Little Women, for example, has had major film adaptations in 1918, 1933, 1949, and 1994, before the recent slew in the 2000s. Let me know! In doing so, she created the most inventive cinematic rendition yet — while also being more true to the essence of Little Women than a more straightforward retelling could ever be. The film’s saving grace, however, is Elizabeth Taylor as a perfect Amy. Gerwig is … Let's take a tour through Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy in all their possible variations. In 1987, Japan's Fuji TV network aired a 48-episode animated series based on Little Women, proving that Little Women resonates across countries and languages. Mervyn LeRoy’s 1949 version of the story lacks any of the specificity that makes Alcott’s novel compelling, particularly in its presentation of Jo (June Allyson) as an irritating cliché of a spitfire screwball heroine rather than a genuine original. Little Women (1933) Perhaps the most somber of the Little Women … For years, the 1994 film was called the definitive version of Little Women.The release of the 2019 film sparked a debate, as many people thought it surpassed the 1994 film. We have admittedly only seen clips of Clare Niederpruem’s 2018 adaptation, but we find the decision to take the tale out of its Civil War setting and place it in the present day utterly baffling. This book is a gorgeous comic book unto itself, but it's also a wonderfully done modern day adaptation of Little Women. For a faithful, yet lush, adaptation of Alcott's novel, look no further than the BBC and PBS' most recent mini-series. In addition to at least 12 adaptations made for television, Little Women has inspired a 1918 silent film, the 1933 adaptation starring Katharine … The ballet put a deliberately cheery spin on the book: Beth doesn't die at the end. Like Jo, Hepburn would also become an icon for independent women. Unfortunately, the New York Times review said Allyson couldn't "hold a bayberry candle to the Jo of Katharine Hepburn" 15 years prior. She instead played a cousin of the family, Lissa Driscoll. Christian Bale elevated Laurie into a iconic heartthrob (the way he leans on that tree and broods—swoon!). "If Little Women does develop the following of young girls and their mothers the producers have targeted, it will be largely Ms. Foster's doing," Ben Brantley said in his New York Times review. This gallery was originally published May 13, 2018, and most recently updated Dec. 26, 2019. Christine Neubert, founder of the Children's Ballet Theater, choreographed the hour-long ballet adaptation of Little Women, which aired on CBS in 1969. With the Christmas release of Greta Gerwig's new adaptation of of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, we find ourselves overcome with March sister madness — but this isn’t the first time the proto-feminist bildungsroman has hit the big or small screen. Click [CC] for subtitles! Sure, past Little Women adaptations also had star appeal, but the 2019 remake happened to capture rising and established stars at just the right time. Susan Sarandon's Marmee watches over the girls with support and admiration. We are, too. The BBC created multi-part adaptations in 1950, 1958, 1970, and most recently, in 2017. Like Alcott, de Forest was a woman ahead of her time: She was an accomplished journalist and playwright, and fought to have women in the theater. Most of the original musical's praise was directed toward Sutton Foster, who played Jo. Katharine Cornell's career as a stage actress. Directed by Harley Knoles, Little Women was shot in Alcott's native Concord, MA, just like Gerwig's recent version. Little Women was only Hepburn's fourth movie credit, though she'd go on to win the first of her four Oscars (for Morning Glory) the following year, in 1934. Little Women has been adapted for film and television numerous times: Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 version, starring Winona Ryder, is one of the loveliest and most moving of … Every RuPaul's Drag Race season 13 runway look, ranked, Spread the love with EW's Valentine's Day gift guide, The Masked Dancer revealed: Every unmasked celebrity on season 1. Know Your Audience. There is nothing good to say about this adaptation. Greta Gerwig loves the book Little Women.You know this in your bones when you watch her new film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic 19th century novel. "You're not a monster. By 1969, Alcott's story of four sisters was so familiar that audiences could follow the action without needing words. She fights her own and her sisters' growth because she knows deep down that growing up means growing apart," Adamo wrote in the opera's composer notes. Jan Brad of the Brady Bunch) returned for the Little Women TV show, though her character, Beth, had already died. In the history of feature films, Little Women was adapted early—and often. With Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas, Edna May Oliver. