Pollyanna

(Buzzes)

Dead fly!

Nancy, you may clear out the rear attic room

and make up the bed.

My niece, Miss Pollyanna Whittier,

is coming to live with me.

She is 11, and will sleep in that room.

Pollyanna. What a ridiculous name.

A little girl coming to stay. Oh, won't that be

nice?

No, it won't be nice.

(Thud)

AUNT POLLY:
Dead fly!

- (Mockingly) Dead fly.

(Car hooter)

(Whistle)

MAN:
A pretty one too isn't she?

Hello. I'm Pollyanna.

Welcome.

I'm so glad to see you.

I've been wondering all the way what

you'd look like and...I'm very pleased, Aunt Polly.

Oh, I'm not Aunt Polly.

Your aunt wanted to come,

but she had um...

some urgent reading to do at home.

I'm Nancy, her maid.

Oh.

Is she like you?

Um, not really, no.

Do you like this dress?

I should be wearing a black dress,

now that Father's gone to heaven

to be with Mother, the angels

and, you know, GGod,

but the Ladies' Aid -

the ladies who've been looking after me -

couldn't find me one.

- Who are you?

- Me?

Oh, well, I'm the handyman, Tim.

And my father's the gardener - Tom.

Do you want to know something,

Miss Pollyanna?

Yes! Yes, I do.

Well, in ten years' time,

we'll all be driving motorcars.

Walk on.

Is my Aunt Polly rich?

- Yes, she is, miss.

- It must be lovely to have lots of money.

Does Aunt Polly eat ice cream every day?

- No.

- Why not?

She doesn't like it.

I have to warn you -

you may find your aunt a little stricct.

I've only been with her for a matter of weeks,

but sometimes, well, she's hard to please.

Do you know, she's my only living relative now.

I'm so lucky she wants to look after me.

(Gasps)

Miss Pollyanna, ma'am.

(Clock ticks)

How do you do, Pollyanna?

Oh, Aunt Polly,

thank you so much for taking me in!

I'm not much to look at. It's the freckles.

I'd sooner they weren't there,

although Father says they're beautiful,

Iike blossom on a lawn.

I just love your house.

If I had a house like this, I'd invite everyone over

for sandwiches every day.

Father always says...said...

I have no interest in what your father said.

Will you follow me to your room?

Pollyanna?

I believe you have everything you need here.

Supper is at six o'clock

A bell will be rung. Be where you can hear it.

(Sobs)

Hello.

How's the young 'un settling in?

How would you feel, stuck in an attic

when there's a dozen rooms going begging?

That'll be something,

seeing Miss Jennie's girl.

- Who's Miss Jennie?

- Miss Polly's sister.

They fell out when...

Miss Jennie ran off

with Pollyanna's father.

Ran off?

I'd run off if I had a sister like Miss Polly.

I'd go to Timbukktu, wherever that is.

You're not so fond of her, then?

As if anyone could be.

You don't know about Miss Polly's love affair,

then?

Somebody loved Miss Polly? Who?

Ah, it's not my place to say.

Couldn't he find someone more worthwhile?

Miss Polly was quite a beauty once.

Still could be,

if she stopped trying to look like a nun.

Hm.

It was the affair that made her sour and prickly.

She was all right before that.

Well, there's no pleasing her now, that's for sure.

(Knocking)

You're early, Pollyanna. I said six o'clock

Eh?

- Ah, Timothy. Come in.

- Ma'am.

Er

I've er... I've come to ask you again

if you've had time to consider the question

of purchasing a motorcar.

Mrs Minklin's still selling hers

I remain unpersuaded that a motorised vehicle

is anything other than an unnecessary expense.

What?

- Do we really need one?

- Well, I was just telling your lovely Pollyanna...

She's not mine.

She's my late sister's.

I have accepted her here because it is my duty.

Yes.

Anyhow, I was just telling her

that the motorcar is the future.

I seem to remember you once telling me

the Titanic was the future.

Oh...

You get fewer flies in cars.

You're moving too fast they can't keep up

In that case,

you had better arrange to buy one.

(Fly buzzes)

(C lock ticks)

(Door opens, then footsteps)

Nancy, my niece is late.

I told her what time supper was,

and now she must face the consequences.

When she comes down,

she may have bread and milk in the kitchen.

Yes, ma'am.

#..wind in the winter

# The pleasant summer sun

# The ripe fruit in the garden,

he made them every one

# All things bright and beautiful...

Pollyanna!

Hello. I'm so glad to see you.

How did you get out here?

- Climbed out of my window.

- What a scare you gave me!

Don't worry about me.

Mother used to, then Father,

but they stopped when they realised

I always came back safely.

In the end, it was them who didn't come back

Your aunt's cross

because you didn't come down for supper.

She says you have to have bread and milk

I'm glad. I like bread and milk

That'll come in useful here,

you being so good at being glad.

That's the game, you know.

- What game?

- The GGlad GGame. Father taught me it.

What is it?

It started when I wanted a doll, and Father had

written asking for one from the charity people.

But when it came,

there were just some crutches.

C rutches?

You know. And the game is to find something

to be glad about in everything.

How can you be glad about getting crutches

if you wanted a doll?

Aha!

You're glad because you don't need them.

I couldn't see it at first. Father had to tell me.

I've played it ever since.

(Laughter)

Have you had supper, Pollyanna?

Yes, Aunt.

I'm sorry I was obliged to send you

to the kitchen to have bread and milk

No, I was glad you did. Don't feel bad about it.

Good.

(Flies buzz)

Who let those flies in?

- I'm sorry, ma'am. That must have been me.

- No, it was me.

They were outside my window

when I opened it.

You opened a window?

It is your duty not to let flies into this house.

My duty?

I'm sorry, but it was a little hot.

Flies are not only unclean and annoying,

they are also a danger to the health.

I have a pamphlet for you to read

- Nancy, fetch me the fly pamphlet.

- Yes, ma'am.

Something to read? Oh, thank you, Aunt Polly.

I love to read.

- Father said...

- Pollyanna

There is one thing you should understand now.

I do not wish to hear you

mention your father again. Ever.

But I have to. I think about him all the time.

You will not refer to him again.

Now you may go to bed.

(Clock chimes six times)

This is so excciting!

- Good morning, Pollyanna.

- Good morning, Aunt Polly.

I prefer physical signs of affecction

to be kept to the barest minimum.

Now, please do take your seat.

They have this special tube,

Look, that dissolves the food.

I'm not making this up.

Then sucks it into its mouth.

That is enough on the subjecct of flies,

thank you very much, Pollyanna.

I wish to eat.

We need to go to the village this morning

to buy you some...proper clothes.

And tomorrow, you should commence a routine.

My father said...

Your day will consist of reading aloud to me

for one hour after breakfast,

then rigidly monitored private study until midday.

After lunch,

sewing with me cookery instruction with Nancy

then an orderly walk,

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