Little Women (1933)
Directed by George Cukor

Film Review

In this, the finest screen adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, American audiences of the early 1930s found the perfect antidote to the misery of the Great Depression.  The film transports us back to a happier era where virtues such as kindness and selflessness prevailed, where the scent of apple blossoms filled the air and snowflakes fell daintily onto a carpet of virginal white purity.  (We are not reminded that it was also the bloodiest period in American history, a time when families were torn apart and the nation's youth cruelly decimated.)  This was the kind of escapism that audiences craved at a time of hardship and uncertainty, and no wonder the film was a massive success.   Today, the film may appear idealistic and a tad saccharine in parts but, surprisingly it doesn't go overboard with the sentimentality.  Heart-warming and sincere, witty yet poignant, this version of Little Women somehow evades the mawkish excesses of Alcott's novel and is both an engaging and uplifting piece of cinema.

This is presumably where George Cukor earned his reputation as a women's director.  With his predominantly female cast (unusual for the time), Cukor appears to be in his element, and not one performance fails to hit the mark.  The main strength of Alcott's novel is its realistic and colourful characterisation, and this follows through into the film, thanks to the sublime contributions from its ensemble of talented performers.  Another striking thing about this film is the quality of its production values.   Convinced that the film would be a hit, RKO pushed the boat out further than usual and delivered a lavish period piece that was the Gone With the Wind of its day.   The film's authentic recreation of mid-1800s America adds to its realism, whilst some inspired exterior photography gives it an equally impressive poetic dimension.

The film's standout performance comes from Katharine Hepburn, who is so perfect in the role of Jo March you might almost think she had spent her entire life preparing for the part.  Hepburn later admitted that she and Jo were very alike, both independent women, tomboy-like and prone to accidents and histrionic excess.   Although early in her acting career, the actress showed talent and screen presence in abundance in her lively portrayal of Alcott's heroine.  One moment she is whimsical and funny, the next she is heartrendingly moving, then she is sensitive and moody, just before she morphs into a human tornado and starts demolishing everything in sight.  It would take a while for audiences to fall in love with Katharine Hepburn.  Most of her subsequent films for RKO were ill-received, earning her the epithet of box office poison.  Once Hepburn had won the audiences and critics round in the early 1940s, the promise that she showed in Little Women would be fulfilled, with interest.

Film Synopsis

During the American Civil War, the four March sisters anxiously await the return of their father in their small Massachusetts town.  The independent-minded Jo dreams of becoming a writer and writes plays which she and her sisters perform, much to the chagrin of their fastidious Aunt March.  Amy is the prettiest of the sisters, but she is also the most selfish.  Meg is socially minded and occupies herself with good causes, whilst the shy and sensitive Beth develops her musical talents on the family's ancient clavichord.   Although they have fallen on hard times, the March sisters are not unhappy and are always willing to help those less fortunate than themselves.  Jo is courted by the family's next door neighbour, Laurie, but the strong-willed young woman is determined not to marry and so moves to New York to pursue her writing career.  Here, she meets a humble linguistics professor who offers her help in her endeavours.  Hurt by Jo's rejection of him, Laurie takes a vacation abroad and meets up with Amy, who, after a brief courtship, agrees to be his wife.  Meg has also married, to Laurie's former tutor.  What fate awaits Beth and Jo...?