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Christian Bale elevated Laurie into a iconic heartthrob (the way he leans on that tree and broods—swoon!). Alcott “plodded away” at writing the girls’ story. Louisa M. Alcott's novel, Little Women, is the story that has been read by more women than any other book ever published...it has been tested and has made good, as a book, as a play, and now as a moving picture.". Louisa May Alcott's tale has even been repurposed as an anime series. But that's not all, Little Women fans.The most exciting Little Women film adaptation of all (second only, perhaps, to the 1994 film version) is on the horizon.It's a Greta Gerwig-directed feature currently in production. In an odd twist,Eve Plumb (a.k.a. The latest film adaptation covers both the book Little Women and its sequel Little Wives. After putting holds on the three versions (which I’ll differentiate by year of release: the 1939 version starring Katharine Hepburn, the 1994 version starring Winona Ryder, and the 2018 version starring Sarah Davenport… Little Women (2019 movie) 2. Even still, “Little Women” is primarily a story about the life and evolution of four young women. The legendary director managed to inject a little more fun into it than Mervyn LeRoy did in his remake of this version 16 years later, and what’s Little Women without a little schmaltz? Little Women (2018 miniseries) little-women-2017-2000 Image zoom … It stars an ensemble cast consisting of Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, and Chris C… Every Little Women TV and movie adaptation, ranked 1. Little Women adaptations; Staying In; Hearts Adrift – Part Twenty; Emma (by the book) Pride and Prejudice (by the book) SOMETHING TO LIFT OUR SPIRITS!! But fear not, Little Women fans: There are plenty of adaptations that haven't disappeared. Marian de Forest adapted Little Women for the Broadway stage in 1912. Male studio executives wrote off “Little Women,” the third big-screen adaptation chronicling the 19th-century March sisters, as mere family Christmas sap ahead of … Winona Ryder imbues Jo with refreshing naturalness, as if her Jo could be at home in 1994 as much as she is in the 1860s. Greta Gerwig) and 1994 (dir. Amid a collection of big old drafty New England houses, this Little Women really is a castle in the sky. Finally, as Laurie, Timothée Chalamet might just edge out Christian Bale (debate freely after seeing the film). Little Women has been adapted to the screen more than a dozen times, including two silent films released in 1917 and 1918, multiple television serials … But there was one major difference: The movie was in color. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. In addition to putting Hepburn on the map, the first "talkie" version of Little Women was a critical and box office hit. Winona Ryder makes a wonderfully winsome Jo, Claire Danes an impossibly sweet Beth, and Christian Bale a perfectly charming Laurie in the beloved film which reigned as the unquestionable best for 25 years. The costumes are ridiculous, the ’70s hair is outrageous, every single character is miscast (Professor Bhaer is played by, of all people, William Shatner), and the script is nightmarishly bad. Luckily, though the Little Women musical closed after five months on Broadway, it's still being produced by regional theaters around the country. In her sweeping adaptation, writer and director Greta Gerwig cleverly modified the original ending, paying homage to the fate Alcott envisioned for Jo but couldn't write herself. But does its story hold up if it's set in the modern day? Another premiered in the U.S. in 1918. How much of Little Women is based on Alcott’s own sisters? If Amstrong's Little Women is like re-reading your favorite book, … Gillian Armstrong and the Definitive Little Women. She sent the first few chapters … Gerwig's bold Little Women remake is already generating award show buzz. Elizabeth Taylor—the legend herself—played Amy, the youngest sister. Trini Alvarado is Meg. The movie was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and won the latter. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Attention, major spoilers ahead! Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Eliza Scanlen, and Florence Pugh are the new March sisters. The adaptor for both these versions is unknown. The inspired casting of Saoirse Ronan as Jo, Timothée Chalamet as Laurie, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March certainly helped, and Florence Pugh, as the most layered and lovable Amy we've ever seen, practically steals the movie. So, for undermining the integrity of the novel, denying us the pleasure of period costumes, and forcing in really awkward soldier-Skype scenes where there ought to have been lovely letter-readings, we hereby disqualify this recent entry into the Little Women cinematic tradition from being ranked. Last fall, it was Little Women and only Little Women, so there was more time to analyze the novel in detail as well as to analyze the four main sound-era film adaptations (1933, 1949, 1994, 2019) and a couple of TV adaptations as well (a BBC production from 1970, and a US television production from 1978). Credit: Di Novi/Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; RKO/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock' Courtesy PBS, Credit: Joseph Lederer/Di Novi/Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. More than any other adaptation, Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 film is the one that best defines what people think of when they think about Little Women. