Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel

(Also known as Anne of Avonlea, when sold by Disney.)

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 10

Main characters: Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe, Morgan Harris, Emmeline Harris

Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Family

Primary actors: Megan Follows, Jonathan Crombie, Frank Converse, Genevieve Appleton

Filmmaker: Sullivan Entertainment

Year: 1987

Length: 3 hrs. 50 min.

Based on: Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, and Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery

Time period: Late 1800s

Summary: Now 18, Anne Shirley is a teacher at the Avonlea school. She is an aspiring authoress, but discouraged first by a rejection letter from a magazine and then by the surprising (and horrifying) publication of her story for a baking powder company. Gilbert proposes, but convinced that she feels only friendship for him, she refuses – much to his distress. Her best friend Diana marries, and Mrs. Rachel Lynde, at the loss of her husband, comes to live at Green Gables. Anne’s old teacher and friend writes to her about a need for an English teacher at a private school for young ladies, and Anne accepts the position, leaving Avonlea. She arrives in Kingsport, where she finds an abundance of prejudiced Pringle families, who want desperately to see her lose her position and a sour, sarcastic spinsterly teacher who is always out of humor. Anne finds a kindred spirit in one of her students, 13-year-old Emmeline Harris, who lives with her crabby old grandmother. Emmeline’s dashing widower father Morgan takes an interest in Anne, and she, in turn, is charmed by his romantic ways – but it ends with her realizing that handsome and melancholic isn’t everything. After a very interesting and eventful year, she is happy to return to Avonlea – where her true happiness is waiting for her.

Quotes:

Marilla: Now, you come downstairs and see if a good cup of tea and some of those plum puffs I made today don't hearten you.

Anne: (Tearfully) Plum puffs won't minister to a mind diseased in a world that has crumbled into pieces.

“I'm afraid to speak or move for fear that all this wonderful beauty will just vanish - like a broken silence.” –Anne

“I don’t eat my lunch with anyone. I’m not a raggle-taggle gypsy, take me in! Take me in!” –Mrs. Harris

“Good grief! You know how to try one’s patience, don’t you?” –Anne

Josie Pye: You wore that sweet old dress to Fanny Emerson's wedding last year, though, didn't you, Anne? You know what they say, "Twice a bridesmaid, never a bride."                                                  

Anne: That's three times a bridesmaid, not twice, Josie. But then you're so fortunate; the only thing you've ever had to wear twice is a sour expression.

Marilla: What is to be will be, Rachel.

Mrs. Lynde: And what isn’t to be sometimes happens.

My overall opinion: I love this movie; it’s simply beautiful, and one of my favorites. I love the music and the costuming. I love Anne; I love all the old-fashioned elegance. The story is very intriguing. Since it’s a combination of 3 books, many changes had to be made, so it’s hard to compare; but most circumstances and characters in the movie were in the book somewhere, and that is an important part to making the story good.

Trailer:



*Review by Melody*

Regency Delight ~Jane Austen, etc.~

(Most pictures from: http://greengables.tripod.com/)