Little Women (1918)

Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth, and Amy live in a happy family in Concord, Massachusetts. Jo yearns to be a writer, and through the course of the years, finds much within her own family... See full summary »

Director:

Harley Knoles

Writers:

Louisa May Alcott (novel), Anne Maxwell (scenario)

Stars:

Isabel Lamon, Dorothy Bernard, Lillian Hall

Cast

Cast overview:
Isabel Lamon	...	Meg March
Dorothy Bernard	...	Jo March
Lillian Hall	...	Beth March
Florence Flinn	...	Amy March (as Florence Flynn)
Henry Hull	...	John Brooke
Conrad Nagel	...	Laurie Laurence
Kate Lester	...	Marmee
George Kelson	...	Mr. March
Julia Hurley	...	Aunt March
Lynn Hammond	...	Prof. Baer
Nellie Anderson	...	Hannah (as Mrs. Anderson)
Frank DeVernon	...	Mr. Lawrence (as Frank de Vernon)

Storyline

Jo March and her sisters Meg, Beth, and Amy live in a happy family in Concord, Massachusetts. Jo yearns to be a writer, and through the course of the years, finds much within her own family to write about: the romance of Meg with the young tutor John Brooke, the tragic illness of gentle Beth, and Amy's marriage to Jo's bosom companion Laurie.

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Plot Keywords:

family relationships | sister sister relationship | new england | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

A Picturization of Louisa Alcott's Immortal Story

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This second incarnation of the Louisa May Alcott story was expensively produced by World Film, an independent company founded by famed Broadway producer William A. Brady (father of Alice Brady); unable to find a suitable distributor, it sat on the shelf for nearly a year before a deal was struck with Paramount Pictures' Artcraft, a division Adolph Zukor created exclusively for A-list product (lesser pictures were handed off under its Realart division), with the bulk of his mainstream productions released under the Paramount label. This three-tiered system was abolished within five years.

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Goofs

Although the film is set in the 1860s, a telegram shown reveals the name of the then current (1918) president of the Western Union telegraph company, Newcomb Carlton (b. 1869).

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Connections

Version of Great Performances: Little Women (2001)

User Reviews

Little Women Missing in Action

"Louisa M. Alcott's 'Little Women', a story well-loved by sixteen-year-olds, idealists, and admirers of the Pollyanna and Elsie Dinsmore philosophy, has been picturized into a photoplay which possess the charm of an old miniature, the simplicity of life before women wanted the vote, and the tearful sweetness of 'Home Sweet Home'. In fact, it is so nearly classic of the photoplay that we wish it could be just a little bit better. For, it must be admitted, the unrolling film moves too slowly in spots," according to Hazel Simpson Naylor's review in "Motion Picture Magazine" (February 1919).

"There is a tendency upon the part of the director, Harry Knoles, to allow his characters to sit about the home chair too long, for a photoplay should always be on the wing of development. Also, the part of Professor Baer is not made distinctive enough. Otherwise, 'Little Women' will live up to your mind picture of the book. Especially does Dorothy Bernard ideally typify our beloved Jo, while Isabel Lamon as Meg, Lillian Hall as Beth, and Florence Flinn as Amy are all excellently cast. Conrad Nagel makes an ideal Laurie."

These sentiments were echoed in "Motion Picture Classic" (February 1919), where reviewer Frederick James Smith found fewer faults. "Dorothy Bernard is delightful as Jo, and Conrad Nagel is a very likable Laurie," he declared, praising the film's "gentle atmosphere." A major early silent film actress, Ms. Bernard looks beautiful in photographs promoting the movie.

"The New York Times" (November 11, 1918) reported the film was "a good piece of work" that would likely delight readers of the original books, with "satisfactory" acting, albeit possessing "too much conscious posing and a lack of character delineation" at times. Most interestingly, the "Times" reported the film was made, "Owing to the co-operation of the Alcott Memorial Committee in permitting scenes of the photoplay to be made in and about the author's home in Concord, Mass.," thus giving it an authentic 1860s New England atmosphere. Produced by William A. Brady, this film is unfortunately presumed lost.

****** Little Women (11/10/18) Harley Knoles ~ Dorothy Bernard, Isabel Lamon, Conrad Nagel, Henry Hull

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 January 1919 (USA)

Also Known As:

L'accalmie

Filming Locations:

Ralph Waldo Emerson Home - 28 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

William A. Brady Picture Plays

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1