In 1919, "Anne of Green Gables" was produced into a silent film by Realart Pictures, Incorporated (Paramount Pictures Corporation). This was an American production. Today, not a single copy of these six reels of black and white film is known to exist.

Directed by William Desmond Taylor, the film starred Mary Miles Minter as Anne Shirley. When film star Mary Pickford left Paramount in 1918, she suggested Mary Miles Minter as her replacement at the studio. Minter was a logical choice, since by this point she held a large box office draw and was acclaimed for her performances. She was offered a Paramount contract, and the first picture made under it was Anne of Green Gables.²

Filming of the movie occurred in Dedham Massachusetts in August through October 1919.³ This film is often noted as the best of Minter's career. It received critical acclaim worldwide and was her own personal favorite.² When asked what her favorite role was she said, "'Anne of Green Gables.' I loved Anne. Played it when I was 17 and have never forgotten it. I write sometimes for magazines and when I do I always use the name Anne and sometimes Anne Shirley, the heroine of Green Gables."³ In a 1921 interview, the interviewer noted that Minter "also likes humor mixed with sentiment, as, for instance, "Anne of Green Gables," which she herself suggested for the screen."³

Mystery and Current Film Status:
In 1922, William Desmond Taylor was found shot to death, in a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. In the course of the investigations, it was brought to light early on that Minter was involved with Taylor. This caused a great scandal because of the age difference between Minter and Taylor, especially because her movie roles had accentuated her innocence, purity and youth. Sadly, in spite of the fact that her name was clear in the case, the aftermath of the scandals and allegations plagued her.² During this aftermath, many of Minter's films were destroyed, including Anne of Green Gables. Unfortunately, today this film is presumed "lost."

Recently, two lithograph posters for the film were discovered in Michigan, hidden under a carpet. They were donated to the National Library of Canada (shown to the left). Perhaps that leaves some hope that the film too may be rediscovered some time in the future.

Photos and Imagery from Anne of Green Gables (1919):
I've made a gallery for stills and photos of Anne of Green Gables (1919), as well as a gallery of photos and images of Mary Miles Minter.


Plot Summary and Notes from the American Film Institute Website ⁴:
"Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert adopt a lively child named Anne Shirley to live with them on their farm, Green Gables. Although Anne's whimsical nature is at first misunderstood by her unimaginative foster mother, the two come to love each other. Anne's antagonists are Mrs. Pie, the village gossip, and her malicious daughter Josie. Anne is involved in many mischievous adventures as a girl, but after her graduation, she becomes the village schoolmistress and saves her meager earnings for an operation that will restore her mother's failing sight. One of her pupils, Anthony Pie, claims that Anne beat him cruelly and broke his arm. Reverend Figtree, however, reveals to the angry townspeople that he saw Anthony break his arm when he fell from a haywagon. Exonerated, Anne marries her sweetheart, Gilbert Blythe."

"The film was also based on Montgomery's other "Anne" novels: Anne of Avonlea, 1909; Chronicles of Avonlea, 1912; and Anne of the Island, 1915. Exterior scenes were filmed in Dedham, MA. Many contemporary sources list George Stewart as having played the role of Gilbert Blythe, but photographs from the production support those sources that credit Kelly with the role. RKO remade the film in 1934 with Anne Shirley in the lead and George Nicholls, Jr. directing, and used the Montgomery novels again in 1940 for Anne of Windy Poplars, directed by Jack Hively and again starring Shirley."


Reviews:
Upon its release in November of 1919, "Anne of Green Gables" received many positive reviews.

The Exhibitor's Trade Review noted "It should be hailed as a bit of fresh and charming entertainment and serve as pleasant relief from the tense tone and mood of the highly melodramatic feature pictures of the current market. Miss Minter is, of course, the whole show..." ³

Moving Picture World commented that the film was "A simple, clean story which is just what it claims to be, the merit of "Anne of Green Gables" is the fidelity with which it brings out the better side of humanity and enables its lovable heroine to enlarge greatly her circle of great admirers."³

Motion Picture News noted that "To those who like the "Anne" series of stories by L. M. Montgomery, and their names must be legion as these stories enjoyed a wide vogue, this picture should suitably entertain."³

"Anne of Green Gables November 14, 1919 VARIETY This is the first picture made by Mary Miles Minter for Realart. William Desmond Taylor directed, Frances Marion devised the scenario. The whole thing is based on the book of the same name by L. M. Montgomery. All these authors, so far as the film making is concerned, labored with great difficulties and came out on the whole successfully. The trouble with the picture is that it is not drama. It is a narrative, a biography, and how to work some suspense into it must have kept Taylor up nights. While he does not get suspense, he does get sympathy. The thing drags admittedly, but there's a wholesome charm to it...Miss Minter is called on merely to be a sweet young thing. Certainly she revealed nothing approaching the Pickford standard, though some have declared she was being prepared to supplant that lady."

