Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning
Encyclopedia
Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning is the fourth film in the Anne of Green Gables film series. It was released as a television film in 2008 on CTV
. Before the broadcast, CTV had recently acquired the rights to the entire Anne catalogue including the 1985 miniseries.
The film stars 14-year-old Hannah Endicott-Douglas as the child and Barbara Hershey
as the adult Anne Shirley
. Shirley MacLaine
plays matriarch Amelia Thomas in the film. Kevin Sullivan wrote a completely new screenplay for the three-hour movie based on Montgomery's characters (serving as a prequel to his early 3 miniseries movies broadcast originally on CBC) and not directly from her books. The story follows Anne's life before she arrives at Green Gables.
The impact of this difficult period has a far-reaching effect on this older woman, once she discovers the truth about her real parents. She begins a delicate search for her birth father. It is a journey through a past fraught with danger, uncertainty, heartache and joy. In the parade of humanity Anne encounters she also faces the root of her desire to find true "kindred spirits", an inspired imagination and the impetus to use her talents as a writer to inspire others.
, Ontario
area, using existing houses, streetscapes and natural environments. Period mansions were used as the backdrop for the Thomas residences, and an historic Quaker Boys School converted into the Bolingbroke Poorhouse for the film.
When they could not film on location, the production crew and special effects team employed the technology of the Green Screen and CGI
to digitally create the background, or specific details that location filming could not produce.
Of the major cast members from the original trilogy of films, only Patricia Hamilton
reprises her original character in the fourth film.
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
. Before the broadcast, CTV had recently acquired the rights to the entire Anne catalogue including the 1985 miniseries.
The film stars 14-year-old Hannah Endicott-Douglas as the child and Barbara Hershey
Barbara Hershey
Barbara Hershey , also known as Barbara Seagull, is an American actress. In a career spanning nearly 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema, in several genres including westerns and comedies...
as the adult Anne Shirley
Anne Shirley
Anne Shirley is a fictional character introduced in the 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Montgomery wrote in her journal that the idea for Anne's story came from relatives who, planning to adopt an orphaned boy, received a girl instead...
. Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
plays matriarch Amelia Thomas in the film. Kevin Sullivan wrote a completely new screenplay for the three-hour movie based on Montgomery's characters (serving as a prequel to his early 3 miniseries movies broadcast originally on CBC) and not directly from her books. The story follows Anne's life before she arrives at Green Gables.
Synopsis
Anne, now a middle-aged woman, is troubled by recent events in her life. Her husband, Gilbert, has been killed overseas as a medical doctor during World War II. (This did not happen in the books.) Her two daughters are preoccupied with their own young families and her adopted son Dominic (a character not featured in the books but invented for The Continuing Story) has yet to return from the war. When a long-hidden secret is discovered under the floorboards at Green Gables, Anne retreats into her memories to relive her troubled early years prior to arriving as an orphan at Green Gables and being adopted by the Cuthberts.The impact of this difficult period has a far-reaching effect on this older woman, once she discovers the truth about her real parents. She begins a delicate search for her birth father. It is a journey through a past fraught with danger, uncertainty, heartache and joy. In the parade of humanity Anne encounters she also faces the root of her desire to find true "kindred spirits", an inspired imagination and the impetus to use her talents as a writer to inspire others.
Release
The telefilm premiered on Sunday December 14, 2008 on CTV and it was also broadcast in High Definition. The telefilm has a running time of 138 minutes.Cast
- Shirley MacLaineShirley MacLaineShirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
- Amelia Thomas - Rachel BlanchardRachel BlanchardRachel Elise Blanchard is a Canadian actress.-Early life:Blanchard was born in Toronto, Ontario, and graduated from Havergal College in Toronto, going on to Queen's University.-Career:...
- Louisa Thomas - Barbara HersheyBarbara HersheyBarbara Hershey , also known as Barbara Seagull, is an American actress. In a career spanning nearly 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema, in several genres including westerns and comedies...
- Older Anne Shirley - Hannah Endicott-Douglas - Younger Anne Shirley
- Ben Carlson - Walter Shirley
- Natalie RadfordNatalie RadfordNatalie Radford is a Canadian actress. She has acted in various television shows and movies, including Darcy's Wild Life and Jewel.- Television :* Murdoch Mysteries - Daisy Hanson...
- Bertha Shirley - Ron LeaRon LeaRon Lea is a Canadian actor.Lea was born in Montreal and attended Concordia University before moving on to take acting training at the National Theatre School. His career took off after appearing in various local theatre productions. Lea can be seen in many movies on television, but may be most...
- Gene Armstrong - Kyra Harper - Nellie Parkhurst
- Joan Gregson - Hepzibah
- Vivien Endicott-DouglasVivien Endicott-DouglasVivien Endicott-Douglas is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Marnie in the television series Shoebox Zoo. Her works include films such Finn on the Fly and the made-for-TV movie Fox, based on the story of Canadian hero Terry Fox...
- Violetta Thomas - Patricia HamiltonPatricia HamiltonPatricia Hamilton is a Canadian actress, perhaps best known as "Rachel Lynde" in Anne of Green Gables, its sequels: Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel, Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story, and Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning and several Anne of Green Gables related films...
- Rachel Lynde
Production notes
All of the movie’s actual location photography was shot in various places around the TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
area, using existing houses, streetscapes and natural environments. Period mansions were used as the backdrop for the Thomas residences, and an historic Quaker Boys School converted into the Bolingbroke Poorhouse for the film.
When they could not film on location, the production crew and special effects team employed the technology of the Green Screen and CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
to digitally create the background, or specific details that location filming could not produce.
Of the major cast members from the original trilogy of films, only Patricia Hamilton
Patricia Hamilton
Patricia Hamilton is a Canadian actress, perhaps best known as "Rachel Lynde" in Anne of Green Gables, its sequels: Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel, Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story, and Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning and several Anne of Green Gables related films...
reprises her original character in the fourth film.
External links
- Official page on the Sullivan Anne of Green Gables trilogy and prequel
- The L.M. Montgomery Research Group This scholarly site includes a blog, a bibliography of reference materials, and a complete filmography of all adaptations of Montgomery texts. See, in particular, the page for Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning.