Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel is a 1987 miniseries, adapting material from three of L.M. Montgomery's original novels: Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, and Anne of Windy Poplars.
The film has been titled as Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel for re-airings and DVD releases, but was titled Anne of Avonlea during its original airing in Canada. It was aired in the United States as Anne of Avonlea: The Continuing Story of Anne of Green Gables.
Synopsis
Anne Shirley accepts a teaching position at a girls boarding school in a town dominated by a rich and belligerant family determined to make her life miserable.
Plot
Resuming the story of Anne Shirley, who chose to study for her college degree by correspondence in order to remain at Green Gables and help an aging Marilla look after the house and farm, Anne now holds a Teacher's License and teaches at Avonlea school. However, she aspires to be a writer, though is met with early disappointment when her story, an overly romantic story called "Averil's Atonement" is rejected by a magazine. Her friend and former rival, Gilbert Blythe, also informs Anne that her best friend, Diana Barry, has accepted a proposal of marriage from Fred Wright. Anne is bewildered by Diana's decision, believing it to be impulsive, though she comes to accept it as Diana is happy with her choice.
Despite being seventeen years old, Anne still finds herself in various mishaps, including impulsively selling her Jersey cow that repeatedly escapes and damages Rachel Lynde's field to the Blythes. Soon afterward, Anne is shocked to discover her story has been published as the winner of the Rollings Reliable Baking Powder Co. advertisement contest and becomes a local celebrity. A delighted Diana reveals that she submitted the story to the contest, with a few minor revisions to include the baking powder in the story. Ashamed with how her story was published, she confides in Gilbert, who offers a critical perspective of the use of flowery language and lack of dimension to her characters. When he suggests that Anne would be more successful writing about a setting and about people she is more familiar with, Anne becomes upset with Gilbert and goes home. As Marilla tries to reassure her things are not as bad as they seem, Anne admits she acted foolishly when Gilbert had only offered ways to improve her writing and feels that their relationship has changed. Marilla points out that Gilbert's behavior reflects the fact that he loves Anne, much to her disbelief. However, Anne's bad day continues when she realizes she accidentally sold the cow belonging to the Lynde family rather than her own. When she and Marilla approach Rachel Lynde pay her for the sale of the Lyndes' cow, Rachel's husband Thomas has a fatal heart attack. Rachel moves in with Marilla at Green Gables; with Rachel to support her and her eyesight having improved over the past two years, Marilla encourages Anne to resume her old ambition of attending college.
At a clambake celebrating Diana and Fred's engagement, Gilbert proposes to Anne, who turns him down believing that they would be unhappy together. When they see each other again at Diana and Fred's wedding, Anne sees Gilbert with a young woman named Christine Stuart. Gilbert tells Anne that he and Christine are just friends, then offers to wait for her if there is any hope of them getting together. Anne rejects him again, and Gilbert suspects that there is someone else, despite Anne's assertion there is no person she cares about more than him. Gilbert leaves to attend medical school in Halifax with his and Anne's relationship apparently broken. Recalling a job offer from her former teacher Muriel Stacey, Anne decides to take accept a position as an English professor in Nova Scotia at Kingsport Ladies' College in the hope that it will inspire her and give her something to write about.
Initially, Anne finds her new job to be difficult. A member of the local community — and member of the powerful Pringle family — had also tried for Anne’s post and was rejected, causing resentment. However, Anne gradually earns the respect of her students, their families and her colleagues, including the severe and critical Katherine Brooke and the Pringle family. Anne organizes a play to raise money for the college, which is greatly appreciated. Her dream of being published is also finally achieved after she writes a series of short stories based on Avonlea inspired by a suggestion from Gilbert, whom she manages to reconcile with after a chance encounter and learning that he is now engaged to Christine. While teaching at the Ladies' College, Anne grows close to one student, Emmeline Harris, at whose house she is boarding, along with the stern, controlling grandmother Harris and her repressed daughter Pauline, who is a virtual prisoner in the house. Anne is able to convince Mrs. Harris, a hypochondriac, to leave the house and go to a community picnic, and to let Pauline attend a friend's wedding overnight in another town, where she strikes up a romance. Emmeline's widowed father Morgan Harris, a well-to-do traveling businessman, becomes impressed with Anne's spirited nature and determination, particularly with how Anne is able to persuade his formidable mother into leaving her house. He eventually proposes marriage to Anne, after Anne and Emmeline had visited his spacious house in Boston. While Morgan Harris appears to be the dark melancholy suitor that Anne had once dreamed of, she realizes that he is not the man she wants to be with and turns down his proposal.
Anne chooses to return to Green Gables for the summer with Katherine Brooke after successfully persuading her to spend a badly-needed summer vacation at Avonlea, where she opens up her feelings to Anne. In Avonlea, she learns that Gilbert is ill nearby with scarlet fever, having returned home from Halifax Medical School. Anne finally realizes her true feelings for Gilbert, and goes to visit him; he reveals that he broke off his engagement to Christine because he still loves Anne. After Gilbert regains his health, he proposes once more, though he warns her that he still needs to finish medical school and they will not have all the things she has always dreamed of. Anne accepts him with a kiss, declaring, "I don't want diamond sunbursts, or marble halls. I just want you."
