Little Women (1933)

Little Women is a "coming of age" drama tracing the lives of four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. During the American Civil War, the girls father is away serving as a minister to the troops... See full summary »

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Louisa May Alcott (by), Sarah Y. Mason (screenplay),

Stars:

Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas

Won 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Katharine Hepburn	...	Jo
Joan Bennett	...	Amy
Paul Lukas	...	Prof. Bhaer
Edna May Oliver	...	Aunt March
Jean Parker	...	Beth
Frances Dee	...	Meg
Henry Stephenson	...	Mr. Laurence
Douglass Montgomery	...	Laurie
John Lodge	...	Brooke (as John Davis Lodge)
Spring Byington	...	Marmee
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Mr. March (as Samuel Hinds)
Mabel Colcord	...	Hannah
Marion Ballou	...	Mrs. Kirke
Nydia Westman	...	Mamie
Harry Beresford	...	Doctor Bangs

Storyline

Little Women is a "coming of age" drama tracing the lives of four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. During the American Civil War, the girls father is away serving as a minister to the troops. The family, headed by thier beloved Marmee, must struggle to make ends meet, with the help of their kind and wealthy neighbor, Mr. Laurence, and his high spirited grandson Laurie.

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Plot Keywords:

american civil war | coming of age | love | neighbor | proposal | 

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

24 November 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

As Quatro Irmãs

Filming Locations:

Lancaster's Lake, Sunland, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$424,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Louise Closser Hale first performed the role of Aunt March, but after her death on July 26, 1933, in the middle of filming, Edna May Oliver took over the role.

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Goofs

Jo takes off her hood twice when entering for tea.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Marmee March: So you're going to Washington?
Elderly man: Yes, ma'am; my son is sick in the hospital there.
Marmee March: Oh, this will be an anxious Christmas for you.
Marmee March: [finding him a coat] I think this one will do; let's try this. Is it your only son?
Elderly man: No, ma'am. I had four; two were killed, one is a prisoner.
Marmee March: [deeply moved] You've done a great deal for your country, sir.
Elderly man: Oh, not a mite more than I ought, ma'am. I'd go myself if I was any use. Thank you for the overcoat.
Marmee March: Wait a minute...
Marmee March: [giving him some money] I hope you ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in The Men Who Made the Movies: George Cukor (1973)

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Soundtracks

"Arkansas Traveler"
(ca 1850) (uncredited)
Music by Sanford Faulkner
Dance music at the wedding

User Reviews

Satisfying Adaptation With a Strong Cast

This satisfying movie adaptation of "Little Women" features a strong cast and a production that was quite solid for 1933. While a glance at the story outline might give the impression that it is simplistic or childlike, that is far from the case. The novel offers well-defined characters and many situations that bring out worthwhile insights into the characters and into life in general. While neither this nor the other movie versions of the story have the same thematic depth, this version effectively presents enough of the material in a thoughtful and entertaining way.

Katherine Hepburn heads the cast, and gives plenty of life to Jo. Naturally she gets the main focus, but the other sisters and the secondary characters also get some good moments, and most of them get a chance to steal a scene or two. Henry Stephenson and Douglas Montgomery get a number of good scenes as the March family's neighbors. Edna May Oliver is well cast, and it's only too bad that she did not get a couple more scenes. Paul Lukas makes Professor Baer come alive. By no means least are Jean Parker, Frances Dee, and Joan Bennett as Beth, Meg, and Amy.

It is often easy to tell when the movie was made, most especially because of the sound. But actually the production is better technically and artistically than are most movies of the early 1930s. Several of the sets are particularly well done, creating just the right atmosphere for their scenes. Director George Cukor puts it all together nicely.

This is the kind of movie that is generally out of style at present, because it lacks the kind of self-indulgent material and the self-absorbed style that so unduly impress many of today's movie fans. But the only genuine weakness is that it has a few technical limitations, most of which are common to many films of its era.

What this adaptation does offer is a sympathetic and sometimes insightful look at the lives of some ordinary but strong persons, who are brought to life by a good cast and a director who seemed himself to care about the characters.