Anne of Green Gables Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Anne of Green Gables Wiki

Anne of Green Gables is a 1934 black-and-white film created by RKO Radio Pictures, directed by George Nicholls Jr. and starring Anne Shirley as Anne Shirley.

Synopsis[]

Plot[]

At the turn of the century, Anne Shirley, a precocious, temperamental, red-headed orphan, is sent from an asylum in Nova Scotia to Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert's farm, Green Gables, on Prince Edward Island. Although her quiet brother Matthew takes an immediate liking to the imaginative Anne, stoic Marilla Cuthbert, who had "ordered" a boy, resists her charms and threatens repeatedly to return her to the orphanage. Gradually, however, Anne wins over Marilla and earns a permanent place at Green Gables.

Although Anne curses the brightness of her red hair, Gilbert Blythe, a handsome schoolmate, admires it shamelessly during class, and his attentions both please and confuse Anne. From her best friend, Diana Barry, Anne learns that years before, Gilbert's father ran off with Matthew's fiancée, and that since that incident, the entire Blythe family has been condemned by Marilla. After a tempestuous start, the forbidden love affair between Anne and Gilbert blossoms, but as soon as Marilla learns of it, she orders the teenagers to stop seeing each other. Despondent, Gilbert leaves town and Anne is sent off to normal school.

Years later, Anne is visited by Diana, who divulges the fact that Matthew is seriously ill with heart trouble. Anne rushes home and finds out that because of her education costs, the Cuthberts cannot afford a medical specialist. Knowing that Gilbert is studying with the specialist whom Matthew needs, Anne goes to see him and begs his help. As a favor to Gilbert, the specialist agrees to treat Matthew, and Marilla, grateful for Gilbert's aid, at last gives in and blesses the young couple.[1]

Cast[]

Main cast

Supporting cast

  • Murray Kinnell as Mr. Phillips
  • Gertrude Messinger as Diana Barry
  • Charley Grapewin as Dr. Tatum
  • Hilda Vaughn as Mrs. Blewett
  • June Preston as Mrs. Blewett's Daughter
  • Frank Darien as Angus, Stationmaster (uncredited)
  • George Offerman Jr. as Herbert Root (uncredited)
  • Paul Stanton as Dr. Terry (uncredited)
  • Margaret Armstrong as Mrs. Spencer (uncredited)

Other cast

  • Bonita Granville as School Girl (uncredited)
  • Ann Miller as Child Extra (uncredited)
  • Ben Hall (uncredited)

Crew[]

Art Directors: Van Nest Polglase, Al Herman
Costumes by: Walter Plunkett
Director: George Nicholls, Jr.
Editor: Arthur Schmidt
Musical Director: Max Steiner
Photographed by: Lucien Andriot A.S.C.
Photographic Effects: Vernon Walker, A.S.C.
Producer: Kenneth Macgowan
Recorded by: George D. Ellis
Screenwriter: Sam Mintz

Recorded by RCA Victor System

Behind the scenes[]

Differences from the book

  • Rachel Lynde and Diana's mother Mrs. Barry are combined into one character, Mrs. Rachel Barry.
  • Anne names Green Gables herself, instead of that already being the name of the Cuthberts' farm.
  • Anne is fourteen at the beginning instead of eleven, as in the book.
  • Instead of being thin and greying, Marilla is heavyset with dark hair. She is also noticeably stricter with Anne than in the book.
  • Diana has blonde curls instead of black hair.
  • The event that Marilla forbids Anne from attending over the missing amethyst brooch is a hayride rather than a picnic.
  • The relationship between Anne and Gilbert is the focus of the story, with Anne and Diana's friendship barely touched upon.
  • Marilla disapproves of Anne and Gilbert's relationship, instead of secretly hoping for them to get together, the way she does in the books.
  • Anne and Gilbert court in secret for three years until Mrs. Barry catches them kissing and tells Marilla, who forbids Anne to have anything more to do with Gilbert.

Trivia

  • This was the second Anne of Green Gables film released and was probably the last one seen by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Its sequel, Anne of Windy Poplars, was released in 1940, two years before Montgomery's death, but there is nothing in her journals or correspondence to suggest that she ever saw it.
  • It was released on November 23, 1934, exactly fifteen years after the first film was released.

Gallery[]

Anne of Green Gables Wiki has 10 images of Anne of Green Gables (1934 film) (view gallery).
Anne of Green Gables Wiki has 46 images from Anne of Green Gables (1934 film) (view gallery).

Videos[]

Notes and references[]

External links[]

See also[]

Advertisement