Lifestyles

iRate: Gerwig brings individuality, Pugh inspires in ‘Little Women’

By JASON GUYER
The following sentiment is straight from Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women,” and one I often prefer to use in life but even more so in films: “She preferred imaginary heroes to real ones.”

Now, there is nothing wrong with true stories. Personally, I favor well-crafted characters over often-flawed real ones.

Jo March is one of the most well-written and best-crafted characters in literary history. This is something that is hard to compete with in life.

We should often just sit back and read or watch and enjoy well-written and crafted characters, as they do not come around as often as one would think.

Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” is one of the best books ever written, and the film industry has not always represented the book very well — adapting it a total of seven times.

Alexander Butler first adapted it in the 1917 silent film “Little Women.” However, Butler’s film has been forever lost to history.

The most well-known film version of “Little Women” is the 1994 Gillian Armstrong adaptation starring Winona Ryder. This version also came along with the unforgettable over-acting performance by Claire Danes.

The other popular and well known version is the 1978 television mini series starring Susan Dey and William Shatner.

These versions are well known and some are quite good, but they always had issues.

In comes Greta Gerwig.

Gerwig is still a new director, but her last directorial effort was 2017’s “Lady Bird,” a wonderful film that laid great groundwork for her newest film, “Little Women.”

“Little Women” is a near masterpiece. Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” in the hands of Great Gerwig is one of the top-five best films to come out of 2019.

Gerwig’s adaptation, as with all versions of “Little Women,” is about the March daughters. “Little Women” jumps straight into the March family with Jo March, played by Saoirse Ronan, living in New York and making her living as a writer, while Amy March, played by Florence Pugh, studies painting in Paris. In Paris, Amy has a chance encounter with Theodore or “Laurie,” a childhood crush who proposed to Jo, but who Jo ultimately rejected. Meg is married to a school teacher, and the shy sister Beth has developed a devastating illness that brings the family back together.

Gerwig takes to heart the words of Louisa May Alcott when she wrote, “I do think that families are the most beautiful things in all the world!” Gerwig’s “Little Women” shows a beautiful family filled with beautifully vibrant characters and wonderful people.

There are very few people out in the world who will watch Gerwig’s “Little Women” and not feel like they have something in common with or want to be one of the March sisters. The 2019 film molds legendary literary characters into greatness on screen, and gives life to Alcott’s vision and to the March sisters. These characters feel real and it feels wonderful to spend time with them, and that is a cinematic accomplishment worthy of praise. I want to see this film again and again, and that is just from what Gerwig created, add in the acting from each sister and that is why Gerwig’s “Little Women” is a near masterpiece.

Beyond the characters of Jo and Amy, Meg is also a wonderfully well developed character. Emma Watson plays the older Meg, and does so with a grace that is unmatched in Gerwig’s “Little Women.” Meg is the rock of the March sisters and in her own family.

Gerwig’s “Little Women” also allows for Meg to grow as a character and define who she is as a person. Meg has the ambitions of Jo and Amy, but those ambitions are often geared more toward the family than her sisters. Emma Watson encapsulates this sentiment and gives perhaps her best performance on screen, with the shortest amount of time on screen.

The film treats Meg, Jo, Amy, and to some extent Beth, as people.

Gerwig’s “Little Women” lets the characters define themselves and does not define any characters through the lens of another character. You have four sisters who are each individuals, who love and support each other, and, at the end of the day, are family.

Yes, even when they fight, as siblings often do.

To me, this is the truest retelling of Louisa May Alcott ‘s “Little Women,” and truly encapsulates what Alcott was writing.

Jo is still the main character, and she still said it best: “I do think that families are the most beautiful things in all the world!”

IRATE SCORE: 4.5/5

Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the graphics department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected].

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