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.
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. Anne of Green Gables - 1985 - 2 Parts
For millions of fans around the world, the name “Anne Shirley” conjures a very specific image: a young girl with a red braid, a faded straw hat with a black velvet ribbon, wide grey-green eyes, and a mouth that never seems to stop moving. That image belongs almost exclusively to Canadian actress Megan Follows, who brought Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved redhead to life in the 1985 television miniseries, Anne of Green Gables.
Split into two distinct parts, this Kevin Sullivan production was not just a television event; it was a cultural phenomenon. Over three decades later, it remains the gold standard for literary adaptations. In an age of CGI spectacle and rapid-fire editing, the gentle, pastoral beauty of the 1985 Anne of Green Gables—with its lush Prince Edward Island scenery, its aching emotional honesty, and its perfect casting—has only grown more precious.
Here is a deep dive into the history, the narrative structure, the casting genius, and the enduring legacy of Anne of Green Gables (1985 - 2 Parts). What elevates this adaptation to immortality is its casting
| Actor | Role | Significance | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Megan Follows | Anne Shirley | Follows delivers a breakout performance, balancing Anne’s loquaciousness, temper, romanticism, and depth. She remains the benchmark for the character. | | Colleen Dewhurst | Marilla Cuthbert | Dewhurst brings a stern yet deeply moving interior warmth. Her transformation from rigid spinster to loving mother figure is the emotional anchor of the series. | | Richard Farnsworth | Matthew Cuthbert | Farnsworth’s shy, gentle portrayal is heartbreakingly authentic. His late-career performance earned him a CableACE Award nomination. | | Jonathan Crombie | Gilbert Blythe | Crombie makes Gilbert charming, mischievous, and genuinely honorable. His chemistry with Follows defines the “carrots” to reconciliation arc perfectly. | | Schuyler Grant | Diana Barry | A faithful and warm interpretation of Anne’s “bosom friend.” | | Patricia Hamilton | Rachel Lynde | Perfectly cast as the nosy but good-hearted neighbor. |
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. | Actor | Role | Significance | |
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.
For millions around the world, the name “Anne Shirley” does not conjure the black-and-white typeface of L.M. Montgomery’s 1908 novel, but the fiery red braids, wide grey eyes, and boundless chatter of a Canadian television miniseries. Released in 1985 and split into two feature-length parts, Anne of Green Gables is more than a faithful adaptation—it is a cultural touchstone. Nearly forty years later, the sweeping score, the pastoral landscapes of Prince Edward Island, and the iconic performance of Megan Follows remain the benchmark by which all other versions are judged.
In today’s streaming environment, miniseries are common, but in 1985, the six-hour runtime was a bold statement. The two-part structure serves a narrative purpose that a single film or a modern 10-episode season sometimes misses: