- Aunt Polly: I'm your Aunt Polly.
- Pollyanna: How do you do?
- Aunt Polly: This is the pastor of our church, Reverend Ford.
- Reverend Paul Ford: How do you do? I can see there's a family resemblance.
- Aunt Polly: She looks very much like her mother.
- Pollyanna: Mother always used to say I looked like you!
- Aunt Polly: Would you be good enough to stand erect and in a proper manner, please? And where in the world did you get that dress?
- Pollyanna: It came in the missionary barrels.
- Reverend Paul Ford: Missionary barrels?
- Aunt Polly: Yes, her father was a minister. As a matter of fact, he was a missionary in the British West Indies.
- Angelica: Stuffy in here. Not much of a room, is it?
- Pollyanna: But it's my own, anyway. I'm glad of that. Ooh, and the bed's soft! And it's got a lovely window.
- [Pollyanna looks out the window and sees Nancy embracing a man]
- Pollyanna: Who's that man down there with Nancy?
- Angelica: None of your business. Just be sure you're dressed in time for dinner. Think she'd do better than this for her own niece.
- Mrs. Paul Ford: [finding Reverend Ford, head bowed, on his knees in prayer] Paul? Are you alright?
- Reverend Paul Ford: Nobody owns a church, no one.
- Reverend Paul Ford: [reading Pollyanna's locket] When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will. - Abraham Lincoln.
- Pollyanna: He was President.
- Reverend Paul Ford: Yes, I know... but I've never heard *that* before.
- Mrs. Amelia Tarbell: You go get the luggage. Be careful with the fresh eggs. They're wrapped in paper.
- Ben Tarbell: Yes, dear.
- Mrs. Amelia Tarbell: Oh, and Ben?
- Ben Tarbell: Yes, dear?
- Mrs. Amelia Tarbell: I want you to write a letter to the president of this railway. There were men smoking in the parlor car. Disgraceful! I've taken his number.
- Ben Tarbell: Yes, dear.
- Aunt Polly: That dress is disgraceful. Tomorrow we'll go into town and get you some decent clothes.
- Pollyanna: [incredulous] Store-bought?
- Aunt Polly: Why, of course. Where else would we get them?
- Pollyanna: Out of an actual store? *New* clothes?
- Aunt Polly: You're a Harrington now. I want you to look like one.
- Nancy Furman: Miss Pollyanna?
- Pollyanna: Yes? Aunt Polly?
- Nancy Furman: No, I'm Nancy. I work for your aunt and I came here to fetch you.
- Pollyanna: Oh. How do you do?
- Nancy Furman: This is Thomas, the gardener.
- Pollyanna: How do you do?
- Mr. Thomas: Hello, young lady.
- Nancy Furman: Oh, Thomas will take your luggage for you. Put it in the back seat. Oh, good afternoon, Mrs. Tarbell.
- Mrs. Amelia Tarbell: Is that Jenny Harrington's child?
- Nancy Furman: Yes, it is.
- Mrs. Amelia Tarbell: Doesn't look a thing like any of the Harringtons. What's your name, girl?
- [Pollyanna says nothing]
- Nancy Furman: Speak up!
- Pollyanna: Pollyanna Whittier, mam.
- Mrs. Amelia Tarbell: You're a very fortunate little girl. Most children who have lost their parents would be sent to an orphange.
- [Pollyanna looks away]
- Mrs. Amelia Tarbell: You know that, don't you?
- Pollyanna: Yes, mam.
- Mrs. Amelia Tarbell: Thank your lucky stars for a good woman such as your aunt taking you in.
- Pollyanna: I'm sorry about the dress, Aunt Polly. My father said it was a size too big, but that I should be glad it wasn't a pair of boy's trousers.
- Aunt Polly: Well, that's hardly anything to be glad about.
- Pollyanna: Well, my father always used to say...
- Aunt Polly: Yes, well, never mind what your father used to say. Pollyanna, this is going to be your new home now, and I hope you'll be very happy with me. Nancy will show you to your room.
- Pollyanna: I'm very glad you sent for me, Aunt Polly. Your home is very lovely.
- Aunt Polly: Thank you.
- Pollyanna: It must make you awfully glad.
- Aunt Polly: Glad?
- Pollyanna: That you're so very rich!
- [Reverend Ford starts to cough. Nancy takes Pollyanna out of the room]
- Nancy Furman: Honestly!
- Pollyanna: Did I say something wrong?
- Nancy Furman: Well, let's just say there are about sixty-eleven things you could've said besides that!
- Nancy Furman: Oh Pollyanna, will you please get into the car? We've simply got to get home!
- George Dodds: In a rush?
- [George grabs Nancy and kisses her. Nancy pushes him away]
- Nancy Furman: Oh! George, stop it! Oh, Pollyanna, you don't know my cousin Fred, do you?
- George Dodds: Your cousin Fred?
- Nancy Furman: This is Miss Harrington's niece.
- [pointedly]
- Nancy Furman: The one who's come to live with her!
- George Dodds: [realizing] Oh! Oh, that one! Well, hello, Pollyanna, how are you?
- Pollyanna: Fine, thank you.
- George Dodds: Well, how 'bout this? Running into you after... what's it been, six years? Say, how's your ma and pa?
- Nancy Furman: Why, they're just fine.
- George Dodds: You know, Pollyanna, I don't take too much to relatives, but this girl was always just like a sister to me. I tell you, I love, love this cousin.
- [he kisses Nancy again]
- Nancy Furman: Will you cut it out?
- George Dodds: How'd you like to go down the street and get a great big dish of ice cream, my treat? Oh, no, that's a rotten idea. She probably hates the stuff.
- Nancy Furman: Probably.
- Pollyanna: Who, me? Oh, no, I love it!
- George Dodds: No kidding? How'd you ever develop a taste for that awful stuff?
- Pollyanna: Oh, no, really! I really do love it!
- George Dodds: I know the perfect place. Come on, girls, follow old Cousin Fred to the land of strawberry frappe. Unless you'd rather go down the street and have a beer?
- Pollyanna: You're funny.
- Dr. Edmond Chilton: [finding Pollyanna hidden behind a plant] Hello. Is this the town meeting?
- Pollyanna: Oh, no. It's in there. In the conservatory, for heaven's sake.
- Dr. Edmond Chilton: Oh. Are you one of the Ladies' Aid?
- Pollyanna: Oh, no. I'm just a child. I'm not even supposed to *be* here! Sh!
- Dr. Edmond Chilton: What's your name?
- Pollyanna: Pollyanna Whittier. That's my aunt over there, the pretty one. This is her house, and I live with her.
- Dr. Edmond Chilton: Sh!
- Pollyanna: Sh!
- Reverend Paul Ford: Apocrypha Ecclesiasticus 30, Paragraph 22: 'Gladness of the heart is the light of Man.' Now, this is one of the 'rejoicing,' or 'happy' texts. A young member of our parish informed me that there are 800 such happy texts in the Bible. Well, she was wrong. There are, to be exact, 826. I know, because I stayed up most of last night counting them. I intend to read one every week. And that should take us, by my calculations, through sixteen years... if I'm around here that long. But I can promise you this, if I am here: our visits with God on Sunday are going to be happier, and more rejoicing too. What I have to say now is very difficult for me, but must be said. I look out to you now, and realize, after four years in this congregation, I don't even know you. I look out to you now, not as my congregation, but as people. And I say to myself, how sad it is to have missed those four years... four years when we could have been friends. I should have been looking for the good in you, and I... I failed you... and I apologize for this. God is forgiving, but it's not God's forgiveness I beg, it is yours. I'm not going to speak about this any more now. It's a lovely day outside. So let's go out and enjoy this Sunday for a change. And while you're out appreciating the sunlight, just give a little thought to who's sending it down to you.
- Reverend Paul Ford: God works in ways mysterious to man...
- Aunt Polly: Don't speak to me about God! Say what you think! I can see it in your eyes. They blame me, don't they?
- Reverend Paul Ford: No, no. Nobody's blaming you.
- Aunt Polly: But it's true, isn't it? I could have been the least bit understanding. That child lies up there because of me.
- Reverend Paul Ford: Polly, the mercy of God is forgiving...
