The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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Pollyanna
Comedy · Drama · Family · 1960
A young girl comes to an embittered town and confronts its attitude with her determination to see the best in life.
Movie details
Pollyanna
1960 Comedy · Drama · Family 2h 14m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.0 / 10
Community rating
A young girl comes to an embittered town and confronts its attitude with her determination to see the best in life.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Pollyanna?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Where it lives
Watch in your region.
Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.
Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
David Swift
Written by
David Swift
Hayley Mills
Pollyanna
Jane Wyman
Aunt Polly
Richard Egan
Dr. Edmond Chilton
Karl Malden
Reverend Paul Ford
Nancy Olson
Nancy Furman
Adolphe Menjou
Mr. Pendergast
Donald Crisp
Mayor Karl Warren
Court is in session
Put Pollyanna on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.