lasttimeisaw A Disney's vintage live action mounted with magnificent Technicolor treatment, running more than 2 hours, POLLYANNA is a life-affirming fairytale directed by old-hand writer David Swift as his feature debut, while accidental tragedy sweeps under its carpet.A young girl named Pollyanna (Mills), who has lost her parents and is adopted by her aunt Polly (Wyman) in Harrington's Town, where she is not just a prim wealthy matriarch, but also the mighty decision-maker of the whole town, yes, she is the sole heiress of Harrington family. So up from the mayor Karl (Crisp), the minister Paul Ford (Malden), down to her house staff, assistant Nancy (Olson), cook Tillie (Shaw) and maid Angelica (Canfield), everyone is either intimidated by her supremacy or surrendered to the vested interest involved.Therefore, Pollyanna's arrival is destined to break the unhealthy equilibrium and bring her ingenuously sanguine school of thought into the town by winning over everyone! It will hardly work in an authentically cynical world, but thankfully it is in Disneyland, the stranger- shunning recluse Mr. Pendergast (Menjou in his final silver screen presence) is actually a Mr. Nice Guy, and the cantankerous bed-ridden Mrs. Snow (Moorehead, shines in her scene-stealing bellyaching) is no more than a big baby just needs a little bit of motivation. Even Reverend Ford can be generously granted a thorough catharsis through Pollyanna's seemingly unintentional chit-chat. The point is in Harrington's Town, there is no evil, even for Aunt Polly, she is never malevolent, in fact she is just shackled by her self-appointed lofty duty to act as a role model for the townsfolk, as discreetly as possible. Her strong intention to maintain the ancient orphanage is more for the building's legacy other than her own sake, albeit a better solution is to build a new one. So, things can have been tread lightheartedly until DP Russell Harlan's ominous overlooking shots raise no less fear for agoraphobic than Hitchcock's VERTIGO (1958, 8/10), also amps up the suspense is Paul J. Smith's ferociously taut accompanying score which in most of time is as jolly as a bumblebee in the spring. For those who haven't read the novel from Eleanor H. Porter (me included), it is a shocking twist, and in one second, we may even believe we will lose her forever, only if it was true, the film would be worshiped for its groundbreaking bravura and gutsy dare to defy Disney's family-friendly quintessence. Although it turns out to be a bluff, the movie is excellent in at least tricking me into believe it even for a split second. Hayley Mills won a Juvenile Award in the Oscars, which in my opinion, the Academy should keep it aside from the usual acting branch (in that case we could have avoided the glaring category fraud cases such as Hailee Seinfeld and Tatum O'Neal), Mills is quite distinctive from other cherubic child sensations, she is neither a pretty doll nor a resplendent princess, she is plainly approachable, Mills illuminates the screen with her refined line-delivery and urgent sincerity without ever over-acting or dumbing down to memories by rote. Jane Wyman also establishes a powerhouse omnipresence in her absolute wheelhouse, never flaunts in the abysmally ambiguous "villain" categorization where she is, her aunt Polly is a victim of overpriced dignity, she enriches her with every bit of nuance which may not in the script. Most supporting characters are cartoon-ish, Richard Egan is quite a dull as Dr. Chilton and Nancy Olson is unprecedentedly harsh at the beginning, but Karl Malden's hectoring Sunday sermon is very amazing to watch and not to go deep into religion, people are either too devout or put-upon to hear it for three years, still is not long enough to brainwash their simpleton minds.

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.

zinc-5 If you have not yet seen this classic Disney movie, do yourself a huge favour and see it immediately. It will remind you of exactly how much can be achieved in 2 hours, where every aspect of good movie-making is carefully crafted into a beautiful whole. Hayley Mills is the obvious standout and her line delivery, facial expressions, and interactions with others are simply exquisite. She embodies the innocence and clarity of youth, while also demonstrating a wicked and vibrant spirit, and a profound sense of wonder at the world around her. The film actually demonstrates how much *can* be achieved in terms of engaging the viewer in the limited time-frame this medium permits. Highly recommended!

kenjha Pollyanna comes to live with her aunt, who practically owns the town because of her immense wealth, and spreads good cheer everywhere she goes. Pleasant Disney entry is good entertainment for the family. Mills is cute in the title role and she is surrounded by a fine cast of familiar faces, including Wyman as the domineering aunt, Egan as an earnest doctor, Malden as a fiery preacher, Olson as love-sick maid, Menjou as a disgruntled old man, and Moorehead as a cantankerous old woman. The change in tone towards the end is somewhat jarring and it becomes overly sentimental, but for the most part it is quite enjoyable.