Anne Shirley (2025) s01e08 Episode Script

1
I decided that it was my
ambition to be a teacher.
That very day, Matthew fell
down clutching at his heart.
Though, to my great relief,
no lasting harm came of it.
And how has Matthew been since?
He had a bad spell, but he's
all right again now.
I'm glad to hear it.
The doctor says he must be
careful to avoid excitement.
That's easy enough, for Matthew doesn't go
about looking for excitement by any means.
That he doesn't.
But he's not to do any
very heavy work either
and you might as well tell Matthew
not to breathe as not to work.
And so you hired the boy?
Yes. His name's Jerry Buote.
We hired him to help with the heavy work.
That does sound helpful.
Marilla, where is today's paper?!
It's right there.
What has you in such a hurry?
The pass list for Queen's is out.
M-My name isn't on it!
And Gilbert came first?
No
I I don't believe it!
No!
That's enough, class.
It sounds as though one of
us is too hungry to go on.
Why don't we break for lunch?
Chapter 8
I Don't Want to Be
Anyone but Myself
Whatever did you doze off in class for?
It hardly sounds like you.
I had a dream that
I flunked the Entrance.
Oh, dear.
I can see you're wearing yourself out.
Miss Stacy.
The exams are not till next
summer, a long time off yet.
Your head will burst if you cram it
too full, and I wouldn't want that!
Remember, learning should be fun.
Yes, Miss Stacy.
It was a jolly, busy, happy
swift-flying winter.
Then came spring, and with
it my fifteenth year.
Here.
Th-Thank you.
Jerry's a great help.
He does whatever's needed.
Marilla, what's come over you?
I was thinking about Anne.
She's got to be such a big girl.
She has, hasn't she?
And she'll probably be
away from us next winter.
She'll be able to come home often.
The branch railroad will be
built to Carmody by that time.
I suppose so.
You don't chatter half
as much as you used to,
Anne, nor use half as many big words.
What has come over you?
I don't know—I don't
want to talk as much.
It's almost a pity, isn't it,
now that I'm really growing big enough
to say big words if I did want to.
It's fun to be almost
grown up in some ways,
but there's so much to learn and do and
think that there isn't time for big words.
Do you think you'll be able
to get through the Entrance?
I'm enjoying my studies.
But it haunts me.
Sometimes I wake up in the night and
wonder what I'll do if I don't pass.
If I don't get through, I will never recover
sufficiently to enjoy another spring.
Why, go to school next year and try again.
Oh, I don't believe
I'd have the heart for it.
It would be such a disgrace to
fail, especially if Gil—
if the others passed.
Weren't Miss Stacy's
farewell words wonderful?
There wasn't a dry eye in the school.
It does seem as if it was the end
of everything, doesn't it?
You oughtn't to feel
half as badly as I do.
You'll be back again next winter,
but I suppose I've left the
dear old school forever—
if I have good luck, that is.
It won't be a bit the same.
Miss Stacy won't be there,
nor you nor Jane nor Ruby probably.
Please Diana, don't cry.
You'll start me off again.
The Entrance is just next week now, isn't it?
Yes.
Miss Stacy said that when
we arrive in town,
we are to go out walking and not think about
the exams at all and go to bed early.
It's good advice, but I expect
it will be hard to follow.
I do wish I were going in with you.
You can't cram every night,
and you're sure to be homesick.
I'll write to you.
Oh yes, do!
I'll write Tuesday night and
tell you how the first day goes.
I'll be haunting the post
office Wednesday morning.
The post won't come as fast as that, Diana.
I guess it won't.
Whoa, there.
Pardon me! Do you have a letter
for me, by any chance?
Let me see.
Diana Diana Barry.
Here you are, miss.
Oh, thank you!
Dearest Diana,
here it is Tuesday night, and
I'm writing this in my boarding house room.
When we reached the Academy,
there were scores of students
there from all over the Island.
Jane and I sat together and Jane was
so composed that I envied her.
