In 1940, RKO Pictures released Anne of Windy Poplars as a sequel to their 1934 film Anne of Green Gables. The film was based on L.M. Montgomery’s novel Anne of Windy Poplars. The actress Anne Shirley returned to star as Anne Shirley. The film also featured James Ellison as Tony Pringle, Henry Travers (famous for playing Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life) as Matey, Patric Knowles as Gilbert Blythe, Marcia Mae Jones as Jen Pringle, and Joan Carroll as Betty Grayson.
The story in Anne of Windy Poplars begins when Anne takes a job as vice-principal of a school in Pringleton. She struggles to find a place to stay when all the Pringles refuse to board her. Luckily, Anne winds up living at a beautiful home called Windy Poplars with Kate and her brother Matey. Anne befriends Betty Grayson, a young orphan who lives next door with her aunt. At school, Anne faces troubles as the Pringle family plots to remove her from her position. Moreover, Anne’s pupil Jen Pringle tries to turn Anne’s students against her.
This black and white film is 86 minutes long. It was produced by Cliff Reid. Jack Hively directed the Anne of Windy Poplars, and Jerome Cady and Michael Kanin wrote the screenplay. In the United Kingdom, the movie was distributed under the title Anne of Windy Willows.
Image credit:
Photograph of Marcia Mae Jones and Anne Shirley as Jen Pringle and Anne Shirley in Anne of Windy Poplars (1940), RKO Pictures.
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Created May 22, 2002. Last updated May 25, 2022.
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