![]() ![]() The debate over that lopsided romance is one of the most enduring conversations about “Little Women,” with each new iteration attempting to shed light on Jo’s mental state and their dynamic. Her direct gaze and husky voice are magnetic, and with this portrayal, it’s not hard to understand why Laurie is drawn to the animated and singular Jo, despite her every protest. As Jo, she’s earnest, vibrant, and unselfconsciously coltish. Hawke, who is the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, simply dazzles. Her attempts to navigate what it means to provide for her family while steadfastly maintaining her independent ideals regarding relationships has fueled arguments for decades. Jo’s early feminist spirit has always been the entrée for modern women into the Marches’ sphere. Every production of “Little Women” hinges on who’s cast as Jo - whether it’s been June Allyson, Katharine Hepburn, or Wynona Ryder - to be the outspoken freethinker whose heart beats for her family and whose pen is poised to create genius. Ultimately, though, this is Maya Hawke’s vehicle, the first that she’s driven in her acting career on screen. Both bring just enough of devilish spirit and humor that it elevates their characters, who could come off as spoiled and petulant. Standouts also include Newton (“Big Little Lies”) who is the walking and talking embodiment of the impish, blonde-haired and blue-eyed beauty from the novel, and Jonah Hauer-King as the dimpled, charismatic rogue Laurie Laurence. There’s not a weak link in the ensemble, beginning with the no-brainer casting of the great Angela Lansbury as the demanding Aunt March and Emily Watson as the warm and frazzled matriarch Marmee. It also draws out far more humor than previous versions may have not had time to enjoy. The passage of time is felt, the nuances in interactions are more clearly portrayed, and characters have the time to evolve naturally. It is able to faithfully portray the majority of the sisters’ individual experiences, something that the past versions often had to truncate. Finally, the Marches’ story, which spans several years in the novel, gets the proper time to unspool and breathe at an unhurried pace, part of the reason for this version’s success. Unlike the shorter film versions of “Little Women” in the past, the PBS miniseries gives the story three whopping hours (split into one hour for the premiere and two hours the following week). ![]() When we meet them, they live in genteel poverty without much parental guidance because their pastor father (Dylan Baker) is off ministering to soldiers in the war and their mother Marmee (Emily Watson) has gone to him when he falls ill. Set during and after the Civil War in Massachusetts, “Little Women” centers on the titular March sisters: responsible eldest daughter Meg (Willa Fitzgerald), tomboyish Jo (Maya Hawke), compassionate Beth (Annes Elwy), and the vain Amy (Kathryn Newton). ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Stretches a Minor Mystery Over a Godzilla-Sized Spectacle ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |