MovieChat Forums > Little Women (1994) Discussion > I feel so sorry for Laurie...

I feel so sorry for Laurie...

posted 9 years ago by a_rarden
5 replies | jump to latest

Poor Laurie; he seemed like such a nice boy when he proposed to Jo, and before. After that, he was a less likeable...but I could understand after being turned down by your true love. Are we supposed to feel this bad for him in the book? Because in this movie, I can't help but see him as genuinely in love with Jo, which is what makes me feel bad for her rejection.

Then I feel almost equally as bad for Amy. I can't help but find her statements "I do not wish to be loved for my family" and "I do not wish to be courted by someone who is still in love with my sister" to be true. By that time, Laurie just seems bitter and determined to find a way to be close to Jo. Now, I'm not saying this is a "Water for Chocolate" situation, where he literally marries Amy in an effort to be close to Jo, but how can Amy NOT feel a sense of "second best" after all that's happened? Wouldn't you always be a bit worried that he would still have a slightly higher feeling towards Jo in the future than a simple "sister/brother-in-law relationship"? And Amy always did have a crush on Laurie. The only reason I don't feel quite as sorry for Amy is because Amy was always a yearning for popularity and riches, and it's hard to imagine that she still doesn't have that yearning. (Although, she did give up [Fred Vaughn?], who could have also given her those things. Maybe that's supposed to be a sign that she's changed}

**This is all based on my years watching the movie. I've never read the book...so if the characters and/or story are portrayed differently in the book, by all means, enlighten us**

[–] bookwormdreamer 9 years ago

I haven't read the book for years I'm trying to remember.I really should it was a favorite of mine growing up I would like to see if it still has that special quality to it.

The problem here the writing doesn't show that they are in love it's like both are settling to get something they want.They care about each other but we don't know if there is more to it in the way we see with Jo and the professor.

The other thing is Samantha Mathis has so little to do and no scenes that really make you feel anything for this older version of Amy or care about her.She should have had something with Laurie and Jo and Marmee that made us care about her.
That is one thing about the 1949 version,Elizabeth Taylor plays Amy for the entire movie and she had far more charm as Amy. Grown up Amy in this version lost something from the younger Amy.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] BedHeadTalks 8 years ago

Laurie and Amy were perfect together. You should definitely read the books, especially Good Wives. Jo is not really Laurie's love, but when he thinks he is in love with her Laurie is quite immature and lazy and Jo is his best friend. Jo is his juvenile love. He never thinks of her romantically, but the images that come from her are more funny than anything. Amy is his mature love.

Amy and Laurie's are able to know each other better by soending a lot of time talking while they are overseas. Do not forget that when the book starts Amy is still a child and in the books Amy was addressed as 'the little one'. Before Laurie and Amy meet in Europe, Laurie and Amy did not spend much quality time alone. On the other side, Jo was about the same age as Laurie, as a result ,Jo and Laurie spent a lot of time alone doing fun things, just like teenagers do. In Europe is when Laurie finally realises that Amy has become a woman and then he falls in love with her. He then realises what real love is, and how different his feelings for Amy are when compared to the feelings he had for Jo. The veil that covered his eyes finally falls!

I think you will find Amy much more likeable in Good Wives, and the book is gery easy to read. Amy becomes a major character then and we are part of her personal journey. Laurie and Amy mature together, and then suddenly Laurie realises that he really cares much more about Amy than about Jo. Amy is his true love. Amy is the one who inspires him to become a better person. Amy is the one who confronts him about his life choices. Their arc is truly moving and how he proposes to Amy in the books is very beautiful, not corny at all.

I find the movie very shallow, because we see very little of Amy and she is very important. In Good Wives Amy is even more interesting than Jo, and in the first part of the book Amy and Jo become very close and they have very funny moments. I prefer Good Wives over Little Women.

Vulgarity is no substitute for Wit- Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham

[–] liscarkat (16625) 5 years ago

I like that when he becomes cigar-smoking Laurie the rake, he has a goatee. Then when he falls in love with Amy and goes back to being nice Laurie, the 'tee is gone. It's like alternate-universe evil Spock, distinguished from regular Spock by his wicked goateee.

[–] Otter (24464) 5 years ago

It's been a long time since I read the books, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I vaguely remember thinking that Laurie wasn't actually in love with Jo, and that he wanted to be a part of her family as much as he actually wanted to be with her.

Or maybe I'm just mixing it up with the Harry Potter books.