Anne of Green Gables is a 1985 Canadian made-for-television drama film based on the 1908 novel of the same name by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, and is the first in a series of four films. The film stars Megan Follows in the title role of Anne Shirley and was produced and directed by Kevin Sullivan for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It was released theatrically in Iran, Israel, Europe, and Japan.

The film aired on CBC Television as a two-part mini-series on 1 and 2 December 1985. Both parts of the film were among the highest-rated programs of any genre ever to air on a Canadian television network. On February 17, 1986, the film aired on PBS in the US on the series WonderWorks. The film achieved high ratings in the United Kingdom when it aired on New Year’s Day in 1987.

Plot Anne Shirley, an orphan, lives with the Hammond family in Nova Scotia. After Mr. Hammond dies of a heart attack, she is sent back to the orphanage by Mrs. Hammond and is later adopted by a family in Prince Edward Island. She is met at the train station by the elderly Matthew Cuthbert, who is surprised to find her there. Matthew and his sister Marilla had originally requested a boy to help them on their farm, Green Gables, but Anne was sent to them by mistake.

Marilla puts Anne "on trial" before deciding whether to keep her or send her back. Anne soon loses her temper with Marilla's friend and town gossip Rachel Lynde, who criticizes her looks and red hair. Preferring to return to the orphanage, Anne refuses to apologize, but Matthew convinces her to do so in order to remain at Green Gables. Rachel accepts the apology and suggests to Marilla that Anne attend a Sunday School picnic so she can meet other children. At the picnic, Anne becomes "bosom" friends with Diana Barry from across the pond. Gilbert Blythe, a future classmate, shows an interest in Anne. At school, Gilbert tries to get Anne's attention by making fun of her red hair and calling her "Carrots". Angered, Anne smashes a slate over his head. She vows never to forgive Gilbert and tries to salvage her pride by dyeing her hair black. However, it instead turns green. After learning what happened, a bemused Marilla decides that Anne will stay at Green Gables.

Anne invites Diana to a tea party, where she accidentally serves currant wine instead of raspberry cordial and gets Diana drunk. Diana's mother, Mrs. Barry, thinks the mix-up was intentional and forbids the girls from seeing each other again. Meanwhile, Miss Muriel Stacey becomes the new Avonlea schoolteacher. She wants Anne to join a special class for students who want to take the entrance exam for Queen's Academy in Charlottetown.

While Marilla is away at a political event, Diana arrives in a panic and tells Anne and Matthew that her little sister Minnie May is sick with croup. Anne treats the girl with ipecac and saves her life. Mrs. Barry is grateful and invites Anne to a Christmas ball in Carmody overnight as an apology for forbidding her to see Diana. Anne sees Gilbert at the dance but is not willing to befriend him. She also meets Diana's aunt, Josephine Barry, who is intrigued by Anne. Josephine invites the girls to visit her mansion in Charlottetown, where Anne takes the Queen's entrance exam.

In Avonlea, Anne and her friends recreate Alfred Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott, with Anne playing the role of Elaine the Lily Maid. While Anne floats down the river, her boat springs a leak and sinks, leaving her helplessly clinging to a bridge. Gilbert comes rowing by and rescues her, then reveals they have tied for first place on the Queen's entrance exam. He asks her to forgive him for what he said before and insists he wants to be her friend. Anne is grateful to Gilbert for the rescue, but refuses to forgive him for making fun of her.

Anne heads to Charlottetown to continue her education at Queen's and obtain a teacher's licence. She finds out that the graduate who receives the highest mark in English literature wins the Avery scholarship, $250 for four years, which she plans to use to get an arts degree at Redmond College. When the results come in, Anne has won the Avery. At Avonlea, she finds out that Gilbert's father cannot afford to send him to college, so he will be teaching at the Avonlea school to earn his way. One evening at dusk, Anne walks in the fields before Matthew, who is tugging on a stubborn cow. Matthew suffers a heart attack and collapses while Anne rushes to his side. Matthew tells Anne how proud he is of her and how much he loves her before he peacefully dies.

Following Matthew's funeral, Marilla overhears Anne sobbing in her room that night and goes to comfort her, saying she did not know what she would have done if Anne had not come and that she loved her as Matthew did, but had trouble showing her true feelings. Marilla considers selling Green Gables since her eyesight is failing. However, Anne tells Marilla she has declined the Avery scholarship. Instead of going to Redmond, she will study by correspondence while teaching in Carmody. Marilla reveals that Gilbert's father was an old beau of hers with whom she quarreled, and she wishes she had forgiven him when she had the chance, hinting to Anne that she should do the same with Gilbert. Later, Gilbert explains that he asked the trustees to let Anne have the Avonlea school and give Carmody to him, so Anne can stay at Green Gables and help Marilla. He will also be taking courses by correspondence and asks for Anne's help in studying. A grateful Anne makes up with Gilbert for good and Gilbert walks Anne home.

