Anne of Green Gables (1919 film)

Anne of Green Gables is a 1919 American silent comedy-drama film directed by William Desmond Taylor. The film was based upon the 1908 novel of the same name by Lucy Maud Montgomery.[1] By 1999, all prints of the film were believed to have been lost.[2][3]

Anne of Green Gables
Theatrical release poster
Directed byWilliam Desmond Taylor
Produced byRealart Pictures
Written byFrances Marion (scenario)
Based onAnne of Green Gables
by Lucy Maud Montgomery
StarringMary Miles Minter
CinematographyHal Young
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • November 23, 1919 (1919-11-23) (United States)
Running time
60 mins.
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)
Part of a series on
Dedham, Massachusetts
History
People
  • Selectmen
  • Town Clerks
  • Businesspeople
  • Clergy
  • Military
  • Sportspeople
  • Writers
Places
Organizations
Businesses
Education

Plot

As described in a film magazine,[4] Anne Shirley (Minter), whose orphan career has been a lively one due to her natural mischievousness, is sent by mistake to the home of Marilla Cuthbert (Harris) and her brother Matthew (Burton). The brother and sister had decided to adopt a boy to help around their farm, but decide to keep Anne anyway. Her early youth is a series of misfortunes or "scrapes." During this time she meets Gilbert Blythe (Kelly) and their love for each other begins. When Anne has graduated from high school and is happily looking forward to college, Matthew dies and Marilla is struck blind. She takes a position in the village as a school teacher. Gilbert has taken up medicine during this time. Despite the ill luck that continues to follow her, Anne manages to save enough and pays for an operation that restores Marilla's vision. Then she and Gilbert are married.

Lucy Maud Montgomery hated the film because of what she called "absurdities." According to Montgomery, the flag of the United States was prominently displayed at Anne's graduation from her Canadian college. At another part, Anne encountered a skunk and mistook it for a kitten. However, skunks did not exist on Prince Edward Island at the time the film took place or came out, and only happened to be introduced by a farmer later. The film also contained a scene where Anne punished a child. Afterward, Anne brandished a shotgun to fend off an angry mob that congregated at her schoolhouse door on the child's behalf.[5]

A summary of the film was published in the April 1920 issue of Moving Picture Aid, including four stills which have survived.[6]

Cast

Production notes
Lobby card depicting a film scene.

The film was shot in Dedham, Massachusetts from August to October 1919 and released on November 23, 1919.[7]

Lucy Maud Montgomery, who wrote the original novel, was infuriated with the many liberties the film took with her characters, including changing Anne from a Canadian to an American. She wrote in her diary:

"It was a pretty little play well photographed, but I think if I hadn't already known it was from my book, that I would never have recognized it. The landscape and folks were 'New England', never P.E. Island... A skunk and an American flag were introduced – both equally unknown in PE Island. I could have shrieked with rage over the latter. Such crass, blatant Yankeeism!"[8]

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References
  1. Beauchamp, Cari (1998). Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Powerful Women of Early Hollywood. University of California Press. p. 445. ISBN 0-520-21492-7.
  2. Anne of Green Gables at silentera.com
  3. Magill's Survey of Silent Films, Vol 1 A-FLA p.146 edited by Frank N. Magill c.1982 ISBN 0-89356-240-8 (3 book set ISBN 0-89356-239-4)
  4. "Reviews: Anne of Green Gables". Exhibitors Herald. New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company. 9 (24): 79. December 6, 1919.
  5. Montgomery, Lucy Maud (1935-01-01). "Is This My Anne?". Chatelaine.
  6. "This Screen Story is for All the Children, Young and Old". Moving Picture Age. Class Publications, inc. April 1920. pp. 10–11, 19.
  7. "Anne of Green Gables & Dedham". Dedham Historical Society Newsletter (May). 1998. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007.
  8. Hammill, p. 666.
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