By: Emery Curtis

Graphics Editor

Little Women is a beloved story that has been re-imagined multiple times. With many film, show, and theater adaptations, I have taken it upon myself to watch the four main film versions of Little Women to find the perfect interpretation. Although every version does the story justice in its own way, only the 2019 version directed by Greta Gerwig truly  captures Louisa May Alcott, the author’s, message. By comparing many of the scenes from each movie, it is clear that Gerwig takes the win every time. 

For starters, Gerwig introduces a new rendition of Jo March. She is more emotional and defiant. For example, when Jo first meets Laurie in the 1994 adaptation, she tells him about her longing to go to Europe. This varies from the 2019 version where Jo rants about how it’s not fair that she can’t join the Union Army. This more tomboyish look on Jo plays into the feminist theme Gerwig’s story has. The film paints Jo as self-sufficient, as well as relatable and inspiring to women. This allows Gerwig to reframe Jo as an empowered person or the mirror of Alcott. For this version of Jo, her fear of being alone isn’t because of the absence of a partner, but the absence of childhood. Her family is what she longs for, not a man. 

I especially enjoyed the pacing and structure of Gerwig’s adaptation. The movie frequently switches between the current and past of the sister’s lives. By doing this, Gerwig juxtaposes the gloomy adult years of Jo’s life against her ideal life as a child. This adds nostalgia and melancholy to the story that is not present in the other versions. A perfect example develops in the interchanging scenes of when Beth first gets sick versus the present. Gerwig uses the same camera work for both scenes and has the characters Jo and Marmee re-create the same moves. However, the sections set in adulthood are much slower and the color pallet is duller. This conveys to the audience the parallelism between the scenes and having the conflicting realities side by side packs a punch when viewers realize Beth does not make it this time. 

Finally, Gerwig’s film had a far better ending. Throughout the movie, she hints at Jo writing and creating her book. There are many scenes of her trying to get it published and being turned down because her character does not marry. The ending of the other Little Women versions all show Jo kissing Frederick under an umbrella in the rain, alluding to marriage. Although Gerwig’s version also includes that, it instead cuts to Jo trying to publish her book, implying that the piece was made up and is just something she made up so her writing would be approved. It treats the professor’s storyline as a joke, exactly how Alcott wrote about him, as someone forced into the story for her book to be published. Therefore, unlike the other versions, Frederick doesn’t inspire her to get her book written or pursue any of her dreams or goals in writing; instead, Jo does that herself. This maintains the feminist spirit of the book and creates an ode to Alcott who never married. The film does not end at Jo’s “engagement”, instead the climax is her being able to accomplish her dreams of publishing a book. 

Gerwig proves why another adaptation was worth creating. Not only does she bring a higher level of artistry and direction by giving the story energy, but she positions the story as a reflection of the life of the author.