Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Limerculer A waste of 90 minutes of my life

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

David Conrad A saccharine movie that is willing to turn all the screws in order to get an "awww" from the audience. The ending is a shameless attempt to tug heartstrings and offers no resolution. There are several entertaining scenes with a grumpy Agnes Moorehead, best known as the imperious mother from the TV show "Bewitched," and Adolphe Menjou is also entertaining as another local curmudgeon. The cynical attitudes of these characters provide welcome relief from all the rainbows and sunshine that Pollyanna force-feeds people. Karl Malden, better known for any number of classic films from "On the Waterfront" (1954) to "Patton" (1970), does a fine job in the role of the town priest.

michellelocke007 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.

Irie212 To really appreciate this film, imagine Shirley Temple as Pollyanna. Temple was extraordinarily talented, but her cherubic qualities guaranteed that her Rebecca (of Sunnybrook Farm) would be the cinematic equivalent of a Hallmark card. Rebecca and Pollyanna are similar characters in quite different plots (though both were orphans), but Hayley Mills never even tries to be adorable as Pollyanna. In fact, quite the opposite. She's a lanky adolescent with pigtails and knock-knees, and she never delivers a saccharine line or maudlin moment. In the course of the movie, she leads a variety of sour adults-- a recluse (Menjou), a crosspatch (Moorehead), a minister (Malden), a curmudgeon (Ian Wolfe), a maid (Mary Grace Canfield), and a spinster aunt (Wyman)-- toward a better humor. At no point is she a cheerleader; indeed, she mostly just asks them questions, showing interest in them, interest that they return, and her good humor gets them to reconsider their grim outlooks.It's simplistic, of course, and even ridiculous (the town seems to have more orphans than citizens). But that is where subtlety comes to the rescue, and craftsmanship. It's a well-made film, particularly in terms of art direction and costumes which were clearly designed with Technicolor in mind. The direction and photography are uninspired, but no great creativity was required because characters and story are the whole point, and the screenplay has elements sophisticated enough for any critic. The early anecdote about crutches foreshadow the climax in just the right way, for instance. Even better is a lovely metaphor about prisms, when Pollyanna enters the home of the recluse who has (don't ask) an endless quantity of lamp prisms in his cluttered mansion. Playing with the prisms, she charms Menjou and later Moorehead, and moviegoers, for whom the prisms are a colorful visual symbol of cheerier points of view. The real subtlety, though, is in the performances. Malden plays his fire-and-brimstone minister to the hilt, and Donald Crisp is a stoutly impassioned mayor. But most of Pollyanna's converts, particularly Wyman and Menjou, deliver quietly supportive, reflective performances. In spite of a story in which the adults are barely believable caricatures, this film was so solidly constructed and underplayed that the children's-book aspect is overwhelmed by the genuinely delightful message, and a marvelously realistic performance by Hayley Mills.

preppy-3 A little orphan named Pollyanna (Hayley Mills with her English accent intact) goes to live with her strict (but sweet) Aunt Polly (Jane Wyman). She's so nauseatingly sweet that all the mean old people in the town find warmth, love and happiness through her. Yuck! Even for Disney this is syrupy.This is a typical live action Disney film. Everybody talks in a G rated way, all the mean (but secretly nice) adults end up being sweet and kind and all the kids are ridiculously cute and "lovable". The story itself is just ridiculous--even for Disney. A little orphan spreading peace and love all around. Sheesh! The acting is pretty bad too. Talented actors like Wyman, Richard Egan and Karl Malden (as a priest!) can do little with the lousy dialogue. Mills is terrible also --but she was only 14 when she did this. Only Agnes Moorehead manages a performance. The film also moves VERY slow--it runs over 2 hours! Also the last 20 minutes are so unbelievably manipulative I actually felt like throwing something heavy at the TV! Too long, too sweet and too unbelievable. This gets a 2 for Moorehead alone.