I wondered if I looked as I felt
and if they could hear my heart
thumping clear across the room.
My hands grew cold then and my
head fairly whirled around
as I picked the English
examination sheet.
Just one awful moment and then
everything cleared up in my mind,
for I knew I could do something
with that paper anyhow.
At noon, we went home for dinner and then
back again for history in the afternoon.
The history was a pretty hard paper.
Still, I think I did fairly well today.
How was it?
Passable, I guess.
Ruby was in hysterics when
I reached their boardinghouse;
she had just discovered a fearful mistake
she had made in her English paper.
When she recovered, we went
uptown and had an ice cream.
How we wished you had been with us.
Oh, Diana, if only the geometry
examination were over!
But there, the sun will go on rising and
setting whether I fail in geometry or not.
I think I'd rather it
didn't go on if I failed!
Yours devotedly, Anne.
You'd think they hadn't seen
each other in decades.
Anne!
Diana!
Anne!
You old darling!
It's perfectly splendid
to see you back again.
It seems like an age
since you went to town.
To me, too, Diana.
Oh, Anne! How did you get along?
Pretty well, I think, in
everything but the geometry.
How did the others do?
The girls say they know they didn't pass,
but I think they did pretty well.
But we don't really know anything about
it and won't until the pass list is out.
I can hardly wait.
Fancy living a fortnight in such suspense!
I wish I could go to sleep and
never wake up until it is over.
Oh, you'll pass all right. Don't worry.
I certainly hope so!
Oh, how good it is to be back!
Green Gables is the dearest,
loveliest spot in the world.
Well?
It's not here. It was supposed
to be out in a fortnight.
Say, who do you think
will pass the Entrance?
Anne and Gilbert are the
best Avonlea's got.
Want to bet on which of
them comes out on top?
You're on!
I'll take that bet, too.
Anyone can see that
Gilbert will place higher.
You've got that right.
I'm for Gilbert, too.
We can't all bet on Gilbert.
I'd rather not pass at all than not
come out pretty well up on the list!
Anne, wait!
I don't think the list is out yet. Anne! Wait!
Oh, it isn't?
Anne, wait!
Won't you eat something, Anne?
My appetite has failed after
three weeks with no news.
I don't care how high I pass now,
just so long as I do.
What if the others pass and I fail?
You'll beat the whole island.
Really, Matthew, that's
too much to hope for.
I know you will.
Diana!
Father brought the paper home from
Bright River not ten minutes ago!
It won't be here till tomorrow by mail!
Anne, you've passed!
Passed the very first!
You and Gilbert both—you're ties!
But your name is first.
Oh, I'm so proud!
You've all passed, every one of you.
Oh, good
You must tell Miss and Mr. Cuthbert.
Well done, Anne!
What an achievement!
You're a credit to your friends, Anne,
that's what, and we're all proud of you.
Thank you, Mrs. Lynde.
You've done pretty
well, I must say, Anne.
Yes, but I never dreamed I'd come fir—
Oh, Matthew!
I've passed, and I'm first!
Well now, I always said it!
Yes, and you were right!
A concert?
An invitation from the White Sands Hotel!
They want me to recite!
Oh, I never dreamed I would
get to perform at a concert!
They're bound to encore you.
I don't call it proper, a lot of
young folks gadding over to the hotel
without any responsible person with them.
But I can go, can't I, Marilla?!
Oh, very well.
Hold still, Anne!
Don't pull out a single
curl over your forehead.
I'm going to braid your hair in two
thick braids and tie them halfway up.
Shall I put my pearl beads on?
Matthew brought me a string from town.
Yes, but put on your
organdy, by all means!
If you say so.
Oh, Diana, I love this
little room so dearly.
I don't know how I'll get along without
it when I go to town next month.
Don't speak of your going away tonight.
I don't want to think of it,
it makes me so miserable, and I do want
to have a good time this evening.
And what happened then?
Do you really want to know?
Well, if you can credit it
Oh, dear. I don't know if I belong.