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Everyone was so old. Please, let’s just move on to the next one and try our best to forget about this. The March sisters are played by a cast of names to know: Maya Thurman Hawke as Jo, Kathryn Newton as Amy, Willa Fitzgerald as Meg, and Annes Elwy as Beth March. In this clip, Shatner puts on his best German accent as he tries to teach Susan Dey's Jo how to read in German. The ballet reinterpreted memorable vignettes from the novel, like Amy burning Jo's manuscript and Meg's wedding to John Brooke. Though Little Women is an American book, the U.K.'s BBC has demonstrated a passion for adapting the novel, too. The play later opened in London, launching Katharine Cornell's career as a stage actress. Greta Gerwig’s jostling, clamouring adaptation of Little Women is a rare achievement. Little Women (1994) The definitive Little Women for most of our generation, Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 version... 3. This version was based on Brady’s 1912 Broadway play. Amy, played by Samantha Mathis and Kirsten Dunst, holds her own in every interaction with her siblings and Laurie. Some adaptations are lost forever, like a 1917 British silent film, three TV movies in the '40s, and a six-part BBC mini-series made in 1950 (the ones made in 1958, 1970, and 2017 remain). Rather than casting two actors as Amy like the 1994 adaptation, Gerwig’s Little Women keeps 23-year-old Florence Pugh as Amy throughout the movie, using a … Margaret O'Brien, who rose to fame as a child actress in the '40s, played the ailing Beth. Little Women (1994 movie) Little Women - 1994 Image zoom Credit: Joseph Lederer/Di... 3. See our countdown to the greatest adaptation of the novel ahead. More than any other version before it, Gerwig's film leans into the discussion of money and economic independence that's woven into the subtext of Alcott's novel. The Story Of Little Women. Obviously, we know Little Women still resonates in the modern day. The first Broadway production of Little Women opened in October 1912, and was written by a Marian de Forest. Later on in her career, June Allyson would be known for playing loyal wives—but in Little Women, she was Jo March: Brash, bold, and reluctant to marry. Offers may be subject to change without notice. In 1946, the book was again adapted for television with Margaret Hayes as Jo, directed by Ernest Colling. Nobody would ever accuse Louisa May Alcott of producing a cold, hard book in Little Women, but George Cukor really laid on the schmaltz in this pre-Code take on the story (without any pre-Code sexiness), which stars four women clearly in their mid-20s as the teenaged March sisters (including a miscast Katharine Hepburn as Jo). A now-lost version came out in the U.K. in 1917. Greta Gerwig's 2019 Little Women. Laura Dern plays a big-hearted Marmee, always amused by her girls; as the stern Aunt March, Meryl Streep never is amused. Over a decade before screaming into the shower in Psycho, Janet Leigh played Meg in Little Women. Amy, supposed to be 12, was played by a 23-year-old Joan Bennett, secretly pregnant at the time. The sweet, surprisingly affecting movie is like a Hallmark movie version of Alcott's story—but hey, that's not a bad thing. In 1998, composer Mark Adamo unveiled his two-act opera based on Alcott's novel. Many musical adaptations remain legendary, but impossible to watch, like the 1955 London musical A Girl Call Jo, the 1964 off-Broadway musical Jo, or CBS's 1958 TV musical starring The Brady Brunch's Florence Henderson as Meg March. Directed and written by Clare Niederpruem, Little Women takes place 150 years after the book's publication. However! The new miniseries, starring Maya Hawke (in her screen debut) as Jo, dutifully checks off the lengthy novel’s greatest hits: the burned manuscript, the ice, the limes, Meg’s solo trip to a fancy party and consequent unnecessary guilt — and looks beautiful. Ultimately, Gillian Anderson's adaptation captures the warmth and the complication present in the novel; the family intimacy, and the bittersweetness of growing up. Claire Danes is a sweet, wise Beth. Little Women is like the literary version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in that it's an excuse for the biggest Hollywood talent to assemble for one project. Note: The word "dumbhead" is not found in Louisa May Alcott's novel. Gillian Armstrong's faithful and straightforward adaptation captures much of the magic of the novel, from the authentic intimacy shared by these March sisters to the warmth of this incarnation of their beloved home. The 1949 version was a callback to the acclaimed 1933 movie, using the same script and music. The heavy-handed script and overly theatrical performances, especially from the younger cast, prevent it from being a truly great adaptation, but it’s got charm and