While many people have come to LM Montgomery through her novels directly, some come through other adaptations. I don’t think that I’m unique in having seen the 1980s CBC films before reading the novels. (I remember seeing them at a very young age, but not starting the books until 7.) And I know that Anne With an E has introduced a whole new group of people, which makes me quite happy. So, to continue on with LM Montgomery Month, I’m rounding the best LM Montgomery adaptations on film, television, and the stage!
If you have missed any of my other LM Montgomery Month posts, you can find them here!
If You Like Anne of Green Gables, You Should Read…
The Best L.M. Montgomery Resources
Anne of Green Gables (1985) and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987)- CBC
What would this list of LM Montgomery adaptations be without these two movies? I know that a lot of people take issue with these movies (I get a lot of Tweets and DMs any time Anne is mentioned at all) but I can’t deny that a whole generation of people around the world were introduced to Anne Shirley and Montgomery because of these movies. I was born in the late 1980s, so these were often on, and I don’t remember a time in my life without them. Megan Follows is still the quintessential Anne for a lot of people, and these movies were some of CBC’s highest rated programs. I do love that after 35 years, these films are still beloved.
PS. People in the UK talk about Mr. Darcy but people in Canada talk about Gilbert Blythe, probably because of the late Jonathan Crombie…
Availability: You can find new DVDs through Sullivan Entertainment’s online store, secondhand DVDs through other sources, and you can purchase a digital copy on GazeboTV.
Road to Avonlea (1990-1996)
Obviously everyone loved the two Anne films and couldn’t get enough of them, so CBC brought us seven seasons of Road to Avonlea. This series is set in Avonlea, like the Anne films, and is loosely based on several Montgomery novels. Several of the characters are from The Story Girl and The Golden Road, and the Avonlea setting is from Chronicles of Avonlea and Further Chronicles of Avonlea. There are some characters from the Anne films, but Anne herself doesn’t appear. While not quite as well-known as Anne, it was still fairly popular in Canada (and I think in the US, under the name of Avonlea)!
Availability: Like the Anne films, you can find new DVDs through Sullivan Entertainment’s online store, secondhand DVDs through other sources, and you can purchase a digital copy on GazeboTV.
Emily of New Moon (1998- 2000)- CBC
Following the popularity of the Anne of Green Gables films and the spinoff television series Road to Avonlea, CBC then commissioned an Emily of New Moon series. I actually prefer the Emily series to the Anne films, largely because I prefer the Emily books. They don’t stick to the plot of the novels perfectly, but I think that they capture the spirit of Emily Byrd Starr so well. There are four seasons of Emily of New Moon, so there is much more to enjoy.
And while the Anne films and the Avonlea tv show are set in Avonlea (as they should be), Emily takes place in Blair Water, meaning that you get to visit another place in the Montgomery universe.
Availability: The Emily series wasn’t made by Sullivan entertainment, so it is a bit harder to find. You can buy new secondhand DVDs through various sources (mine are used from Amazon and eBay), and entire seasons can often be found on Youtube. (They seem to periodically be set on private.)
Anne with an E– CBC (2017-2019)
Anne with an E, the twenty first century update to the beloved films, is a contentious topic in the Anne fandom. Some people love it and say it is more faithful to the books; other people say it has taken too many liberties. In any case, I love that it has brought in new fans. Because it is a television show rather than a movie, it has more time and room to breathe. I think that while the original storylines added do have a modern and darker undercurrent, I think that it addresses the idea that period dramas cannot tackle modern issues.
If you have missed it, there was an online campaign to try and bring the show back for a fourth season, but unfortunately, nothing came of it. (Maybe the successful Sanditon campaign with resuscitate the Anne with an E campaign.)
Availability: Anne with an E is online on Netflix in most countries!
Anne of Green Gables- The Musical (1965)
Everyone is always shocked when I bring up Anne of Green Gables– The Musical, but yes, there is an Anne musical! Created by Alan Lund, a Canadian dancer and choreographer, this musical ran every year at the Charlottetown Festival (on Prince Edward Island) from 1965 to 2019. (2020 was cancelled due to Covid-19 and I suspect 2021 will be, too, but hopefully a 2022 return is in the cards!)
While the full production didn’t premiere until 1965, in October 1964, a song from the musical was performed for the Queen and Prince Philip. In addition to the Charlottetown production, it has toured across Canada, been performed in New York, London, and for several years in Japan.
Availability: Unfortunately, we were supposed to have a filmed version of this musical, but it was cancelled when Anne With An E was given the green light. However, you can find a cast recording from the Charlottetown Festival on Spotify!
Anne of Green Gables Ballet- 1989 (Royal Winnipeg Ballet), 2019 (Ballet Jörgen), 2022 (London Children’s Ballet)
Of course I had to include the ballet versions of Anne of Green Gables here, too! I was too young to see the 1989 Royal Winnipeg Ballet production of Anne, but I still hold out hope that the company will revive it. Ballet Jörgen, a company based in Toronto that tours Canada extensively, has created their own production of Anne of Green Gables and had started upon a tour, but unfortunately, Covid-19 ended it. The London Children’s Ballet has also commissioned a full length Anne ballet that was due to premiere in 2020 but has been pushed back to 2022.
Availability: For ballets, I would always recommend checking directly with the company!
What are your favourite LM Montgomery adaptations?
Cheers,
The Historian
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