Everything looks good. If you think that everything is bad or just for some reason (and, alas, there are many of them today) you just start to feel sad, then there is probably no better way to return moral health than to turn to a good movie.
In particular – to the film “Little Women” by Mervyn Leroy, before which, in fairness, it should be recalled, the eponymous novel written in the sixties of the nineteenth century by Louise May Alcott and partly its sequel “The Good Wives” was filmed in 1933 by George Cukor. Cukor’s work has won several prestigious awards. And although in this sense, Leroy’s painting is more modest, it also belongs to the category of worthy cinematic works of the “golden age”. Hollywood.
First of all, because of the beauty, sophistication of the visual range (not without reason in 1950, the artist Cedric Gibbons received the Oscar, and the cameramen Robert H. Planck and Charles Edgar Schoenbaum were nominated for this award). And also - immaculately selected by the director of the acting ensemble, in which each of the main actors, the four March sisters - individuality.
June Allison is particularly impressive. Of course, she is older than her Josephine, but, nevertheless, the various metamorphoses of the character of this controversial, literary gifted heroine Allison conveys temperamentally and accurately. Surprising and young Elizabeth Taylor, found for the dreamy Emmy several charming characteristic features. Organic Janet Lee (Mag) and Margaret O Brian (Beth).
More difficult is Mary Astor, for whom the image of the Mother ("Marmi") was most likely not a favorite. He's a little schematic. But Astor manages to enlarge it, conquering his elegant, noble-restrained manner of screen existence. Therefore, immediately believe in the decency of her Marmi, who managed to unobtrusively, on a personal example of relations with her husband-priest, with neighbors belonging to different social strata, convey to her daughters the importance of universal values, the need for tactical assistance to all who need it.
However, it may seem that our attention is offered in a pure form of melodrama. Of course, that's not true. Leroy, like Olcott’s book, has dramatic notes. Including: constant, as if spilled in the air a sense of anxiety (still, events are developing against the background of the Civil War in America, and the prosperity of the March family leaves much to be desired), and unexpected losses, and inevitable, especially for young people, going through various stages of introducing the characters of disappointment to adult life. But at the same time there are also sudden gains. And — inherent in many Hollywood tapes hope that eventually everything will work out. Thanks to mutual support, trust and understanding.