Rated G
*Recommended for family viewing, with kids of all ages*
Anne of Avonlea, aka Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel, is a three-hour, fifty minute, 1987 Sullivan Entertainment Pictures movie release, in color, directed by Kevin Sullivan, starring Megan Follows, Jonathan Crombie, Colleen Dewhurst, Frank Converse, Genevieve Appleton, and Rosemary Dunsmore. This endearing family drama set in Canada in the early 1900s is the sequel to the 1985 movie release, Anne of Green Gables, and is loosely based on three of the eight complete novels in the Anne of Green Gables fiction series written by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. Viewers who enjoyed watching Anne of Green Gables, the story about the adventures of a young orphan girl adopted by an aging spinster and her bachelor brother, are sure to be enchanted by the continuing story of Anne Shirley’s young adult life in Anne of Avonlea.
Anne Shirley (Megan Follows) is now working as an elementary schoolteacher in her hometown, Avonlea, and also has secretly started to write stories and aspires to get them published. Anne becomes distressed when she learns that her best friend, Diana Barry, has accepted a marriage proposal from a nice young man they went to school with and have known all their lives. There is a part of Anne that wants to never have to grow up and longs for things to stay the way they’ve always been. When handsome Gilbert Blythe (Jonathan Crombie), Anne’s childhood friend and the man her friends have always expected she would marry, proposes to Anne, she becomes confused about her feelings and refuses his offer of marriage.
The following year, at the recommendation of her former teacher and with her adoptive mother Marilla’s (Colleen Dewhurst’s) blessing, Anne accepts a teaching position at a private school far away from Avonlea—Kingsport Ladies College in Kingsport. From the moment she arrives at the college, Anne is aware that the school’s principal, Katherine Brooke (Rosemary Dunsmore) and she do not share the same philosophy of education and that the schoolyear ahead will probably be a challenging one. Anne also discovers that the board of directors at Kingsport Ladies College are influenced much by the rich Pringle family, many of whom are alumni of the school. It becomes apparent that members of the Pringle clan do not like Anne and want to give her as difficult a time as possible.
A series of school mishaps involving Anne causes the wealthy and young widower Morgan Harris (Frank Converse) to withdraw his daughter, Emmaline (Genevieve Appleton), from attendance at Kingsport Ladies College. Harris also withdraws all of his financial support of the school, which is substantial. In a desperate attempt to raise money for the school, Anne comes up with a unique fundraising plan—a plan which certain members of the Pringle family hope to thwart so Anne’s teaching contract won’t be renewed. In the weeks ahead, Anne’s intelligence and natural charm slowly win the affection of all who know her—the faculty members, students, and even members of the snobbish Pringle family come to appreciate Anne’s many talents and her bright outlook on life. Yet even though this exciting new season in Anne’s teaching career in Kingsport bring her professional recognition and a touch of romance, Anne yearns to be in her hometown of Avonlea once again.
If you have not yet seen Anne of Avonlea, it’s a movie you won’t want to miss. This heartwarming family film speaks about love of home and family, the value of personal integrity and the importance of searching one’s heart to discover the person we’re meant to be. A noteworthy quality in Anne’s personality was her commitment to utilize all of her God-given talents and blossom wherever she was and in whatever task was set before her. Anne of Avonlea features a well-written screenplay, authentic period costumes and captivating cinematography set in beautiful locales in Canada. The lead and supporting roles are all perfectly cast. Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie render memorable performances as Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. You may want to visit your local public library and check out other titles in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables fiction series. Happy viewing! * * *
Jennifer Anne Messing, published Portland author/poet, is a wife and mother of three with a B.A. in Religious Education and Journalism. JenniferAnneMessing@comcast.net or www.JenniferAnneMessing.com.
