Affection in Little Women (2019)

After spending hours working on the final draft of my film guide I treated myself to a break from my computer: an outing to see a new release. For months I had been looking forward to the latest cinematic version of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, convinced that it would surpass even Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 version (starring Winona Ryder as Jo March). I thoroughly enjoy the Katharine Hepburn version (1933, dir. George Cukor), too, but everything pointed to the Greta Gerwig written and directed version being the best. I was not disappointed. It is my new holiday favourite, and this is due in no small part to all the affection between female characters—more I daresay than I have seen in any other feature film. The story’s fans are accustomed to all the congenial relationships this story offers, including intergenerational congeniality, but this version offers even more hugs, kisses and other demonstrations of affection than the other versions. All the Marvel movies combined do not include this much affection between women. If I had not been accompanied to the theatre I would have bought another ticket and watched it again. Here’s to Greta Gerwig directed movies and hoping she has a long career!

© 2020 Alline Cormier