Little Women (1994)

Yet another retelling of the story, this version is completely adequate and standard in almost all ways. Even though I’ve never read the story, I do find I have a general idea of what I consider a good portrayal for each woman. Here we have Trini Alvarado, Winona Ryder, Claire Danes, and Kirsten Dunst as Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy respectively. A lot of these renditions make the birth order seem confusing as the Jo character overwhelms Meg as the oldest, and that is the case here. Beth is given short shrift and easy to forget she even exists, though Danes seems an odd choice of casting so that’s not the worst thing to have happened. It’s a bit interesting that Amy is a young girl at the beginning and later becomes an adult Samantha Mathis. I wouldn’t have thought that a transition between the two actresses would make sense, but it mostly works though Mathis isn’t quite as outgoing in her portrayal. This might be the version I’d recommend at this point in that it conveys the period well and seems to hit on all the important chapters of the story.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress in a Leading Role; Best Costume Design; Best Music, Original Score