The two-part 1985 Anne of Green Gables is not merely a television miniseries; it is a cultural monument. By respecting the source material, assembling a perfect cast, and delivering both visual beauty and profound emotional truth, Kevin Sullivan’s production achieved the rare feat of satisfying both devoted readers of the novel and first-time viewers. Its enduring popularity after nearly four decades confirms its status as the gold standard for literary adaptations. For anyone seeking the truest, most moving screen version of Anne Shirley’s story, this two-part film remains the essential choice.
What elevates this adaptation to immortality is its casting.
Megan Follows as Anne Shirley was a revelation. At 16, she embodied the very essence of the character: the vanity, the volcanic temper (the infamous slate over the head), the romantic imagination (“the White Way of Delight”), and the deep, aching vulnerability of a child who has never been wanted. Follows doesn’t just play Anne; she becomes her, delivering monologues that are simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking.
Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla Cuthbert provides the perfect foil. Dewhurst plays Marilla not as a cold spinster, but as a woman terrified of love because she has forgotten how to express it. Her slow, reluctant thaw—culminating in the quiet tears when Anne succeeds at Queens—is a masterclass in subtle acting. Opposite her, Richard Farnsworth as Matthew Cuthbert is every viewer’s ideal grandfather. His shy, wordless devotion and the tragic weight of his death scene remain devastating. Anne of Green Gables - 1985 - 2 Parts
Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe deserves special praise. He turns a smug schoolboy into a patient, kind, and deeply romantic hero. The moment Gilbert gives up the Avonlea school for Anne, and the final scene where he calls her “Carrots” on the bridge—those moments have launched a thousand crushes.
Opening: In summer, elderly siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert (Green Gables, Avonlea) decide to adopt an orphan boy to help Matthew on the farm. Matthew goes to Bright River station.
Meeting Anne: Instead of a boy, Matthew finds a talkative, red-haired, imaginative 11-year-old girl, Anne Shirley. Matthew’s gentle heart melts. Marilla, at first, insists she must return. Original US Air Date (PBS, WonderWorks): February 17,
Decision: After a “trial,” Marilla agrees to keep Anne, who is overjoyed.
Avonlea Life:
Part 1 ends: Anne and Gilbert compete for the Queen’s Academy entrance exams. Anne wins the Avery Scholarship (full ride to college). Gilbert, beaten but respectful, watches her triumph. Marilla and Matthew are proud. The two-part 1985 Anne of Green Gables is
The second part is where the miniseries transcends children’s entertainment and enters the realm of high drama.
Picking up several years later, Megan Follows’ Anne has matured, but her spirit remains unbroken. This part covers the final third of the novel, moving from Anne’s teenage years at Queens Academy into early adulthood.
The emotional beats of Part Two are devastating:
The final shot of Anne and Gilbert walking arm-in-arm through the “Hundred Acre Wood” (or Haunted Wood) as the leaves fall is pure catharsis.
Part One of the 1985 adaptation focuses squarely on the first book, Anne of Green Gables. It opens not with Anne, but with the Cuthberts: aging siblings Matthew (Richard Farnsworth) and Marilla (Colleen Dewhurst). The gray, realistic farmyard contrasts sharply with the explosion of color that follows when Anne is mistakenly sent instead of a boy.