Little Women

This week started off with the disturbing poll results from Thomson Reuters Foundation – a report stating the world’s most dangerous countries for women to live in. To everyone’s surprise, India topped the list. This has led to an outrage from Indian women across the world and everyone’s been posting opposing views about the poll. This really upset me and I shut myself from social media and immersed myself in a movie. A story of ‘Little Women’ that all little women must watch.

Based on the book written by Louisa May Alcott, this classic was directed by Gillian Armstrong and stars Winona Ryder, Samantha Mathis, Trini Alvarado and Claire Danes in lead roles. The story focuses on the four daughters of the March family, who live in Concord, Massachusetts, during and after the American Civil War. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy live with their Marmee, while their father is away at war. The little women live by themselves and try to manage all kinds of everyday problems, along with societal pressures.

Meg is the eldest of the four. She is a homely girl who takes care of the entire household and her sisters, in absence of her mother. She marries the love of her life, who happens to be a tutor to their neighbor, at the age of twenty and gives birth to twins later. She is a content woman, with no unrealistic expectations from life and believes in simple living and hard work.

Jo, the second daughter, is the lead character in the movie. She, unlike her sister Meg, has modern views on life and dreams about traveling to Europe to pursue her passion in writing. She writes Victorian plays, and questions any bias that is shown towards women. Laurie, her neighbor, falls for her unique personality, but she refuses him. After moving to New York, to pursue her passion, she eventually falls in love with a German professor, who challenges her writing skills and brings out her best self.

Beth, the third March daughter, is a shy, sweet child, who loves playing the piano. She suffers all throughout the movie with a rheumatic heart disease and dies at the age of eighteen. In spite of being the shy child, she plays a huge role in keeping the family closely knit and her sickness years bring out the best bonds among the four sisters.

Amy, the youngest of all, is the life of the house. She is witty, intelligent and is pampered at all her tantrums. She lives with her sisters until she is seventeen, and later moves to Europe, along with her aunt to learn painting. She grows up to be a beautiful woman and falls in love with Laurie, who initially loves Jo, but later realizes his affection for Amy, after meeting her in Europe.

This 1994 movie is well ahead of its period and talks about the discrimination women faced and the perception of women in society as a whole. All the actresses have done a fair job and excelled in living their respective characters. The banter, the affection and bond is portrayed in its purest form. The characters have an independent nature, in spite of the circumstances and times that they were brought up in. Each unfolding problem, strengthens their love for each other and keeps them well-knit.

This is the kind of movie that inspires and gives you a positive push, by restoring your faith in yourself and giving you the zeal to pull your life together. The ‘little women’ have a lot to tell and there is so much to listen to. So, do yourself a favor and make it this Friday’s chart-buster. Watch it and let me know what you thought of it in the likes and comments section. Happy Watching!