Tonight's Movie: Little Women (1933) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

I'm absolutely thrilled that the Warner Archive Collection has released LITTLE WOMEN (1933) on Blu-ray!

As I wrote when I saw this version theatrically in February 2020, it's my favorite of the many excellent film versions of Louisa May Alcott's novel. I've read the book countless times, and I've also visited the Alcott family home, Orchard House; in that context, this version feels the most authentic to me.

As most of my readers will already be aware, LITTLE WOMEN is the story of the four March sisters: Meg (Frances Dee), Jo (Katharine Hepburn), Beth (Jean Parker), and Amy (Joan Bennett).

The film tells the story of the girls' struggles growing up in Massachusetts while their father (Samuel S. Hinds) is away serving during the Civil War.

As the girls grow older they also experience love and its complications with Laurie (Douglass Montgomery), John (John Davis Lodge), and Professor Bhaer (Paul Lukas).

115 minutes flies past in this pitch-perfect film lovingly directed by George Cukor and filmed by Henry Gerrard.

This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and I can't recommend it highly enough. I wrote about it in very extensive detail here three years ago, and I'd like to ask readers to click over to that review for more thoughts on the film's scripting and performances, along with brief comparisons to other versions.

Warner Archive Blu-ray extras consist of the shorts SALT WATER DAFFY (1933) and IN THE DOUGH (1933); a pair of cartoons, I LIKE MOUNTAIN MUSIC (1933) and THE ORGAN GRINDER (1933); and the trailer. Background music from the film is also an extra, carried over from the 2001 DVD.

The Blu-ray print is lovely. What a joy to see it looking so beautiful! This is an excellent presentation of one of Hollywood's best literary adaptions, and both the film and the Blu-ray are highly recommended.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, the Amazon Warner Archive Collection Store, or from any online retailers were Blu-rays are sold.

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