Kilmeny of the Orchard

Kilmeny of the Orchard is a novel by L.M. Montgomery that was first published in 1910. The story begins when Larry West writes a letter to his friend Eric Marshall, asking him to take his teaching position in Lindsay, Prince Edward Island. Eric is a rich and practical man with his future set out perfectly, and he expects to simply fulfill his duty to his friend and then go on with his life as planned. All this changes when he comes across a beautiful girl named Kilmeny Gordon playing haunting music on a violin in an orchard. In this brief encounter, Kilmeny imprints herself in Eric's mind. Strangely though, Kilmeny looks upon Eric in terror.

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Created March 4, 2002. Re-posted online March 12, 2021. Last updated March 12, 2021.
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Anne of Green Gables (1919)

In 1919, L.M. Montgomery’s novel Anne of Green Gables was made into a silent, black and white film. Mary Miles Minter starred as Anne Shirley. The cast also included Paul Kelly as Gilbert Blythe, Marcia Harris as Marilla Cuthbert, and Frederick Burton as Matthew Cuthbert.

The story was adapted for the screen by Frances Marion, a highly acclaimed female screenwriter, who was the first writer to win two Academy Awards. The film was directed by William Desmond Taylor and produced by Realart Pictures, Corporation (Paramount Pictures). Filming took place in Dedham, Massachusetts, USA in August through October 1919. The film was released later that fall in November 1919. Minter received critical acclaim for her performance as Anne Shirley, and the production received favorable reviews.

Today, there are no known surviving copies of the film, and it is considered "lost."

Created March 3, 2002. Re-posted online April 1, 2021. Last updated April 1, 2021.
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Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An

Anne of Green Gables aka Akage no An (translated to English as "Red-Haired Anne") is a beautifully animated television series that was based on L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables. The plotline closely follows that of the novel and begins when Anne meets Matthew at the train station in Prince Edward Island. The anime series was produced by Nippon Animation in Japan in 1979 as part of the World Masterpiece Theater series (1). The series is 50 episodes long, and it first aired on Fuji Television from January 7, 1979 to December 30, 1979.

Anne of Green Gables was written and directed by the acclaimed screenwriter and director Isao Takahata, who is known for directing Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Only Yesterday (1991), and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013). In 1985, Takahata founded the treasured Studio Ghibli together with Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki. Studio Ghibli is admired for its artistry, creativity, and beauty in storytelling. Hayao Miyazaki created the settings and layouts for episodes 1 to 15 of the Anne of Green Gables anime. Miyazaki is the beloved anime director of Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind (1984), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), and Spirited Away (2001). In 1990, Takahata edited the first six episodes of Anne of Green Gables into a film for theatrical release (1).

Yoshifumi Kondo was the character designer for the vibrant Anne Shirley. Anne’s voice was portrayed by the Japanese actress Eiko Yamada. She provided the voices of several other characters in the World Masterpiece Theater series, including Jo in Tales of Little Women and Little Women II: Jo's Boys. The opening and closing theme songs (“Kikoeru kashira” and “Samenai yume”) were composed by Akira Miyoshi and sung by Ritsuko Ohwada.

Anne of Green Gables aired in several countries throughout the world. It was broadcast in Canada in the mid-1990s under the title Anne...La maison aux pignons verts by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and dubbed in French (1, 2). In addition, the anime aired as Anna dai capelli rossi in Italy, Ana de las Tejas Verdes in Spain, Ana dos Cabelos Ruivos in Portugal, and Anne mit den roten Haaren in Germany. The series was also dubbed in English and broadcast by the South African Broadcasting Corporation and by Japan Entertainment Television in Taiwan.

In 2009, an anime prequel to Anne of Green Gables (1979) premiered called Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (translated to English as “Hello Anne: Before Green Gables”).


Image credit:
Drawing of Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An. © Nippon Animation

References:
1. Helen McCarthy. Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation. Berkeley: Stone Bridge Press. 1999. 223.
2. Team Ghiblink. Nausicaa.Net http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/wmt/index.html (2001).

Purchase and watch Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An (Note: Most official Akage no An Blu-Ray/DVD sets are available for Region 2 (Japan), and they are not officially available in all region formats yet):



Created March 1, 2002. Re-posted online March 4, 2023. Last updated January 20, 2024.
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Jane of Lantern Hill

L.M. Montgomery wrote Jane of Lantern Hill late in her career. Published in 1937, the novel tells the story of Jane Victoria Stuart. Jane is 11 years old and lives in Toronto, Ontario with her mother Robin and her strict grandmother. Jane believes that her father is dead until she is age 10 when she learns that her mother left her father when she was three years old. She discovers that her father Andrew is actually alive and well and living on Prince Edward Island. When Jane is invited to visit her father on P.E.I. for the summer, they have a chance to develop a relationship, and Jane begins to dream that her parents will one day reunite.

