbyLouiseRoberts;andthe1989-1993seriesofhalf-hoursnarratedbyChristopherPlummer--Madeline,MadelineandtheBadHat,MadelineandtheGypsies,MadelineinLondon,Madeline'sChristmas,andMadeline'sRescue.MGM's1945FredAstaireVincenteMinnellifilmYolandaandtheThiefalsoadaptedBemelmans.DaisyvonScherlerMayer'searlierPartyGirl(1995)wasthefirstfeaturefilmseeninitsentiretyontheInternet.~BhobStewart,AllMovieGuide…