Anne of Green Gables/Anne of Avonlea

            I watched these movies so many times, I could quote them. My mom has always loved movies like Sara, Plain and Tall; Skylark; and the Anne of Green Gables movies. I wasn’t a huge fan of Sara and Skylark (sorry, Glenn Close; loved you in the Stepford Wives!) but I never got tired of Anne’s poetic ramblings and imagination-run-wild-induced mishaps. I identified with her tendency to use big words (something I still do; my students hate it) and her seeming inability to separate her fantastic imagination from her prosaic reality.

            I did not read the books until many years later, but they are just as wonderful as the movies. Or rather, the movies do the book justice. There are definitely elements of the books that I like better. For example, Anne and Gil have a much longer friendship in the book, before the romance blossoms. (I’m not really giving anything away here; it’s pretty obvious from the start these two are meant to be.) Also, in the book we get to see much more of the process of Anne growing up, how much she fights it before learning to embrace it. She reminds me a little of Jo, from Little Women.

            There are characters in the book that didn’t make it onto the screen, such as Davey and Dora; however, many of these characters were given screen time with the all-too-short-lived series Tales from Avonlea. Unlike many TV series based on movies, it keeps the same tone of family and witty humor as the movies and books.

            One thing I like about the movies is there is no Lifetime-movie-style melodramatics. There are sad parts, yes, but the emotions are realistically portrayed. The audience doesn’t feel manipulated by heightened emotional displays.

            One advantage the movie has over the books is showing off the setting in all its splendor. From the foggy woods where Anne twists her ankle, to the “Lake of Shining Waters” where Anne nearly sinks the boat, and Green Gables itself, resting magnanimously at the heart of every plot line, the beauty of Prince Edward Island is beautifully displayed.

            I can’t really say whether I think it’s better to watch the movie or read the book first. Sometimes the book can ruin the movie if it’s too good, but other times it is nice to have those little nuances the book gives a reader before watching the visual representation of the story. My suggestion is, pick one!

            (Side-note: Don’t bother with the movie after Anne of Avonlea. However, the rest of the books in the series are just as lovely as the first two!)