Dawn O'Day was a lovely child actress who, with a change of name to Anne Shirley, hit pay dirt in the enchanting "Anne of Green Gables" (1934). Even though she was nominated for a best supporting actress Academy Award as the put upon daughter in "Stella Dallas" (1937) she was hardly ever given roles worthy of her. She wasn't keen to do a sequel to "Anne of Green Gables" and was proved correct in her prediction as it wasn't a success when it was released. But I, like a previous reviewer, think it has held up very well and is a very entertaining family film. Even though "Anne of Windy Poplars" (originally Willows) was published in 1936 - chronologically it came after "Anne of the Island".
Anne is now a young woman and arrives in Pringleton where she is to be the new Vice Principal of the local high school. Because elderly Hester Pringle (Ethel Griffies) had wanted the post for her niece, Catherine (Louise Campbell) Anne finds upon her arrival that a lot of the town is against her. She finally finds somewhere to board - at Windy Poplars (it reminds her of Green Gables) - the only people in town not to be frightened of the Pringles. She meets little Beth (Joan Carroll) from next door who reminds Anne of her imaginative self.
The Pringles are seething and want Anne out of the teaching post. They start by assigning her several more jobs (head of the dramatic society, gymnasium instructress etc) but Anne is enthusiastic about the challenges. One of her challenges is Jen Pringle (Marcia Mae Jones, who was so wonderful in "These Three"), an obnoxious schoolgirl who makes life uncomfortable for Anne, although Anne brings her around by praising her and giving her responsibilities. The one Pringle she befriends is Tony, a teller at his father's bank who drinks because he cannot stand the power his family wields - he is also in love with Catherine. Catherine's dislike of Anne is solved - Catherine had been head of the dramatic society until it was given to Anne. Anne solves that problem by having Catherine organize and write the end of year play. Beth, who has an awful time living with Aunt Ernestine Pringle is a willing listener to Anne's stories about "Cinderella" - she then becomes ill but the doctor is not sent for as her Aunt feels it is just a temper tantrum.
The play has other problems - Aunt Hester has forbidden Jen, who has the lead, permission to appear. With some quick thinking Catherine helps Jen escape from her room and to get to the theatre in time but in doing so she is locked in the room by wicked Aunt Hester. The townsfolk leave the hall only to find that the Pringle mansion is burning down. Hester has dropped the lamp when she has a fatal heart attack.
Anne, in the meantime, along with Gilbert who is visiting for Christmas, give Beth back the will to live by promising she will always have a home with them. Of course everything ends happily. Anne Shirley, even though 6 years had passed since the original Anne movie, brings the same radiance and sweetness to this role as she had to the original. Joan Carroll had a couple of roles of note - "Anne of Windy Poplars" and "The Primrose Path", where she won rave reviews as Ginger Rogers' bratty little sister. She won national fame on Broadway in "Panama Hattie". Her most famous film was "Meet Me in St. Louis" although she was definitely lost in the shuffle between Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien.
There were also a wealth of character actors in this film - Alma Kruger, Slim Summerville, Elizabeth Patterson, Ethel Griffies, Clara Blandick and Grady Sutton.
Recommended.
Anne is now a young woman and arrives in Pringleton where she is to be the new Vice Principal of the local high school. Because elderly Hester Pringle (Ethel Griffies) had wanted the post for her niece, Catherine (Louise Campbell) Anne finds upon her arrival that a lot of the town is against her. She finally finds somewhere to board - at Windy Poplars (it reminds her of Green Gables) - the only people in town not to be frightened of the Pringles. She meets little Beth (Joan Carroll) from next door who reminds Anne of her imaginative self.
The Pringles are seething and want Anne out of the teaching post. They start by assigning her several more jobs (head of the dramatic society, gymnasium instructress etc) but Anne is enthusiastic about the challenges. One of her challenges is Jen Pringle (Marcia Mae Jones, who was so wonderful in "These Three"), an obnoxious schoolgirl who makes life uncomfortable for Anne, although Anne brings her around by praising her and giving her responsibilities. The one Pringle she befriends is Tony, a teller at his father's bank who drinks because he cannot stand the power his family wields - he is also in love with Catherine. Catherine's dislike of Anne is solved - Catherine had been head of the dramatic society until it was given to Anne. Anne solves that problem by having Catherine organize and write the end of year play. Beth, who has an awful time living with Aunt Ernestine Pringle is a willing listener to Anne's stories about "Cinderella" - she then becomes ill but the doctor is not sent for as her Aunt feels it is just a temper tantrum.
The play has other problems - Aunt Hester has forbidden Jen, who has the lead, permission to appear. With some quick thinking Catherine helps Jen escape from her room and to get to the theatre in time but in doing so she is locked in the room by wicked Aunt Hester. The townsfolk leave the hall only to find that the Pringle mansion is burning down. Hester has dropped the lamp when she has a fatal heart attack.
Anne, in the meantime, along with Gilbert who is visiting for Christmas, give Beth back the will to live by promising she will always have a home with them. Of course everything ends happily. Anne Shirley, even though 6 years had passed since the original Anne movie, brings the same radiance and sweetness to this role as she had to the original. Joan Carroll had a couple of roles of note - "Anne of Windy Poplars" and "The Primrose Path", where she won rave reviews as Ginger Rogers' bratty little sister. She won national fame on Broadway in "Panama Hattie". Her most famous film was "Meet Me in St. Louis" although she was definitely lost in the shuffle between Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien.
There were also a wealth of character actors in this film - Alma Kruger, Slim Summerville, Elizabeth Patterson, Ethel Griffies, Clara Blandick and Grady Sutton.
Recommended.