Little Women (1994)

While their father (Matthew Walker) is off serving as a chaplain in the Civil War, four sisters in Massachusetts live in genteel poverty along with their mother (Susan Sarandon): Jo (Winona Ryder in an Oscar nominated performance), Meg (Trini Alvarado), Beth (Claire Danes) and Amy (Kirsten Dunst who morphs into Samantha Mathis). Based on the beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott and directed by Gillian Armstrong. Considering its many adaptations for film, TV and the stage, timeless seems as good a word as any to describe LITTLE WOMEN. While not the definitive version (and not my favorite adaptation), the film is a scrupulously artful rendition of the novel. Warm and winning, the ensemble acting with a couple of exceptions is superior. I found Sarandon's Marmee out of place, perhaps too contemporary and Trini Alvarado's Meg rather benign. But those are minor quibbles. The atmospheric lensing of Geoffrey Simpson (SHINE), the art direction of Richard Hudolin and production design of Jan Roelfs and score by Thomas Newman (SKYFALL) all contribute to the movie's success. With Christian Bale, Gabriel Byrne, Eric Stoltz, Mary Wickes and John Neville.