Film Snail

7.3

Little Women

PG·1994·119m

Drama

Romance

Drama

Romance

Summary

With their father away as a chaplain in the Civil War, Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy grow up with their mother in somewhat reduced circumstances. They are a close family who inevitably have their squabbles and tragedies. But the bond holds even when, later, male friends start to become a part of the household.

Cast

Winona Ryder

Jo March

Trini Alvarado

Meg March

Samantha Mathis

Older Amy March

Kirsten Dunst

Younger Amy March

Claire Danes

Beth March

Christian Bale

Laurie

Susan Sarandon

Mrs. March

Gabriel Byrne

Friedrich Bhaer

Eric Stoltz

John Brooke

John Neville

Mr. Laurence

Mary Wickes

Aunt March

Florence Paterson

Hannah

Robin Collins

Carriage Boy

Corrie Clark

Belle Gardiner

Rebecca Toolan

Mrs. Gardiner

Curt Willington

Red Haired Young Man

Billie Pleffer

Naughty Girl

Louella Pleffer

Naughty Girl

Janne Mortil

Sally Moffat

Sarah Strange

Sally's Friend

Ahnee Boyce

Sally's Friend

Michele Goodger

Hortense

Marco Roy

Mr. Parker

A.J. Unger

Ned Moffat

Janie Woods-Morris

Boston Matron

Patricia Leith

Boston Matron

Christine Lippa

Mrs. Hummel

Kristina West

Hummel Child

Nicole Babuick

Hummel Child

Jenna Percy

Hummel Child

Alan Robertson

Dr. Bangs

Mar Andersons

Fred Vaughan

Cameron Labine

Averill

Matthew Walker

Mr. March

Bethoe Shirkoff

Art Teacher

Marilyn Norry

Mrs. Kirk

Andrea Libman

Kitty Kirk

Tegan Moss

Minnie Kirk

Janet Craig

Miss Norton

Beverley Elliott

Irish Maid

James Leard

Office Worker

Charles Baird

Office Worker

Jay Brazeau

Dashwood

Demetri Goritsas

Bhaer's Student

Kate Robbins

Opera Singer 'Leila'

David Adams

Opera Singer 'Nadir'

Donal Logue

Jacob Mayer

Scott Bellis

John McCracken

John Shaw

Charles Botts

Irene Miscisco

French Maid

Peter Haworth

Male Secretary

Natalie Friisdahl

Daisy

Kristy Friisdahl

Daisy

Bryan Finn

Demi

Sean Finn

Demi

Eric Bruno Borgman

Returning Civil War Soldier (uncredited)

Heather Feeney

Dancer (uncredited)

Daniel Olsen

Wounded Soldier (uncredited)

Dale Resteghini

Local Boy (uncredited)

Jerry Robbins

Banker (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Gillian Armstrong

Novel

Louisa May Alcott

Screenplay

Robin Swicord

Reviews

Wuchak

December 3, 2018

***“Time erodes beauty, but what it cannot diminish is the wonderful workings of your mind"***

Based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1868 novel, “Little Women” details the coming-of-age years of four sisters from 1862-1868, covering most of the Civil War and a few years afterward.

I love the rustic New England ambiance, especially the wintery parts, but the story curiously isn’t as compelling as the classic 1933 version with Katharine Hepburn, at least as I REMEMBER it being. Thankfully, things perk up in the second half when the forceful Jo (Winona Ryder) goes to New York City and develops a friendship with an amicable, but much older scholar (Gabriel Byrne). The ending is heartwarming.

It’s interesting seeing all these actors when they were younger: Trini Alvarado as the oldest sister Meg, who’s interested in a tutor that works next door (Eric Stoltz); Claire Danes as the sickly Beth; and Kirsten Dunst & Samantha Mathis as Amy, younger and older. Christian Bale plays the neighbor, Laurie, who becomes an honorary brother that loves the March family so much he desperately wants to be part of it. Meanwhile Susan Sarandon is on hand as the mother.

The film runs 1 hour, 55 minutes and was shot in British Columbia and Deerfield, Massachusetts. While the movie opened rather weakly at the box office during Christmas, 1994, it went on to become a surprise success.

GRADE: C+/B-