If it were not for Sullivan Entertainment, I may never have discovered my love for Lucy Maud Montgomery's books.
In this Canadian production, a young orphan girl named Anne Shirley is mistakenly sent to Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert on Prince Edward Island. Matthew, a bachelor, who lives with his spinister sister, Marilla, had sent word that they wished to adopt a boy to help the elderly Matthew with the farm work at Green Gables.
This "lucky" mistake changes all of them, and anyone else who comes in contact with the spirited and imaginative Anne Shirley.
Around my eleventh birthday, my sisters bought me a three-book set that included Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island. I read a bit of the first book before tucking them away, bored with the story of Anne. Years later, I saw Anne of Green Gables, the Sullivan Entertainment production starring Megan Follows as Anne, on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). I instantly fell in love with Anne and all her adventures, which inspired me to pick up the books again. From then on I was hooked. I read through the first three books of the Anne series quickly, and purchased the remaining five books and read through them. I still read them when I have time.
My husband purchased the trilogy: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel, and Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story as a Christmas gift a few years ago. I have decided to review them separately, as they can be purchased separately, and I have different thoughts on each movie.
The first Anne production will always be my favorite. Sullivan Entertainment was careful to stick closer to the books with Anne of Green Gables than with future installments of this series.
Montgomery created a sympathetic character in Anne, and Megan Follows did an excellent job of portraying the headstrong, imaginative orphan who found more than her share of trouble. The late Colleen Dewhurst played Marilla Cuthbert to perfection. She and the late Richard Farnsworth, who played Matthew, were so good at what they did that I couldn't read Anne of Green Gables without picturing them in the book. Dewhurst captured Marilla's gruff exterior that hid a warm hearted woman. Farnsworth brought out the shy warmth that is definitely Matthew.
The viewer is treated to watching Anne grow up in this film: the thrill of learning she will be allowed to stay at Green Gables, meeting her first kindred spirit in town, Diana Barry (Schuyler Grant), battling with the town gossip, Rachel Lynde (Patricia Hamilton), sticking up for herself to Josie Pye (Miranda de Pencier), and arguing with Gilbert Blythe (Jonathan Crombie), her academic rival. And as a matured Anne tells Marilla on the day of the concert benefit, "No matter where I go or what I do, I'll always be your Anne, Anne of Green Gables."
A wonderful coming of age film, Anne of Green Gables will capture your hearts and leave you begging for more of Anne Shirley.
Director: Kevin Sullivan
Writers: Lucy Maud Montgomery (novel)
Kevin Sullivan (writer), Joe Wiesenfeld (writer)
Rated: G
Runtime: 199 min
Region: Region 1
SRP: $24.99
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