Little Women (MGM) is Hollywood’s second try at exploiting Louisa May Alcott’s genteel, durable New England tearjerker. A shade less ambitious than its 1933 predecessor (which starred Katharine Hepburn and Joan Bennett), it still jerks tears with easy efficiency. – Time
Starring June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Margaret O’Brien, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh.
Note: In addition to the three recommended versions of Little Women on Willow and Thatch (1933, 1949, and 1994), if you are looking for a somewhat obscure version of Little Women, you may want to see [Little Women (1978)](http://amzn.to/1FEjc9b) which was a two part made for television mini series starring Meredith Baxter, Susan Dey, Ann Dusenberry and Eve Plumb. It got mixed reviews, but you can decide got yourself. If you are a true fan and want to go even deeper, there is a [Little Women (1970) BBC version](http://amzn.to/1K5EPmS) that (as of 2015) is only available on VHS. The reviews were okay, with the biggest criticism being that the girls wore fake looking wigs.
Parents need to know that this 1949 movie is adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s classic story of family love and boasts a top-notch cast. The father of the main characters is off fighting in the Civil War. One of the main characters dies from illness, though it’s handled offscreen in such a way that younger children may not understand what happened. The March family exemplifies generosity as they struggle with their own poverty yet still manage to share what they have with others who are needier. Family is foremost, and loyalty among the sisters is on display throughout. – Common Sense Media