<P> Anne of Green Gables is a 1985 Canadian television mini-series drama film based on the novel of the same name by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, and is the first in a series of four films . The film starred Megan Follows and was produced and directed by Kevin Sullivan for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . It was released theatrically in Iran, Israel, Europe, and Japan . </P> <P> The film aired on CBC Television as a two - part miniseries on December 1, 1985 . Both parts of the film were among the highest - rated programs of any genre ever to air on a Canadian television network . On February 17, 1986, the film aired on PBS in the United States on the series WonderWorks . </P> <P> 13 - year - old orphan Anne Shirley is living in servitude with the cruel Hammond family in Nova Scotia . However, when Mr. Hammond dies, Anne is sent to an orphanage where she eventually receives the wonderful news that she has been adopted by a couple on Prince Edward Island (P.E.I). Upon arriving in P.E.I, Anne is met at the train station by the elderly Matthew Cuthbert who is surprised to find a girl there instead of a boy . </P> <P> Matthew and his sister Marilla had requested a boy to help them with the farm chores . He decides that he couldn't very well just leave the girl at the train station . Matthew takes Anne to meet Marilla and on the buggy ride home becomes completely smitten with the red - haired orphan girl . </P>

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