Promise we’ll remain a secret, forever.|Jul. 19, 2014|Japan|103 Min.|PG
Genre: Animation;Drama
Description: When Marnie Was There is a captivating story about Anna, a young girl who explores an abandoned mansion across a salt marsh. The place feels oddly familiar to her, but she gets trapped by the rising tide until an old fisherman named Toichi rescues her. Inside the mansion, Anna notices a blonde girl. During the Tanabata festival, she finally meets the girl, Marnie, and the two forge a secret friendship. Marnie invites Anna to a party at the mansion, where she sees Marnie dancing with a boy named Kazuhiko.
As the story unfolds, Anna meets Hisako, an elderly artist who remarks that Anna’s sketches resemble a girl from her past. Later, a family moves into the mansion, and a girl named Sayaka gives Anna Marnie’s diary, which had been hidden in a drawer. Anna discovers documents revealing that her foster parents are paid to care for her, leading her to believe their love is insincere. She struggles with feelings of abandonment and resentment toward her biological family.
Marnie, in turn, shares her own struggles—her parents travel abroad often, leaving her with a cruel nanny and maids who bully and threaten her. Together, Anna and Marnie confront their fears, including Marnie’s fear of the silo near the mansion, where she finds comfort with Kazuhiko.
Sayaka later discovers missing pages from Marnie’s diary, which include entries about Kazuhiko and the silo. Anna falls ill with a high fever and is brought back to the Oiwas’ home. After recovering, she confronts Marnie, who apologizes for leaving her and says they can no longer see each other.
Hisako eventually reveals Marnie’s full story: Marnie married Kazuhiko and had a daughter named Emily. After Kazuhiko’s sudden death, Marnie committed herself to a sanatorium to cope with her grief. Emily, sent to a boarding school, grew resentful of her mother for abandoning her. As an adult, Emily ran away, had a daughter, and died in a car accident. Marnie raised her granddaughter, who was later placed in foster care after Marnie’s passing.
This heartfelt tale explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring connections between generations.
Cast director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Cast actor: Sara Takatsuki, Kasumi Arimura, Nanako Matsushima, Susumu Terajima, Toshie Negishi, Ryoko Moriyama, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Hitomi Kuroki, Hiroyuki Morisaki, Takuma Otoo
Original name: 思い出のマーニー