Captivating movies, like “Little Women,” don’t just tell a simple story; they ask for something in return. In an interview with Film Comment, Greta Gerwig, the director of the 2019 adaptation of the novel, discussed the ending of the film, when Jo sees her newly made book in a shop window. “When Jo has that wonderful look on her face , and we cut to black, there’s these last two notes,” Gerwig said. “I had explained a feeling, which was: I wanted to give it back to the audience as if to say, ‘And now, you.’ What are you making, what book are you writing, what song are you going to sing?” Throughout the lives of the March sisters, Louisa May Alcott highlights the importance of sisterhood, identity, and personal growth.
Gerwig’s feminist bildungsroman film “Little Women” combines impactful acting performances, a rich musical score, and a carefully crafted structure with purposeful flashbacks to convey all of the sisters’ growth. Through these choices, the film illustrates family as a supportive force that guides the sisters as they explore their individuality and pursue their own paths. Individuals should appreciate “Little Women” because the sisters’ passions in the film emphasise feminism, highlighting how a woman’s sole purpose isn’t procreation.
Even today, “Little Women” remains relevant because its message about gender equality is still important. The film continuously emphasizes women’s roles and expectations, and the pressure to balance both love and ambition. Even though it was made in 2019, many of the challenges faced by the March sisters continue to affect women everywhere now. By presenting multiple paths of success and passion, the film encourages modern women to value personal choices, making it a meaningful story.
“Little Women” is a romance, drama, coming-of-age, and historical film, influenced by the “Little Women” novel, written by Louisa May Alcott in 1968. The film was released on Dec. 25, 2019, and was filmed almost entirely in Massachusetts. The film was Gerwig’s second directorial effort, following “Lady Bird” in 2017. It garnered widespread praise and numerous awards overall, including the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, its most significant honor.
The protagonists in the story feature very well-known actors and actresses, including Timothee Chalamet as Theodore ‘Laurie’ Laurence, Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, Florence Pugh as Amy March, Emma Watson as Meg March, Meryl Streep as Aunt March, Eliza Scanlen as Beth March, and Laura Dern as Marmee March. Even as an overall lighthearted movie, “Little Women” is framed as a feminist commentary, and it reflects the historical context of limited women’s economic and social opportunities during the American Civil War Era from late 1860 through 1865. Gerwig’s adaptation is the fourth of its kind in recent years, and she sought to explore a new modern approach.
”Little Women” communicates strong messages about family and feminism through the sisters. The film displays family as a source of support because their bond helps them grow, even though the sisters disagree sometimes. Each sister responds differently to society’s expectations of women during this time. Jo values independence and freedom over marriage. Meg values the traditional idea of creating a family. Beth represents how she was kind and selfless throughout her whole life, putting her family and less fortunate people before herself. Amy reflects the desire to be successful in her art profession and social status, while still working within societal norms. The film does not present one correct path for women, but instead it shows the fulfillment that can come from different choices. By following each March sister’s development, “Little Women” highlights how important it is for a woman to have freedom over their own life.
The strong performances delivered by the main characters in “Little Women” play a key role in the film’s craft, making the story feel believable, which engages the viewers. Chalamet and Ronan as Laurie and Jo stand out to me as an audience member because of their undeniable acting chemistry on screen. In an interview, Gerwig raved about Chalamet and Ronan’s bond. “So as soon as I knew it was Saoirse, I knew it was Timothée,” Gerwig said. “Saoirse’s so extraordinary and such a partner in filmmaking for me. And it’s hard to overstate how much she is a partner in what the movie ends up being. And then…Timothée, I adore working with him. He’s wildly talented. He’s a completely different energy as an actor than Saoirse. But watching them together is extraordinary.”