"November 22, 1919 HARRISON'S REPORTS ..."Anne of Green Gables" is one of the cleanest, sweetest, most human pictures the screen can boast of. It is the personification of all that is pure and tender in life. It is one of those pictures that sink deep. Laughs and tears mingle in the situations, making the spectator sympathise intensely with the joys and sorrows, hopes, despairs, pleasures and afflications of the characters..."³

"February 1920 Julian Johnson PHOTOPLAY Mary Miles Minter is a bit of established popularity. So are L. M. Montgomery's "Anne" books. The combination, ergo, was a well-advised one for the young star's debut on a new programme. The same advised selection proceeded in the selection of Francis Marion as the person who could best weld four tales into one string for the celluloids. The result is no drama to speak of, but a more or less biographic account of a little orphan girl who was alternately pathetic and funny; and later, alternately fiercely tragic and meltingly lovely. The high spots of the picture to me were Anne's black-and- white chicken, the feeding of imprisoned Anne by the little boy, Anne's innocent encounter with the mephitic polecat while hunting the picnic, and-- later--adolescent Anne's tribulations as the disciplinarian of the village school. William D. Taylor's direction of the picture is pleasantly adequate without being in any way original, and the best work of the long cast is done by Marcia Harris, as Aunt Marilla."³

"February 1920 Frederick James Smith MOTION PICTURE CLASSIC Mary Miles Minter's "Anne of Green Gables," (Realart), belongs to the sugar-coated Pollyanna school of realistic literature. Miss Minter portrays a young orphan who, adopted by an aged couple, softens their hearts and eventually wins her own happiness. Miss Minter is a pleasant little person, but of limited technical equipment. Hence "Anne of Green Gables," centered wholly upon her, moves along a monotonous level of conventionality."³

"June 1920 Hazel Simpson Naylor MOTION PICTURE I have read so many adverse criticisms of this picture that I cannot resist putting in my little oar and pulling the other way. Orphan stories have perhaps had an overrun and so I can see where the first of this might have benefited by a careful cutting down. But to my mind the last two reels, where Anne grows up and carries the whole burden of the household on her slender shoulders, makes the whole worthwhile sitting through. Mary Miles Minter is lovely in this episode, which augurs well for her brilliant future. She should, however, be careful to avoid any suggestion of affection in her portrayals; her very sincerity, for Miss Minter is a very sincere little girl, may have brought up this difficulty."³


Credits from IMDB:
Director - William Desmond Taylor

Writing credits:
Frances Marion
Lucy Maud Montgomery (novel)

Cast:
Mary Miles Minter - Anne Shirley
Paul Kelly - Gilbert Blythe
Marcia Harris - Marilla Cuthbert
Frederick Burton - Matthew Cuthbert
F.T. Chailee - Abednego Pie
Leila Romer - Mrs. Pie
Lincoln Stedman - Jumbo Pie
Hazel Sexton - Josie Pie
Russell Hewitt - Anthony Pie
Albert Hackett - Robert
Laurie Lovelle - Diana Barry
Carolyn Lee - Mrs. Barry
Jack B. Hollis - Reverend Figtree
George Stewart
Beatrice Allen - Bit Part (uncredited)
Harry Bartlett - Bit Part (uncredited)
Mary Hall - Bit Part (uncredited)

Useful External Links (will open in new windows):
Internet Movie Database - full cast and crew for the film
Silent Majority Website - photograph of Minter with co-stars, Paul Kelly and Albert Hackett, from her personal collection
Mary-Miles-Minter.com
Websites and groups devoted to Mary Miles Minter may be found at Mary-Miles-Minter.com, Silent Ladies and Gents, and Faithfully Yours: Mary Miles Minter.
For more on William Desmond Taylor, see Taylorology, a publication centering on his unsolved murder. A review from the New York Times
Bala's Museum - recreates a photoplay of the film using the score and photographs.

References:
¹ Bennett, Carl. The Silent Era. (2000). http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/A/AnneOfGreenGables1919.html (accessed 2001, 2010).
² Klepper, Robert K. "Mary Miles Minter: Beauty Wronged." Classic Images. http://www.classicimages.com/1997/july97/minter.html (1999).
³ Long, Bruce. Taylorology. Issues 24, 32, 37, 76, 79. http://www.silent-movies.com/Taylorology/ (2000).
⁴ AFI Catalog of Silent Films.
http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=1&Movie=17310 (accessed 2007)

Created 03.03.02, Last Updated 03.13.10
© An L.M. Montgomery Resource Page and TickledOrange.com