Throughout the history of cinema, the story of the March Sisters has graced the big screen many times. With each edition having its own distinct personality and traits. For many though, the 1994 Little Women directed by Gillian Armstrong stands out as the definitive telling of the story capturing the charm of the story through now-iconic performances and scenes. As a fan of the story, it is easy to see why this edition stands out for so many.
One of the hardest parts of retelling a classic story such as this is the characters the film has to bring to life. With so many growing up reading the book and watching the other films, relationships often are established with the characters before the film can introduce its own version of the characters. This can immediately put up a wall between the film and audiences but the charm of the cast in the 1994 film is undeniable.
Winona Ryder brings the proper conviction to her performance as Jo March. While those around her, such as Kirsten Dunst and Claire Danes, bring the mixture of elegance and genuineness that make these sisters complete.
Film Review: Little Women (2019)
Together, they have a wonderful amount of chemistry and are the heart and soul of the film. For a movie that has plenty of dark moments and emotions, Little Women is a film that is comfy and enjoyable. It is easy for a viewer to feel as if they are bundling up by the fire alongside these characters and lose yourself in the story in a beautiful way. The actor who really impressed though was Christian Bale as Laurie. For an actor who continually is known for his dark and brooding roles, there is a magnificent spark within him which is shown in the film.
The technical elements are also absolutely top tier. The production design and costumes all are stunning and completely deserve the awards attention they received. The one area where the film sometimes feels lesser is in its pacing. Especially when compared to Greta Gerwig’s 2019 effort, 1994’s Little Women often feels as if it is going through the motions, offering small vignettes into these girls’ life without a well thought out flow or pace.
Where it is nothing horrible, when compared to Gerwig’s film which purposefully rearranged the story to have a better flow and throughline it does feel undeniably less. Another detail to feel lesser after Gerwig’s film is the character of the mom. Gerwig gave this character plenty of heart and soul with Laura Dern, being one of the biggest surprises of her film. Here, the role is greatly reduced. She is present, but is never given time to form a personality of her own, which is disappointing to see.
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Some might argue that holding this film to the standard of the 2019 film is unfair. But watching the film it was an undeniable comparison, which directly affected the overall viewing experience. There is plenty to love in 1994’s Little Women, and at worst the flaws hold it back from being a masterpiece, subjecting it to the title of being “really good”.
It is easy to say that the 2019 version is all around better, but in no way should that stop one from also viewing this film. The cast really gives it their all and the screenplay does have the classic charm and emotion that made the story a classic in the first place.
Little Women is available to stream right now on YouTube.
