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Lantern Hill (1990)

Based on L.M. Montgomery’s novel Jane of Lantern Hill, Lantern Hill was a television movie that was produced by Sullivan Films and that aired in 1990.

Company Credits
Production services provided by Sullivan Films Inc. Produced by Lantern Hill Motion Pictures Inc. in association with the Disney Channel, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Wonderworks, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with the participation of Telefilm Canada.

Runtime
112 mins.

Airdates
27 January 1990 (Disney Channel)
30 December 1990 (CBC)
2 March 1991 (PBS)

Cast
Mairon Bennett as Jane Stuart, Sam Waterston as Andrew Stuart, Colleen Dewhurst as Hepzibah, Sarah Polley as Jody, Zoe Caldwell as Mrs. Kennedy, Patricia Phillips as Robin Stuart, Vivian Reis as Aunt Irene, Joyce Campion as Violet Titus, Florence Paterson as Justina Titus, and Robert Benson as William Kennedy.

Credits
A Kevin Sullivan production. Produced and directed by Kevin Sullivan. Screenplay by Fiona McHugh and Kevin Sullivan. Executive producer: Trudy Grant. Line producer: David Shepherd. Executives in charge of production: Cathy Johnson, Jim Burt, and Jay Rayvid. Based on the book Jane of Lantern Hill by Lucy Maud Montgomery.

This two-hour film borrows more from the conventions of the hero’s quest than it does from Montgomery’s novel Jane of Lantern Hill: forced into exile at her wealthy grandmother’s house after her mother is hospitalized for polio, Jane Stuart (Mairon Bennett) is haunted by dreams of a past she cannot understand. Although she always presumed her father was dead, Jane soon learns that her parents are really separated and that her father is very much alive. Shortly thereafter, Jane is forced to meet the father she knows nothing about and live with him for three months in Prince Edward Island. Together with her sidekick Jody (Sarah Polley of Road to Avonlea) and the old mystic Hepzibah (Colleen Dewhurst of Anne of Green Gables), Jane investigates the causes of her parents’ separation and allows a restless ghost to finally rest in peace.

Toronto Star critic Jim Bawden reviewed the movie. “When you think of it, Canadian author L.M. Montgomery wrote only one good novel in her life. Anne of Green Gables was such a monumental hit, it forced her to rewrite the same story over and over again. Chances are you won’t have read the justly obscure Jane of Lantern Hill, which features not one but two orphaned Anne-type characters and tosses in haunted houses in Prince Edward Island, too. Director Kevin Sullivan, who has just about exhausted the Montgomery oeuvre by now, manages to distract us from the story’s basic lunacy.”

The CBC postponed its initial broadcast of Lantern Hill for nearly a year, partly because of budget cuts, and partly because of a fear of overexposing Sarah Polley, the lead in Sullivan Films’ television series Road to Avonlea, which premiered on 7 January 1990. The film is the recipient of two Gemini Awards, one for best supporting actress (Sarah Polley) and one for best costume design (Martha Mann). Colleen Dewhurst was nominated for both a CableAce Award and an Emmy Award for best supporting actress.

Awards

1990 Emmy Awards

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special: Colleen Dewhurst (Nominee)

1992 Gemini Awards

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Sarah Polley (Winner)

Best Costume Design: Martha Mann (Winner)

Merchandise

DVD

Lantern Hill. Toronto: Sullivan Entertainment, n.d.

Home Video

Lantern Hill. A Kevin Sullivan Films Production. Toronto: Astral Communications, [1990].

Lantern Hill. Disney Presents. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Home Video, [1991].

Lantern Hill. A Kevin Sullivan Production. Toronto: Sullivan Releasing, [1997].

Further Reading

Adilman, Sid. “Green Gables 2-hour Movie to Play Japan.” Toronto Star, 19 November 1988, G1.

Bawden, Jim. “Cloning Anne.” Toronto Star, 29 December 1990, SW10.

Blackadar, Bruce. “Heavy Movie Role a Breeze for Bubbly 12-Year-Old Star.” Toronto Star, 2 December 1988, D21.

“Depression-Era Movie Under way.” Toronto Star, 20 October 1988, C4.

Quill, Greg. “A Romantic Family Melodrama.” Toronto Star, 30 December 1990, C1.

Shaw, Ted. “Another Gem from Sullivan.” TV Times, 29 December 1990, n.pag.

