Pollyanna (1960 film)

Plot

Pollyanna is the 12-year-old orphaned daughter of missionaries who arrives in the fictional small town of Harrington to live with her rich and strict aunt, Polly Harrington, early in the 1900s. Pollyanna is a very cheerful, talkative and radically optimistic youngster who focuses on the goodness of life and always finds something to be glad about, no matter the situation. In doing so, Pollyanna's positive outlook on everything results in her making a wide variety of friends in the community, including the hypochondriac and grouchy Mrs. Snow and the acidic recluse Mr. Pendergast.

Aunt Polly's wealth controls most of the town, and, when most of the Harrington citizens want a derelict orphanage razed and rebuilt, Aunt Polly opposes the idea, arguing that it always remains because it's an important landmark. The townspeople defy her by planning a carnival to raise funds for a new structure; however, because of the control Aunt Polly asserts over every facet of the town, many people feel reluctant to show their support. Aunt Polly becomes furious about their audacity, and she forbids Pollyanna to participate.

A group of citizens, led by Dr. Edmond Chilton, tries to persuade the town's minister, the Rev. Mr. Ford, to publicly declare his support for the bazaar by reminding him that "nobody owns a church". Mr. Ford is reminded of the truth of that statement while conversing with Pollyanna, who delivers a note from Aunt Polly with recommendations to his sermon content.

At church the following Sunday, having gained the gumption to defy Aunt Polly, the preacher declares his support for the bazaar and encourages all to attend. On the evening of the carnival Pollyanna is coaxed out of the house by playmate Jimmy Bean, who reminds her that she will lead "America, the Beautiful" at the high point of the event. With misgivings she slips away and has a wonderful time at the carnival.

After returning home, she avoids Aunt Polly by climbing a tree to her attic bedroom. When she reaches her bedroom window, in attempts to catch a prize that has fallen out of her hands, she falls and is severely injured, losing the use of her legs. She receives what is called paraplegia. Her spirit sinks with the calamity, jeopardizing her chance of recovery. When Aunt Polly hears that, she feels sad, realizes that she loves her niece very much, and feels a strong sense of guilt over Pollyanna's injury, believing that it was her fault for not allowing Pollyanna to go to the carnival in the first place. Polly, who blames herself for the accident, tells Pollyanna that she loves her, but the girl remains distraught. When the townspeople learn of Pollyanna's accident, they gather en masse in Aunt Polly's house with outpourings of love. Ed carries the reluctant girl downstairs, where, one by one, the neighbors wish her health. Pollyanna's spirit gradually returns to its usual hopefulness and love of life. Pollyanna, beaming, turns to her aunt, who embraces her. She leaves Harrington with Aunt Polly and Dr. Chilton (who has fallen in love with Aunt Polly) for an operation in Baltimore, which, it is hoped, will correct her injury.

Cast

Director David Swift cameos as a fireman in an early scene.

Reception

Jerry Griswold of San Diego State University wrote in the New York Times of October 25, 1987, "An attempt was made to resuscitate Pollyanna in 1960 when Walt Disney released a movie based on the book. Time, Newsweek and other major reviewers agreed that such an enterprise promised to be a disaster - a tearjerker of a story presented by the master of schmaltz; what surprised the critics (their opinions were unanimous) was that it was his best live-action film ever. But few had reckoned the curse of the book's by-then-saccharine reputation. When the movie failed to bring in half of the $6 million that was expected, Disney opined: "I think the picture would have done better with a different title. Girls and women went to it, but men tended to stay away because it sounded sweet and sticky.""

Awards and honors

Hayley Mills won the 1960 Academy Juvenile Award for her performance, and also received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress.

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Merchandise

The film generated a trickle of juvenile merchandise including a Dell comic book, a paper-doll collection, an LP recording, an illustrated Little Golden Book, and a 30" Uneeda character doll in a red and white gingham dress, pantaloons, and boots. As part of a merchandise promotion, Disney was selling photo lockets with the quote claiming to be from Abraham Lincoln on them: "If you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will." Discovering the necklace in a gift shop while on vacation with his family, director/screenwriter David Swift called the studio to have the item recalled immediately, as it was not a quote from Lincoln, but actually a paraphrasing of a line from Eleanor Porter's original 1913 novel that was written for the film.