Little Women [DVD]

My 84 year old mother fell in love with the book Little Women as a young girl and has read everything ever written by Louisa May Alcott. She still has everyone of those books - the original books she read growing up. When the 1949 version of Little Women came out with June Allyson playing Jo; Peter Lawford playing Laurie; Margaret O'Brien playing Beth; Janet Leigh playing Meg; and best of all, Elizabeth Taylor playing Amy, my mother was 13 years old and fell in love with that movie version of Little Women. My mother loved this story so much, she named her first born daughter, Laurie. While that name became more common for a girl's name, it was not at all common back then and it's definitely a good thing that she did not have a son as her first born child. While my mother will watch the updated versions of Little Women, she never feels any of them compare to the 1949 version.When I was 13, I read my mother's book of Little Women, followed by Little Men, and also fell in love with the story and the March family. I also agree with my that the portrayals of the characters in the 1949 version are the best portrayals of each of the book's characters, as written in the books. June Allyson had that tomboy nature of Jo, down pat. Margaret O'Brien portrayed the gentle, fragile nature of Beth so well, that no one could watch the movie without crying when she died. But best of all, was Elizabeth Taylor playing Amy. She had the perfect, little arrogant attitude and coming of age change in her personality that has ever been done or will be done. She was perfect for that role.When I first began watching this current version, I thought they were going to begin at the point they started at and was saddened that they wouldn't tell the entire story. However, after the flashback began, I realized that we would get to see the entire story played out. Being that I know this story so well, it didn't bother me in the least that it was told using flashbacks. I already knew the characters and didn't need to build that connection. I also enjoyed the fact that we saw other parts of the story that are from the book but have never been in the movie versions before. I am glad they did not just repeat the story the same way it has been done over and over again in all of the other versions.I thought all of the characters were played very well by this cast. I thought Saoirse Ronan's portrayal of Jo was not only a good updated version, but also more in keeping with how Louisa May Alcott probably would have been. Louisa May Alcott based this story on her life, but it wasn't a true biography but was instead written with rose colored glasses. I also really enjoyed Emma Watson's portrayal of Meg and thought she added more depth to that character than is usually portrayed in the movie versions. All of the other characters were played very well by the actors and actresses. It's just that sometimes an actress or actor plays a part so well that they become what you envision that character to always be like. Try to imagine anyone else playing Scarlet O'Hara than Vivien Leigh. It can't be done. The same is true for Elizabeth Taylor as Amy and Margaret O'Brien as Beth, in my opinion.I can understand that someone watching Little Women for the first time might feel a bit confused with the way this movie uses flashbacks to tell the story. Maybe even someone who has seen another version or two and maybe even read the book, might be a little put off with the sequence of flashbacks. But as someone who has seen every version and seen many of them multiple times and has reread this book multiple times, I enjoyed the variety this version provided.I began talking about my mother and her love of Little Women and I will end talking about my mother. Both of us were going to go see this movie on Christmas Eve, but she became ill and spent the holidays in the hospital, followed by a period of time in rehab. She is now permanently wheel chair bound and it is hard for her to transfer into a car. So, we missed the chance of watching this together on the big screen, something I really wish we could have done together as a lasting memory of something she loved and passed on to me. I bought the online version of this movie, so I will set it up for her to watch at home, as well. My guess is that she will enjoy this movie, but not as much as the 1949 version.

My rating is more of a 4.5Thank you for readingLittle Women is a 2019 American coming-of-age period drama film written and directed by Greta Gerwig. It is the seventh film adaptation of the 1868 novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. It chronicles the lives of the March sisters—Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth—in Concord, Massachusetts, during the 19th century. It stars an ensemble cast composed of Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, and Chris Cooper.Fans of the classic novel this film is based off of will be happy to know that much of this film's screenwriting is directly influenced by Louisa May Alcott herself; specifically, much of a dialogue comes straight from the novel, and it is delivered in a way that is natural over the course of a conversation. In addition to this, there is some dialogue borrowed from Other words published by Alcott, and it speaks to the amount of effort that was put into creating this movie particularly.As others have said before me, the set design and choices of costume were absolutely perfect; everything appears so authentically, and these artistic choices in particular genuinely immerse audience members in the story that develops and is being narrated over time.I am struggling with the criticism people have towards the nonlinear fashion of this film; while I can understand how this can be confusing, unfortunately I can only comment on this as someone already familiar with the storyline. First of all, this technique captures the essence of a coming-of-age movie more appropriately than this film’s predecessors: the results of decisions characters make in the present are followed with events happening in the past that give an explanation for the behavior having occurred in the first place. This is a classic case of cause and effect, and this grants the audience a better understanding of the bigger picture in regards to its context and naturally complicated nature.My intention was not to compare this film to the version of it that was released in 1992(Which, I do love), but it would be a great disservice if I did not honor the direction this film goes in honoring its characters; Gerwig puts a substantial amount of effort in telling a comprehensive story that treats all of its characters fairly as opposed to centering it only on Jo's growth and development. In addition to this, this version of ‘Little Women’ is much more blunt in explaining how sexism and other forms of related bias restrict women in both overt and insidious ways; audience members are not expected to “read between the lines” and project their experiences with the world on to a story that is set in the 1800s. Moreover, Jo’s contrary nature and how it relates to her lonely disposition is meaningfully explored without forcing her story to be centered on some amount of otherwise flippant and artificial romance.Mark my words: The only thing sharper than Gerwig’s direction in this film is Timothee Chalamet’s jawline.Delightfully charming and simultaneously empowering;I would recommend!

I loved this movie! Never a dull moment and so enjoyable to watch during the fall time!