Cast
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Crew
Behind the scenes
Casting
- Robert Collins (Mr. Barry) later portrayed Blair Stanley in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Rosemary Dunsmore (Katherine Brooke) also played Abigail MacEwan in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996) and provided the voice of E.J. Lark in Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series (2000–2001).
- David Fox (John Blythe) portrayed Clive Pettibone in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996) and Infirm Old Man in Anne with an E (2017–2019).
- Robert Gailbraith (Mr. Pringle) played Hotel Manager in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Patricia Hamilton (Rachel Lynde) portrayed another incarnation of Rachel Lynde in Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series (2000–2001) and Anne: Journey to Green Gables (2005).
- Jennifer Inch (Ruby Gillis) appeared as Maid at Stanley Estate and Ruth King in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Charmion King (Josephine Barry) portrayed Mrs. Allan in the 1952 TV series Anne of Green Gables.
- Araby Lockhart (Gossip at Ball) had previously played Mrs. Bell in Anne of Green Gables (1958).
- Kate Lynch (Pauline Harris) also played Theodora Dixon in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Juno Mills-Cockell (Jimsie Pringle) played Agnes Forbes in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- James O'Regan (Mr. Pye) later portrayed Abner Jeffries in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Chick Roberts (Avonlea Townsman) played Mr. Biggins in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996) and Old Teacher in the Canadian TV series Anne with an E (2017–2019).
- Mag Ruffman (Alice Lawson) starred as Olivia King Dale in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Jacqueline Blais (Mrs. Harrison) played Woman in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Patricia Carroll Brown (Avonlea Townswoman) played Miss McKay and Lady on Train in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Gladys O'Connor (Maid at Maplehurst) played Old Lady in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Kathryn Trainor (Essie) played Lawson Niece in Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).
- Hagood Hardy who composed the music used in the film, can be seen playing the organ during Diana's wedding.
Differences from the novels
- Because the film is based on three of Lucy Maud Montgomery's novels, certain elements of each were altered to create a cohesive story.
Anne of Avonlea
- Davy and Dora Keith are absent. They later appeared in the spin-off series Road to Avonlea.
- Anne's trouble with Dolly the jersey cow happens with Rachel Lynde instead of Mr. Harrison. This ties in with Thomas Lynde's death in the movie; in the novel his death occurred later on.
- Anne sells Dolly to Gilbert's father John Blythe, while in the novel she sold the cow to Mr. Shearer of Carmody and his son Jim.
- Some of Anne's experiences teaching at Avonlea school instead take place at Kingsport Ladies' College (i.e. fireworks in the stove, an animal hidden in the desk, Anne whipping Anthony Pye/Jen Pringle).
- In the book, Anne's "Jonah day" happens when she whips Anthony Pye at school for misbehaving. In the film, it occurs after she whips Gilbert for criticizing her writing.
- The news of Diana and Fred's engagement comes earlier in the film than the novel. Additionally, in the novel Anne sees Diana and Fred in love, while in the film she finds out from Gilbert.
- Paul Irving and his father Stephen are replaced by Emmeline Harris and her father Morgan.
Anne of the Island
- "Averil's Atonement" and the Rollings Reliable fiasco happen earlier in the film than in the novel.
- The advice Anne receives about her writing from Mr. Harrison in the novel instead comes from Gilbert in the movie.
- Anne's college years at Redmond are replaced by teaching at Kingsport Ladies' College.
- Diana's wedding and Gilbert's first proposal happen before Anne leaves Avonlea for Kingsport.
- Anne is greeted at the Kingsport train station by Miss Stacey instead of Priscilla Grant.
- Roy Gardner is replaced by Morgan Harris.
- Philippa Gordon does not appear, but some of her dialogue is spoken by other characters in different contexts. For example, her conversation with Anne about refusing Roy Gardner's proposal instead occurs between Anne and Diana about Gilbert's proposal.
- Christine Stuart first appears at Diana's wedding instead of Kingsport. Moreover, in the novel she and Gilbert are merely friends, while in the film they become engaged.
- Ruby Gillis does not die in the film.
- Anne finds out about Gilbert's illness from Minnie May Barry instead of Davy Keith.
Anne of Windy Poplars
- Summerside High School is replaced by Kingsport Ladies' College.
- In the novel, Anne is the principal of Summerside while Katherine Brooke is vice-principal. In the film, Katherine is the principal and Anne is a teacher.
- The events at Summerside occur after Anne and Gilbert's engagement, while the corresponding events at Kingsport occur before.
- Rachel Lynde accompanies Anne to the school in the novel, while in the film it is Miss Stacey.
- Elizabeth Grayson and Sophy Sinclair are combined into the composite character Emmeline Harris.
- Little Elizabeth's father Pierce Grayson becomes Morgan Harris.
- Elizabeth's great-grandmother Mrs. Campbell and Pauline's mother Mrs. Gibson are combined into the composite character Margaret Harris. As such, Pauline becomes a member of the Harris family in the film.
- In the novel, Lewis Allen is one of Anne's students, while in the film he is an old classmate from Queen's Academy.
Gallery
| Anne of Green Gables Wiki has 6 images of Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (view gallery). |
| Anne of Green Gables Wiki has 213 images from Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (view gallery). |
Videos
Trailers
Clips
Interviews
External links
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel at the Internet Movie Database- Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel at L.M. Montgomery Online
- Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel on Wikipedia
