Food packaging performs three basic functions: containment, preservation of quality, and protection from environmental, physical, and microbiological factors. In recent times, the role of packaging has increased beyond its basic function with changing consumer preferences and expectations. Now, it is also contributing towards extending the shelf life and acts as a quality indicator of the packed food products. The focus is also on the development of active and intelligent packaging. An active and intelligent film with antioxidant activity and freshness indicator was prepared by using low-acyl gellan gum and red cabbage anthocyanins. The rheological behaviors of gellan gum-red cabbage anthocyanin film forming solution were studied. Moreover, the effect of anthocyanin concentration on the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, pH color response properties and microstructure of film was measured. In addition, the application performance of film in freshness indication of large yellow croaker and lard preservation were carried out. The results of dynamic measurement showed that the film-forming solution underwent a liquid-solid transition during the cooling process. The dynamic modulus and gelation temperature of film forming solution was increased with the increase of anthocyanin concentration. With the increase of anthocyanin concentration, the moisture content and tensile strength were gradually decreased, while the thickness, water vapor permeability and elongation at break were increased gradually. The addition of anthocyanins endowed the film with good anti-oxidation and pH response properties, and it can improve the thermal stability of the film. The changes of lard quality and freshness indexes of large yellow croaker (volatile base total nitrogen content, total number of colonies and thiobarbituric acid value) and the color difference ΔE of the active intelligent film during storage were investigated. Correlation analysis showed that the color difference of the film had a significant correlation with each freshness index of large yellow croaker. The active and intelligent film can effectively delay the oxidative rancidity of lard, and it had excellent preservation performance for lard.