Originally published over one hundred years ago, Louisa May Alcott’s classic book Little Women has once again been adapted into a film. The newest adaption directed by Greta Gerwig demonstrates the resiliency of the storyline featuring four sisters as they navigate love and tragedy. Although it is a period piece, the film and characters speak to the bonds of sisterhood and family in a way that will be forever modern. The complexities of growing up in a home with four siblings with rivalry and competing affections may not be exactly identifiable for every audience member, but the feeling of brotherhood or sisterhood and struggling to be your own unique person will be familiar to many. What this film is able to achieve with a timeless piece of literature with a modern cast and twists will make it a classic in its own right for the current generation.
The cast alone speaks for itself with talented stars such as Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Emma Watson, Laura Dern and Meryl Streep. It also features newer talents such as Eliza Scanlen and Florence Pugh who deliver heartfelt and hilarious moments throughout the film. Having a strong, women-led cast has become a trend in Greta Gerwig’s movies such as Lady Bird which also features Saoirse Ronan as its lead.
Image credit Sony / Columbia
At its core, it’s a feel-good movie about the sisterhood among young women who grow up and learn to lean on each other rather than tear each other down. Little Women teaches us a lesson in feminism about having the strength and confidence to find our own paths and not judging others for theirs. The film forces us to consider how young women may choose different objectives to work towards based on their circumstances, and how to support one another as individual lives unfold.
Apparent throughout the film is the overwhelming will of the women being expressed in whatever manner they see fit. Whether that be pursuing a career in writing, marrying a man with nothing more to his name than his love for you, or rejecting Timothée Chalamet because you don’t want to settle down — women in the film chase what they desire. Expectations of women in the 19th century were challenging to ambitious and creative women who saw themselves outside the subservient mold. The women in the film, however, actively fight against the beliefs of that time period and rebel in their own meaningful ways. They push the boundaries of what is expected of women in a way that can still be found meaningful today for many people. It is a powerful representation of what women are capable of, and how much stronger they are when they have their girl gang behind them.