Little Women (1933)
Composite Score: 82.73
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas, Edna May Oliver, Jean Parker, Frances Dee, Henry Stephenson, Douglass Montgomery, Spring Byington, John Lodge, and Samuel S. Hinds
Director: George Cukor
Writers: Sarah Y. Mason and Victor Heerman
Genres: Drama, Family, Romance, Coming-of-Age, War
MPAA Rating: Passed
Box Office: $2 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Little Women is the 1933 film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s famous novel. It stars Katharine Hepburn as Jo March, supported by Joan Bennett, Jean Parker, and Frances Dee as Amy, Beth, and Meg respectfully. The film is a fairly straightforward retelling of the novel, focusing heavily on Jo and her story and love life with some highlights from the other sisters. All the film’s performers deliver quality work in their roles, and the adaptation received the Academy Award for adapted screenplay thanks to its faithful and entertaining method of capturing Alcott’s novel on screen. As a coming-of-age story about four very different sisters, the film remains a quality watch.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
I really don’t want to compare this to other adaptations of the novel, especially when there have been so many (seven film adaptations so far), but while watching this version, it was difficult not to think about Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation. In almost every facet, this film falls short of its later counterparts. The only piece of this film that feels “superior” is its depiction of Jo’s relationship with Professor Bhaer, which feels more fleshed out here. Otherwise, if you’re looking to watch a film adaptation of Little Women, there are two others that I would consider better than this one. The worst part of this is that this version is not a “bad” film by any stretch of the imagination. It’s just that it’s one of the first and least creative adaptations of the film, so it’s stuck being the OG that has been surpassed by its successors.
Specifically, an issue I have with this (and probably most adaptations since watching the 2019 version) version is its depiction of Jo’s sisters. The only one with any kind of on-screen character development is Meg, and that is only in her romance with Mr. Brooke. For the most part, each of the sisters serves as a foil to different aspects of Jo’s character rather than characters in and of themselves, which may have been the goal of the filmmakers, but it keeps the overall feel of the film fairly simple. Meg differs in her views on romance; Beth differs in her tenderness toward others, and Amy differs in the public persona she wishes to portray. In each case, the characters work, but they lack much deeper development than their surface-level contrasting traits.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
There is no question in my mind that this particular adaptation of Little Women is well-acted. Though its characterizations might be among the simpler of the films, each performer plays their part to a T. Joan Bennett’s Amy is just as dramatic and boy-crazy as her novel counterpart and serves to drive both the audience and Jo crazy in a way that remains lovable enough for her conclusion to feel somewhat earned, even if it does take place mostly off-screen. Jean Parker’s Beth is fragile and caring while also serving as a sort of emotional rock for the sisters, making her tragic story all the more moving. Frances Dee’s Meg has the endearing motherly traits that she is so known for while also presenting a very authentic romantic performance as her character falls in love with Mr. Brooke. Obviously, the star of the show, Katharine Hepburn, comes to work, as always, as Jo. Her passion, uniqueness, and drive to succeed are all on full display without ever becoming too overbearing for the audience to remain supportive.
Thanks to a faithful novel adaptation and strong showings from its four sisters, this version of Little Women remains worthy of its place among the Greatest Films of All Time. Though it falls short of some of its successors, particularly in fleshing out its side characters, it remains a worthwhile watch for those interested. It is currently available to stream on HBO Max if you are looking to watch it in the coming days.