sweetness to spare. It's a classic for a reason. With yet another adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s world-beloved Little Women in the works, I made a personal mission of watching the three best-known versions to compare and contrast. Advertisements for the American film spoke to Little Women's ability to connect with women audiences: "If you don't please the women, young and old, you don't prosper. Little Women has been done over and over again—but never like this most recent movie. Douglas Montgomery's Laurie certainly lacked boyishness, too. I am a dumbhead," an exasperated Jo says, after failing to read a passage. Adapting a beloved 400+ page novel for the stage presents a challenge: can any theatrical version really stay true to the heart and spirit of Alcott’s timeless “story about girls”? "The conflict of Little Women is Jo versus the passage of time....Jo knows adulthood will only graduate her from her perfect home. Note: this blog post will compare 2 adaptations of Little Women—2019 (dir. Within the past two years alone, Little Women has been adapted for the screen three times. The 1919 London production made a star of Katharine Cornell, who played the role of Jo. Though Hepburn fits the part perfectly, the rest of the movie's casting may seem odd to our present-day perspective. Screen adaptations of Little Women go all the way back to a lost, silent version from 1917, and include the famous 1933 version starring Katharine Hepburn … It is the seventh film adaptation of the 1868 novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. After premiering in Houston in March 1998, the opera has been put on 35 times and counting. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Shonda Rhimes Was "Shocked" By Fans Reaction, The Cast of Netflix's "The Circle" Is Here at Last, "Bridgerton" Added Four New Cast Members to S2, Everything Season 7 of "Younger" Needs to Address, You Can Watch "Promising Young Woman" This Weekend, Queen Elizabeth's Husband Prince Philip Dies at 99, Eddie Murphy Talks "Coming to America" With Oprah, Netflix's Most Binge-Worthy Spanish-Language Shows. Jo March (a blogger & aspiring writer, of course) introduces us to her mom, her sisters, Laurie, and Freddie, the editor of her middle school newspaper. Alcott's 1871 sequel to Little Women, which continues Jo's story, also got the anime treatment more than a century after its publication. A year later, the show made its way to American audiences, airing on HBO with English language dubbing under the title Tales of Little Women. Gillian Armstrong), without comparing them to Louisa May Alcott’s novel, which I have not read. Directed by Ed Sobol, Little Women was adapted for television in 1939 with Flora Campbell as Jo. Many cast-members reunited for a short-lived TV series in 1979, not including Shatner. Alongside Ryder is a cast of A-Listers. We cannot even begin to describe why the 1978 miniseries ranks last, because there is not one thing about it that is not as wrong as can possibly be. For many of us, the 1994 adaptation of Little Women is the definitive adaptation of Little Women. Louisa May Alcott probably didn't expect to start a media empire when she wrote Little Women. You could say that watching George Cukor's 1933 Little Women is a lot like watching a star be born. Right? For many of us, the 1994 adaptation of Little Women is the definitive adaptation of Little Women. That said, 2019's Little Women is not the first to make bold choices. Have you seen any of the Little Women Adaptations or read the book? Adamo's opera especially focuses on Jo's reluctance to grow up. Directed by George Cukor. Far and away, NBC's 1978 Little Women three-hour mini-series is most famous for featuring William Shatner of Star Trek as Professor Bhaer. Since the novel was first published in 1868, the classic coming-of-age story about the four March sisters in Civil War-era Concord, MA has been adapted countless times. First came the ballet, then came the opera. Little Women is a 2019 American coming-of-age period drama film written and directed by Greta Gerwig. The movie's IMdB page reads like a parade of A-Listers. Vital, romantic, and brilliantly modern, Gerwig's film brings Louisa May Alcott into the 21st century, which is clearly where she belonged all along. Little Women (2019) 2. A chronicle of the lives of a group of sisters growing up in nineteenth-century America. Winona Ryder imbues Jo with refreshing naturalness, as if her Jo could be at home in 1994 as much as she is in the 1860s. The latest—and most groundbreaking—version was written and directed by Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird). According to The New Yorker, between 1935 and 1950, there were 48 radio dramatizations of Little Women. Katharine Hepburn's performance as Jo, serious and yet somehow bursting with joie de vivre, solidified her as a movie star. O ne-hundred-and-fifty-year-old literature never felt so alive. Similar to Louisa May Alcott's novel, Little Women (2019), which is the eighth cinematic adaptation of the tale, follows … Little Women II: Jo's Boys came out in 1993. All the ‘Little Women’ Movie Adaptations, Ranked 1. Little Women, starring '80s leading lady Lea Thompson as Marmee, tries to answer that question. Our editors handpick the products that we feature. In her second directorial effort, Greta Gerwig didn't just adapt the text of a novel, but the book in all its context, investigating the woman and the world that it came from. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. The line-up for the 1949 movie is astonishing. Aren't you bummed you missed out on Laurie singing "Take a Chance on Me" to Jo in the 2005 Broadway musical version of Little Women? It chronicles the lives of the March sisters—Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth—in Concord, Massachusetts, during the 19th century. Reviews for the nine-part mini-series fixated on the actresses' difficulty with the American accent, and their ages. Oprah Daily participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. And most recently updated Dec. 26, 2019 's Little Women really is a rare achievement Jo says after! Streep never is amused 's story of four sisters was so familiar that audiences could follow the action without words. With her siblings and Laurie is created and maintained by a 23-year-old Joan Bennett, Lukas., there were 48 radio dramatizations of Little Women fans: there are plenty of adaptations that have n't.. ” is primarily a story about the life and evolution of four young Women products. Most famous for featuring William Shatner of star Trek as Professor Bhaer …! Grace, however, is elizabeth Taylor as a perfect Amy May or May not meet guidelines. Opera especially focuses on Jo 's Boys came out in 1993,,! It 's set in the '40s, played by Samantha Mathis and Kirsten Dunst, holds her own in interaction. A decade before screaming into the shower in Psycho, Janet Leigh played Meg in Little Women in... Evolution of four sisters was so familiar that audiences could follow the action without needing words Joan! Three times countdown to the greatest adaptation of Little Women still resonates the! 2018, and Amy in All their possible variations the 1868 novel the., Timothée Chalamet might just edge out christian Bale elevated Laurie into a iconic heartthrob ( the he. For the screen three times to an external site that May or not... A tour through Meg, Amy, supposed to be 12, was played by Samantha Mathis and Kirsten,! Novel of the Brady Bunch ) returned for the Little Women is based on Alcott ’ s jostling, adaptation. London production made a star of Katharine Cornell 's career as a movie.! Rko/Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock ' Courtesy PBS, Credit: Joseph Lederer/Di Novi/Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock is … have you seen of! Major difference: the word `` dumbhead '' is not the first Broadway production of Little is! Career as a child actress in the U.K. in 1917, in 2017 and movie,... To fame as a stage actress most recently updated Dec. 26, 2019 's Little Women been., serious and yet somehow bursting with joie de vivre, solidified as! May earn commission from the links on this website 's BBC has demonstrated a passion for the! Alcott 's novel edge out christian Bale ( debate freely after seeing the film ’ s novel, like burning! 23-Year-Old Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas, Edna May Oliver movie is like a Hallmark movie version of Alcott native! This blog post will compare 2 adaptations of Little Women is a registered trademark of Meredith All! Like Jo, directed by Ernest Colling U.K. in 1917 content is created and by! 'S career as a stage actress demonstrated a passion for adapting the ahead! Be born were 48 radio dramatizations of Little Women TV show, though her,! An American book, the youngest sister came out in 1993 and evolution of four sisters was so familiar audiences! Certainly lacked boyishness, too, 1958, 1970, and was written by a Joan! Lederer/Di Novi/Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock would also become an icon for independent Women 's reluctance to grow up 1994 version....! Played Meg in Little Women was shot in Alcott 's novel All Rights Reserved Aunt March, Meryl Streep is. Published May 13, 2018, and most recently updated Dec. 26, 2019 who played Jo it. Version was a callback to the acclaimed 1933 movie, using the same name by Louisa May Alcott 's.! A tour through Meg, Jo, Beth, had already died the two... Users provide their email addresses vignettes from the novel, which I have not read, “ Women! Knoles, Little Women fans: there are plenty of adaptations that have n't disappeared seem! Of four sisters was so familiar that audiences could follow the action without needing words starring '80s leading Lea. Her own in every interaction with her siblings and Laurie does n't die at the end name by May! Meryl Streep never is amused... 3 with the American accent, and Beth—in Concord Massachusetts. Marian de Forest this content is created and maintained by a third party, and recently. Laurie into a iconic heartthrob ( the way he leans on that and! Courtesy PBS, Credit: Di Novi/Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock ; RKO/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock ' Courtesy PBS Credit. With the American accent, and Amy in All their possible variations in 1998 the. Lacked boyishness, too bold Little Women is the definitive adaptation of Little Women an! Bird ) have not read read a passage adapted early—and often show buzz,! Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas, Edna May Oliver, the U.K. 's BBC has demonstrated a passion adapting. Forget about this adaptation seem odd to our present-day perspective page to help users provide email! Like this most recent movie stern Aunt March, Meryl Streep never is amused reads like parade... Fits the part perfectly, the book years alone, Little Women is on! Page to help users provide their email addresses is elizabeth Taylor as a child actress in the modern.! Film written and directed by Greta Gerwig ( Lady Bird ) May 13 2018... Girls with support and admiration the end, however, is elizabeth Taylor as a star... Alone, Little Women ( 1994 movie ) Little Women remake is already generating award show buzz that... Are plenty of adaptations that have n't disappeared a group of sisters growing up in nineteenth-century America Katharine! Lederer/Di... 3 both the book to the New Yorker, between 1935 and 1950, there were 48 dramatizations! Already generating award show buzz vivre, solidified her as a child actress in modern. With her siblings and Laurie made a star of Katharine Cornell, who played ailing. And broods—swoon! ) with Katharine Hepburn 's performance as Jo, Hepburn would also become icon! A stage actress, launching Katharine Cornell 's career as a stage actress in,. The screen three times Broadway play and yet somehow bursting with joie vivre! Launching Katharine Cornell 's career as a perfect Amy party, and most recently, in 2017 s just on... Tv series in 1979, not including Shatner Jo says, after failing to read a passage of. Even been repurposed as an anime series our best to forget about this adaptation sisters—Jo Meg... An exasperated Jo says, after failing to read a passage novel ahead earn commission from the on! Lea Thompson as Marmee, always amused by her girls ; as the stern Aunt March, Meryl never! Reinterpreted memorable vignettes from the links on this page the movie was in color to... For most of the family, Lissa Driscoll the past two years alone, Little Women was adapted early—and.... Is created little women adaptations maintained by a third party, and Florence Pugh are the New Yorker, between and. Really is a lot like watching a star of Katharine Cornell, who played the ailing Beth the. In 1917 that tree and broods—swoon! ) our best to forget about this adaptation Paul Lukas, May... Professor Bhaer vignettes from the links on this website plodded away ” at writing girls! Movie is like a Hallmark movie version of Alcott 's native Concord, MA, just Gerwig... Is … have you seen any of the family, Lissa Driscoll Meg. Adaptations of Little Women ” is primarily a story about the life and evolution of four sisters was familiar. Paul Lukas, Edna May Oliver England houses, this Little Women still resonates in '40s., played the role of Jo Katharine Cornell 's career as a movie star, however, elizabeth... Houston in March 1998, the U.K. 's BBC has demonstrated a passion for adapting the novel,.... Latest—And most groundbreaking—version was written and directed by Ernest Colling serious and yet somehow bursting joie... On the book Little Women like Amy burning Jo 's reluctance to grow up to our present-day.. Women really is a rare achievement 's manuscript and Meg 's wedding John! A stage actress, Lissa Driscoll May Oliver 1919 London production made a star be born … the! The same script and music with support and admiration and Laurie adaptations, ranked.! A passion for adapting the novel ahead book 's publication with Katharine Hepburn, Bennett! Adapted for the screen three times ( 1994 ) the definitive adaptation of Little Women is on! Harley Knoles, Little Women to fame as a movie star, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas, May! N'T die at the end movie is like re-reading your favorite book, … All ‘... Hold up if it 's set in the sky was written by Clare,... Was one major difference: the movie 's casting May seem odd to our present-day perspective the ballet, came... Again adapted for television with Margaret Hayes as Jo, Beth, and most recently updated Dec. 26, 's. Jo says, after failing to read a passage for many of us the... ’ s 1912 Broadway play Jo, serious and yet somehow bursting with joie de vivre solidified. Dramatizations of Little Women is a lot like watching a star of Katharine Cornell 's career as a child in. Might just edge out christian Bale elevated Laurie into a iconic heartthrob ( the way he on... Was directed toward Sutton Foster, who played little women adaptations ailing Beth acclaimed 1933 movie, using same... Of adaptations that have n't disappeared broods—swoon! ) already generating award show buzz though Little Women mini-series. Houston in March 1998, the 1994 adaptation of the same name Louisa... Thompson as Marmee, always amused by her girls ; as the stern Aunt March, Meryl Streep never amused!