A successful director casts characters very intentionally because it’s essential that the actors not only embody the role they are in, but also be able to collaborate easily. One specific scene with Chalamet and Ronan that I loved was when Chalamet’s character, Laurie, expresses his secret desire to Ronan’s character, Jo. This scene is exceedingly special and compelling because, from the audience’s perspective, it evokes the sense of watching a real-life love confession-turned-argument go down right in front of my eyes. Laurie and Jo are walking along a hill, when, instantaneously, Laurie erupts with overwhelming emotion, expressing his devotion and unrequited love for Jo, describing how he can’t imagine his life without her. Jo, sensing what’s coming, grows distressed and primarily attempts to let him down gently, but he struggles to accept it.
Both of their characters are so captivating because Laurie’s intensity and Jo’s compassionate restraint make the scene unforgettable. Jo’s rejection is very powerful because it mirrors how her decision isn’t based on not loving Laurie, but revolves around her core identity as a writer. She knows that their lifestyles will clash, and marrying him would strip her of the independence she is so proud of. The chemistry and scene is effective because it feels natural and real. Their strong sense of relationship in the movie adds to Laurie’s confession because it makes it more emotional and sincere. This external and internal conflict is developed strongly through the character’s acting, as both individuals reveal their emotions.
Gerwig’s use of flashbacks in her adaptation interested me as someone who has watched the other previous adaptations that didn’t include this technique. The contrasting flashbacks happen throughout the entire movie, but it’s easy to catch on, even as someone who hasn’t read the original book or seen the original movies. The deliberate repetition of flashbacks shows the juxtaposition between the liveliness of the sisters’ childhood and the dullness of adulthood. The scenes of childhood use warm gold hues to evoke nostalgia and create a vibrant feeling of family, togetherness, and bittersweet memories. This is in contrast to the present time, when there are cool dark blue hues to symbolize the challenges and seriousness of adulthood. It is also apparent when Jo is far away from her childhood home, creating a somber effect with the dark tones.
Gerwig not only uses flashbacks to differentiate the timelines but also to subvert the audience’s original expectations of a movie based on the “Little Women” book. “I am trying to say, people want something different than you think they want,” Gerwig said. “You think they want sort of a narrative arc that they’ve already had, and they don’t. They are actually hungry for something else.”
Music plays a vital role in shaping a film’s scenes, adding depths and setting tones that visuals can’t convey alone. “Little Women’s” musical score is a very prominent aspect of the movie because without any type of score, movies can feel plain. Music can convey and encapsulate a wide range of emotions and tones in various scenes. This movie’s musical score was composed, conducted, and produced by Alexandre Desplat, a French composer who has won numerous awards for his work. Desplat adopted an approach that blended music in an orchestra style. It has classical style orchestral music that consists of instruments like piano, strings, flute, and more.
A style choice that stood out to me was having light and delicate orchestral music moments, which captured important and intimate moments. The final scene of the movie is when the music really stands out the most. Desplat builds up warm and lively music as Jo and her family celebrate Marmee’s birthday at Jo’s new school for girls and boys. When the scene abruptly switches to Jo witnessing her book copies getting created, the music softens into a quiet, emotional release, which emphasises her character’s final closure, success, and independence.
Gerwig also boasts about the music, believing it perfectly suits the movie. “When I talked to Alexandre Desplat—I said to him that in some ways, what we see in this movie is a musical without songs,” Gerwig said. “And he did such a marvellous score, so beautiful. And then he came up with this little end, which I thought, wow, that’s exactly what I meant. It’s amazing how much of filmmaking is on faith. I didn’t know what the music was going to be.” I praise the score for its charm and elegance, as it seamlessly complements Gerwig’s adaptation by bringing waves of unexpected nostalgia and emotion.
“Little Women” is more than just a story; it has an important lesson on family, feminism, and self-discovery. Throughout the March sisters’ journey, Greta Gerwig reminds the audience that growing up is both challenging, rewarding, and full of lessons. Even years later, “Little Women” continues to uplift and act as a guide for future generations of women in society. Even in 2026, this film remains powerful because of its message of women choosing their own paths, and not letting any external factors in society change them.
