Pollyanna Teaches Us there’s Always Something to be Glad About

I recently saw the Walt Disney classic Pollyanna for the first time and I have to say, it is truly a timeless classic that has not lost one ounce of its memorable, heart string-tugging spark through the years.

Pollyanna is a delightful, feel good movie about a young child who newly orphaned from her missionary parents, is sent to live with her Aunt Polly in Harrington Town. Though life looks promising for Pollyanna, she soon comes to realize her aunt’s obsession with local politics and insistence on modesty and propriety. The people of Harrington Town are not too much of a stone’s throw away from the people many of us have run into during our lives; they are bitter and exhausted with life, they are obsessed with the lives and affairs of others, they want more out of their lives but haven’t seen what is possible due to their personal cynicism and self doubt.

Pollyanna’s life in Harrington Town starts a little rocky with Aunt Polly’s inexperience with children and inability to welcome Pollyanna into her heart, but Pollyanna is not like most children, in fact, she proves to be an amazing asset both in Harrington Town as well as in the lives of the townspeople. No matter the situation, Pollyanna knows that there is always something about the situation to be glad about and her unique optimism proves to be contagious as it sweeps through the lives of the townspeople and changes them forever. When Pollyanna is involved in a serious accident, the people of Harrington Town realize what a true treasure this young child is and Aunt Polly realizes how much she loves her niece as well as how much people take for granted in every day life without even realizing it.

Pollyanna is truly a classic that will be adored by people of all ages. It will lift your spirits and make you realize that no matter what life hands to you, there is always something to be glad about.

The Pollyanna DVD has perfect picture and sound and is full of great bonus materials, including audio commentary with Hayley Mills who played the role of Pollyanna and was also the star in the Walt Disney movie The Parent Trap, as well as a Mickey Mouse theatrical animated short, Nifty Nineties shown before the feature presentation just as it was intended to be seen.