Pollyanna (1960)

the audience applauded

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

I watched this as part of my ongoing Oscar marathon, since it landed child actress Hayley Mills in her U.S. debut (and only second official role) an "Outstanding Juvenile Performance" Honorary Award; incidentally, it was the last time such recognition was bestowed by the Academy and in all, there had been 11 such occasions and 12 recipients – oddly enough, in only a handful of cases (as here) were specific movies cited, namely Margaret O'Brien for MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), Ivan Jandl for THE SEARCH (1948) and the Jon Whiteley-Vincent Winter team in the recently-viewed THE KIDNAPPERS (1953)! Anyway, this is among the better regarded (getting a ***1/2 rating from Leonard Maltin!) and more prestigious of the Walt Disney live-action productions (based a much-filmed children's literary classic – including an anime series from the mid-1980s I recall being shown on Italian TV in my childhood days! – and featuring a splendid cast) and obviously made an international star of Sir John Mills' elder 14-year old daughter (who had already impressed audiences opposite her father in the acclaimed British thriller TIGER BAY {1959}). The expected double dollops of Disney mawkishness and corny Americana are here, to be sure, but thankfully kept largely at bay by first-time writer/director Swift (whose own career was pretty short-lived!) for the overly generous 134-minute duration: there is only one brief song interlude (sung by Mills, of course) and a lengthier dance number at an all-important bazaar sequence. The film has been issued as a 2-Disc "Vault Edition" DVD, but I only acquired the main feature from ulterior sources.All that remains for me now is to talk about the stellar cast: Mills herself (a very pleasing and natural performance as the titular orphan girl who literally enlivens the fabric of the morose town she visits), Jane Wyman (her embittered matriarchal aunt), Richard Egan (the rebellious doctor and prodigal son of the community who is in love with the latter), Karl Malden (the hellfire-and-brimstone preacher who eventually softens his Bible-thumping grip on the townspeople), Nancy Olson (Wyman's liberal maid and Pollyanna's confidante), Adolphe Menjou (his last film role, as the proverbial hermetical town ogre with a heart of gold), Agnes Moorehead (an inveterate hypochondriac and the feminine counterpart of the latter), Donald Crisp (Egan's uncle and the ineffectual mayor), Kevin Corcoran (a freespirited orphan who befriends Pollyanna and is ultimately adopted by Menjou), Edward Platt (the typical henpecked husband who gradually finds his spine) and Ian Wolfe (an elderly citizen).It is worth noting that, apart from setting off Mills on a brief run of Disney movies – THE PARENT TRAP (1961; a dual role), IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS (1962; one of the studio's best efforts), SUMMER MAGIC (1963), THE MOON SPINNERS (1964) and THAT DARN CAT! (1965) – it also meant a follow-up for Corcoran to TOBY TYLER (1960; his most notable 'vehicle' among a handful of other Disney films). Apart from several members of the cast being themselves past Oscar winners (Wyman, Malden and Crisp) and nominees (Olson, Menjou and Moorehead), most also ended up doing stints in long-running TV series: Mills in THE FLAME TREES OF THIKA (1981), Wyman in FALCON CREST (1981-90), Egan in CAPITOL (1983-87), Malden in THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO (1972-77), Moorehead in BEWITCHED (1964-72), etc.

i can't say enough great things about this wonderful Disney vehicle that launched Hayley mills career in the sixties. based on the book of the same name, it stars mills as the effervescent Pollyanna as she brings joy and happiness to a small town ruled by her seemingly cold and indifferent aunt played by jane Wyman. with a-list stars such as Richard Egan, Karl malden, Nancy Olsen, Agnes moorehead and countless others, it's an excellently written and direct film from start to finish. while the film runs well over the two hour mark, one doesn't notice as it is well-paced. when the film was released, many male viewing audiences were not interested as they felt the story line was geared more towards women and young girls. there is a lot to like here as the films touches on the many different lives of the towns habitants and how Pollyanna changed them through her charm and presence. she is not one to be deterred or stopped in her tracks by someone who is a grouchy hermit such as Mr. pendergas or Agnes moorehead's character who is chronically ill and forever in her nightgown and bed. somehow, Pollyanna is able to add some sunshine and life into their dreary existence. i especially enjoyed the scenes where the town has a carnival and everyone participates and for once without the rule of aunt Polly, begin to experience the joy and happiness of the good things in life. over-all i suggest everyone see this film at least once. you won't regret it.

Meredith Wilson's "The Music Man" is really "Pollyanna" with tunes. Professor Hill comes into a small town and changes the lives of the inhabitants for the better in much the same way as Pollyanna herself does.His preference for the "Sadder but wiser girl" would have been satisfied by Miss Nancy Olson and you can easily imagine the townswomen doing "Pick a little-talk a little". About the time this movie was released, Mr Robert Preston was scoring a personal triumph in Wilson's show.By the same token,"Pollyanna" is a personal triumph for Miss Hayley Mills,as much a surprise choice for the part as Vivien Leigh had been for Scarlett O'Hara a generation earlier. Veteran Mr Adolphe Menjou runs her close with a performance that is the sum of everything he had learned in his distinguished career.I found it very moving,a last hurrah worthy of a fine,sensitive actor. "Pollyanna" is not a children's movie,it is however a movie about children told with an innocent eye. Whilst Hayley Mills went on to have a long and successful career - indeed she is still appearing on TV in 2009 - malign fate had a far different destiny waiting for another little girl of her age who was an extra in the movie. The tragic Stephanie Lynn Gorman who can be seen to Hayley's right on the bandstand when she sings "America the beautiful",was raped and murdered at her home in L.A.aged 15.Her killer has never been caught. God rest her soul.

"Pollyanna" is one of the best films I have seen lately. As in "The Parent Trap," Hayley Mills does an amazing job with her appealing role, for which she won a special Academy Award. Mills plays Pollyanna, an orphan child who comes to a small town to live with her Aunt Polly and ends up reforming and changing the lives of the people of the town. It may sound predictable, and to a point it is, but it is the way in which the story is presented that makes it so good. So many of the scenes in this film are so well done, including Pollyanna bringing joy to a crabby old woman dying in bed, causing the local reverend (Karl Malden) to look for the good in people, and changing the attitudes of the servants in her own household. Consider who these people are at the beginning of the film and who they are by the end and you're bound to find this movie very moving. I admit that I was worried about how this film would end. It looked like it was going to be depressing after all we had been hoping for. Nevertheless, the ending scene is one of the most brilliant I have ever seen, and without giving it away, I have to warn you that it will touch you and bring tears to your eyes no matter who you are. What a great film that touches and inspires. One of Disney's all-time best live action movies.***1/2 out of ****