Madeline 1998

Madeline arrives at the boarding school

In 1956 Paris, Madeline, an orphaned girl, arrives at a Catholic boarding school. She endures the strict routines but keeps a positive, mischievous outlook. The school is run by Miss Clavel and supported by the caring chef Hélène.

Madeline falls ill and is hospitalized

Madeline is stricken with appendicitis and is rushed to the hospital for an appendectomy. During her recovery, she begins to bond with Lady Covington, the terminally ill wife of a board member. Her hospital stay deepens her sense of family and belonging.

Lady Covington shares her history

Lady Covington shares her love for the school and reveals she carved her birth name into a bed frame, asking Madeline to check if it remains. A quiet friendship forms between them despite the looming shadow of death. The act gives Madeline a sense of purpose.

Lady Covington dies; promise kept

A few days later, Lady Covington dies. Madeline discovers the carved name and adds her own, keeping the promise she made. The loss hits the school hard and affects everyone.

Pepito arrives and mocks the girls

The Spanish ambassador moves next door with his son Pepito. While some girls are charmed by Pepito’s charm, Madeline is irritated by his noise and his Vespa rides. Tensions rise as Pepito’s behavior disrupts the daily routine.

Covington plans to close the school

Lord Covington announces plans to close the school and sell the building following his wife’s death. The girls face losing their home, and Miss Clavel fears for their future. The announcement sets the central conflict for the coming weeks.

Miss Clavel’s failed peace with Pepito

Miss Clavel attempts to placate Pepito by giving his tutor Leopold a toolbox, hoping to channel his energy. The plan backfires as Pepito steals Madeline’s drawing pad and vandalizes it during a field trip. The incident escalates tensions between Pepito and the girls.

Pepito’s birthday party and the mice

Pepito hosts a birthday party that unsettles the girls when he displays a mouse and jokes about killing it. Madeline becomes furious, engages him in a scuffle, and releases all of his mice, ending the visit early. The event heightens the sense of danger to the school.

Madeline falls into the Seine; Genevieve saves her

On a daily walk, Madeline slips from a bridge into the Seine and is rescued by a stray Labrador named Genevieve. The dog follows Madeline back to the school and the girls plead with Miss Clavel to keep her despite her allergy. Genevieve becomes a new fixture at the school.

Genevieve joins the school

To help save the school, Madeline teams up with Pepito to hinder Lord Covington’s sale plans. The partnership grows, but Covington remains unmoved and accepts no apology. The plan becomes a catalyst for further complications.

Circus trip and kidnapping plot

Miss Clavel takes the girls to a circus to lift their spirits. Madeline, fearing homelessness, runs away with a plan to find a home among the circus people. She stumbles into Leopold’s kidnapping scheme with a trio of clowns.

Circus kidnapping leads to pursuit

Leopold and the Idiots abduct Pepito and Madeline during the escape attempt. Aggressive pursuit ensues as Miss Clavel drives to locate them, while Genevieve follows at a distance. The chase ends with the captors’ plan unraveling and the children facing danger.

Escape and pursuit intensify

Madeline and Pepito manage to break free and steal a motorcycle, using Madeline’s hair clip to start it. They are pursued by Leopold and the Idiots, but Miss Clavel arrives to intervene. The chase ends with the Idiots crashing into a lake and the authorities arresting them.

Resolution: sale undone and community saved

Back at the school, Lord Covington reveals he sold the property to the ambassador of the Uzbek SSR. Madeline consoles him with her own loss, reminding him that Lady Covington is still with them in spirit. In a turn of mercy, the ambassador decides not to proceed with the sale, allowing the girls to keep their school.