- Aunt Polly: Oh, what kind of a merciful God could allow a thing like this to happen to a child? And if He were merciful, why did He let her come to our town?
- Reverend Paul Ford: Let me tell you something, Polly Harrington. Sunday a miracle happened in this town.
- Aunt Polly: Oh, this town!
- Reverend Paul Ford: Yes, this town. Right out there in that street the people are smiling at one another. Go on, take a look for yourself. It's very contagious. Just think, Polly. If she had never come to this town! We ought to get down on our knees and thank God for sending her to us.
- Pollyanna: [She has gone to Reverend Ford with a message from Aunt Polly, and finds him a little way from his wife in an outdoor setting where they are picnicking, practicing an angry, scolding sermon. She give him the note, and he starts opening it] Would you like someone to practice your sermon on?
- Reverend Paul Ford: [distracted, trying to read Aunt Polly's note] No. No thank you, child.
- Pollyanna: Mother and I used to be an audience to my father when he was practicing his sermons.
- [He ignores her]
- Pollyanna: He was a minister too, you know.
- Reverend Paul Ford: [still distracted] Yes yes, so he was.
- Pollyanna: Do you like being a minister?
- Reverend Paul Ford: [somewhat stunned] Do I like being a-
- [defensive, slightly hostile]
- Reverend Paul Ford: Now, why would you ask a thing like that?
- Pollyanna: Oh... the way you looked just then. Reminded me of my father. Once I saw him sort of sad like that, and I asked him.
- Reverend Paul Ford: [suddenly interested] And what did he say?
- Pollyanna: Hmm, said he was glad he was. But it made him sad sometimes. He just couldn't seem to get through to his congregation.
- Reverend Paul Ford: [a little more friendly] Sounds familiar. I suppose every minister of God faces the same problem.
- Pollyanna: Mmm, I suppose.
- Reverend Paul Ford: [keenly interested] Tell me, did your father ever solve the problem?
- Pollyanna: Well, he read something one day that he said helped him.
- Reverend Paul Ford: In The Bible?
- Pollyanna: No. Just something he read someplace. He had it put on this chain. He wore it always. It's all I have of his.
- [She opens the locket around her neck, and tries to read the inscription, but it's too close]
- Pollyanna: "When you look for the bad... " Ooh! It always makes me cross-eyed.
- Reverend Paul Ford: May I?
- Pollyanna: [agreeing] Mm!
- Reverend Paul Ford: [reading] "When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will."-Abraham Lincoln.
- Pollyanna: He was the President.
- Reverend Paul Ford: Yes. Yes, I know. But I never heard that before.
- Pollyanna: Neither had my father. Anyway, he said it started him thinking. And from then on, he was going to look for the good in people. That's when we both started searching The Bible for the texts.
- Reverend Paul Ford: [confused] The texts?
- Pollyanna: Yes. You know. My father called them the glad passages.
- [He still looks confused]
- Pollyanna: You know! The happy ones, like, mmm, "Shout for joy!" or "Be glad in the Lord." You know, like that. There are eight hundred happy texts, did you know that?
- Reverend Paul Ford: I didn't know that.
- Pollyanna: Yes, well there are. And, you know, my father said, if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to be happy and rejoice, he MUST have wanted us to do it.
- [remembering the time]
- Pollyanna: Oh, I'd better be going now. I'm sorry to have interrupted your practice. I'll see you later. Goodbye, Reverend Ford.
- [She leaves]
- Reverend Paul Ford: [reading Aunt Polly's note aloud] ''Dear Reverend, I've taken the liberty of Jotting down a few thoughts, and some text from Matthew, which I thought you might want to use in your sermon tom-''
- [to himself]
- Reverend Paul Ford: Oh, my God. What have I done? What have I done?
- Pollyanna: [after Jimmy Bean jumps out of the tree and scares her] Why don't you come out of the front door like normal people?
- Jimmy Bean: They won't let us. I can come out anytime I want with my tree.
- Pollyanna: You could also fall and hurt yourself badly. You shouldn't play in trees.
- Jimmy Bean: That's stupid. Don't you believe in God?
- Pollyanna: [offended] Of course I do! But what's that got to do with it?
- Jimmy Bean: He grew it there, didn't He? So I can climb it anytime I want.
