Search - Little Women (1994) on DVD

Beautiful Version of the Classic Story

DonMac | Lynn, MA United States | 11/16/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This version of Little Women is a classic in its own right. Armstrong did an amazing job here capturing the period and coaxing beautiful performances from her cast. Ryder, Dunst, Alvarado, Mathis, Sarandon, Byrne, Bale and a heartbreaking Danes are all in top form. Visually, the movie is just beautiful and the soundtrack is mesmerizing. A must see."

A great movie and a great remake!!!

kat519 | Bolton, Massachusetts United States | 10/24/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To start out, this is one of my favorite books. So I of course started out with an additude to begin with, muttering that the book was always better. In this case, I was so wrong. The characters portrayed in this film are the same ones I met in 5th grade when I first read "Little Women". The actors shine in their roles and truly embody everyone one of the literary creations they represents.
Playing the March matriarch, Susan Sarandon is great! She is able to maintain the feel of the period while bringing to Marmee an empowering bout of women's rights thoughts. Sarandon gives off warmth and knowledge wiht the apparent ease of someone completely familiar with the material.
Wynona Ryder is another standout here. She is the raging bundle of emotion that we have all come to know as Jo March. Playing down her usually unique features, Ryder plays the part with spunk and earnestness.
My favorite here is Christian Bale as the oft put uopn Theodore "Laurie" Lawrence. Quite a jump from his "Newsies" days, Bale is the best Laurie I have seen on screen to date. He has the mannerisms and lines down to perfection, while still maintaining the spontanaity that really is a huge part of Laurie's character. He also handles the age jump incredibly well.
Not until my most recent viewing of the movie did I realize Gabriel Byrne was Professor Bhaer. The native irishman does a great job of bringing Frerdrick to life, right down to his physical bumbling and poetic heart.
In my opinion, this movie was a complete triumph and a complete success from novel to film. All actors are fine in their roles, most exceptional, and it is such a joy to see an old favorite and all-time classic brought to life which such enthusiasm and talent. This is a must-see for any fan of the novel~although it will leave you yearning for "Little Men" and Jo's Boys" featuring this cast-which has yet to be done!!"

Capturing the Spirit of a Classic

Laura Lilley | Los Angeles, CA USA | 01/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Little Women was my favorite book as a child, and I still re-read it at least yearly as an adult for the comfort it gives me. I've probably read it 50 times over the last 30 years. I have also seen every filmed version of the book that I could, and was never completely satisfied. I held my breath as this version of the story rolled onto the screen.I was enchanted. It was all there, from the scenery to the costumes to the characters. Winona Ryder perfectly captured my fiery Jo, Kirsten Dunst the vanity of Amy, and Clair Danes the real depths of Beth, without any of them becoming a caricature. I loved the way Trini Alvarado, an actress new to me, potrayed the earnest, wistful, practical Meg. The passionate, fun-loving yet moody Laurie was perfectly found in Christian Bale, and the only difference between Gabriel Byrne and the professor I've always imagined is that Gabriel Byrne is more handsome. Aunt March had more dimensionality to her than in the book (and what a joy to see Mary Wickes in the role!). But the spirit that Louisa May Alcott gave to her book was caught ethereally in Marmee, as portrayed by Susan Sarandon. She was the real foundation of the film, and expanding her character was the wisest decision Gilllian Armstrong made. Yes, some of the things in the film were not in the book, but they were so consistent with the story, so central to the March family philosophy, that perhaps they should have been! I never thought that my beloved book could be improved upon, but it has been in this film. I also wish to mention the sets, the cinematography and the music, all which added so much to make my imagined world of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy become real. Thank you to everyone who worked on this precious film."

Heart Warming Superb Classic

Erika Borsos | Gulf Coast of FL, USA | 08/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Louisa May Alcott's book has come to life in vivid detail and beauty. The casting is superb. The four sisters are a pleasure to watch and view as they develop into young ladies who experience both the pleasures and pains of growing into adulthood. The film depicts the changes in each character from adolescence and the growing pains associated with making independent decisions based on their personalities and values. As young ladies with education who grew up in a household where their opinions were heard and mattered, they stand in direct contrast with the majority of girls growing up at that time ...

In the attic, the sisters enact all the parts of a play which Jo had written ... it was a great moment when they invited Theodore Lawrence into their circle of friends. The individuality of each sister is quite evident. The film does a fine job of presenting each character, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy as unique individuals who blossom, each into her own personality, when they are forced to make choices and deal with building their own lives. The film shows the flow of everyday life around the time of the Civil War, when their father was serving as a soldier. The film does a wonderful job of showing the social structure and class differences of the era. The language, speech and manners of the times are well acted ...

The close bonds of sisterhood are threatened by Beth's illness, and eventual death. The film presents Jo, Meg and Amy as they develop into responsible adults with independent lives and interests apart from the cocoon of the family. Meg's courtship and eventual marriage to a school teacher/tutor is done well, especially the birth of their twins. Amy's ambitions of marrying into wealth and becoming a lady, and the value conflicts associated with this desire when she meets Theodore Lawrence in Paris is superbly done. Jo's move to live in New York at a boarding house, broadens her life experiences as she is challenged by Frederick, a German professor she bumps into by chance. Her wings are spread as she learns to fly solo within this new and challenging environment. Despite their differences, the sisters are forever connected by the bonds of family and love which makes the book and film an enduring classic. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]"