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Little
Women (1933)
In director George Cukor's classic adaptation of Louisa
May Alcott's novel about the March family in Concord, Massachusetts,
distinguished by snowy opening title credits, and set during the
Civil War Era:
- the scene of the four March sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth
and Amy, discussing what they would each do with their Christmas
present of $1 dollar from their well-to-do Aunt March (Edna May
Oliver): (Jo advised her practical sisters: "Let's each buy
what we want and have a little fun. I'm sure we work hard enough")
- the amusing malapropisms by pretty but selfish daughter
Amy March (Joan Bennett): ("I know what I mean, and you needn't
be 'statirical' about it! It's proper to use good words and improve
your 'vocabilary'"); spirited, tomboyish Jo (Katharine Hepburn)
got into an argument with Amy, who told her:
"I detest rude, unladylike girls," to which Jo responded: "I
hate affected, niminy-piminy chicks"; Beth (Jean Parker) advised
both of them - and particularly Jo: "Really, you're both to blame.
You're old enough now to leave off boyish tricks and behave better,
Josephine. Now you are so tall and turn up your hair, you must remember
you're almost a young lady" - and then she told off Amy: "As
for you, Amy, your absurd words are as bad as Jo's slang. Your airs
are funny now, but you'll grow into an affected little goose unless
you take care"; Jo told her sisters about her intentions to be
an author and playwright: "Wait until I become a famous author
and make my fortune. Then we'll all ride in fine carriages, dressed
like Flo King snubbing Amy's friends and telling Aunt March to go to
the dickens"
- the scene of their beloved mother Marmee March's (Spring
Byington) reading of a letter to her daughters from their father
fighting for the Union in the Civil War: ("Give them all my
dear love and a kiss. Tell them I know they will remember all I said
to them: that they will be loving children to you, they will do their
duty faithfully, fight their bosom enemies bravely and conquer themselves
so beautifully that when I come back to them, I may be fonder and
prouder than ever of my little women")
- the repetition of Jo's enthusiastic favorite expression: "Christopher
Columbus!"
- the scene of Jo's rejection of romance and marriage
to wealthy neighbor and childhood acquaintance Laurie (Douglass Montgomery)
who had just graduated from college - he told her of his long and
faithful love: "You've kept away from me ever since I got back
from college. And I studied so hard and I graduated with honors,
it was all for you....Then won't ya listen? Please. I've loved you
ever since I've known you. I couldn't help it. I've tried to show
it, but you wouldn't let me. But now I'm going to make you hear it
and give me an answer...for I just can't go on so any longer. I know
I'm not half good enough for you. But, well, if you love me, you
can make me anything you like"; Jo tried to dissuade his romantic
intentions: "As though I'd change you, Laurie. Laurie, you should
marry some lovely, accomplished girl who adores you. Someone who
would grace your beautiful house. I shouldn't. I loathe elegant society
and you like it. And you hate my scribbling and I can't get on without
it. And we should quarrel...oh yes, we always have, you know...And
everything would be so horrid if we were ever foolish enough to (marry)..."
- she rejected his proposal and then apologized: "I can't. Oh,
Laurie, I'm sorry. So desperately sorry...I don't think I'll ever marry"
- the reassuring words of dying Beth March to older
sister Jo, due to a reoccurrence of her scarlet fever: ("I'm
not afraid anymore! I'm learning that I don't lose you, that you'll
be more to me than ever, and NOTHING can part us, though it seems
to. Oh, Jo! I think I'll be homesick for you - even in heaven")
- aspiring author Jo's written ode to her sister titled "My
Beth": ("Oh my sister, passing from me / Out of human care
and strife / Leave me, as a gift those virtues / Which have beautified
your life / By that deep and solemn river / Where your willing feet
now stand")
Death Scene of Beth - Comforted by Sister Jo
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- Beth's last words as she was comforted by Jo: ("I
think I can sleep now. Oh look, Jo. My birds. They got back in
time") - at the moment of her death when the birds flew off
from the window sill
- as the film started to reach its conclusion, Jo reconciled
with Laurie, although explained that now that they were older, they
would be better as brother/sister: ("We never can be boy and
girl again, Laurie. Those happy old times can't come back. We shouldn't
expect them to. We're man and woman now, we can't be playmates any
longer. But we can be brother and sister, to love and help one another
all the rest of our lives, can't we, Laurie?")
- the ending scene of the sisters with their husbands
(Meg with John Brooke (John Lodge), and Amy with Laurie) returning
home for a long-awaited visit, and Jo's aside to Beth in heaven:
"It's fun, isn't it, Bethie? Now that we're all together again"
- and the curtain-closing, outside-in-the-rain proposal
of German linguist Professor Bhaer (Paul Lukas) from NYC, who had
brought Jo's manuscript for Little Women and announced it
had just been published; he then confessed his love to Jo and meekly
proposed: ("Would you - Oh, I have no courage to think that,
but could I dare hope that I know I shouldn't make so free as to
ask. I-I have nothing to give but my heart so full and these empty
hands"), and she accepted ("Not empty now") - she
kissed him as he replied:
"Oh, hearts dearest" - and then welcomed him into the door
("Welcome home") to join the family reunion
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Jo (Katharine Hepburn) with Her Three Sisters Discussing
$1 Dollar Christmas Gift
Marmee's Reading of Letter from Mr. March Fighting in
Civil War
Jo with Laurie - Rejecting His Marriage Proposal
Jo to Laurie: "We're man and woman now..."
Jo's Aside to Beth: "It's fun, isn't it, Bethie?
Now that we're all together again"
Jo's Final Line to Professor Bhaer After Accepting
His Marriage Proposal:
"Welcome home"
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