Movie Review: Little Women (1949)
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this 1949 movie is adapted from
Louisa May Alcott's classic story of family love and boasts a
top-notch cast. The father of the main characters is off
fighting in the Civil War. One of the main characters dies from
illness, though it is handled off-screen such that younger
children may not understand what happened.
Families can talk about the March sisters and how each was unique. How did that make things easier for them as a family, or more difficult? Do you and your siblings have complementary strengths? The first part of the movie is set during the Civil War -- what sacrifices did the girls make to honor the soldiers, and what sacrifices can your family make to honor soldiers now? They can also compare this version to the book; which do they prefer, and why?
Common Sense Media Review
LITTLE WOMEN, adapted from the classic novel by Louisa May
Alcott, tells the tale of four distinctly different sisters as
they face deprivation and the absence of their father during
the Civil War years, through their maturation into accomplished
young women. This 1949 version gets its impact from its
incredible cast, including Mary Astor as gentle mother Marmee,
Janet Leigh as responsible Meg, June Allyson as tomboy Jo,
Elizabeth Taylor as artistic Amy, and Margaret O'Brien as shy
Beth. It should be noted that in this adaptation, Beth is
portrayed as the youngest sister rather than Amy, as is the
case in the book.
What does remain constant in this adaptation is the portrayal as each girl as an individual with flaws and strengths, and its faithfulness in portraying the journey each takes to become a woman. Jo is the protagonist of the story, as the girl who dreams of becoming a writer and traveling the world. Her evolution from a hot-tempered girl who wants to run away to fight alongside her father in the war, to the reluctant love interest of next door neighbor Laurie (Peter Lawford) to a published author who can selflessly celebrate her sisters' choices, is the narrative anchor of the story.
The movie treats the Civil War as a distant threat, with only a scene of Marmee reading a letter from Mr. March to suggest real worry and sorrow. Home front sacrifices like providing breakfast to hungry neighbors are more immediate to the sisters and the audience. The movie also acknowledges the fears that come with change, as Jo longs for things to stay the same rather than having the sisters grow up and move away.
Stylistically, the movie is a product of its era, with pastel colored skies and heavily maquillaged actresses. Additionally, the sight of the "little women" at the beginning of the movie being played by grown-up actresses is a bit jarring and is really only dispelled when the story moves to their adult lives and decisions.
Because major plot elements of the book are left out entirely, interested viewers might want to read the original novel. Additionally, a 2002 adaptation starring Winona Ryder is a more realistically drawn portrayal of the original story. Fans of Elizabeth Taylor may also enjoy National Velvet .
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