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Created February 24, 2002. Last updated March 10, 2021.
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The Watchman and Other Poems

L.M. Montgomery published a volume of poetry titled The Watchman and Other Poems in 1916 by McClelland, Goodchild & Stewart. The book is named for the introductory poem, entitled “The Watchman.” This poem is followed by three thematic groups of poems: Songs of Sea, Songs of the Hills and Woods, and Miscellaneous.

All of the poems included in The Watchman and Other Poems had been previously published in magazines according to John Robert Sorfleet [1]. In her acknowledgements, L.M. Montgomery thanked the following publishers and magazines for granting permission to republish her poetry: The Youth's Companion, Forward, East and West, MacLean's Magazine, The Sunday School Times, Zion's Herald, The Outlook, Munsey's Magazine, The New Idea Woman's Magazine, Smart Set, The Ladies' World, The Canadian Magazine, St. Nicholas, The Congregationalist and Christian World, Everybody's Magazine, The Christian Endeavor World, The American Messenger, The Delineator, and Smith's Magazine.

L.M. Montgomery dedicated The Watchman and Other Poems to the soldiers who fought in WWI:

"To the memory of the gallant
Canadian soldiers who have laid
down their lives for their
country and their empire."

I took the photograph pictured above of a 1916 volume of The Watchman and Other Poems that I read from the University of Texas at Austin library.

Reference:
[1] Sorfleet, John. R. "L. M. Montgomery: Canadian Authoress." in L. M. Montgomery: An Assessment. Ed. John Robert Sorfleet. Guelph: Canadian Children's Press, 1976. pages 42–49.

Purchase and read The Watchman and Other Poems and The Poetry Of Lucy Maud Montgomery:



Created February 17, 2002. Re-posted online January 23, 2022. Last updated January 23, 2022.
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Emily of New Moon Word Search

Enjoy this Emily of New Moon word search. You can print the image below or download a PDF version of the word search.



Created June 27, 2001. Re-posted online October 28, 2022. Last updated October 28, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Pat of Silver Bush Word Search

Enjoy this Pat of Silver Bush word search. You can print the image below or download a PDF version of the word search.



Created April 24, 2001. Re-posted online October 25, 2022. Last updated October 25, 2022.
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Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (2000)

Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story is a television miniseries that first aired on CBC in March 2000. It was the third miniseries film about the life of Anne Shirley that was produced by Sullivan Entertainment, and it follows Anne of Green Gables (1985) and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987).

The miniseries starred Megan Follows who returned to play Anne Shirley. Jonathan Crombie resumed the role of Anne’s true love Gilbert Blythe. In addition, Schuyler Grant and Patricia Hamilton returned to play Diana Barry and Rachel Lynde, respectively. Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story also introduced new characters, including Jack Garrison Jr. played by Cameron Daddo. The miniseries was directed by Stefan Scaini, and the music was by Peter Breiner. Kevin Sullivan and Laurie Pearson wrote the screenplay for Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story. Its storyline diverges from L.M. Montgomery's Anne series.

The story begins when Anne returns home to Avonlea after years teaching while Gilbert has been in medical school. When Gilbert gets a job offer at a hospital in New York City, he asks Anne to move there with him. In New York, Anne works as an editor in a publishing house where she meets a writer named Jack Garrison. Jack is interested in Anne and her talent and convinces her to let him edit and submit a manuscript she is writing. Jack ends up stealing Anne’s work. Meanwhile, Gilbert is disappointed by the politics of working in a big city hospital.

Eventually, Anne and Gilbert return home to Avonlea and get married. The first World War begins, and Gilbert enlists as a medical officer and leaves for Europe. When Gilbert is declared missing, Anne joins the Red Cross and heads to Europe where she encounters danger and intrigue as she searches for Gilbert.

Image credit:
Photograph of Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe and Megan Follows as Anne Shirley Blythe in Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story © Sullivan Entertainment

External link:
Anne of Green Gables: The Official Website

Purchase and watch Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story:



Created April 24, 2001. Re-posted online May 4, 2022. Last updated May 4, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com