Few children’s books have proved as popular as Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time. Over the last 50 years, it has proved to be a staple of elementary school reading lists and is fondly remembered by many whose children now are being asked to read it.
It is no wonder, then, that a movie version should have received wide release just before the spring break and been given much publicity. However, having only read the book as an adult, I did not think it fitting that I should pass judgment alone on the film, so I was delighted to be accompanied by two young friends: Lily and Andrew, both currently attending Our Lady of Sorrows school.
I must admit to my being somewhat apprehensive when watching the film. Not only did it diverge in many ways from the book, but it seemed decidedly preachy, with the heroine being bombarded by advice from teachers, parents, and witches. It all sounded horribly portentous and tended to slow down the proceedings alarmingly, particularly in its lengthy, added introduction.
Instead of plunging the audience right into the adventure, as does the book, a protracted back-story is presented first. It soon became clear in the filmmakers’ vision of the journey three children undertake as they search for the heroine’s lost scientist father, who mysteriously disappeared four years previously, that the story had somehow lost not only excitement but also its magic.
Nowhere was this more obvious than in the three witches who assist them on their way; instead of being fun and delightfully eccentric, they seem dull, overstated, and far too given to lecturing.
As the film ran its course, I wondered how Lily and Andrew were reacting to the proceedings. At a couple of points, they did vocalize their objections to things happening on screen which had no basis on the book, but otherwise they dutifully remained quiet and attentive. And since the film is clearly aimed at children, I was anxious to hear their comments when once we left the theatre.
Clearly, they were dissatisfied with what they had seen. I soon learned that they strongly objected to a scene in which the children on another planet were required to get over a wall to avoid being engulfed in some kind of earthquake. The episode does not occur in the book and they could find no excuse for including it in the film, particularly as only two of the three children seemed to have difficulty in executing the feat, while the third (inexplicably) managed it with no difficulty.
Then, too, they were annoyed at the way the children discover the father; in the book he is inside a transparent column; in the movie he is in some sort of geometric tunnel. The more they talked, the more it became apparent that they were displeased with virtually all the alterations and the additions made to the story line, and, like me, did not feel that the film came anywhere near to their envisioning of the book.
Of course, this latter concern is inevitable as it is unlikely that any two readers imagine it in the same way, despite the author’s detailed descriptions. Indeed, both Lily and Andrew said that if they had simply seen the film without reading the book, they would have liked it. However, they both had difficulty identifying what they liked best about the film.
I was somewhat surprised at this fairly favourable assessment as I myself found the film tedious and annoyingly preachy. Indeed, had I been alone, I might well have walked out long before the film was over. It simply failed to capture the suspense and excitement of the book, and it had altogether lost L’Engle’s vision and concern.
Granted, it is a book very much of its time and the idea that there is a force in the universe causing everyone to be disturbingly conformist resonated far more 50 years ago than today. But to replace it with a girl being constantly bombarded with statements of how important she is and how she can accomplish anything is a message that millennials have heard far too often.
In general, though, the children were very disappointed in the film. Lily summed it up best when she said, “If they’re going to make a film based on a popular book that millions of people have enjoyed, they should stick with the book.” Out of the mouths…!