- Pollyanna: You're much too young to go around discussing things you don't know anything about.
- [coolly walks away]
- Jimmy Bean: [chasing after her] He did too! Why else would it be there?
- Pollyanna: Shows you're very juvenile.
- Jimmy Bean: You aren't so much, you girl! 'Sides, I'm something you can't be. I'm an orphan.
- Pollyanna: [exaggerated patience] Go away from me, please, little boy.
- Jimmy Bean: [mimicking her] Go away from me, please, little boy!
- Pollyanna: [finally losing her cool] What is it you want?
- Jimmy Bean: [suddenly all smiles] I wanna go fishin'! You wanna come along?
- Pollyanna: Aunt Polly? Do you ever have steak and ice cream?
- Aunt Polly: Are you complaining about the food?
- Pollyanna: Oh, no, it's delicious! I just wondered. My father always used to say that if we ever had the money you have, we'd have steak and ice cream three times every day!
- Aunt Polly: Pollyanna, I think we ought to get one thing straight right now. I don't want you constantly quoting what your father used to say. Do I make myself clear?
- Pollyanna: Mm-hm.
- Aunt Polly: Now, about the sermon, Reverend.
- Reverend Paul Ford: Yes. The transity of life. That fleeting vapor. It appeareth, and it vanisheth. James, the New Testament. You want me to weave a theme of this into my ser...
- Aunt Polly: Well, let me tell you what my father said to Reverend Moffat.
- Reverend Paul Ford: Yes, what did he say?
- Aunt Polly: He said you only have the congregation for one short hour a week. And there are six long days of mischief for them before you get them again.
- Reverend Paul Ford: Ah! I see your point. Strike hard on Sunday the excessiveness of God's wrath and hope they carry it with them a few days into the week!
- Aunt Polly: Exactly what I mean.
- Pollyanna: [petting her aunt's dog] Hello! What's his name, please?
- Nancy Furman: *His* name happens to be Elizabeth!
- Pollyanna: Oh, you're a girl! You're lovely.
- Nancy Furman: Leave her alone and come along.
- Pollyanna: How - how do I address you, please?
- Nancy Furman: Just call me Nancy, same as everyone else.
- Nancy Furman: I think it might be better if you didn't mention the ice cream to your aunt.
- Pollyanna: My father taught me never to tell a lie.
- Nancy Furman: Oh, Pollyanna, it wouldn't be telling a lie. But there's no reason to bring up the subject if it isn't mentioned. About Cousin Fred, I mean.
- Pollyanna: I like your Cousin Fred. Very much.
- Nancy Furman: Oh, he's all right, I guess.
- Pollyanna: He's very handsome, and he has a nice smile. But there's something... I don't know... funny about him.
- Nancy Furman: [suddenly defensive] What do you mean, funny?
- Pollyanna: I know what it is! It's his name. He doesn't look at all like a Fred!
- Nancy Furman: What?
- Pollyanna: He looks more like a George to me!
- Pollyanna: Nancy, you know that man?
- Nancy Furman: What man?
- Pollyanna: The man at the train station. The one who was just here. Well, what was he to Aunt Polly?
- Nancy Furman: Oh. You might say they used to be friends. Sort of.
- Pollyanna: Do you think he's gonna marry Aunt Polly?
- Tillie Lagerlof: Who's gonna marry her?
- Nancy Furman: She means Dr. Chilton.
- Angelica: Fat chance of that! Who'd want to marry old pickle-faced Harrington?
- Pollyanna: Nancy, are you and George gonna get married?
- Nancy Furman: We hope to, someday.
- Pollyanna: Oh, I am glad. I think everyone should be married. And maybe, when you do get married, Aunt Polly will see how happy it makes you, she'll be very glad to get married herself, then.
- Angelica: Glad this, glad that. Do you have to be glad about everything? What's the matter with you, anyway?
- Nancy Furman: Oh, lay off her, Angie. She's not hurting you.
- Angelica: The way she goes on...
- Tillie Lagerlof: That's enough! You heard her. Stop picking on the girl. Take that sherbert out and serve it the way you should.
- Aunt Polly: Nancy, I thought I made myself clear about gentlemen callers.
