User Reviews

I watched this program years ago and I would love to see it again. It starred Patty McCormack, one of my childhood favorites, and all I remember is the white statue of the Blessed Virgin and Patty saying that she "stole her flower seeds", but it was an excellent program if my memory serves me right! At that time I was too young to know that I really loved Rumer Godden, later on I recalled that some of my favorite stories (The Fairy Doll and Greengage Summer) both had Ms Godden in common! Does anyone else remember this made for TV program, if so I would love to read your thoughts!

Since I went to Catholic Schools I was especially devoted to the Blessed Virgin and while I was warned by my teachers about too much television I honestly believe that they would have enjoyed this show.

I vaguely remember Brandon DeWilde as Patty's partner in crime in this program, I also remember having a little crush on him at the time.

This is one of my favourite novels -- I am a great admirer of Rumer Godden, and this is close to her best.

It is sometimes played as "Innocent Sinners." It is currently available on YouTube.

So many adaptations of very good novels find it necessary to change things that are essential to the pleasure the original gave its readers. Too many film-makers appear to think they know better. That may be understandable in the case of books with very graphic sex or violence -- a film can often suggest what a novelist, with only the printed page as a canvas, must describe.

But this lovely book has been pretty faithfully brought to the screen. It is a good introduction to the story. But I recommend the book even more. I would hope that this film leads people to a writer who never fails to reward exploration. Quite a few of her books have been filmed -- most famously Black Narcissus and The River. There are many more that have not, and some of them are the best reads.

But this is a poignant little film that even non-readers who like 1950s and early 60s films will like.