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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dated production, but very good adaptation, November 11, 2007
I remember seeing this when it aired on TV lo so many years ago, and am very happy that it is now available on DVD.
There are many things to recommend about this production; first of all, Susan Dey as Jo. Physically, she's closer to the vivid description Alcott herself gives us (tall, long-limbed, round-shouldered, and awkward) than is Wynona Ryder--much as I admire Ryder's performance, her petiteness keeps me from truly seeing the Jo March I imagined as a child. Dey is also by turns funny, tender, fiery, and poignant. Meredith Baxter-Birney is an appropriately pretty Meg, and portrays the character's little vanities while retaining her essential appeal. As gentle Beth, Eve Plumb is surprisingly affecting, particularly in her final scene with Jo at the seaside. As for Ann Dusenberry...one wishes they had cast a true 12-year-old for the young Amy, as Dusenberry's valiant attempt to play young unfortunately results in an overly-petulant Shirley Temple. Her grown-up Amy is the least satisfying protrayal of the four sisters.
Richard Gilliland's Laurie seems too modern and all-American for a character who was reared and educated in Europe. Cliff Potts, on the other hand, is a good Brooke, upright without being stuffy. William Shatner's customary hammy style somehow works for Professor Bhaer, but his German accent is unconvincing, to say the least.
Of the "veterans", Greer Garson stands out for her memorable Aunt March: no crusty, bad-humored fossil of a woman is she, but an elegantly overblown product of her era and upbringing, with foreshadowings of Wilde's Lady Bracknell. Dorothy Maguire and Robert Young as Marmee and Mr. Laurence turn in solid, intelligent performances.
My biggest gripes are the non-period turns of phrase in the script, the non-period character shoes (WHITE ones, yet!) on all the sisters (Edith Head, what were you thinking???), and the blatantly non-period music Laurie bashes out on the piano, which sounds closer to Andrew Lloyd-Webber than Beethoven. Amy's wigs are interesting, as well...
Of course, the time constraints of television necessitates a cut-and-paste version of this long novel, but the overall construction of the script is quite satisfying. Hopefully there will be an adaption in future which puts Laurie's proposal to Jo in its proper place, which is AFTER she comes back from New York, but before he goes back to Europe.
Despite the above-mentioned flaws, this is a DVD well worth purchasing and recommending to any fan of Alcott's beloved classic.
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