Cast

Megan Follows – Anne Shirley Colleen Dewhurst – Marilla Cuthbert Richard Farnsworth – Matthew Cuthbert Patricia Hamilton – Rachel Lynde Marilyn Lightstone – Miss Stacy Schuyler Grant – Diana Barry Jonathan Crombie – Gilbert Blythe Charmion King – Aunt Josephine Barry Jackie Burroughs – Amelia Evans Rosemary Radcliffe – Mrs. Barry Joachim Hansen – John Sadler Christiane Krüger – Mrs. Allan Cedric Smith – Rev. Allan Paul Brown – Mr. Phillips Miranda de Pencier – Josie Pye Trish Nettleton – Jane Andrews Jennifer Inch – Ruby Gillis Jayne Eastwood – Mrs. Hammond Dawn Greenhalgh – Mrs. Cadbury Jack Mather – Station Master Samantha Langevin – Mrs. Blewett Vivian Reis – Mrs. Spencer Mag Ruffman – Alice Lawson Sean McCann – Dr. O'Reilly Roxolana Roslak – Madame Selitsky Robert Haley – Professor Robert Collins – Mr. Barry Morgan Chapman – Minne May Barry David Roberts – Tom Nancy Beatty – Essie David Hughes – Thomas Lynde Wendy Lyon – Prissy Andrews Zack Ward – Moody Spurgeon MacPherson Anna Ferguson – Punch Woman Rex Southgate – Section Head Julianna Saxton – Pink Woman Molly Thom – Lace Woman Jennifer Irwin – Student Sandra Scott – Mrs. Harrington Peter Sturgess – Porter Ray Ireland – Mr. Hammond Martha Maloney – Fairview Nurse Stuart Hamilton – Mme. Selitsky's Accompanist

Production Kevin Sullivan adapted the novel into his own screenplay, collaborating with industry veteran Joe Wiesenfeld. Sullivan developed a co-production between the CBC and PBS in order to film Anne of Green Gables. Sullivan amalgamated many of Montgomery's episodes into the film's plot. While the film diverged from Montgomery's original, he relied on strong characterizations and visuals in order to render the story for a contemporary audience. The script also borrows ideas from the 1934 film version.

Primary locations for filming the movie included Prince Edward Island; Stouffville, Ontario; Jacksons Point, Ontario; and Westfield Heritage Village near the Flamborough village of Rockton. Filming was done over a consecutive ten-week shoot. Sullivan used several locations as Green Gables farm and combined them to appear as one property.

The original film and sequels (including Road to Avonlea and the animated Anne films and series covering over 130 hours of production) have been seen in almost every country around the world. The films have now been translated and seen in more places than even the original novels.

During filming of the original movies an open casting call was held throughout Canada in order to find a young actress to play Anne Shirley. Katharine Hepburn recommended that her great niece, Schuyler Grant, play the role of Anne Shirley. Director Kevin Sullivan liked Grant's performance and wanted to give her the role. However, broadcast executives were resistant to cast an American as a Canadian icon. Schuyler Grant ended up playing Anne's best friend, Diana, and Anne Shirley was ultimately played by Megan Follows.

In her first audition, Megan Follows came highly recommended, but she was quickly dismissed by Kevin Sullivan. For her second audition, after a turbulent morning leading up to her audition, a frantic Megan made a much better impression and was given the role.

Sequels and spin-off TV series Film series

In 1987, Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (also called Anne of Avonlea) was released. The sequel is a conglomeration of Montgomery's novels Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, and Anne of Windy Poplars. Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst, Jonathan Crombie, Schuyler Grant, and Patricia Hamilton all reprised their roles.

The third film, Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story, aired in 2000 with the intent of bringing Anne into a time frame that had been developed over the years in the spin-off series Road to Avonlea. As such, the plot disregarded Anne's House of Dreams – the corresponding Anne novel – in favor of an original story not featured in Montgomery's series. Follows, Crombie, and Grant returned for the final time as Anne, Gilbert, and Diana.

In 2008, the fourth entry in the series, a prequel film entitled Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning was completed, starring Barbara Hershey, Shirley MacLaine, and Rachel Blanchard, with Hannah Endicott-Douglas playing the young Anne.

Spin-off series The first two Anne films generated the spin-off television series Road to Avonlea (1990–1996), starring Sarah Polley. The show explored the lives of residents in the town of Avonlea, drawing inspiration from Montgomery's work beyond the Anne books. The main characters and early episodes were inspired by The Story Girl and The Golden Road, with many other episodes based on short stories from Chronicles of Avonlea and Further Chronicles of Avonlea. Anne did not appear, but other characters, including Gilbert, Marilla, Rachel Lynde, and Miss Stacy, played supporting parts with the same actors reprising their roles. Jackie Burroughs, Cedric Smith, and Mag Ruffman returned as main cast members, but in different roles than the original films.

In 1998, the reunion television special An Avonlea Christmas aired, set in Avonlea during World War I.

Other productions From 2000 until 2001, Sullivan Animation produced Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series consisting of 26 half-hour episodes. The series was developed for PBS and each episode contained an educational and/or moral component. In 2005, Sullivan Animation also produced the feature-length animated film Anne: Journey to Green Gables which is an imaginative, whimsical prequel to Sullivan's live action Anne of Green Gables film.

A year after the mini-series originally aired, Canadian comedy duo Wayne and Shuster created and starred in a parody entitled Sam of Green Gables, in which a curmudgeonly old man named Sam is sent to Green Gables instead of Anne.

Awards and nominations The film swept the 1986 Gemini Awards, winning the following: Best Dramatic Miniseries Best Actress in a Single Dramatic Program or Miniseries: Megan Follows Best Supporting Actor: Richard Farnsworth Best Supporting Actress: Colleen Dewhurst Best Writing (TV Adaptation): Kevin Sullivan and Joe Wiesenfeld Best Music Composition: Hagood Hardy Best Costume Design: Martha Mann Best Photography: René Ohashi Best Production Design/Art Direction: Carol Spier Most Popular Program