Pollyanna

Release Date: May 19, 1960

Watch Date: January 6 – January 7, 2024

“In this timeless Walt Disney tapestry of small-town Americana, you’ll meet Pollyanna (Hayley Mills), the orphan who brings sunshine into the lives of everyone she meets. But her Aunt Polly (Jane Wyman) is too concerned with appearances, propriety and local politics to appreciate her effervescent niece. It isn’t until the town almost loses their ‘Glad Girl’ that Aunt Polly realizes the power of love and lightheartedness.”

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    In the spirit of Pollyanna, let’s play the glad game, shall we?

    I’m glad that we’re back watching our old Disney movies. I’m glad that we’ve made plans to put our marathon back on track. I’m glad that when people say “Not to be a Pollyanna” I understand what they mean. I’m glad to have seen that Hayley Mills has finally come on to the Disney scene, I read her biography a few years ago and loved it – and her, immediately. I’m glad that Bob had the exact same experience I did when I first watched this film a few years ago. I’m glad our children are going back to school and daycare full time.

    Pollyanna is the film that launched Hayley Mills’ career. She won the last Academy Juvenile Award in history for her performance in Pollyanna. She was really the first “it girl” of Disney’s history. Without her would we have had Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff, or Selena Gomez? I don’t know. Probably. But maybe not. And back in the day you got signed to only work with one studio for several films, so we’ll be seeing Hayley Mills pop up again and again for the next little while. I’m excited for it!

    This movie starts off very slow, but it has the pacing of the book – which makes sense since that’s what it’s based off of. In a novel you have time to try and establish everyone’s motives, and take time to form the connections with secondary and tertiary characters. But then the last third of film the action picks up, the whole town feels happy go-lucky and pulls together, the arc of the story makes sense, and things start to finally pay off from the long build up of the beginning. It leaves you with a positive and happy feeling that pretty much erases any negative impressions you might have gotten from the first two thirds of the film.

    I will say that when you’re re-watching the film it’s a lot more enjoyable from the beginning, because you understand the pacing, and what they’re building up to. But the first time, yea, I could see thinking that it’s dragging and a little overly sweet and kind of pointless.

    Honestly, it’s just a super positive film, and kind of a fun way to start off the new year. Take it from Pollyanna, try to find things to be glad about going into this new year, even when things seem difficult.