GIFT GUIDE: ‘Masterpiece: Little Women’
Little Women, the classic tale from Louisa May Alcott, has been adapted into many different forms over the years.
Broadway musical? Check.
Movie? Check, check, check.
PBS got in on the action and recently revived the text in a three-part TV special on their popular Masterpiece series. The results are mostly effective.
Little Women, now available on DVD and Blu-ray, tells the story of Marmee March, a mother overseeing four daughters — Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy — as they navigate life in the North during the time of the Civil War. The daughters’ father is away, although they stay in touch via handwritten letters.
As Jo and company grow up, they learn the unwritten rules of love and loss. Marmee is always there with sage advice, and they have a host of other neighbors, friends and family members who enter their lives and provide opportunities for reflection and growth.
The always impressive Emily Watson plays Marmee, and her portrayal offers an anchoring performance for the rest of the cast. She’s loving and caring with her daughters, but also has guidance for them to consider. Her parenting type is more of the “I’m not mad; I’m disappointed” style.
Of the daughters, Maya Hawke’s Jo stands out. She struggles to fit in with the customs of 19th century American society, and her independence becomes both her rallying cry and the character trait that unfortunately gets her in trouble. She doesn’t like to let boys take the lead; she much prefers to live her life on her own terms — as a writer, as a sister, as an early feminist.
Willa Fitzgerald is also quite effective as Meg March, ditto for Dylan Baker as the March patriarch. The acting from some of the younger men, who are set up as suitors of the daughters, doesn’t quite fit with the overall fabric of the three-part TV movie. Jonah Hauer-King, for example, can never sell his budding friendship with Jo and her sisters. He’s the grandson of Mr. Laurence (Michael Gambon) and has recently returned to the family’s estate, which is situated down the road from the Marches. The line delivery during his flirtatious conversations with Jo and company feel strained and show some of the weaknesses in Heidi Thomas’ adaptation.
Angela Lansbury, ever the scene stealer, plays Aunt March, an older woman with more than a fair share of critiques of how Marmee is raising her daughters. However, when the going gets tough for the family, she is willing to part with her considerable wealth and help out when she can.
Vanessa Caswill’s direction is enjoyable, and she has the action move along at a fairly fast clip. There is no dragging, and the scenes seem to blend one into the other. The seasons, of course, matter for Little Women because they are visual representations of the story’s progression. Caswill lenses these seasons and the beautiful environs of New England with authenticity and marvelous quaintness.
The themes of Little Women are what matter the most, and many of them can be found in Jo’s character. Thankfully Hawke is a strong actor, someone who seemingly knows the importance of having this central figure shine throughout the narrative. It is Jo’s reluctance to fit into any societal mold that gives the story its ability to teach lessons, even in 2018.
Women (and men) have been inspired by Alcott’s story for generations, and the constant number of adaptations speaks to the fact that this text can live and breathe with its ever-changing audience members. Although the PBS special has a few gaps, it’s mostly a rewarding experience and continues to prop up the original source material as one of the most important works in American literature.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Masterpiece: Little Women, from PBS, is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Click here for more information.
