A DRAMATIC take on Little Women

I have to say, I DID NOT like the new Little Women series. And I must confess, my feelings were so strong on the subject that once I saw how many positive things were being said about it, I was left wondering what I'd missed. So, simply for the sake of having my thoughts out there, here's an entire post of all things wrong with the new BBC version of Little Women. (And I'll be using bullet points in an attempt to be brief.)

• From the first scene, we had a problem. What is with the with that opening scene with undergarments strings and the tribal feel of sending Mr. March the girls hair? Here's the first sign that letting the British take on an American classic was potentially a bad idea. Giving locks of hair is a mostly British custom and had lost its popularity by the time the American Civil War rolled around. So besides being so entirely uncomfortable in the actual scene, it's bordering on inaccurate. And then there's the idea that the March sister's don't get properly dressed before interacting with each other. Where are we, the '05 Pride and Prejudice?!
• They messed with the timeline of the story. Instead of choosing what scenes to including and admitting that many would have to be cut, (*aherm*, it's called editing and even if we hate it, we all have to do it!) they rearranged the timeline and didn't polish any scenes. They were just all pell-mell and lackluster. The picnic scene with Laurie's British friends was a perfect example of this. So disappointing.
• What on this good green earth was going on with that soundtrack? Do the March's hail from the tropics now?
• The first party that Meg and Jo go to, Meg comes back drunk?! NOT! She sprains her ankle on faulty shoes, she doesn't get herself drunk. Oh really.  
• The characterization and the acting---honestly, so terrible! A prime example of that, the Hummel scene. The sisters were all standing around as if they didn't know what to do. That wasn't the case at all! They'd grown up with a mother that taught them how to serve others. This was not new or distressing to them. And Marmee started ordering everyone about and how kind of her to offer "her servant's" hat to repair the window. What a gross misrepresentation of the actual event. Even if a hat were to be used to patching up a window, Marmee would have offered and insisted that her own hat be used. Not Hannah's! I was rather outraged. 
• Again, to touch on characterization. Hannah, who is a sweet soul, is a grouchy beast. Marmee was a taskmaster who didn't show strength for the family, only fatigue, sauciness, and manipulation. Mr. Laurence was just a grumpy miser until the second part. Jo was a whiner (as in talking out of her nose all the time) and could not say "Laurie" correctly! That was seriously annoying. (And there's the fact that she and Laurie kissed. They kissed, several times. And she LET HIM KISS HER. She had time to stop him but waited until after he'd kissed her. No wonder Laurie was confused!!) Mr. March--was loopers? I don't know where they were going with him. Amy was a BRAT but more on that later. Laurie was basically a nothing character. I don't feel like he had anything to do with the story and that's not the way it's supposed to be. His involvement was erratic and unexplained most of the time. 
• Laurie and Jo's relationship was rubbish. Pure and simple. Jo allowed Laurie everywhere, including her garret when she was writing. Marmee knew she wasn't allowed in the garret when Jo was writing. And, like I mentioned above, they kissed...and not just once. That's not their relationship, at all. 
• I have to address Amy. She is a spoiled brat child who never really shows that she changes her ways... She was not apologetic for burning Jo's book. EVER. In fact, she was still needling Jo about it when she fell in the ice but we were all supposed to know that Jo was the one in the wrong. HA! I don't think so. Yet another perfect example of Amy being misunderstood and incorrectly characterized. 
• Aunt March, much as a hate to burst anyone's bubble, does NOT have a heart of gold. Her involvement in giving the money to get Marmee to Washington negated and overshadowed Jo's sacrifice of her hair which was basically overlooked and just ignored. It was given no importance and that's such a mistake!!!!!!! Yes, Aunt March supplied funds, but not personally and not kindly. Jo sacrificed her hair which was a HUGE deal at the time!! 
• What is with Meg's naked back after she gives birth? I understand the sponge bath concept if that's what was taking place, but I've seen it handled in many other ways. In this movie, it was entirely unnecessary and was only used to add a risque touch to a story that isn't even mildly risque and yes, I noticed and no, I didn't appreciate it!
• The "ball" that Laurie and Amy are supposed to attend in Europe where they dance--they were the only two people seemingly in the whole place and you could barely hear the music. I was actually laughing at how ridiculous it was. It was like they could only rent a "parlor" in an old house and couldn't find any extras available that day to people the party but they decided to shoot the scene anyway. What in the world were you thinking there?  
• Professor Bahr, who? Where other movie adaptions have basically omitted Laurie and Amy, and Meg and John, this version decided to neglect Jo's love life. If I were only judging from the movie, I wouldn't have any reason to have feelings for the professor or think that Jo had any either. There wasn't enough of him to care and when he came back into the picture, it didn't make sense. We didn't really know why. 

Well, I think I've spent enough time here. And I touched on most of the annoying parts of the movie. I don't think I would have been so disappointed if this hadn't been done by the BBC who I have some faith in. BUT NO MORE!! (Just kidding, that's a bit extreme.) Anyway, sorry for keeping you here and basically ranting. (It's true, this is nothing but a ranting post.) Oh, and one last thing, for those of you who think I'm in the wrong, at least I'm not alone. Miss March, agrees with me on most, if not all, of this... ;D 

I must be off!

Have a great day, my friends!

Yours truly,

Cordy