LITTLE WOMEN
US, 1949, 121 minutes, Colour.
June Allyson, Janet Leigh, Margaret O'Brien, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Lawford, Rossano Brazzi, Mary Astor, Leon Ames.
Directed by Mervyn Le Roy.
There have been many screen versions of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. There was a classic version in the 30s with Katherine Hepburn. There were television remakes and a new version in 1994, directed by Gillian Armstrong, with Wynona Ryder and Susan Sarandon.
This version is the 1949, silver anniversary version from MGM. It receives the full MGM gloss and style of production. It also features the young stars at MGM at the time: June Allyson as Jo, Janet Leigh as Meg, Elizabeth Taylor as Amy, Margaret O'Brien as Beth. Peter Lawford leads the male cast which includes Rossano Brazzi at the beginning of a career in Hollywood. Marmee is played by Mary Astor (an actress able to play sinister roles as in The Maltese Falcon as well as mothers with great charm.)
The film creates the atmosphere of the March household in Massachusetts at the time of the Civil War. It also shows the ambitions of the young women - although, at this time, Jo seems to be more outgoing in wanting a career than was expected, a forerunner of a more feminist interpretation of the novel.
Direction is by Mervyn Leroy who had begun directing at Warner Bros with crime dramas in the 1930s and moved to larger-scale dramas and melodramas, like Blossoms in the Dust with Greer Garson, in the 1940s. During the 50s and early 60s he made a number of large-scale comedies including A Majority of One and Mary Mary.
1. An enjoyable family film? Version of an American classic? Remake of a '30s classic?
2. M.G.M. production values? Glossy production? Studio sets and 19th. century atmosphere? Picture postcard style? Musical score and strings? The strength of the cast - in the '40s, in retrospect? The colour photography?
3. The classic status of Louisa M. Alcott's story? 19th. century? Men and women? Background of the Civil War? American towns? Society, poverty, creativity, the place of women and their careers?
4. The introduction to the girls? Their place in the family, circumstances? Their parents? Their relationship within the family? The different types? The introduction to Laurie? The play, the outings, school, socials, Christmas, shopping etc.?
5. The post-Civil War situation? The old days changing to the new? Father away at the war? His religious background? Marmee and her bringing up the family? The glowing American family? Managing despite difficulties, poverty, illness? Understanding? The focus on illness and death? Parents guiding the family? Pride?
6. June Allyson's tomboy style as Jo? Leader, jumping the fence, tomboy style, looking out the window at Laurie, being forward with him? The chases? Her writing, the play, selling her stories? Her control over the others? The patchy dress and the dance? Her success? Refusing Laurie? Moving to New York? Her work in the family? The encounter with the professor? The criticism? The hurt by Aunt March in taking Amy to Europe? Her return, Beth's death? Her writing of 'My Beth'? The professor coming to the house and her marriage? An attractive American heroine?
7. The contrast with Meg, even as the older sister and her quietness? Nice, proper? Her love for the soldier? The dance? Jo’s criticism of marriage? Her marrying, the twins? Her husband and his gallantry?
8. The contrast with Amy and her selfishness, her wilfulness in the play, the humour of her mixing up words, her snobbery, school attacks, the poverty of the Christmas dinner and her hunger and not wanting to give to the poor, her going to Europe, chasing Laurie, her marriage? Elizabeth Taylor's beauty? Her skills in a comic role?
9. Margaret O'Brien and her reputation at the time? Sweetness? Quiet, the playing of the piano, her shyness? Playing for Laurie's grandfather? The giving of the food to the poor? Helping the children in their illness? Her own illness, recovery, death?
10. Laurie as the pleasant neighbour, charming, love for Jo, marrying Amy?
11. The professor and his charm? Helping Jo? Returning with the book?
12. The atmosphere of the town, society, prim and genteel? Shopping, dances, family life? The comparison with city life and Jo's work in the family and their support of her?
13. The film relying on incidents with humour and sentiment? Kindness and humour? The strengths of the girls, their faults?
14. The nostalgia for 19th. century atmosphere and lifestyle?
