Le bonheur au bout du chemin III

When I learned that there was to be a third installment of the Anne of Green Gables series, I was thrilled. I was even more excited when I learned that Megan Follows and Johnathon Crombie were to return to their roles as Anne and Gilbert. However, the mess that I found myself watching was a total slap in the face for all who love the books and the first two movies. The glaring continuity errors (where did 5 years come from...Gil was already a year in med school in Anne 2), plus the fact that by the time WWI hit, Anne and Gil had tints of grey and 8 children (this was RILLA'S WAR!!!) made it hard to accept it from the start. Not to mention that they completely fluffed over the wedding like we haven't been waiting all these years to see it!

I cannot believe Kevin Sullivan was behind this monstrosity. He directed the first two with such care to the storylines. I would have understood if Marilla was dead, but the rest should have been done with the same respect given to the first two. If that could not have been done, the movie should not have been done at all.

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.

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.

One thing that really got me about this film was the way Sullivan Productions junked what they had (almost) seamlessly meshed in the past: the "Anne" world with the "Road to Avonlea" world.

Anne and Gilbert had already married and had children by the time of Marilla's death, and it was another few years before WWI happened in the "Avonlea" world. However, here Marilla has died and Anne and Gilbert aren't married yet. Mrs. Lynde, Marilla's long-time friend and confidante becomes a minor character, almost a glorified cameo appearance, and doesn't act like it's been years since she last saw Anne. Josie and Moody are just kinda there as 'fanwank' to placate any fans who might be disappointed that this film wanders so far away from the established 'Anne-iverse.'

That aside, this film still is a bit of a mess. Historical accuracy goes right out the window, and I found it hard to get really involved in these "strangers" lives.

Although, comments made on Megan Follows' appearance is unfair. It's been TWENTY YEARS since the first "Anne" so OF COURSE she's older...duh! Megan Follows does a lot to try to save this film. She's as good an actress as ever. Jonathan Crombie did well also. The radical transformation of Diana's character isn't that out of line with what came before, and Schuyler Grant does very well here.

Sadly, a missed opportunity. This might have worked better as a "Road to Avonlea" reunion movie. I mean, WWI actually was on the horizon when the series ended.

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.