This script is well written, though you do need an attention span longer than 10 minutes to get drawn into what becomes an intriguing historical family saga.Touching on some rather raw historical morality and class distinction issues. An all star cast including Alex Ethel and Maggie Smith, performs leading and supporting roles,with superb delivery of character and dialog by all the cast members. It builds into an exciting surprising adventure and greatly suitable for the whole family. As I mentioned it took a few minutes to establish the characters and lead us along with the young lead character into the mystery of the Old family Estate. But once the surprises and twists begin, it's a fun entertaining movie. I will certainly be recommending it to my friends and family.

I've not seen Downton Abbey, so am unaware of how this rather stoic British drama with hints of the supernatural compares to director Julian Fellowes other creation. What I can tell you though, is that it is a professionally mounted film with a cast of well-known British thespians acting in parts that you know were made for them, like pieces in a jigsaw.The society of the latter days of World War 2 is handsomely recreated, even if it is just relegated to one house. The X-Files style plot elements feel a bit half-baked, and sometimes it feels so dry you'll start craving for a glass of water. These are just minor quibbles, though. It all comes to a head with a series of revelations at the conclusion... Which may even make the weak-willed among you reach for your hankies.Not this cat, though. I would never fall for something so corny *Frantically hides his copy of Braveheart* 6/10

Although there is "time traveling" elements in this movie, it is not a science fiction. It is more a ghost story like the movie "ghost".The time traveling element is mostly used to tell a story that happened in the past.The movie is a little slow at the beginning. Not everything make sense. For example, someone supposedly died inside the chimney. However, his body was not found; not even a skeleton.When the boy found the lost jewelry, his grandmother behaved in a completely idiotic manner as if possessed by greed.The makeup for the blind girl failed; she does not look blind.The subtitle can be turned on with the DVD player's control, but not via the DVD's main menu.

Of all the things which irritate me when watching films of books which I have read the one which irritates me most is the script writer who thinks s/he can improve on the original. Of course a very long book has to lose characters and sub-plots, but "The Chimneys of Green Knowe" is not a long book, and for every character lost Julian Fellowes has invented a new one. I have great respect for Julian Fellowes as an original screen writer, but the arrogance with which he has sought to 'improve' on Lucy Boston's novel really sets my teeth on edge. I suspect that someone who has never read the original will thoroughly enjoy this film, but the book is much better and much more subtle in both the relationships between the characters and the nature of the 'ghosts' which Julian Fellowes has made so much more conventional than Lucy Boston's unusual take on the nature of time and mutability.