Polly (1989) (TV)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Debbie Allen

Writers:

William Blinn (adaptation)
Eleanor H. Porter (novel)

Release Date:

12 November 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Musical

Plot:

An musical adaptation of the book "Pollyanna" set in the 1950's in which an orphan tries to use gladness to unite the people in a small southern town |

Plot Keywords:

Orphan | Remake | Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Keshia Knight Pulliam	...	Polly
Phylicia Rashad	...	Aunt Polly
Dorian Harewood	...	Doctor Shannon
Barbara Montgomery	...	Mrs. Conley
T.K. Carter	...	George
Vanessa Bell Calloway	...	Nancy
Brandon Quintin Adams	...	Jimmy Bean
Ken Page
Larry Riley	...	Reverend Gillis
Butterfly McQueen	...	Miss Priss
Brock Peters	...	Mr. Pendergast
Celeste Holm	...	Miss Snow
George Anthony Bell	...	Mr. Tarbell
Tom McGreevey	...	Doctor (as Thomas McGreevey)
Michael Peters	...	Mr. Thurm

Runtime:

Netherlands:100 min | USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Television

Trivia:

The last performance of Butterfly McQueen.

Movie Connections:

Version of "Pollyanna" (1973)

Glad for Polly!

I have to say that Polly has always been one of my favorite movies. When I was a kid my mom and dad used to sit down with us (my sister and I) and we'd watch the Wonderful World of Disney together. We'd tape the movies, pop some popcorn, and open up a can of Dr. Pepper for a treat that happened every weekend. One day, we saw the preview for the movie Polly, about a girl (Keisha Knight-Pulliam) who goes to live in Harrington, South Carolina with her aunt (Phylicia Rashad) in the middle of the civil rights movement. During her stay in Harrington, Polly (played with grace by Pulliam) discovers friendship, fun, and gladness while breaking down racial barriers within the small town.

I first saw Polly at age three and it continues to be one of my favorite films. I have watched it at least once a year for every year I have been alive since then. I will never grow tired of Polly because it teaches everyone such valuable lessons about friendship and love. It has been sixteen years since Polly aired and my sisters and I are still singing (and dancing) her praises. Every time we hear the song "Stand Up," "Sweet Little Angel Eyes," "Rainbow, Color Me," or "Ain't Got Nothing' on You" we have to get up and dance! I swear we must have rewound the scenes where they play these songs about 100 times each just to dance again.

I love this movie! The acting in this movie is phenomenal and the dancing is some of the best I have ever seen! Kudos to all of the cast and crew of this movie! It is most definitely a "glad text!" If anyone knows where I can get a DVD of this movie please tell me as our home videos of it are getting grungy from overuse!