"Best Of" Cast - From All Versions
Little Women is one of my favorite books, and I re-read it every so often; it's a very comforting and familiar book.
There's something I like, and something I dislike, about all the film versions, although they're all good in their own way. The 1994 version is the most beautiful, visually, imo. But I have a film fantasy where I put together actors from the various casts, to form the 'perfect' film version. Anyway, here are my choices:
Jo - 1st choice: Winona Ryder; 2nd choice - Katharine Hepburn. I know, I know! Flame me if you will, and I love Kate, but she almost always plays a version of "Katharine Hepburn"! It's hard to separate the actress from the character. The 1994 version has its many faults, but I've always liked Winona as Jo, even though she doesn't capture the "Christopher Columbus" spirit entirely.
Meg - 1st choice: This one is hard. I love Trini Alvardo, and loved her as Meg. Janet Leigh is also good, but I think I have to go with Frances Dee, from the 1933 version. Trini is a close second.
Beth - 1st: Margaret O'Brien; 2nd: Claire Danes. This is a close one as well. I think Margaret captured Beth's shyness and innocence perfectly. Claire did well, but somehow she'll always be Angela Chase to me.
Amy - 1st: Elizabeth Taylor; 2nd: Kirsten Dunst. Liz captured Amy's peccadilloes perfectly. I liked Joan Bennett in the 1933 version, but she seemed too old to me. I didn't like that they used two actresses for the 1994 version. It took me out of the story a bit. I wish they could have found an actress to do both young and old versions in the 1994 version.
Laurie - 1st: Douglass Montgomery; 2nd (a close second): Christian Bale. I adore Christian Bale as an actor (he's hugely talented, if a bit method-y), and I liked his Laurie a lot (plus... gorgeous!). However, Douglass Montgomery *looks* more like the Laurie I imagined, even though the 1933 version is a bit over-acted by modern standards. Peter Lawford... the less said the better, imo.
Marmee - 1st choice: Mary Astor; 2nd choice: Susan Sarandon. The '94 version made Marmee a bit too much of a women's-rights character. I'm sure this is because she's based more on the Alcott family, and Marmee did have some forward-thinking ideas, but Mary Astor is the most Marmee-ish. I love Susan, and she grew up in the town next to me, but they made her much more of a modern woman. I love Mary Astor in the role, plus, in that version, Leon Aames played Mr. March (Meet Me In St Louis reunion).
Professor Bhaer - 1st: Rosanno Brazzi; 2nd: Paul Lukas. Brazzi looked like the Prof. Bhaer I imagined, but Lukas did a fine job. I like Gabriel Byrne, but he was a bit mis-cast, IMO.
Mr. Brooke - this one is tough. Brooke is kind of a non-entity in the earlier movies. I like Eric Stoltz a lot, but he's not really Brooke-ish to me.
Anyway, long-winded, I know, but I'd love your thoughts.