After the death of her parents, Pollyanna (Hayley Mills) arrives in Harrington to live with her wealthy aunt, Polly (Jane Wyman), who is generous with money, but also reserved and joyless. She uses her influence to run all aspects of the town, even telling Reverend Ford (Karl Malden) to preach fire and brimstone on Sundays, which makes the congregation miserable. Pollyanna's friendliness and her expectation that everyone else will be friendly, too, endear her to everyone, even cranky invalid Mrs. Snow (Agnes Moorehead) and recluse Mr. Pendergast (Adolphe Menjou). She teaches her friends "the glad game," finding something to be glad about in any situation. When the towns people decide to hold a bazaar to raise money for a new orphanage instead of accepting Polly's charity, Polly forbids Pollyanna to go. The girl sneaks out by climbing down a tree and has a wonderful time, but falls on the way back in and is badly hurt. She stops playing the glad game, until the whole town shows up to tell her how much she means to them. She leaves for an operation, confident that she will soon be well.