#listen people can bitch and moan about awae all they want about not following canon

[shirbertshitposts]

I haven’t watched the Sullivan films in a while, well I did watch the first half of the first one a few months ago, but I’ve forgotten some of the scenes and like *deep sigh* choices were made that I Do. Not. Get.

Specifically I was just reminded of Sullivans adaptation of how Anne and Gilbert finally become friends and it involves Gilbert caressing Anne’s cheek and calling her carrots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh3eb4DZTLw

Let’s break that down. 

Anne has been holding a grudge against Gilbert for FIVE YEARS because he called her carrots and the moment she finally accepts his friendship Sullivan thought oh Gilbert should call her carrots but affectionately and she won’t get mad this time...like bitch what? Anne was deeply upset not only when Gilbert called her carrots but also when Rachel Lynde called her carrots. Clearly she takes deep offense to this seemingly innocent characterization of the color of her hair. Why would anyone ever want to bring that up again knowing that? In the books Anne is still sensitive about the color of her hair well into adulthood, so much so that here is a quote from 15 YEARS into Anne and Gilbert’s marriage, in Anne of Ingleside 

"Oh, it is too bad my hair is red," said Anne icily.

Gilbert thought he was wise in dropping a dangerous subject. Anne, he reflected, had always been a bit sensitive about her hair.

Also have you ever had someone you JUST became friends with lovingly caress your cheek? That’s weird as hell. You’d probably slap their hand away. There is literally a scene in Anne of the Island, at which point in the story Anne and Gilbert have been best friends for two years already, where Gilbert touches Anne’s hand and she immediately rejects his touch.

Gilbert suddenly laid his hand over the slender white one lying on the rail of the bridge. His hazel eyes deepened into darkness, his still boyish lips opened to say something of the dream and hope that thrilled his soul. But Anne snatched her hand away and turned quickly. The spell of the dusk was broken for her.

In the Anne of Green Gables scene of them becoming friends they say non-offensive things to each other and shake hands. You know like friends would, because they’re friends now. There’s not supposed to be romantic tension between them yet. 

Here is the Anne of Green Gables scene this is supposed to be based off of:

Halfway down the hill a tall lad came whistling out of a gate before the Blythe homestead. It was Gilbert, and the whistle died on his lips as he recognized Anne. He lifted his cap courteously, but he would have passed on in silence, if Anne had not stopped and held out her hand.

“Gilbert,” she said, with scarlet cheeks, “I want to thank you for giving up the school for me. It was very good of you—and I want you to know that I appreciate it.”

Gilbert took the offered hand eagerly.

“It wasn’t particularly good of me at all, Anne. I was pleased to be able to do you some small service. Are we going to be friends after this? Have you really forgiven me my old fault?”

Anne laughed and tried unsuccessfully to withdraw her hand.

“I forgave you that day by the pond landing, although I didn’t know it. What a stubborn little goose I was. I’ve been—I may as well make a complete confession—I’ve been sorry ever since.”

“We are going to be the best of friends,” said Gilbert, jubilantly. “We were born to be good friends, Anne. You’ve thwarted destiny enough. I know we can help each other in many ways. You are going to keep up your studies, aren’t you? So am I. Come, I’m going to walk home with you.”

Marilla looked curiously at Anne when the latter entered the kitchen.“Who was that came up the lane with you, Anne?”

“Gilbert Blythe,” answered Anne, vexed to find herself blushing. “I met him on Barry’s hill.”

“I didn’t think you and Gilbert Blythe were such good friends that you’d stand for half an hour at the gate talking to him,” said Marilla with a dry smile.

“We haven’t been—we’ve been good enemies. But we have decided that it will be much more sensible to be good friends in the future. Were we really there half an hour? It seemed just a few minutes. But, you see, we have five years’ lost conversations to catch up with, Marilla.”

Yes, Anne blushes in the scene but I think it’s more out of embarrassment that she’s been so mean to someone who is willing to do something so nice for her. She is embarrassed that she held onto her grudge for so long. And look at the way Gilbert speaks to her. It’s just friendly. Gilbert literally uses the word friends three times. I mean it’s a little bit funny that he doesn’t let go of her hand after shaking it, but he’s not flirting with her here. Even though he is in love with her, he is not actively flirting with her in this scene because he knows she wouldn’t be receptive to it. She has just accepted his friendship. It took them five years to get to this point. He wouldn’t want to jeopardize that in any way after it took them so long to get there. Gilbert is receptive to Anne’s response to him and he knows the boundaries he can’t push with her. In the later parts of Anne of Avonlea and the beginning of Anne of the Island we him struggle with trying to push their relationship towards romance but Anne responds negatively each time so he keeps toning it back until the fateful first proposal where he can’t take it anymore and ignores all Anne’s signals telling him to stop and just steam rolls ahead declaring his love. And that ends badly for both of them.

Also let’s talk about how in the Sullivan scene Gilbert rode up on a fucking horse literally like a hero out of a romantic story. The WHOLE CRUX OF ANNE BEGINNING TO REALIZE SHE LOVES GILBERT IS HER SAYING THAT ROMANCE ISNT LIKE A GAY KNIGHT RIDING DOWN

Here is that quote from Anne of Avonlea

For a moment Anne’s heart fluttered queerly and for the first time her eyes faltered under Gilbert’s gaze and a rosy flush stained the paleness of her face. It was as if a veil that had hung before her inner consciousness had been lifted, giving to her view a revelation of unsuspected feelings and realities. Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one’s life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one’s side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music, perhaps . . . perhaps . . . love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath.

Ahhhhh what the fuck

WHAT THE FUCK

I would say why would Sullivan do this when there is so much textual support against it in the later books but I bet that motherfucker hasn’t even read most of the later books because they butchered Anne of Avonlea and Anne of Windy Poplars and the Continuing Story is not based on any of the books at all so clearly they give no fucks i guess???

Why do the adaptations insist on making Gilbert into a romantic hero when the whole conflict of Anne and Gilbert’s relationship is that he isn’t one. He’s just a regular boy who becomes Anne’s best friend, so she doesn’t realize how much he loves her and that the way she loves him isn’t purely friendly.