Little Women (Classic Masterpiece Book & DVD Set)

I was enchanted. It was all there, from the scenery to the costumes to the characters. Winona Ryder perfectly captured my fiery Jo, Kirsten Dunst the vanity of Amy, and Clair Danes the real depths of Beth, without any of them becoming a caricature. I loved the way Trini Alvarado, an actress new to me, potrayed the earnest, wistful, practical Meg. The passionate, fun-loving yet moody Laurie was perfectly found in Christian Bale, and the only difference between Gabriel Byrne and the professor I've always imagined is that Gabriel Byrne is more handsome. Aunt March had more dimensionality to her than in the book (and what a joy to see Mary Wickes in the role!). But the spirit that Louisa May Alcott gave to her book was caught ethereally in Marmee, as portrayed by Susan Sarandon. She was the real foundation of the film, and expanding her character was the wisest decision Gilllian Armstrong made. Yes, some of the things in the film were not in the book, but they were so consistent with the story, so central to the March family philosophy, that perhaps they should have been! I never thought that my beloved book could be improved upon, but it has been in this film. I also wish to mention the sets, the cinematography and the music, all which added so much to make my imagined world of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy become real. Thank you to everyone who worked on this precious film.


Heart Warming Superb Classic   August 17, 2006
Erika Borsos (Gulf Coast of FL, USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Louisa May Alcott's book has come to life in vivid detail and beauty. The casting is superb. The four sisters are a pleasure to watch and view as they develop into young ladies who experience both the pleasures and pains of growing into adulthood. The film depicts the changes in each character from adolescence and the growing pains associated with making independent decisions based on their personalities and values. As young ladies with education who grew up in a household where their opinions were heard and mattered, they stand in direct contrast with the majority of girls growing up at that time ...

In the attic, the sisters enact all the parts of a play which Jo had written ... it was a great moment when they invited Theodore Lawrence into their circle of friends. The individuality of each sister is quite evident. The film does a fine job of presenting each character, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy as unique individuals who blossom, each into her own personality, when they are forced to make choices and deal with building their own lives. The film shows the flow of everyday life around the time of the Civil War, when their father was serving as a soldier. The film does a wonderful job of showing the social structure and class differences of the era. The language, speech and manners of the times are well acted ...

The close bonds of sisterhood are threatened by Beth's illness, and eventual death. The film presents Jo, Meg and Amy as they develop into responsible adults with independent lives and interests apart from the cocoon of the family. Meg's courtship and eventual marriage to a school teacher/tutor is done well, especially the birth of their twins. Amy's ambitions of marrying into wealth and becoming a lady, and the value conflicts associated with this desire when she meets Theodore Lawrence in Paris is superbly done. Jo's move to live in New York at a boarding house, broadens her life experiences as she is challenged by Frederick, a German professor she bumps into by chance. Her wings are spread as she learns to fly solo within this new and challenging environment. Despite their differences, the sisters are forever connected by the bonds of family and love which makes the book and film an enduring classic. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]


It is one of the best movies I have ever seen   December 12, 1998
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I am 11 years old and I love to read. Louisa May Alcott is one of my favorite authors and Little Women is one of my favorite movies. I also love it because Winona Ryder is in it and i love her, she is perfect for the part of Jo March! I hope to own this movie one day! I love the whole story and they basically do not leave any of the main parts out! Some movies that are books are bad because they leave so much out but this one includes everything. My grandmother and I saw it after we read the book and it is terrific! It is a wonderful family film and I give it a definite five stars!!!!!!