Anne of Green Gables

As a big fan of the books before I even saw the 80's versions of the movie, I think that the 1934 movie is a fairly good depiction. There is one deviation that they made which bugged me throughout the whole movie. Diana Barry's mother was Miss Rachel in the movie instead of them being 2 separate people. Also Diana had blonde hair, but that I could get past. I'm amused that the actress who played Anne Shirley (with an "e") just so happened to be named Anne Shirley, and she does an excellent job playing the character...it's almost as if the character Anne was modeled after the actress Anne. This movie sticks to the storyline very well, so as to quote many lines from the book. Also, Gilbert is still fairly handsome :)

Because they are getting older, practical Helen Westley (as Marilla Cuthbert) and her quiet brother O.P. Heggie (as Matthew Cuthbert) decide to adopt a boy from an orphanage in Canada. They expect the lad will help work on their farm "Green Gables". Instead of a boy, Mr. Heggie is presented with spirited 14-year-old Dawn O'Day (as Anne Shirley), a precocious red-haired girl. Determined and fast-talking, she endears herself to Heggie and even thaws Ms. Westley's cool exterior. In school, O'Day meets handsome young Tom Brown (as Gilbert Blythe) and a romance begins. Although she does talk too much, O'Day is endearing. The young actress professionally changed her name to "Anne Shirley" with the release of this film. The popular 1908 novel, by Lucy Maud Montgomery, became a successful "silent" feature film in 1919, starring Mary Miles Minter and directed by William Desmond Taylor. That version appears to be lost, unfortunately, but this one captures the bygone setting beautifully.

******** Anne of Green Gables (11/23/34) George Nicholls Jr. ~ Anne Shirley, Tom Brown, Helen Westley, O.P. Heggie

Vivacious & irrepressible, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES brings unlooked-for happiness into the lives of a lonely old sister & brother on Prince Edward Island.

Lucy Maud Montgomery's well-loved novel comes to life in this wonderful little movie. Excellent production values, a literate script and first class performances gives the story exactly the touch of quality it deserves.

Taking her professional name from the character she portrayed, actress Anne Shirley is a joy as the red-headed fourteen-year-old orphan who completely alters the lives of her new guardians. Completely assured in her starring role, Miss Shirley is a delight, entertaining the viewer with Anne's boundless imagination, quick temper and not-so-secret sorrows.

Playing the stern spinster who gives the girl a home, Helen Westley also completely commands her role; the viewer will enjoy seeing this sharp-tongued woman slowly unbend to Anne's affection and child-like innocence. Australian character actor O. P. Heggie gives one of his finest performances as Westley's shy, gentle brother who welcomes Anne into his heart from the moment he arrives to fetch her from the railroad station.

Tom Brown most agreeably plays the schoolboy who quickly grabs Anne's attention. Sara Haden is appropriately prickly as a nosy neighbor. Charley Grapewin makes the most of his few moments as Avonlea's doctor.

Director: George Nichols Jr., Novel: Lucy Maud Montgommery, Script: Sam Mintz, Cast: Anne Shirley, O.P. Heggie, Tom Brown, Helen Westley

I bought this film mostly out of curiosity because we have the 1985 Keven Sullivan version which my wife and I both enjoy so we wanted to see what this early version was like. Although the 1985 version is better, this is better than I thought it would be. I haven't had a chance to read the book so I don't know how either film relates to the book but the 1934 version is only about 80 minutes long whereas the 1985 one is 3 hours long. Consequently, much is cut out in this earlier film. Ann's friendship with Diana Berry is way underdeveloped and before you know it, she is already in college! The 1985 version is much more of a coming of age film. A lot of time is spent on the relationship between Ann and Diana.

The acting is pretty good in this film. It doesn't really compete with the 1985 film because that has an absolute perfect cast but they were good here also. Much of the lines in this film are the exact same as the 1985 version. O.P. Heggie and Helen Westly did a fine job as Matthew and Marilla. Their perceived characters are much like Richard Farnsworth and Colleen Dewhurst in the 1985. Anne Shirley was played by--well--Anne Shirley. Her birth name was Dawn O'Day. She changed it to Anne Shirley after this film. She had a cute personality in this film. If you are a fan of the 1985 version, you might want to get this also. The shorter length is another reason to buy this DVD. The 1985 version is of epic length so watching it is more like an event. So this one is good if you want just a small dose of Anne. IMDb also lists a silent version from 1919 but it is stated that there are no known prints of the film. That is a shame.

In cinematic terms, George Nicholls Jr.'s version of the classic tale is very much of its time. There is very little music, and the narrative unfolds in episodic fashion through long takes with characters moving through the frame. To film-goers brought up on more pacey forms of narrative, influenced by advertising, the film might seem slow, even static, but Nicholls' camera-work focuses on the characters' expressions, making us aware of their true feelings lurking beneath the surface. This is especially true of Marilla (Helen Westley), an actress famed for playing unattractive roles, but who lets the mask drop as the narrative unfolds, especially when Anne (Anne Shirley) is about to go away to school. Marilla's forbidding exterior is contrasted with her brother Matthew (O. P. Heggie) who is never without a twinkle in his eye.

Thematically speaking ANNE OF GREEN GABLES makes fun of romanticism, especially in Anne's characterization. Having been brought up on a diet of dime novels, Anne is full of extreme emotions; she is not just upset but devastated; she is not happy but ecstatic. When she is reprimanded for being rude to Mrs. Barry (Sara Haden), she believes it is the end of the world; and she will "never" apologize to the older lady. Needless to say Matthew manages to persuade Anne to revise her judgment - not by force, but rather through appealing to her better nature. In a later sequence, Anne is so enamored of the idea of reciting Tennyson's "The Lady of Shalott" in a rowboat that she doesn't realize the danger she is about to encounter; it is only through Gilbert's (Tom Brown's) timely intervention that she is spared a watery grave.

This film is undoubtedly sentimental, advocating family values and love as life's raisons d'etre. Everything ends happily, even though Matthew has a life-threatening illness. In the central role, Anne Shirley thoroughly enjoys herself; she is very good at handling the central character's transition from gawky teenager to idealistic young woman, even if the hairstyles are a little incongruous (her ponytails are almost too pronounced).

The ANNE OF GREEN GABLES is quite short - a "B" Picture length of only 75 minutes - but remains thoroughly entertaining.