Little Women
"Louisa May Alcott’s Immortal Story!"
Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.
"Louisa May Alcott’s Immortal Story!"
Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Katharine Hepburn
Jo
Joan Bennett
Amy
Paul Lukas
Prof. Bhaer
Edna May Oliver
Aunt March
Jean Parker
Beth
Frances Dee
Meg
Henry Stephenson
Mr. Laurence
Douglass Montgomery
Laurie
John Lodge
Brooke
Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.
"ill try to be what he loves to call me. a little woman." katharine hepburn has easily become my favorite jo march. in reality, this film is probably five stars for the first half, and two for the second. one thing i really liked about this version compared to the others was the subtle forshadowing of key events. beth's introduction shows her with a cold and a broken piano, and i liked how she begged her sisters to find an imperfection in her, but they couldn't. her desperateness to fit in with them. a subtle hint at her fear of being left behind. then amy's first scene has her getting in trouble for doodling in class, which shows us early on that she is artistically aligned, though perhaps not completely encouraged, which makes her decision to go with aunt march feel all the more justified. and jo is right away mischevious, working for her aunt but intentionally acting lazy and boyish. as someone who believes jo to be transmasc more than a lesbian (though she could be both), i felt that the first half of this was way more in line with how i imagine jo in my head. the only character who feels a bit underdeveloped to me is meg, but this is likely because her character falls intro tropes typical of female characters in this era. they don't see the need to break the mold with her. it's times like these, though, that i miss the precision and delicacy of gerwig's adaptation. i will also add that this is my least favorite laurie and marmee. laurie still has a fun dynamic with jo initially, but christian bale will always be my favorite, even if i believe gerwig understood his character more than anyone. and marmee, besides her incredibly kind nature, didn't stand out to me here, though we can't all be susan sarandon. oh, and i didn't know how to include this in my review, but i also really loved that jo stepped asside at the family gathering to talk to beth in heaven. that she never forgot her and spoke to her about things that'd make her happy, like the family being back together again. it's a really cute detail that adds a lot to their deep love for one another.
Fanny Price is sent to live with her wealthy relatives, the Bertrams, where she is treated poorly by most except her cousin Edmund. Her life is complicated by the arrival of the worldly Mary and Henry Crawford
At the turn of the century on Prince Edward Island, Matthew Cuthbert and his sister Marilla decide to take on an orphan boy as help for their farm. But they get an unexpected jolt when they're mistakenly sent a girl instead: Anne Shirley.
The oldest son of a loving and strong family of black sharecroppers comes of age in the Depression-era South after his father is imprisoned for stealing food.
The lives of two cousins are complicated by the return of an ex-boyfriend and an illegitimate child.
A Polish-Jewish family comes to the U.S. at the beginning of the twentieth century. There, the family and their children try to make themselves a better future in the so-called promised land.
When her father enlists to fight for the British in WWI, young Sara Crewe goes to New York to attend the same boarding school her late mother attended. She soon clashes with the severe headmistress, Miss Minchin, who attempts to stifle Sara's creativity and sense of self-worth.
In Scotland 1865, An old shepherd and his little Skye terrier go to Edinburgh. But when the shepherd dies of pneumonia, the dog remains faithful to his master, refuses to be adopted by anyone, and takes to sleeping on his master's grave in the Greyfriars kirkyard, despite a caretaker with a "no dogs" rule. And when Bobby is taken up for being unlicensed, it's up to the children of Edinburgh and the Lord Provost to decide what's to be done.
Norwegian immigrant Marta Hanson keeps a firm but loving hand on her household of four children, a devoted husband and a highly-educated lodger who reads great literature to the family every evening. Through financial crises, illnesses and the small triumphs of everyday life, Marta maintains her optimism and sense of humor, traits she passes on to her aspiring-author daughter, Katrin.
In Brooklyn circa 1900, the Nolans manage to enjoy life on pennies despite great poverty and Papa's alcoholism. We come to know these people well through big and little troubles: Aunt Sissy's scandalous succession of "husbands"; the removal of the one tree visible from their tenement; and young Francie's desire to transfer to a better school...if irresponsible Papa can get his act together.
Set in the Ozark Mountains during the Great Depression, Billy Coleman works hard and saves his earnings for 2 years to achieve his dream of buying two coonhound pups. He develops a new trust in God as he faces overwhelming challenges in adventure and tragedy roaming the river bottoms of Cherokee country with "Old Dan" and "Little Ann."