Because they are getting older, practical Helen Westley (as Marilla Cuthbert) and her quiet brother O.P. Heggie (as Matthew Cuthbert) decide to adopt a boy from an orphanage in Canada. They expect the lad will help work on their farm "Green Gables". Instead of a boy, Mr. Heggie is presented with spirited 14-year-old Dawn O'Day (as Anne Shirley), a precocious red-haired girl. Determined and fast-talking, she endears herself to Heggie and even thaws Ms. Westley's cool exterior. In school, O'Day meets handsome young Tom Brown (as Gilbert Blythe) and a romance begins. Although she does talk too much, O'Day is endearing. The young actress professionally changed her name to "Anne Shirley" with the release of this film. The popular 1908 novel, by Lucy Maud Montgomery, became a successful "silent" feature film in 1919, starring Mary Miles Minter and directed by William Desmond Taylor. That version appears to be lost, unfortunately, but this one captures the bygone setting beautifully.******** Anne of Green Gables (11/23/34) George Nicholls Jr. ~ Anne Shirley, Tom Brown, Helen Westley, O.P. Heggie

This is a short, sentimental highlights package that turned out to be RKO's sleeper hit of 1934. Anne Shirley is Anne Shirley (she used her character's name for the rest of her screen career), the cheery, melodramatic, eternally appealing redhead created by L. M. Montgomery. Mistakenly placed with adoptive parents who were rather hoping for the boy they'd requested, her hot temper proceeds to get her into scrapes with friends, neighbours and that cheeky, good-looking boy in her class. There are production and pacing issues. The first hour is a little lacking in atmosphere, then - upon finding loads of the stuff - the film proceeds to race through the rest of the narrative at breakneck speed, with a succession of short scenes that cover five years in about five seconds. It also omits the most memorable bit of the book: Anne dyeing her hair green. For all that, this is a really gentle and rewarding movie, with absolutely charming performances, particularly from Shirley and O. P. Heggie, best-known for his turn as the blind hermit in Universal's seminal Bride of Frankenstein the following year.

I found this movie to be fair for a film made in the 30's. Though if you are a fan of the Anne books I do not reccomend it. Anne Shirley did play her character nicely, but it wasn't enough to satisfy me. She rushed things too much and babbled too much, even for the character. Though minor I did not like that Diana was a blonde, she was supposed to have raven hair. Another thing, Anne and Gilbert do not become friends until the end of the book, the love affair was Marilla's and Mathew dies. If you really like Anne of Green Gables the books I suggest that you do not watch this movie, but watch the 1985 version starring Megan Follows, she plays an ideal Anne. So for a closing comment it was a cute movie but not the Anne i knew from the books.

I've been a big fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery's work since I first saw the 1985 version of "Anne of Green Gables" and "Road to Avonlea". After viewing the 1934 version, I thought it was enjoyable but I think the '85 version was better. Probably just because I'm used to all the characters/actors from the recent one but the '34 version was a good adaptation. I thought Anne Shirley did a good job in the role and I also like the actress who played Marilla. Overall, I'd give this film a 6/10.