Full Credits

Opening Credits

A KEVIN SULLIVAN PRODUCTION

SAM WATERSTON [Andrew Stuart]

ZOE CALDWELL [Mrs. Kennedy]
PATRICIA PHILLIPS [Robin Stuart]
VIVIAN REIS [Irene Stuart]

JOYCE CAMPION [Violet Titus]
FLORENCE PATERSON [Justina Titus]
ROBERT BENSON [William Kennedy]

LANTERN HILL

Starring MAIRON BENNETT [Jane Stuart]

With SARAH POLLEY as Jody

Special Guest Star: COLLEEN DEWHURST as Hepzibah

Director of Photography: BRIAN THOMSON
Costume Design: MARTHA MANN
Art Direction: PERRI GORRARA
Casting: ANNE TAIT
Screenplay by FIONA McHUGH, KEVIN SULLIVAN
Based on the book “JANE OF LANTERN HILL” by LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY
Edited by MAIRIN WILKINSON
Music Composed by JOHN WELSMAN
Line Producer: DAVID SHEPHERD
Executives in Charge of Production: CATHY JOHNSON, JIM BURT, JAY RAYVID
Executive Producer: TRUDY GRANT
Produced and Directed by KEVIN SULLIVAN

Ending Credits

Cast
Jane Stuart: MAIRON BENNETT
Andrew Stuart: SAM WATERSTON
Robin Stuart: PATRICIA PHILLIPS
Mrs. Kennedy: ZOE CALDWELL
Jody: SARAH POLLEY
Hepzibah: COLLEEN DEWHURST
Aunt Irene: VIVIAN REIS
Violet Titus: JOYCE CAMPION
Justina Titus: FLORENCE PATERSON
Lillian Morrow: SHARRY FLETT
Evelyn Morrow: GLORI GAGE
Aggie: DORA DAINTON
William Kennedy: ROBERT BENSON
Phyllis Kennedy: JUNO MILLS COCKELL
Gertrude Kennedy: JILLIAN COOK
Frank Price: JAMES MAINPRIZE
Mary Price: JUDY SINCLAIR
Cook: VALERIE BOYLE
Superintendent: DURWARD ALLEN
Mrs. Stanley: ESTHER HOCKIN
Cecily Stanley: ANNE FARQUHAR
Agnes Ripley: ALYSON COURT
Schoolgirl: DORION DAVIS
Mrs. Simpson: DENISE FERGUSSON
Charlotte Simpson: ELLEN DUBIN
Little Schoolgirl: GILLIAN STEEVE
Poultry Boy: NOAM ZYLBERMAN
Owen Meade: GARETH BENNETT
Jimmy-John Meade: ZACHARY BENNETT
Dr. Arnett: DAN MacDONALD
Milkman: PAUL JOLICOEUR
Train Conductor: JACK MATHER
Train Cook: JASON ST. AMOUR
Jim the Post: DES ELLIS
Jim’s wife: JANE DINGLE
Policemen: JAMES O’REGAN, PAUL LaROCQUE
Ticket Seller: ROBERT McKENNA
Station Master: CHARLES HAYTER

