Anne of Green Gables (1985) (TV)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Kevin Sullivan

Writers:

Lucy Maud Montgomery (novel)
Kevin Sullivan (writer)

Release Date:

17 February 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Plot:

An orphan girl, sent to an elderly brother and sister by mistake, charms her new home and community with her firey spirit and imagination.

Plot Keywords:

Orphan | School | Imagination | Friend | Prince Edward Island

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 11 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Megan Follows	...	Anne Shirley
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Marilla Cuthbert
Richard Farnsworth	...	Matthew Cuthbert
Patricia Hamilton	...	Rachel Lynde
Marilyn Lightstone	...	Miss Muriel Stacy
Schuyler Grant	...	Diana Barry
Jonathan Crombie	...	Gilbert Blythe
Charmion King	...	Aunt Josephine
Jackie Burroughs	...	Mrs. Amelia Evans
Rosemary Radcliffe	...	Mrs. Elizabeth Barry
Joachim Hansen	...	John Sadler
Christiane Krüger	...	Mrs. Allan
Cedric Smith	...	Rev. Allan
Paul Brown	...	Mr. Phillips
Miranda de Pencier	...	Josie Pye

Also Known As:

Ein zauberhaftes Mädchen (West Germany)

Runtime:

199 min

Country:

Canada | West Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/6 (DVD rating) | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Black Creek Pioneer Village, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Anne of Green Gables Productions

Trivia:

Katharine Hepburn was originally approached to play Marilla Cuthbert. She declined, but suggested her relative (great-niece), 'Schuyler Grant' for the part of Anne.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene when Marilla shows Anne to her room on her first night at Green Gables, Megan Follows enters the room and when she does her hat brushes Colleen Dewhearst in the face. When Colleen Dewhearst turns toward the camera, you can see her barely holding in her laughter. According to Kevin Sullivan, Dewhearst was renowned for her practical jokes, and she did something in the room as a joke on Megan Follows. Sullivan could not recall exactly what Colleen had done. This is the reason why she's trying to hold in her "laughter".

Quotes:

Anne Shirley: Wilt thou give me a lock of thy jet-black tresses?
Diana Barry: I don't have any black dresses!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Women of the Prehistoric Planet (#2.13)" (1990)

Megan Follows IS Anne Shirley & Jonathan Crombie IS Gilbert Blythe

For those of us who have loved L.M. Montgomery's books as both children and adults every depiction of them is very closely scrutinised. This Kevin Sullivan production is the only one that has come up to scratch, which isn't surprising as earlier attempts have failed abysmally (one even had Diana played by an insipid blonde!).But with faithful scripting, inspired casting, excellent direction and beautiful camera work, there is simply nothing negative to be said about this show. Sullivan sticks very closely to the original book and all the characters, from the central ones right down to those we hardly ever see, such as silly Ruby Gillis and spiteful Josie Pye, are superbly and sensitively observed by the actors portraying them.

I have read and re-read many favourite books but never before have I found myself imagining the characters as the actors who played them on screen - especially having read the books at least twice over before seeing any production of them. The highest complement I can pay to the cast of Sullivan's "Anne of Green Gables" is that any previous images I might have had of these much loved characters were wiped out of mind by their wonderful depictions of them. Richard Farnsworth, Colleen Dewhurst, Schuyler Grant, Jonathan Crombie and Patricia Hamilton were all brilliant. As for Megan Follows - well, what can I say? She is a truly wonderful actress (not only on the strength of this performance) and no one could ever match her portrayal of Anne Shirley.

One last thing - if there are any fans of "The Kids in the Hall" reading this watch out for Bruce McCulloch as Fred Wright... you'll fall out of your chair! (And Dave Foley has a cameo in the sequel).