Overview
A young girl's optimism brings light to a town shrouded in darkness and feuds.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- uplifting
- warm
- nostalgic
- family movie night
- nostalgic viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an entertaining and enduringly popular family adaptation carried by Hayley Mills’s charismatic performance and its optimistic appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Pollyanna spreads the Glad Game through Harrington, helping feud-bound and dispirited townspeople rediscover generosity and connection.
Aunt Polly’s legalistic influence over Harrington is countered by Pollyanna’s openhearted independence and relationships with local residents.
The narrative unfolds in Harrington, Vermont, where family power, church life, local feuds, and neighborly relationships shape the community.
Pollyanna’s buoyant personality and insistence on finding good in hardship oppose the town’s joyless adult authority figures.
Films like Pollyanna, and why
The Secret Garden
family-oriented period drama centered on an optimistic child transforming a rigid community
Heidi
warm coming-of-age family film featuring a child protagonist, small-town community, and emotional renewal
Anne of Green Gables
uplifting children's drama about kindness, friendship, and changing a troubled community
Movie Details
- Director
- David Swift
- Release Date
- 1960-05-19
- Runtime
- 134 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (219)
Cast
- Hayley Mills
- Jane Wyman
- Richard Egan
- Karl Malden
- Nancy Olson
- Adolphe Menjou
- Donald Crisp
- Agnes Moorehead
- Kevin Corcoran
- James Drury
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Pollyanna about?
- An irrepressibly optimistic orphan brings warmth, reconciliation, and renewed purpose to a feud-ridden Vermont town ruled by her stern aunt.
- What is Pollyanna like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pollyanna as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Pollyanna violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Pollyanna.
- What did critics think of Pollyanna?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an entertaining and enduringly popular family adaptation carried by Hayley Mills’s charismatic performance and its optimistic appeal.
- Which films are like Pollyanna?
- Films with a similar feel include The Secret Garden, Heidi, and Anne of Green Gables.
- How long is Pollyanna?
- Pollyanna runs 134 minutes.
- Where can I watch Pollyanna?
- In United States, Pollyanna streams on Disney Plus.