Production Manager: JAMES GOFF MARTIN
First Assistant Director: ERIKA ZBOROWSKY
Second Assistant Director: FRANCIS R. MAHONY
Third Assistant Director: MICHAEL JOHNSON
Unit/Locations Manager: FRED KAMPING
Unit/Locations Assistant: KIM SALTARSKI
Script Supervisor: MIMI WOLCH
Story Editor: LUCIE HALL
Set Decorator: CAROL LAVOIE
Head Set Dresser: TOM ALWAY
Set Dresser: RON HEWITT
Property Masters: TORY BELLINGHAM, JOHN TRACY BUDD
Make-Up Design: LINDA GILL
Make-Up Artist: LINDA DOWDS
Hair Design: PAUL ELLIOT
Hairdressers: ALBERT PARADIS, HAZEL GORDON
Assistant Wardrobe Design: ANN RUSSELL
Wardrobe Supervisor: MICHELE HARNEY
Head Cutter: EVAN AYOTTE
Wardrobe Assistants: LYNNE MacKAY, DEBORAH WELDON
First Assistant Art Director: NANCY PANKIW
Location Sound Recordist: OWEN LANGEVIN
Boom: KEN PORTER
Camera Operator: JULIAN CHOJNACKI
First Assistant Camera: BRIAN HARPER
Second Assistant Camera: STEWART AZIZ
Stills Photographer: MICHAELIN McDERMOTT
Construction Co-ordinator: WIETZ JEKEL
Head Carpenter: JAKE HAAK
Assistant Carpenter: HENRY ILOLA
Scenic Artist: WILLIE HOLST
Head Accountant: HANNELORE BIESINGER
Assistant Accountant: SHERRI HUNTER
Production Co-ordinator: THERESE PAQUETTE
Production Secretary: HEATHER ROSS
Gaffer: GARY DENAULT
Best Boy: MICHAEL GALBRAITH
Electricians: HERB REISCHL, JAMES MacCAMMON, BARRY GOODWIN
Generator Operator: JOHN ELDRIDGE
Key Grip: WAYNE GOODCHILD
Assistant Key Grip: GLEN GOODCHILD
Grips: C.W. GOODCHILD, ROY ELLISTON
Special Effects Co-ordinator: MICHAEL KAVANAUGH
Stunt Co-ordinator: TED HANLAN
Stunts: THE STUNT TEAM
Extras Casting: ROSE LEWIS CASTING
Livestock Handler: LIONEL PURCELL
Dog Handler: JANE CONWAY
Picture Vehicle Co-ordinator: ERIC LYND
Transportation Co-ordinator: WILF BELL
Driver Captain: WILLIAM LEEKING
Head Driver: BRUCE RAYMER
Honeywagon: KEVIN WILSON
Craft Service: JAKE MILLER
Catering: DARREN SCHMIDT, STUDIO CATERING
Production Assistants: JEFF POPE, EMILY WILKINSON
Camera Trainee: LINDA WATT
Art Department Trainee: ANDREW STEARN
Trainee Assistant Director: PATRICK SISAM
Children’s Tutor: JANICE NUTTER
Publicity: KIM LUKE, LUCIE HALL
Assistant Editor: ROSMARY CONTE
Supervising Sound Editor: JEREMY MacLAVERTY
Dialogue Editor: TIMOTHY ROBERTS
ADR Editor: DALE SHELDRAKE
Sound Assistants: KRIS ENGEL, RICHARD KELLY
Foley Artist: KELLY HALL
Foley Assistant: TERESA HANNIGAN
Sound Mixer: DANIEL PELLERIN
Assistant Sound Mixer: TONY van den AKKER
Timing: CHRIS HINTON
Negative Cutting: ERIKA WOLFF
Video Editing: BERNIE CLAYTON
Video Timing: BRIAN LAVERY
Music Assistant: DONALD QUAN

Musical Orchestration by
JOHN WELSMAN and GLENN MORLEY

Orchestra Conducted and Music Supervised by
GLENN MORLEY

Wardrobe Services by
COSPROP, LONDON, ENGLAND

Production Services Provided by
SULLIVAN FILMS INC.

The Production gratefully acknowledges
WHITEHERN / PRESERVED HOME OF THE McQUESTEN FAMILY
CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF HAMILTON
CASA LOMA
SPADINA HOUSE
THE TOWNS OF PORT PERRY AND GREENWOOD
THE SALEM & HILLSBOROUGH RAILWAY / NEW BRUNSWICK
VIDEOATLANTIC
THE ESTATE OF L.M. MONTGOMERY
DUNDAS CONSERVATION AUTHORITY
PICKERING VILLAGE MUSEUM
CITY OF TORONTO LIAISON OFFICE
THE ONTARIO FILM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
MEDALLION LABORATORIES
FILM OPTICALS OF CANADA LIMITED
LIGHT AND MOTION
PFA MOTION PICTURE & VIDEO LABORATORIES
DAN GORMLEY AND MICHAEL LEVINE

All characters depicted, names used, and incidents portrayed
in this film are fictitious. No identification with actual persons,
buildings is intended nor should be inferred. Any resemblance
of the characters portrayed to actual persons,
living or dead is purely coincidental.

This motion picture is protected under the laws of Canada and
other countries. Any unauthorized exhibition, distribution,
or reproduction of this motion picture or video tape or any
part thereof (including the sound track) may result in
severe liability and criminal penalties.

© LANTERN HILL MOTION PICTURES INC. MCMLXXXIX
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Produced by
LANTERN HILL MOTION PICTURES INC.
in association with
THE DISNEY CHANNEL
THE CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
WONDERWORKS
and the
CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
with the participation of
TELEFILM CANADA



Published on 11 August 2007; last updated on 18 March 2024. Please contact the site owner with additions, corrections, questions, and suggestions.