RKO Radio Pictures
Not part of a collection.
Louisa May Alcott’s Immortal Story!
Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Parker
Dec 20, 2024 · via TMDB
"ill try to be what he loves to call me. a little woman." katharine hepburn has easily become my favorite jo march. in reality, this film is probably five stars for the first half, and two for the second. one thing i really liked about this version compared to the others was the subtle forshadowing of key events. beth's introduction shows her with a cold and a broken piano, and i liked how she begged her sisters to find an imperfection in her, but they couldn't. her desperateness to fit in with them. a subtle hint at her fear of being left behind. then amy's first scene has her getting in trouble for doodling in class, which shows us early on that she is artistically aligned, though perhaps not completely encouraged, which makes her decision to go with aunt march feel all the more justified. and jo is right away mischevious, working for her aunt but intentionally acting lazy and boyish. as someone who believes jo to be transmasc more than a lesbian (though she could be both), i felt that the first half of this was way more in line with how i imagine jo in my head. the only character who feels a bit underdeveloped to me is meg, but this is likely because her character falls intro tropes typical of female characters in this era. they don't see the need to break the mold with her. it's times like these, though, that i miss the precision and delicacy of gerwig's adaptation. i will also add that this is my least favorite laurie and marmee. laurie still has a fun dynamic with jo initially, but christian bale will always be my favorite, even if i believe gerwig understood his character more than anyone. and marmee, besides her incredibly kind nature, didn't stand out to me here, though we can't all be susan sarandon. oh, and i didn't know how to include this in my review, but i also really loved that jo stepped asside at the family gathering to talk to beth in heaven. that she never forgot her and spoke to her about things that'd make her happy, like the family being back together again. it's a really cute detail that adds a lot to their deep love for one another.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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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
Spring Byington
Marmee
Samuel S. Hinds
Mr. March
Nydia Westman
Mamie
Harry Beresford
Doctor Bangs
Luke Cosgrave
Old Man at Christian Commision (uncredited)
Olin Howland
Mr. Davis (uncredited)
Marilyn Knowlden
Meg’s Charge (uncredited)
Virginia Howell
Worker at Christian Commission (uncredited)
Van Nest Polglase
Art Direction
Walter Plunkett
Costume Design
Charles Brackett
Additional Writing
Jane Murfin
Additional Writing
John Twist
Additional Writing
George Cukor
Director
John Lodge
Other
Merian C. Cooper
Executive Producer
Wallace Fox
Unit Manager
Max Steiner
Original Music Composer
Louisa May Alcott
Novel
Sarah Y. Mason
Screenplay
Victor Heerman
Screenplay
Nov 16, 1933
New York City, New York
Nov 24, 1933
Aug 10, 2010
DVD
Aug 29, 2023
Blu-ray
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Zone 2
2015
Birder
2026
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Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Top Gun: Maverick
2022 · 11 wins
Joker
2019 · 11 wins
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