The Secret of Moonacre

Maria Merryweather (Dakota Blue Richards) inherits a book after her father's death: "The Ancient Chronicles of Moonacre Valley." She reads of the first Moon Princess receiving magical pearls from the moon. At her wedding with a Merryweather, her father, a de Noir, presented the couple with a black lion, while the groom gifted his bride a unicorn. When the princess revealed the pearls, the two families were possessed by greed. Forced to leave her London home, Maria and her governess, Miss Heliotrope (Juliet Stevenson), go to stay at Moonacre Manor with her estranged uncle Sir Benjamin Merryweather (Ioan Gruffudd). Sir Benjamin warns of bandits and instructs Maria to stay away from the forest and the de Noirs, the rival family. After riding with her uncle, Maria hears a distressed cry and sneaks into the forest, where she is surrounded by bandits, including a boy named Robin de Noir (Ioan Gruffudd). Before they can kidnap her, Sir Benjamin's intimidating black dog, Wrolf, frightens them away. When Maria finally continues reading the book, she discovers that the two families fought over the pearls and the Moon Princess cursed Moonacre Valley to be plunged into eternal darkness at the rising of the 5000th moon, unless a "pure heart" is heard. The Manor's chef Marmaduke (Andy Linden) tells Maria she is the new Moon Princess, as she can see the unicorn, and only such a one can undo the curse. Maria figures out that the very next full moon will be the 5000th. Frightened, she runs away and finds a cave inhabited by a woman named Loveday (Natascha McElhone). Loveday reveals she herself was a Moon Princess, but failed to unite the families and break the curse. Maria realizes that the de Noirs stole the casket containing the pearls and the Merryweathers took the key to it. Finding the key in the book's bookmark, Maria sneaks into the fortress, but is spotted by Robin's father Coeur de Noir (Tim Curry). She gives him the key but he reveals that the casket is empty, accusing the Merryweathers of stealing them. Maria escapes and is led home by Wrolf. At the manor, she meets Loveday, who gives her more information: Loveday and Sir Benjamin were once engaged until Loveday revealed she was a de Noir; Sir Benjamin, furious, broke off the engagement and Loveday ran away. Maria then notices a painting of the first Moon Princess, who shows her where she hid the pearls in the forest. Maria sends forged letters to Sir Benjamin and Loveday convincing them to meet, then persuades Robin to help her. Meanwhile, Loveday and Sir Benjamin meet and discover Maria's deception. Together with Miss Heliotrope, Marmaduke, and the "halfwit" servant Digweed (Michael Webber), they set out to search for her. Back in the forest Maria and Robin find the pearls in hollow tree and escape through a secret tunnel. Coeur's men pursue them and kill Wrolf in the process. Coeur reaches the cliff where the valley was cursed just before the moon is about to rise. Sir Benjamin then arrives with Digweed and Marmaduke, followed moments later by Maria and Robin. Loveday, revealed to be Coeur's daughter, also arrives. Maria pleads to her uncle and Coeur to put aside their pride and so break the curse, but fails. She then realizes she must do it herself, and jumps into the sea with the pearls. A huge wave surges towards the cliff and Maria appears on the back of the white unicorn. A revived Wrolf appears, having resumed his true form: the black lion. Sir Benjamin and Loveday reconcile, and Miss Heliotrope finally arrives. The Merryweathers and de Noirs are united, the curse is lifted, Moonacre Valley is restored.