Here is a deep dive into the history, the narrative structure, the casting genius, and the enduring legacy of Anne of Green Gables (1985 - 2 Parts). Before 1985, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s 1908 novel had been adapted several times, most notably as a 1934 silent film. But no adaptation had attempted what Kevin Sullivan set out to do: capture the totality of the novel’s spirit across a sweeping, cinematic runtime.
For millions of fans around the world, the name “Anne Shirley” conjures a very specific image: a young girl with a red braid, a faded straw hat with a black velvet ribbon, wide grey-green eyes, and a mouth that never seems to stop moving. That image belongs almost exclusively to Canadian actress Megan Follows, who brought Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved redhead to life in the 1985 television miniseries, Anne of Green Gables . Anne of Green Gables - 1985 - 2 Parts
If you have never seen the original 1985 two-part broadcast, find it. Watch Part One on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Wait a day. Then watch Part Two with a box of tissues. You will emerge not as the same person who entered. You will be, as Anne would say, a kindred spirit. Here is a deep dive into the history,
"Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it... yet." For millions of fans around the world, the
Picking up several years later, Megan Follows’ Anne has matured, but her spirit remains unbroken. This part covers the final third of the novel, moving from Anne’s teenage years at Queens Academy into early adulthood.