Episode 6

Episode 6 is the sixth and final episode of Anne of Avonlea.

Summary[]

Jane prepares to leave Redmond, while Anne finds herself the subject of scrutiny regarding her parentage. Anne and Gilbert make a trip to Bolingbroke and, as graduation approaches, decisions must be made about the future.

Plot[]

As second year at Redmond comes to a close, Jane packs her belongings and prepares to head "out West" with her family after failing her exams, much to the sadness of those at Patty's Place. Meanwhile, Anne is delighted to receive a letter from the Youth's Friend, which has purchased a sketch she wrote while stuck on Mrs. Blewett's roof.

Back in Avonlea, Anne pays a visit to Mrs. Blythe, who explains that Gilbert is working at the Daily News for the summer and hopes that they have not quarrelled. Anne responds that she would be sad if she thought Gilbert was avoiding her.

At Green Gables, Rachel makes her disapproval known of the excessive flowers and poetry that have been sent to Anne from Roy, but she soon reconciles herself to the match when Mrs. Gardner sends word that she will be making a visit to the house. On the day of Mrs. Gardner's visit, Marilla is left unimpressed by her visitor's snobbishness and deeply offended by her suggestions about Anne's dubious parentage.

On the morning of Diana's wedding, Diana and Anne reminisce about their childhood spent together and discuss the future. Gilbert, as Fred's best man, arrives to take Anne down to the ceremony, while Diana spends a final moment alone in her bedroom. That evening, Anne and Gilbert arrive back at Green Gables and argue over Roy. As Gilbert goes to leave, Marilla takes him to one side to explain about Mrs. Gardner's objection to Roy marrying Anne, and asks him to go to Bolingbroke and find out anything he can, for Anne's sake.

Back in Kingsport, Gilbert meets Anne to inform her that he has made a trip to Bolingbroke on Marilla's request and has found a Shirley on the electoral register. They arrive at the house of Anne's birth and speak to the current owner, Mrs. Evans, who gives Anne a box of letters that belonged to her mother, Bertha Shirley.

After the graduation ball at Redmond, Roy proposes to Anne, who declines him after realising that they are not suited to one another and Roy leaves bitterly disappointed. Philippa returns to Patty’s Place and reassures Anne that it is not the first time that Roy has been rejected and he will soon recover.

Anne returns to Green Gables for the summer and is delighted to be back in the company of Marilla, Rachel, Davy, and Dora. At supper, Davy rushes to inform Anne of all the latest Avonlea gossip and remarks, without understanding her feelings, that Gilbert is dying. Marilla stays up with Anne to comfort her and initially dissuades her from rushing over to him in the middle of the night. Anne confides in Marilla that she loves Gilbert and would be heartbroken if he were to die without knowing how much she cares for him. Marilla, reflecting on the deaths of Matthew, Thomas, and Ruby, wraps Anne in her shawl and urges her to go after Gilbert.

At the Blythe house, Anne is greeted by Mrs. Blythe, who reassures her that Gilbert is now out of danger and will soon recover. She adds that Gilbert received a letter from Philippa the previous day to inform him that she had broken with Roy and to "try again". Anne sits with Gilbert through the night and, when Gilbert wakes at dawn, Anne lies her head down next to him and they smile at each other.

Cast[]

Main cast

Recurring cast

Guest cast

Betty McDowall as Mrs. Gardner
Hazel Bainbridge as Mrs. Blythe
Valerie Colgan as Mrs. Evans

Crew[]

Costumes: Joyce Rixon Macken

Designer: Antony Thorpe

Director: Joan Craft

Film Cameraman: Phil Meheux

Film Editor: Alastair MacKay

Film Sound: Stan Nightingale

Makeup: Christine Beveridge

Music Arranged by: Ed Welch

Music Played by: Jim Hughes

Producer: John McRae

Script Editor: Alistair Bell

Studio Lighting: Peter Catlett

Studio Sound: Alan Fogg

Writer: Elaine Morgan

Quotes[]

Behind the scenes[]

Casting

Valerie Colgan, who played Mrs. Evans in this episode, also portrayed Lucilla Harris in Anne of Green Gables (1972), a prequel to Anne of Avonlea.

Trivia

This episode reaired on February 6, 1977, on BBC.

Gallery[]

Anne of Green Gables Wiki has 3 images from Episode 6 (Anne of Avonlea) (view gallery).

External links[]

Episode 6 at the Internet Movie Database