Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: The BIG screen treatment #book2movie

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

What could be more appropriate for British Isles Friday than a post about yet another Little Women adaptation, based on the British um, American classic by Louisa May Alcott? 

Saoirse Ronan to play Jo March in Little Women

What’s the British Isles connection? Saoirse Ronan is set to star as Jo March—while Ronan was actually born in Brooklyn her family returned to Dublin when she was three which makes her a British Isles’er. Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth) who plays the youngest sister Amy March was born in Oxfordshire, England which is British-as-British can be and English star of Grantchester, McMafia and War and Peace James Norton takes on an unspecified role in the screen adaptation. Eliza Scanlen—who many of us have been watching as the sly and devious Amma in Sharp Objects—is on as Beth March and she hails from Australia. More British Isles than anything else, IMHO. 

James Norton in McMafia

True, there are other non-Britishy types onboard—Emma Stone(The Help), an Arizona native plays Meg, while Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) takes on the role of Laurie. The queen of all women actors, Meryl Streep—who we can't wait to see in Season 2 of Big Little Lies has been cast as the girls' beloved Marmee. Director Greta Gerwig, adapting the books herself, hails from Sacramento, California, a city you got a look at in her film Ladybird.  If you were one of the few people to see The Humbling based on the book by Philip Roth, you would have seen her opposite Al Pacino. And of course, she's famous for her brilliant performance in Frances Ha.

Meryl Streep chatting with Reese Witherspoon on set of Big Little Lies

I thought we had enough Little Women adaptations what with the PBS Masterpiece production earlier this year and another film coming later this year with Lea Thompson as Marmee but I guess not. 

Looking at this cast of heavyweights though, I have to admit I’m excited. Super-excited! The actors playing the sisters are all older than the March sisters in Alcott’s novel—Meg is the eldest at 16, Jo is 15, Beth is 13, and Amy is 12—so I’m curious whether there are going to be younger girls cast or perhaps Gerwig’s script will focus on the latter part of the work. No matter what, this latest iteration of the English American classic featuring a collaboration of British and American talents will be a must see.

The drama is set for release on Christmas Day, 2019. Merry Christmas, indeed!

If you’re not buying the British connection visit Joy’s British Isles Friday post for the real deal. She’s got a review of Hinterland up, and there are posts relating to the British Isles from my fellow bloggers.

Cheers!