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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Little Women (1933)

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

A Spot of Alcott

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Little Women on DVD

Though it's not strictly a holiday film, I'm sure George Cukor's Little Women remains a holiday classic in at least a few homes. The first half hour of the picture takes place during Christmas after all, and our four little women (Katharine Hepburn among them) just keep giving and giving until our little hearts want to burst. As directed by Cukor, this film version of Louisa May Alcott's novel floats like a breeze with delightful performances all around and only a few weirdly saccharine moments. Warners' new black-and-white DVD transfer is amazing, and the disc contains music cues for Max Steiner's sugary score.

With: Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas, Edna May Oliver, Jean Parker, Frances Dee, Henry Stephenson, Douglass Montgomery, John Davis Lodge, Spring Byington, Samuel S. Hinds, Mabel Colcord, Marion Ballou, Nydia Westman, Harry Beresford
Written by: Sarah Y. Mason, Victor Heerman, based on a novel by Louisa May Alcott
Directed by: George Cukor
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 115 minutes
Date: December 21, 2001