Little Women

The classic novel from Louisa May Alcott gets a screen adaptation every generation, and it comes to Greta Gerwig to write and direct this excellent film. The last major version starred Winona Ryder, and is a fine film but this version has universally excellent performances and is one of those occasions when a modern film makes you forget its contemporary existence and makes you believe that you are in Civil War era Massachusetts. 

Having not read the book doesn’t really aid analysis of the film: Gerwig’s take uses different times and moves between them at points to tell the story of four sisters—each quite different characters—who live in Concord, and struggle to overcome illness, accidents, and the culture of the times to be successful in their own ways. It’s important obviously to note that this isn’t about just finding love although there is plenty of romance—thwarted and not—in the story. Arguably the central character, Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) is part of the ensemble for the most part. However her literary ambitions mirrors Louisa May Alcott and there’s an intellectual battle between the young woman and a doughy, moustached publisher which in the end gets very meta and almost seems to be a comment on the idea of a woman creating the film in the first place.

There’s a lot of standard costume-drama stuff going on, even though this is a superior and modern one: lines of very well-dressed people dancing is a cinematic trope that might go back to Pride & Prejudice and was on show again in the trailer for the forthcoming version of Emma.

There’s something about the photography that is beautiful in this Little Women. There are dark moments with deep dark blues and grey, and the outdoor, summer shot—and a key scene at the beach—have a sunlit glow (there are also some dream/fantastical scenes). The photography and the pointedness of the script works to provide the cast with what they need to make this an authentic an experience as possible. Accurate locations and great detail in the art direction, and some amazing costume work makes for something akin to a lavish play for the internal locations. In addition to Ronan, Emma Watson is incredible as Meg—there was only one point where her British accent came through. Florence Pugh is wonderful as Amy and Timothée Chalamet is Laurie—the at-times annoying boy next door. Laura Dern plays the girls’ mother and Meryl Streep is the redoubtable aunt. And she can purse her lips and drink a cup of tea like no other. She can do a lot more than that, and is the closest America gets to Maggie Smith style national treasure.

Although this is a classic looking film there are some modern touches that seem to fit right in. It’s probably got a target demographic but there shouldn’t be gender divides in who makes films or goes to see them. Little Women is objectively excellent.