Little Women [DVD]

My 84 year old mother fell in love with the book Little Women as a young girl and has read everything ever written by Louisa May Alcott. She still has everyone of those books - the original books she read growing up. When the 1949 version of Little Women came out with June Allyson playing Jo; Peter Lawford playing Laurie; Margaret O'Brien playing Beth; Janet Leigh playing Meg; and best of all, Elizabeth Taylor playing Amy, my mother was 13 years old and fell in love with that movie version of Little Women. My mother loved this story so much, she named her first born daughter, Laurie. While that name became more common for a girl's name, it was not at all common back then and it's definitely a good thing that she did not have a son as her first born child. While my mother will watch the updated versions of Little Women, she never feels any of them compare to the 1949 version.When I was 13, I read my mother's book of Little Women, followed by Little Men, and also fell in love with the story and the March family. I also agree with my that the portrayals of the characters in the 1949 version are the best portrayals of each of the book's characters, as written in the books. June Allyson had that tomboy nature of Jo, down pat. Margaret O'Brien portrayed the gentle, fragile nature of Beth so well, that no one could watch the movie without crying when she died. But best of all, was Elizabeth Taylor playing Amy. She had the perfect, little arrogant attitude and coming of age change in her personality that has ever been done or will be done. She was perfect for that role.When I first began watching this current version, I thought they were going to begin at the point they started at and was saddened that they wouldn't tell the entire story. However, after the flashback began, I realized that we would get to see the entire story played out. Being that I know this story so well, it didn't bother me in the least that it was told using flashbacks. I already knew the characters and didn't need to build that connection. I also enjoyed the fact that we saw other parts of the story that are from the book but have never been in the movie versions before. I am glad they did not just repeat the story the same way it has been done over and over again in all of the other versions.I thought all of the characters were played very well by this cast. I thought Saoirse Ronan's portrayal of Jo was not only a good updated version, but also more in keeping with how Louisa May Alcott probably would have been. Louisa May Alcott based this story on her life, but it wasn't a true biography but was instead written with rose colored glasses. I also really enjoyed Emma Watson's portrayal of Meg and thought she added more depth to that character than is usually portrayed in the movie versions. All of the other characters were played very well by the actors and actresses. It's just that sometimes an actress or actor plays a part so well that they become what you envision that character to always be like. Try to imagine anyone else playing Scarlet O'Hara than Vivien Leigh. It can't be done. The same is true for Elizabeth Taylor as Amy and Margaret O'Brien as Beth, in my opinion.I can understand that someone watching Little Women for the first time might feel a bit confused with the way this movie uses flashbacks to tell the story. Maybe even someone who has seen another version or two and maybe even read the book, might be a little put off with the sequence of flashbacks. But as someone who has seen every version and seen many of them multiple times and has reread this book multiple times, I enjoyed the variety this version provided.I began talking about my mother and her love of Little Women and I will end talking about my mother. Both of us were going to go see this movie on Christmas Eve, but she became ill and spent the holidays in the hospital, followed by a period of time in rehab. She is now permanently wheel chair bound and it is hard for her to transfer into a car. So, we missed the chance of watching this together on the big screen, something I really wish we could have done together as a lasting memory of something she loved and passed on to me. I bought the online version of this movie, so I will set it up for her to watch at home, as well. My guess is that she will enjoy this movie, but not as much as the 1949 version.

I know Little Women is a classic, but I never cared for the book nor the 1994 version because I did not like that she ended up with Bhaer. It was an odd choice that turned the book and movie off for me. However, I decided to give the 2019 movie a shot because I Googled 'feminist/girl power movies' and this was one of the movies that showed up. So, I rented the movie and watched it. I was taken back by the movie not going in chronological order. It was definitely different from the original. The major difference from the book and the 1994 version that caused me to dislike it is the ending. The ending starts after Jo March sends her manuscript of 'Little Women' to her publisher, a book she writes about her childhood and her sisters, and he writes back. She crumbles the letter and comes downstairs and Bhaer is there. I felt it was strange and out of place with the rest of the movie. I didn't get why he was there and why her family was acting so strange. Then when he leaves to go to California, Jo's family telling her she loves him is definitely odd. I was starting to not like the movie all over again, then when Jo, Meg and Amy rode to the train station all dramatic, I was about to turn the movie off and say I dislike this version too. However, I'm glad I did not. The scene cuts to Jo being in her publisher's office and them discussing the ending. He asks who does "Jo", her counterpart in her book marry and Jo answers no one, she doesn't marry either of them referring to Bhaer and Laurie. The publisher says no, girls want to see the women married, and no one will buy the book if "Jo" becomes a spinster. After some bickering, Jo concedes and then the scene goes back to the train station where the 1994 ending takes place sort of, Jo tells Bhaer she doesn't want him to leave and he says his hands are empty, they kiss in the rain under an umbrella, it is very unrealistic. The first thing we hear after they kiss is the publisher saying that's nice, it's very romantic and touching. They are still in the office and the publisher says they can call the chapter "Under the Umbrella." They negotiate the royalties and Jo gets her own copyright, she mentions that she sold her heroine into marriage for money and she might as well get some of it. They agree on the royalties and Jo keeps her copyright, the next scene is kind of an over the top fairytale ending with all of the March women at the school with kids, their husbands and children celebrating Marmie's birthday. Between that scene is also a scene of Jo watching her book get put together. When Jo sets the cake before Marmie and the women stand next to their respective spouses, the scene fades and zooms in on the book. The scene goes away the moment the book is completed. Afterwards there is only one scene, Jo gets her book and she hugs it close to her. At first I was confused, did both endings take place? Or is the train station and the fairytale ending just part of the book ending that the publisher wanted so her book could sell? With questions I went to the internet and there was a wide variety of opinions but I found 2 articles that simply explained what happened. I read an article on Oprah Daily and one on Distractify. In Oprah Daily it says that the author, Louisa May Alcott, based Little Women on her own childhood and Jo on herself. She did not want Jo to be married off, she wanted her to be a literary spinster like herself but in the 19th century, women had to be married off in the end otherwise the book would not be published and would not sell. So, the director follows the ending Alcott would have wanted, Jo writes an ending where her counterpart "Jo" in the book goes after Bhaer, they kiss and have that domesticated ending at the school celebrating Marmie's birthday. The real ending is Jo watching her book get printed and gaining the independence she always wanted. That explanation matches well with Distractify's explanation. I am pleased with the ending.

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Got for wife. Said it was amazing. Perfect gift