The 1964 film "The Chalk Garden" is a British film based on the stage play of the same title. A teenage girl lives with her wealthy grandmother who hires a mysterious woman as governess for the girl. At one point the girl goes into a closet, brings out a box, and opens the box revealing a piece of cardboard with the images of British large pennies on it.

A mansion appears as the setting for most of the film.

The mansion is located in East Sussex and is shown with it's 1950's television antenna. Laurel, a teenage girl, lives with her grandmother Mrs. St. Maugham. The family had a butler named Maitland. Mrs. St. Maugham has hired several governesses for the girl but she has chased them away with horror stories and threats. Two prospective governesses appear.

Laurel tells the lady that a shark ate a governess and the lady leaves. Miss Madrigal, the remaining candidate, is younger and tougher. Mrs. St. Maugham hires her even though she refuses to tell her background and experience and has no references.

Laurel makes some threats and claims that she will uncover Miss Madrigal's secrets. After an argument Laurel goes to her room and pulls a box out of the closet.

Laurel opens the box.

The box contains a piece of cardboard with the images of British large pennies on it. Some of the cardboard pieces have been punched out. The item appears to have been a children's toy or a form of inexpensive play money. I did find photographs on the internet of cardboard coins which match the ones on the board but no complete boards. The coins are Elizabeth II large pennies.

A British Penny of Queen Elizabeth II:

Bronze, 30.8 mm, 9.45 gm

Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II facing right
Reverse: Britannia seated with shield and holding spear, date below

Laurel and Miss Madrigal sometimes get along and sometimes Laurel engages in screaming fits.

Both like to draw and paint and Miss Madrigal has a box containing paints which has the initials "CDW" on it. Olivia, Mrs. St. Maugham's daughter and Laurel's mother, wants custody of the girl. Mrs. St. Maugham has kept Laurel since Olivia married a second husband who she doesn't like. Mrs. St. Maugham has asked a friend, Judge McWhirrey, to assist her in legally keeping the girl. The judge arrives for a visit.

Miss Madrigal recognizes the judge as the one who presided over her trial as a teenager for killing her stepsister. The judge sentenced her to death but she was instead sent to prison due to her young age. Miss Madrigal tells everyone what happened and Laurel is at first shocked. She calms down and apoligizes to Miss Madrigal for her past nastyness. Mrs. St. Maugham and Miss Madrigal talk and Mrs. St. Maugham decides to give Laurel back to her mother. The mother Olivia arrives in a sports car and picks up Laurel.

Mrs. St. Maugham asks Miss Madrigal to stay with her.

Hayley Mills as Laurel
Deborah Kerr as Miss Madrigal
Edith Evans as Mrs. St. Maugham
John Mills as Maitland (the butler)
Felix Aylmer as Judge McWhirrey
Elizabeth Sellars as Olivia (Laurel's mother)
Director: Ronald Neame
Writers: John Michael Hayes
Based on the 1955 play The Chalk Garden by Enid Bagnold