I smell country bumpkins.
Some rustic belle is going to recite
a poem. It should be such fun.
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen,
to the White Sands Hotel concert.
Wh-Whatever shall I do? I don't feel ready.
I wish I were in the audience with them.
Oh, if I were only back at Green Gables!
Oh, look! There's Mrs. Evans!
The professional elocutionist, you know.
The flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow dies;
All that we wish to stay
Tempts and then flies.
What is this world's delight?
Lightning that mocks the night,
Brief even as bright.
Virtue, how frail it is!
Friendship how rare!
I can never get up and recite after her!
Love, how it sells poor bliss
For proud despair!
But we, though soon they fall,
I want to go home to Green
Gables this instant!
Survive their joy, and all
Which ours we call.
Whilst skies are blue and bright,
Whilst flowers are gay,
Whilst eyes that change ere night
Make glad the day;
Whilst yet the calm hours creep,
Dream thou—and from thy sleep
Then wake to weep.
Next, Anne Shirley will
recite "The Maiden's Vow."
What can I do after that
magnificent recitation?
Perhaps I should flee, even if it
means an eternity of humiliation.
Josie Pye! Gilbert!
No! I will not run away!
Just you watch!
I've made a vow, I'll keep it true,
I'll never married be;
For the only ane that I think on
Will never think o' me.
Now gane to a far distant shore,
Their face nae mair I'll see;
But often will I think o' them,
That winna think o' me.
Gae owre, gae owre noo, gude Sir John,
Oh, dinna follow me;
For the only ane I ere thocht on,
Lies buried in the sea.
If you don't mind my asking
My dear, you did splendidly!
There, they're encoring you—
they're bound to have you back!
Oh, I can't go.
What? Turn down this honor?
But yet
They're bound to encore you.
I must, or Matthew will be disappointed.
Then don't disappoint Matthew.
I won't!
Be kind and tender to the Frog,
And do not call him names.
'Ribbity-eek'! 'Ahh-keep away'!
'Slimy-bumpy skin'! 'Croakity-blargh'!
The Frog is justly sensitive
To epithets like these.
No animal will more repay
A treatment kind and fair
You really were wonderful.
I've been crying like a
baby, actually I have.
Thank you very much.
Please, accept this for the
gift of such lovely poems.
O-Oh, I couldn't possibly!
Anne Shirley?
Mrs. Evans.
I could hear how deeply you
appreciate those poems,
and you have a charming voice.
Th-Thank you very much!
Hasn't it been a perfectly splendid time?
Anne, your recitation was simply great.
I think it was better than Mrs. Evans's.
Oh, no, don't say things like that, Jane.
It couldn't be better than Mrs. Evans's,
you know, for she is a professional,
and I'm only a schoolgirl,
with a little knack of reciting.
I'm quite satisfied if the people
just liked mine pretty well.
I've a compliment for you, Anne.
There was an American sitting behind Jane
and me. Well, we heard him say
Who is that girl on the platform
with the splendid Titian hair?
Josie Pye says he is a
distinguished artist.
But what does Titian hair mean?
We should have asked.
Being interpreted it means
plain red, I guess.
He did an awful lot of
sketches over supper,
so I got one for you.
I'm not nearly so pretty.
Oh, but you are.
It looks just like you.
Did you see all the diamonds
those ladies wore?
Wouldn't you just love to be rich, girls?
We are rich.
Are we? How?
Why, we have fifteen years to our
credit, and we're happy as queens,
and we've all got
imaginations, more or less.
Look at that sea, girls.
all silver and shadow and
vision of things not seen.
I don't want to be anyone but myself,
even if I go uncomforted
by diamonds all my life.
I'm content to be Anne of Green Gables,
with my string of pearl beads.
And quite content to be
red-haired Anne Shirley,
with a bosom friend who has a charming
smile and dresses me to perfection.
Next Time
Next to Trying and Winning,
the Best Thing Is Trying and Failing.