People are voting emotionally.

Absolutely the worst movie.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I watched this as part of my ongoing Oscar marathon, since it landed child actress Hayley Mills in her U.S. debut (and only second official role) an "Outstanding Juvenile Performance" Honorary Award; incidentally, it was the last time such recognition was bestowed by the Academy and in all, there had been 11 such occasions and 12 recipients – oddly enough, in only a handful of cases (as here) were specific movies cited, namely Margaret O'Brien for MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), Ivan Jandl for THE SEARCH (1948) and the Jon Whiteley-Vincent Winter team in the recently-viewed THE KIDNAPPERS (1953)! Anyway, this is among the better regarded (getting a ***1/2 rating from Leonard Maltin!) and more prestigious of the Walt Disney live-action productions (based a much-filmed children's literary classic – including an anime series from the mid-1980s I recall being shown on Italian TV in my childhood days! – and featuring a splendid cast) and obviously made an international star of Sir John Mills' elder 14-year old daughter (who had already impressed audiences opposite her father in the acclaimed British thriller TIGER BAY {1959}). The expected double dollops of Disney mawkishness and corny Americana are here, to be sure, but thankfully kept largely at bay by first-time writer/director Swift (whose own career was pretty short-lived!) for the overly generous 134-minute duration: there is only one brief song interlude (sung by Mills, of course) and a lengthier dance number at an all-important bazaar sequence. The film has been issued as a 2-Disc "Vault Edition" DVD, but I only acquired the main feature from ulterior sources.All that remains for me now is to talk about the stellar cast: Mills herself (a very pleasing and natural performance as the titular orphan girl who literally enlivens the fabric of the morose town she visits), Jane Wyman (her embittered matriarchal aunt), Richard Egan (the rebellious doctor and prodigal son of the community who is in love with the latter), Karl Malden (the hellfire-and-brimstone preacher who eventually softens his Bible-thumping grip on the townspeople), Nancy Olson (Wyman's liberal maid and Pollyanna's confidante), Adolphe Menjou (his last film role, as the proverbial hermetical town ogre with a heart of gold), Agnes Moorehead (an inveterate hypochondriac and the feminine counterpart of the latter), Donald Crisp (Egan's uncle and the ineffectual mayor), Kevin Corcoran (a freespirited orphan who befriends Pollyanna and is ultimately adopted by Menjou), Edward Platt (the typical henpecked husband who gradually finds his spine) and Ian Wolfe (an elderly citizen).It is worth noting that, apart from setting off Mills on a brief run of Disney movies – THE PARENT TRAP (1961; a dual role), IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS (1962; one of the studio's best efforts), SUMMER MAGIC (1963), THE MOON SPINNERS (1964) and THAT DARN CAT! (1965) – it also meant a follow-up for Corcoran to TOBY TYLER (1960; his most notable 'vehicle' among a handful of other Disney films). Apart from several members of the cast being themselves past Oscar winners (Wyman, Malden and Crisp) and nominees (Olson, Menjou and Moorehead), most also ended up doing stints in long-running TV series: Mills in THE FLAME TREES OF THIKA (1981), Wyman in FALCON CREST (1981-90), Egan in CAPITOL (1983-87), Malden in THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO (1972-77), Moorehead in BEWITCHED (1964-72), etc.

This Disney movie charms me now as much as it did...when I watched it -- Sunday Nights (in two parts surely) on "The Wonderful World of Disney" - on TV years ago!Read the other reviews to get details. It's a fine family movie, but unless you "need" some gratuitous scenes, the story will reach anyone!"Pollyanna" is a fine adaptation of "Pollyanna" the novel, a huge 1913 bestseller. This film represents...Walt Disney at his best...with quality actors (wow...just put the top 10 actors' names into IMDb and see how IMPRESSIVE each actor is!!!) The story's essence is captured well in a quality script...and a believable young "Pollyanna" in Hayley Mills. (Note...her father was a great actor also - Sir John Mills.) Am GLAD that Hayley Mills got a special child's Oscar. She deserved it.So Pollyanna wins over her town...and young "tween" Hayley Mills tames Aunt Polly (Jane Wyman), as well as Karl Malden, Adolphe Menjou, Donald Crisp, and many, many other fine actors.

i can't say enough great things about this wonderful Disney vehicle that launched Hayley mills career in the sixties. based on the book of the same name, it stars mills as the effervescent Pollyanna as she brings joy and happiness to a small town ruled by her seemingly cold and indifferent aunt played by jane Wyman. with a-list stars such as Richard Egan, Karl malden, Nancy Olsen, Agnes moorehead and countless others, it's an excellently written and direct film from start to finish. while the film runs well over the two hour mark, one doesn't notice as it is well-paced. when the film was released, many male viewing audiences were not interested as they felt the story line was geared more towards women and young girls. there is a lot to like here as the films touches on the many different lives of the towns habitants and how Pollyanna changed them through her charm and presence. she is not one to be deterred or stopped in her tracks by someone who is a grouchy hermit such as Mr. pendergas or Agnes moorehead's character who is chronically ill and forever in her nightgown and bed. somehow, Pollyanna is able to add some sunshine and life into their dreary existence. i especially enjoyed the scenes where the town has a carnival and everyone participates and for once without the rule of aunt Polly, begin to experience the joy and happiness of the good things in life. over-all i suggest everyone see this film at least once. you won't regret it.

Pollyanna comes to live with her aunt, who practically owns the town because of her immense wealth, and spreads good cheer everywhere she goes. Pleasant Disney entry is good entertainment for the family. Mills is cute in the title role and she is surrounded by a fine cast of familiar faces, including Wyman as the domineering aunt, Egan as an earnest doctor, Malden as a fiery preacher, Olson as love-sick maid, Menjou as a disgruntled old man, and Moorehead as a cantankerous old woman. The change in tone towards the end is somewhat jarring and it becomes overly sentimental, but for the most part it is quite enjoyable.