The Poster Memorabilia blog

The Big Names in Little Women

A December night at MoMA, four March sisters on one carpet, and a filmmaker about to take off.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

I used to think that the 1994 film adaptation of Little Women was the best there ever was. It was such a heartwarming take on Louisa May Alcott's novel, and a faithful retelling that I didn't think it could get any better. But Greta Gerwig proved me wrong with her 2019 film.

The story has seen countless adaptations through the years, but this latest one proved to be the most unique. Maybe it's because Greta Gerwig took many liberties with the story, while others stayed faithful to the source material. I understand why some people wouldn't like it, but I did. I always love it when directors go left when adapting famous works.

Gerwig also swung big with that cast. With Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen as the March sisters, it was practically an all-star ensemble. I didn't know Scanlen before the movie, but I became a fan after my first watch. She did well as the heart of the film, especially since she had the saddest ending of them all.

Let's not forget about Laura Dern and Meryl Streep, either. They were so good in both roles that you could never see anyone else in them. Dern brought a strong, salt-of-the-earth presence to the film, while Streep provided some comic relief. I also found the latter the least annoying out of those who played Aunt March. For the first time ever, the character didn't infuriate me.

“I always love it when directors go left when adapting famous works.”

With so many big names in the cast, I just had to go to its premiere to get their autographs. And I did!

The film premiered at MoMA in New York City in December 2019, and most of the cast attended. All four of the March sisters were there, as were Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, and James Norton. I never managed to get to Streep that night, so I had to get her autograph later on at a different event, but I still got it, so it's all good.

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Getting the cast's autographs at the premiere, however, was much more memorable. I think it was because of the energy that spread through the night. Everyone was excited because it was Gerwig's first big-studio production and her first take on a familiar story. And as she proved with this movie and with Barbie in 2023, she can knock it out of the park every time.

It's always so exciting when an emerging filmmaker finally gets their big break. Their smaller, indie films are great, but it's always worth seeing what they can do when they're given tons of money and a cast of big names. What would their unique vision lead to when they have all the resources in the world?

Gerwig's creative force led to such a beautiful movie. It was the right story to tell at the right time, as well as the right way to tell it. Though I'm still apprehensive about ranking it above the 1994 movie, I nevertheless find her 2019 adaptation one of the best. It's definitely top two, and the rest can just fight for third place.

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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