From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1973 film)


From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a 1973 American children's film based on E.L. Konigsburg's novel From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. It tells the story of a girl and her brother who run away from home to live in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and discover what they think is a lost treasure. For home video releases, the film was retitled The Hideaways.

Synopsis

The movie, following the plot of the book by the same name, starts with young teenager Claudia Kinkaid feeling unappreciated at her home in New Jersey, so she decides to run away, taking along her younger brother Jamie. They run away to New York City, and end up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They stay in the museum for several nights, sleeping in beds featured in the museum, hiding from museum guards, and bathing in the fountain. For money, they grab coins out of the bottom of the fountain and use them to get food out of the vending machine. Eventually, Claudia finds a statue of an angel she believes was carved by Michelangelo, so she decides to find the previous owner of the statue. This owner, Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, tells Claudia and Jamie that she will leave them the secret of the angel statue in her will if they give her a full account of their adventure.

Cast

IMDb gave the movie 6.2 out of 10, with a three star rating.

Filming locations

Filming locations included The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The New York General Post Office, Macy's New York, the Erie Lackawanna Railway and Madison, New Jersey.
Specific Metropolitan Museum of Art galleries included:
Gallery 507: Bedroom from the Palazzo Sagredo of Venice,
Gallery 162: Currently Greek and Roman hall,
Gallery 153: Greek and Roman Hall,
Gallery 305: Medieval Hall,
Gallery 371: Arms and Armor,
Gallery 206: Chinese Art,
Egyptian Wing,
British period rooms, and The Great Hall.

Other adaptations

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was adapted into a 1995 television movie starring Lauren Bacall.