Little Women

When this mini-series came out in the 70s, I was a young girl (pre-teen) and totally transfixed. I'd never read or seen Little Women before, but my mom, sister and I were all excited over the commercials, and when it finally aired, we swooned over it for 2 nights. The next week, mom bought me the trade paperback version that was reissued featuring the cast of the tv movie on the cover. I've read that book too many times to count and still have that very paperback book as one of my precious treasures. It doesn't matter how many times it's been done and redone for a movie or series, or how many times I read it, Susan Dey is always the Jo in my mind and heart, Meredith Baxter is always Meg, Eve Plumb is always Beth, Ann Dusenbury is always Amy, and Richard Gilliland is always Laurie. And I'm always surprised by William Shatner as Prof. Bhaer, in a happy way - for some reason I forget he's in this until he appears near the end.Yes, the costumes, sets, hairstyles, etc... do not look like the quality you see in a movie, but that's okay. It was made in the 70s and features actors of that time. I could point out how ridiculous I found Elizabeth Taylor's portrayal of Amy in the 1949 version - she was a full 5 years older than Margaret O'Brien who played Beth, when everyone knows Beth is the 3rd sister and Amy is the baby. But I digress. I love this charming 1970s miniseries, complete with Laurie Partridge (Dey) and Jan Brady (Plumb). It includes scenes that the movies don't have time to show, but it also diverges from the book a bit, but then so do some of the movies.It may not be the best version, but this is what made me fall in love with Little Women, so of course I recommend it.

This is my favorite rendition of the novel. William Shatner is an excellent actor but his German is a bit lacking. I particularly like the scenes including the time at the beach with Jo and Beth.

I am a lover of this story from way back. I read the book as a child and had seen all the other versions of this story. I thought that I'd seen this one before, but it seemed new to me. I can't make it through Little Women without crying and this version was no exception. I was pleasantly surprised because I suspected that my familiarity with the TV stars would be a turn-off for me. It's true that at first I was very put off by seeing these familiar stars in this classic. Meredith Baxter Birney as Meg? Meg was supposed to be a brunette. Also, I agree with another reviewer who wasn't happy with the long flowing hair on any of the girls. Jo let her hair hang down her back when she was being chased by Laurie in the other versions and was scolded for it by Meg. I felt as though Birney was taking a break from Family Ties or Family--she didn't look any different. But she grew on me. But another person to play Meg would have been ideal. Susan Dey did a competent job as Jo, but I still think Katherine Hepburn and June Allyson were both far more like the Jo I pictured when I read the book.Robert Young did a wonderful job playing Laurie's grandfather. I thought it most appropriate for the screenplay writers to flesh out the story of Laurie and his grandfather. I was also pleased that this version included an episode from Meg's marriage. I found the story about his coat and her dress very touching. Part II or Good Wives or Little Wives as it's been dubbed had many wonderful stories and we lose out on those when the movie concentrates more on the early years.I didn't fall in love with Eve Plumb as Beth. I enjoyed all the other Beths much more. The others seemed to embody both Beth's shyness and her saintliness--you found yourself loving Beth especially when she let love prevail over fear and embraced Laurie's grandfather when he gave her the piano. But this charming scene was left out in this version. And some of their Christian faith was left out. That beloved line which Beth used with Jo in the book and other versions of the movie, "I think I shall be lonesome for you even in heaven" was eliminated as were some of the other references to God and the hymn singing which should be part of any enactment of Little Women.Amy was much better than some of the reviews promised. I thought she transitioned well from the child to the adult Amy, but I do agree that the writers changed Amy in this version. I really believe that they felt that one ultra-feminine young woman was enough (Meg) and so they made this Amy more outspoken. Amy would never have espoused feminist theories as this one did after the Susan B. Anthony lecture. Alcott's Amy was a traditional woman and reveled in her femininity. Nevertheless, I liked this Amy, and I felt that she was perfect for Laurie.I loved Laurie! He seemed very much like the Laurie I pictured when I read the book--playful, exuberant, tender. I think William Shatner as Professor Bhaer is my least favorite of the actors who have played him. Perhaps I just kept thinking of Star Trek when I looked at him. He didn't seem much like a professor to me.Dorothy McGuire as Marmee was wonderful. It was good that she talked about her own temper. I loved Susan Sarandon as Marmee in the 1994 version, but she never admitted to having a temper and come to think of it I don't think the other actresses who played Marmee did either. This new addition was certainly in keeping with Alcott's Marmee who did admit to having problems with controlling her temper.The movie definitely grew on me because I noticed that for much of Part One I was critiquing the movie and feeling at odds with small details that didn't seem quite right--I didn't feel into it--and then towards the end of Part I and all through Part II I felt much more comfortable with the characters and I was rooting for them and crying with them. I was led to believe that they changed the rain to snow at the end when Jo and her professor meet. But there was plenty of rain before it started to snow. It was appropriate that the story was fleshed out a bit here and marriage was actually mentioned and that Jo actually gets to introduce her fiance to the family.This is another version for my library which I will treasure. The colors and landscapes are just beautiful and the snow may be fake but it's lovely! And most of the time I didn't find the violin music intrusive--sometimes I found it soothing. Great movie!

What makes this version the best is how closely aligned the characters are with the book. The Hepburn/Taylor version goes awry when they adjusted the character roles to accommodate the big names playing them. Too much focus was ill-placed which threw that movie off balance. In the Sarandon/Ryder version too many liberties were taken to try to "update" this classic Alcott tale.This Dey/McGuire/Plumb/Baxter version seems to step right out of the pages of the book. It's fresh, genuine, and the actresses do a great job. Susan Dey captures the essence of Jo to a "T." The March family home is full of charm and the rest of the cinematography is a feast for an Alcott lover's eyes. Love this movie!!!

I got this for my Mother and it doesn't have closed captions. So, she could not see this version. This should be noted on the product to warn us against buying it. It was disappointing that closed caption were not included.

our family enjoys this version of Little Women because it tells more of the story. There are noticeable breaks/few second pause and flash of black, as it would have been where a commercial break would be inserted. Other than that, it's fine.

A gift for parents in their 80s. They loved it. They thought they would watch it in segments. So good they watched the entire movie in 1 setting!

As a fan of the book, I'll have to say that this movie does not disappoint in the story line. I remembered watching this on television about 1979, and had hoped they would put this one out on DVD because I enjoyed it so then. It is excellent for the entire family, and one doesn't have to have read the book to enjoy it (as one had to, to watch the movie that Winona Ryder starred in). My husband even enjoyed this one. If you are looking for a movie that even young children can watch, and one that you'll probably want to watch again, pick this one. Susan Dey personifies the character "Jo".

They have taken photos of a book and put in other photos and put it together as a dvd. IT IS NOT A DVD OF LITTLE WOMEN. DO NOT BUY IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE FILM! I asked the seller about it and said I didn't want it if it was a book. They sent it anyway. They're German, I think their English isn't that good.

We saw the first part of the film on TV but failed to record.Yet another version of the story set during the American Civil War. Although the main story is of the family and their trails and tribulations,This is s refreshing version well worth keeping and watching time and time again.

Ok

I still have the lovely book on my self as I was given it as a very young girl so treated myself to the dve I really enjoyed it and it keeps to the story so well

I have the original. And this was true to the original. I have a more modern one from this and it was BAD it...was not true to the storyline. But I was happy with this one. The actresses I knew from the 70's. Will watch it many more times.