Product Details

• Actors: Angela Down, Jo Rowbottom, Janina Faye, Stephanie Bidmead, Stephen Turner
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: BBC Warner
• VHS Release Date: July 19, 2000
• Run Time: 205 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004WG98
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #228,730 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

An enchanting screen adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's original novel.

As the Civil War rages on, the four sisters of the March family struggle to grow up without the guiding hand of their loving father. There's headstrong Jo, firecely determined to forge a career as a writer. Meg with her love of life's finer things. Amy, whose willful tantrums mask a painful, confused adolescence. And the quiet Beth, who seeks calm and refuge in her world of music. Together, they experience happy adventures, sibling rivalry, and the pure joy of being young and alive in spite of the hardships they face. Set in New England, the story of how they learn to enjoy life regardless of the trying times has delighted generations of children and adults alike.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Little Women Adaptation, September 21, 2004

By 

catpatt (chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Little Women [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This BBC miniseries benefits from having the time to tell the whole of Louisa May Alcott's timeless story, without deleting the many chapters that had to be omitted in the film versions. So we have the ice-skating incident that taught Jo how truly dangerous her temper could be and how very precious Amy was to her. We also get to see Beth as more than a caricature of goodness and perfection, but as a real girl growing into womanhood with feelings, dreams and desires like the other sisters have. The class tensions that so afflict Meg and the sexual tension between Jo and Laurie is also much more fully developed. Angela Down portrays Jo well, although Katharine Hepburn still did it best in my opinion.

Little Women was my favorite book as a child and I heartily recommend this video for anyone who wants to see the whole story, in it's most faithful film adaptation.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All Adaptations Of Little Women Should Be On DVD!, October 6, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Little Women [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Little Woman is one of my favorite books and I liked all of the movie adaptations I have seen, especially the 1933 and 1949 versions which I own on DVD and I also own the 1993 version on DVD but I would like to own this BBC version on DVD too and I hope that someone will decide to put it out on DVD and I would also like to see the American made for TV version that was made sometime in the 70's that stars Susan Dey, Meredith Baxter and Eve Plum get to DVD too. I have actually never seen that version but really want too and not only is it not on DVD but unfortunately I don't think it's even available on VHS tape.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not an accurate version, June 27, 2009

By 

Gwen V. Jones - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Little Women [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This version was not accurate in its portrayal of the girls and Marmee. They were so shrill, aharp, argumentative, even in the most tender scenes. The ice-skating scene is omitted in favor of a rowing scene, and many other liberties are taken in the development of the characters. This gentle family, with their ideals and ways of communicating was the highlight of Louisa May Alcott's writing and the BBC version completely spoiled them. We almost turned it off, especially after we had watched three other wonderful versions. Did the producer's read the book, we wondered? Sadly, we could not recommend this version, unless one wants to study its flaws.