"I've got the key to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains to be seen."At the beginning of Alcott's writing career, she wrote poems, short stories, and potboiler dramas. Then in 1868, her publisher asked her to write a book for "little girls"...and the rest, as they say, is history.
And now, on the 150th anniversary of Alcott’s original release, a modern retelling of LITTLE WOMEN brings us the same story of those beloved sisters to a new generation.
Movie Synopsis
(Pinnacle Peak Pictures)
Sisters—and dreams—are unique in their ability to inspire, encourage and change the world.
From girls playing in the attic to women living with purpose, the March sisters- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy- are committed to always supporting each other.
Yet growing up sometimes means growing apart.
An aspiring writer, Jo leaves for New York determined to publish a novel. In the wake of rejected draft upon draft, her editor challenges Jo to write about something more interesting...her family.
When tragedy brings the sisters back home, sticking together takes on new meaning. As Jo comforts her sick sister, Beth asks for one thing: a story.
Jo knows the perfect one by heart.
Starring Lea Thompson as Marmee and featuring a talented cast, Including Lucas Grabeel and Ian Bohen, LITTLE WOMEN tells the story of the same beloved sisters to a new generation. Celebrating dreams, family and unconditional love, LITTLE WOMEN opens in theaters this weekend(Sept. 28th).
Sisters—and dreams—are unique in their ability to inspire, encourage and change the world.
From girls playing in the attic to women living with purpose, the March sisters- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy- are committed to always supporting each other.
Yet growing up sometimes means growing apart.
An aspiring writer, Jo leaves for New York determined to publish a novel. In the wake of rejected draft upon draft, her editor challenges Jo to write about something more interesting...her family.
When tragedy brings the sisters back home, sticking together takes on new meaning. As Jo comforts her sick sister, Beth asks for one thing: a story.
Jo knows the perfect one by heart.
Starring Lea Thompson as Marmee and featuring a talented cast, Including Lucas Grabeel and Ian Bohen, LITTLE WOMEN tells the story of the same beloved sisters to a new generation. Celebrating dreams, family and unconditional love, LITTLE WOMEN opens in theaters this weekend(Sept. 28th).
Themes
- Family
- Purpose: Finding your purpose, following your dreams
- Friendship
- Love
- Identity
I have to admit when I screened this movie, I was ill prepared to do a true comparison to other Little Women movies...or even with the book. It has been so long since I had read Little Women that I needed to do some research to get the story back into my recent memory.
While some of the elements of the story are obviously different than the original story, such as Marmee(Lea Thompson)dealing with creditors on the phone while her husband is overseas in Afghanistan serving as an Army medic, the heart of the story remains true to the original. The unshakable bond between the March sisters remains the same...and that is the heart of this film.
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Pinnacle Peak Pictures
Jo (Sarah Davenport) works on her novel in “Little Women.”
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I admit that I did get a little confused at a point or two with the chronological flashbacks, but overall the story began to flow for me and I settled in to enjoy the movie.
I did get a little put off with how strongly cruel Jo could be to her sisters, particularly to her sister Amy...but sibling spats can resort to being mean-spirited arguments. I have to admit the 'B' word did come to mind a time or two, but as Jo grew in character some of that meanness lessened as well. And in the end, there is reconciliation...which in my opinion is a necessary element of a good story.
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| Pinnacle Peak Pictures |
I'll leave the rest of the storyline for you to discover. The writer and director of this modern retelling seem to have worked hard at staying true to the heart of the original. The themes of celebrating sisterhood, unconditional love, and the quest of following your dreams come through clearly in this beautiful retelling of this much loved classic novel.
