There is no conclusive data that men are afraid to see the latest remake of Little Women, up for best picture at the 92nd Academy Awards. We wouldn’t be surprised if some men are afraid or reluctant to see the film.
Your humble narrator wasn’t excited about seeing the film. I didn't get too far into the 1994 version. The 1994 version had Trini Alvarado as Meg; Winona Ryder as Jo; Claire Danes as Beth; and Samantha Mathis and Kirsten Dunst split time as Amy.
I didn’t know there was a 1949 version (Janet Leigh as Meg; June Allyson as Jo; Margaret O'Brien as Beth; and Elizabeth Taylor as Amy).
If you read the book, you know how the movie turns out. Their stories aren’t all that hopeful. That doesn’t always appeal to some filmgoers, regardless of primary gender.
Little Women (2019) brings the story to life unlike its well-meaning predecessors, thanks to Greta Gerwig, who was nominated for an Oscar for best adapted screenplay but sadly not nominated for best director.
Emma Watson as Meg; Saoirse Ronan as Jo; Eliza Scanlen as Beth; and Florence Pugh as Amy play the March sisters in the newest version.
Gerwig does a great job in making clear the distinction between the sisters. True fans might find that to be obvious; casual viewers might struggle. Gerwig covers a lot of ground with flashbacks to different points in the story without making the audience nauseous. The story was a lot easier to follow, even if you have read the book.
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The paths of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy don’t change. They are given more honour in this adaptation.
Some true fans might find the 1994 and 1949 as well as other versions to be more authentic. The story feels more modern in Gerwig’s hands and guidance.
A number of fans had a similar reaction to the latest version of Anne of Green Gables, Anne with an E on CBC and Netflix.
Moira Walley-Beckett and Miranda de Pencier incorporated women writers and inclusion themes into the timeless classic story. Amybeth McNulty had an unique brightness and energy to the spirited Anne Shirley Cuthbert.
The criticism over a character of colour and an Indingenous girl reflects the reality of the time instead of ignoring the obvious.
Anne with an E cancellation might be start of fallout with CBC and Netflix
Females make up slightly more of the population and a significant percentage of those who see movies. They see a lot of films because a guy encouraged them to go see a film. The films that dominate the best director category leap to mind: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood; The Irishman; 1917.
I had an acquaintance who posted on FB say “I’m guessing no film directed by a women (sic) was worthy this year.” I replied "Little Women, Hustlers, The Farewell. Booksmart."
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Film and TV are about insight into stories. To ignore stories from women, people of colour, and other visible minorities prevents us from seeing all of humanity. We are making strides with foreign films such as Roma and Parasite getting more recognition; films by women deserve much more recognition.
Louisa May Alcott and Lucy Maud Montgomery might have a few notes or two about the latest adaptations of their heroines. They might embrace the spirit of those characters told in a modern embrace.
The realities of girls and women in 2020 are a lot different than 1994 (Little Women) and 1985 (Anne of Green Gables). Men, women, those that identify otherwise: they see these modern adaptations as taking in these timeless stories in a more relatable prism. Your humble narrator hopes to live long enough to see the next remakes 30 years down the road. And he won’t be afraid to see them.
photos credit: Little Women film; Anne with an E/Netflix
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