- for - tele vision ▁musical ▁film ▁adapted ▁from ▁the ▁book ▁Pol ly anna ▁by ▁Ele an or ▁H . ▁Por ter ▁featuring ▁an ▁all ▁African - American ▁cast ▁( with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁Cel este ▁Hol m ). ▁It ▁was ▁directed ▁and ▁ch ore ograph ed ▁by ▁Deb bie ▁Allen , ▁st arring ▁K esh ia ▁Knight ▁Pul li am , ▁Ph y lic ia ▁R ash ad ▁and ▁also ▁featured ▁the ▁final ▁performance ▁of ▁actress ▁But ter fly ▁Mc Que en . ▁Pol ly ▁was ▁originally ▁broadcast ▁on ▁N BC ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁Set ▁in ▁Alabama ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁Pol ly ▁Wh itt ier , ▁an ▁or phan ▁who ▁is ▁sent ▁to ▁live ▁with ▁her ▁a unt ▁Pol ly ▁Harr ington , ▁who ▁is ▁a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁the ▁found ing ▁family ▁of ▁a ▁small ▁Southern ▁town ▁( also ▁called ▁Harr ington ) ▁during ▁the ▁seg reg ation ▁era . ▁A ▁key ▁point ▁in ▁div iding ▁the ▁town ▁is ▁a ▁rav ine ▁which ▁has ▁an ▁un re pa ired ▁bridge ▁which ▁burn ed ▁down ▁many ▁years ▁ago , ▁and ▁no ▁one ▁knows ▁how ▁it ▁started ▁and ▁is ▁susp icious ▁of ▁everyone ▁else . ▁Pol ly ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁conv ince ▁people ▁to ▁look ▁at ▁the ▁bright ▁side ▁of ▁things , ▁but ▁tra ged y ▁strik es ▁when ▁Pol ly ▁falls ▁two ▁store ys ▁from ▁a ▁tree , ▁suffering ▁a ▁sp inal ▁injury .