- Nancy Furman: Mam?
- Aunt Polly: Don't pretend you don't understand me. I saw you and George Dodds out in the summer house.
- Nancy Furman: George has been every inch a gentleman with me!
- Aunt Polly: We won't discuss it! If you want to remain on my staff, I don't want you to see him any longer.
- Aunt Polly: Pollyanna, I think we should talk about you and your position in this community. Do you know why it's called Harrington Town?
- Pollyanna: Mother said it was named after my grandfather.
- Aunt Polly: That's right. And everyone in this town looks to us to set a good example. In how we conduct ourselves, in our duties and manners, in what we think and even what we say.
- [Angelica rolls her eyes in disgust]
- Aunt Polly: So we must always try to be good examples to everyone in everything we do. Is that clear?
- Pollyanna: Yes, Aunt Polly.
- Aunt Polly: Just remember our family position and conduct yourself properly. And modestly.
- Pollyanna: Oh, you mean before? I understand that now. I'll never say that again!
- Aunt Polly: You understand what?
- Pollyanna: About the money. I'm not supposed to be glad we're so very rich. Huh?
- Aunt Polly: Well, uh, I think it's time for you to get ready for bed, young lady.
- Reverend Paul Ford: If we could all just be a little more quiet, cooperative, orderly, please. If we could all just stop shouting and cooperate, I'm sure...
- Aunt Polly: There is nothing wrong with that building! All it needs is new plumbing.
- Mayor Karl Warren: Today the plumbing, tomorrow the roof, and the Lord knows what - excuse me, Reverend - and who knows what's going to happen next!
- Aunt Polly: You were very happy when my father donated the building to the town.
- Mayor Karl Warren: Oh, for Pete's sake, Polly Harrington, listen to reason! It's a dilapidated old relic! The dining hall, the dispensary. Even my nephew Dr. Chilton there, he noticed that. Ed, tell them what you said.
- Dr. Edmond Chilton: I don't think I ought to say anything.
- Mayor Karl Warren: No, no, now, tell them what you said. I want them to hear it.
- Dr. Edmond Chilton: Well, I got a pretty good look at the dispensary when I fixed Mr. Geary's arm, and I mentioned it seemed a little inadequate for thirty-two children.
- Mayor Karl Warren: There, now you've heard it.
- Aunt Polly: We all thank you for your interest, Edmond, but it's an equipment problem. We're talking about Harrington House, which is a landmark in this town, and I intend to see that it stays that way.
- Mayor Karl Warren: It would cost more to fix that dilapidated old wreck than it would to put up a new one!
- Aunt Polly: It won't cost this town one cent! My father donated the building to the town, and I will stand the cost of the pipes or the plumbing or whatever it is that's necessary. It's my duty, and I will not shirk it.
- Mayor Karl Warren: And I suppose there's not one person here who has the gumption to stand up and say what you think? Is there? What about you, Reverend?
- Reverend Paul Ford: No, no, I never take sides in these matters.
- Angelica: If you ask me, Reverend Ford should've taken sides with Mayor Warren. He had the chance, and what did he do? Said he never takes sides in these matters.
- Tillie Lagerlof: Oh, stop sticking your nose into their business and get this sherbert out there!
- Angelica: We're out of spoons.
- Tillie Lagerlof: Well, wash some up! Don't stand there belly-achin' to me about it!
- Angelica: You're in a fine mood, aren't you?
- Nancy Furman: Pollyanna, I thought you could use this for your room.
- Pollyanna: Oh, thank you, Nancy! Oh, it's gorgeous!
- Nancy Furman: Well, thanks for not spilling the beans about you-know-who.
- Pollyanna: About Cousin Fred, you mean?
- Nancy Furman: Mm-hm. Isn't he handsome?
- Pollyanna: I knew it all the time!
- Nancy Furman: You did? How did you know?
- Pollyanna: Oh, sure, it was easy. I saw you holding hands under the t...
- Tillie Lagerlof: If you two ladies have got nothing better to do than sit there gosippin' and snickerin'...
- Nancy Furman: Oh, we're just talking, Tillie!
- Tillie Lagerlof: Well, talk on your own time. This sherbert is turning to mush.
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