Little Women - A Movie Review
Year of Release : 1994 Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes (115 minutes)
Rated : PG Genre: Family, Drama
Little Women – A Touching Tale Of A Family
“It's a celebration of American female screen acting, it's a study of early feminism that feels relevant today, it's a carefully mounted exercise in period filmmaking and it's a beloved novel come to life for the fourth time.”
- Shawn Levy
Portland Oregonian
“I think the title [of Little Women] has been so off-putting for men over the generations. They feel this is a terribly 'girly' story. But it's actually a wonderful epic tale about family where men's roles are just as important and deeply involved in the story... It is... full of heartfelt emotion and such memorable characters whose lively appeal transcends the years."
- Gillian Armstrong
Director
Alongside Mel Gibson, George Miller and Peter Weir, director of this movie Gillian Armstrong is belongs to the generation of “Australian New Wave.”
Based on the Alcott’s famous 19th century novel, it tells an endearing story of four sisters in a close-knit family during and after the American Civil War.
When her husband is away at war, Headstrong Marmee March (Susan Sarandon) runs the family of four lovely daughters in Concord, Massachusetts. The March girls—composed Meg (Trini Alvarado), spirited Jo (Winona Ryder), homebound Beth (Claire Danes) and ambitious Amy (Kirsten Dunst)—are lovely band. Affectionate, enthusiastic and caring each other, the girls do not let others to penetrate their bonded relationship. Publishing their own handwritten newspapers and making theatrical plays in the attic, the March girls live amid fun and joy. When everything seems to be moving in the right direction, the family encounters series of difficulties.
Jo, the aspiring writer, moves closely with Laurie (Christian Bale), a neighborhood young man. The seemingly healthy Beth gets some incurable disease, making the family members’ heart to break. Soon, leaving behind her girls at home, Marmee rushes to a hospital in Washington to take care of their wounded father. In the midst of everything, after parting away from the confused Laurie, Jo determinedly pursues her journey to New York to fulfill her dream of a writer. Whether she gets a chance to write or denied out of bad luck, Jo communicate everything to her beloved family members. While staying at New York and pursuing her dream, she comes across a like-minded German professor Friedrich Bhaer (Gabriel Byrne)…
The character-driven movie has several well-etched characters and the handpicked artistes come out with sterling performances.
Notably, Winona Ryder’s bubbling performance as a convention defying modern girl is delight to watch.
The set designer patterned the interiors after the layout of Orchard House, Alcott's family home in Concord, Massachusetts. This is the house she lived in while writing the book.
Alcott's enduring 1868 novel has been filmed four times previously and this version got plenty of critical acclaim.
Championing the cause of feministic freedom, this densely detailed period drama exemplifies the strength of a family and relationship.
By
Srini