Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story

I completely agree with the majority of comments posted here about "Anne 3". As a longtime fan of the first two films (and books), I was so excited for this third installment. When I first saw it, I didn't fall in love with it the way I did the first two films. Upon a subsequent viewing and discussions with my sister, I was able to pinpoint what bothered me about this movie. Most of these issues have been covered by other viewers (drastic change from the books, almost completely joyless, weird quasi-unfaithfulness to Gilbert, etc.), but I thought I would add a couple of thoughts that my sis and I discussed.

The "Anne" books contain the simple stories of one woman's life, from madcap girlhood to mature motherhood. When she becomes an adult and marries, the Anne books cover the themes of life, death (loss of children), joy, despair and hope...in other words, the books are about experiences that women of the time could identify with. Apparently, the creators of this third movie didn't think that a "woman's story" was interesting enough. Aside from changing the time frame, they changed the location of the (majority of) the action from Prince Edward Island to World War I-era Europe, chock-full of blood, gore, "action" and spies. If the period of the story's setting had to be changed to WWI, wouldn't it have been more interesting (and truer to the spirit of the books) to portray Anne as a woman coping with the war on the homefront? But, like I said, the story of a woman dealing with life and war must not have seemed as important to the writers/director/producer as spy capers and battlefield scenes.

Also...I'm surprised that none of the other viewers commented on the movie's tiresome anti-American bias. I lost count of the times that we were insulted. Thousands of American soldiers gave their lives to help end World War I and the pointless jibes at "the Yanks" in this film belittles their contribution in ending the stalemate that the war had turned into. If the filmmakers wanted to promote Canadian nationalism, there are better ways to do that than at the expense of Americans.

For a movie that seemed to want to extoll the virtues of Canada, there was precious little of Canada (and Prince Edward Island) shown on-screen. Like Anne and Gilbert's life together, I guess Canada wasn't considered exciting or dramatic enough for the setting of this movie. What a shame.

Although this could almost have been a decent war drama by itself, this film should by no means bear the name 'Anne of Green Gables'. For this film, Kevin Sullivan was fortunate enough to have 4 more books from which to write his script- but he chose to ignore all of them. For him, this was a 'what if' movie - not a 'what was written' movie, which - as a die hard 'Anne' fan - put me in the depths of despair. I won't even go into the under-developed characters or predictable plot. After capturing so many girls' hearts years ago with two beautiful films, Kevin Sullivan has betrayed us by substituting scenery for explosions and character for carnage. Amongst all the victims in this film, it was for the death of Anne's spirit for which I grieved the most.

If you treasure your Anne girl, DO NOT see this movie.

The only reason I can think of that this movie even bears the title "Anne of Green Gables" is that the director/producer/whomever decided that they could make a lot more money misleading hundreds of loyal Anne fans. This movie is so unlike the other two that it could be about any couple during WWI. Whatever possessed the wonderful Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie to be in this disaster of a film, I am sure none of us will ever comprehend.

I also cannot understand why Kevin Sullivan, who first presented Anne on screen with such sincerity, could somehow think that the original L.M. Montgomery stories were simply not good enough anymore? This movie might not be exciting to the "Mission Impossible" fans that it seems to be geared towards, but Avonlea was exactly the setting that made the Anne movies so wonderful. This "continuing story" has none of the beauty and vivacity of the former films. We loved Avonlea and Prince Edward Island, because they provided simple and natural backdrops, allowing the talent of the actors to shine through.

And speaking of the talent of the actors, where on earth did it go? To agree with another reviewer, the actors looked tired and restless during their scenes, as if they wanted nothing more than for all of it to end. Maybe they were blackmailed into doing this? Not only did we have to endure Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie simply looking old, we were given the added benefit of seeing several other actors coming back to play their former rolls, and clearly not having fun with them. I am not even going to discuss the new character of Jack Garrison, who seemed to be pulled out of thin air to form a soap opera-like love triangle.

When I read a wonderful book like "Anne of Green Gables" (and "Anne of Avonlea", "Anne of the Island", etc.) It disappoints me so much when a movie comes out that is nothing like the amazing piece of literature I have enjoyed. When I heard that there was going to be a "continuing story" my mind automatically filled with images of Anne and Gilbert's joyful wedding at Green Gables, and of their "house of dreams" and their many children. When I heard that it was to be nothing like the book, I could hardly contain my disappointment! We loyal Anne fans have waited so long...for this?

Other reviewers have complained that their visions of Anne have been ruined forever. I did not have this problem, because I have an imagination that allows me to "imagine things differently from what they are." This movie was so unlike Anne of Green Gables, in storyline, setting, and characters, that it had no effect on my longterm enjoyment of the first two films.

If your curiosity cannot be contained, and you simply must risk it, then by all means, watch this film. If not, however, I caution you, do not touch this movie or it will contaminate you for life!

I first fell in love with the story of Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe as a seven year old when my family watched Anne of Green Gables on The Disney Channel. I read the books as quickly as I could, and I make an effort to re-read the books every 2 or 3 years. Even at 25, I find myself laughing at the same parts, crying at the same parts, and wishing that Anne would just accept Gilbert's proposal the first time he asks her. Every time I finish Rilla of Ingleside (book 8), I wish that Lucy M. Montgomery had just written one more book so that the story could continue...

The story did continue in 2000 with the third installment of Kevin Sullivan's Anne films. However, this one was a complete departure from the story that I and little girls around the world had grown to love. Where the first two movies were laden with episodes from the books, the third movie had nothing in common with the books at all. Were we supposed to ignore the fact that by the time WWI rolled around, Anne's CHILDREN were old enough to fight? According to Sullivan, while the rest of the world moved ahead about 20 years from the time of the bridge scene to the time the third film opens, Avonlea was stuck in a timewarp.

Sullivan should have realized that the people who would have waited for a third film after 15 years were the ones who truly loved the Anne story. While the movie is able stand on its own as a love story between a woman named Anne and a man named Gilbert, those of us who waited deserved a continuation of the story L. M. Montgomery wrote. Keeping close to the the first four books served Sullivan well when putting together the first two movies. I for one would have loved to have met Captain Jim, Susan, and old Dr. Blythe; to be a part of a wedding that I have imagined from my childhood; and to see Anne and Gil experience the joys and sorrows of their House of Dreams. Sullivan's decision to completely ignore the works of L. M. Montgomery is an insult to her memory, her work, and her fans.

A big disappointment. The departure from L.M. Montgomery's novels and the creation of an entirely new storyline has sapped all of Anne's vivacity, impishness, and honesty right out of her. The production drags, the actors seeming less like the characters I've known and loved than, well, tired actors. The war story is a good idea, but with every implausible twist and turn it becomes clearer that it just doesn't work to superimpose a simplistic, slapdash storyline on classic, beloved characters like Anne, Gilbert, and Diana. I'm surprised that Kevin Sullivan, who created such beautiful adaptations of the novels in 1985 and 1987, allowed this melodramatic drivel to be produced with his name on it.