At the time of its release, Variety wrote "Faithful adherence to the original H. G. Wells story is one of the main virtues of The History of Mr Polly," with the reviewer concluding that "Director Anthony Pelissier has put all the emphasis on the principal characters, and has extracted every ounce of human interest from the classic.
Variety's review highlights The History of Mr Polly's commitment to the original story by H. G. Wells, and how Director Anthony Pelissier brought out the emotional resonance of the main characters in the film.