We all know that this beloved tale, based on the classic book by Louisa May Alcott, was recreated and sent to the big screen once again, released on Christmas Day in 2019. Directed by Greta Gerwig, we're in love with this stellar cast, featuring the likes of Saoirse Ronan and Meryl Streep.
Of course, Gerwig isn't the first person to turn adapt Little Women for the big screen — there is a lot of competition. With seven total adaptations out there, we thought we'd make a list. Many of them are critically-acclaimed, and some of them are from way back when. If you're hankering to binge every Little Women film from worst to best, look no further. Here are all the Little Women flicks, ranked according to IMDb.
Little Women (2018) - 5.0/10
The newest version besides the 2019 movie unfortunately takes the bottom spot on this list. This flick stars Sarah Davenport, Lea Thompson, and Allie Jennings. It's one is a modern retelling of the classic novel, and it's safe to say that nobody asked for that. This movie only scored a 5.0/10 on IMDb, and clearly the modern take didn't sit well with fans. In fact, it's the only version that's ever tried to really depart this far from the novel (obviously, they should stick with the status quo). It was directed by Clare Niederpruem, who unfortunately doesn't have a ton of credits to prove herself.
Little Women (1917) - 6.4/10
This one is the oldest of the bunch, but couldn't quite make its way further up the list. Still, a 6.4/10 isn't that bad. This movie is the most underrated of them all, and there isn't a whole lot of information regarding this flick that flew seriously under the radar. 1917 was a long time ago, so it's probably not surprising that this movie has fallen off the face of the earth. In fact, this version is a British silent film, and was directed by Alexander Butler. If you want to see a true classic version of this film, look no further than this one — if you can find it. It can't get more classic than the original, right?
Little Women (1918) - 6.5/10
This version is also a silent film, and was released only a year after the previous. It was directed by Harley Knoles and released by Paramount Pictures. Clearly, it had a bit wider of a reach, but it's certainly still an old black-and-white classic. The film starred Isabel Lamon, Dorothy Bernard, Lillian Hall, and Florence Finn as the March sisters — ironically, this wouldn't be the only time an actress named Florence played Amy. Seriously, tune into this one for a true, grainy classic of Louisa May Alcott's novel.
Little Women (1933) - 7.2/10
This movie was a pre-Code drama (right before sound was widespread), and it even encouraged a sequel the following year called Little Men, also based on a Louisa May Alcott novel. This is the first sound version of this tale, but 1993 was still quite a number of decades ago. This movie starred Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, and Paul Lukas. The film also received an Oscar for Best Writing Adaption, and was even nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. In fact, it was directed by the quite famous George Cukor (the mastermind behind A Star is Born (1954) and My Fair Lady (1964)). We still love this version, and suggest starting with this flick if you prefer sound but still want an old classic.
Little Women (1949) - 7.3/10
This version scored an impressive 7.3/10, and also won an Oscar for Best Art Direction. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, this cast is a bit less known than the previous, but still has quite a few that were well-known in the peaks of their careers. Still, this film clearly scored better than the classic 1933 version. June Allyson is Jo March, and she had 75 acting credits to show for her legendary career. In fact, you might have heard of the man behind Laurie, Peter Lawford, who was seriously famous at the time. Obviously, this movie is probably worth your time if you love this story enough to watch it over and over again, and 1949 is getting a bit more recent.
Little Women (1994) - 7.3/10
There is a lot of debate between which is better between the 1994 and 2019 versions. Clearly, these are the top two of this list, but according to IMDb, this one takes the silver medal. This is definitely the most popular version (besides the new one), though, and stars Winona Ryder as Jo March. It also includes Christian Bale as Laurie, Kirsten Dunst as Amy March, Susan Sarandon as Mrs. March, and is directed by Gillian Armstrong. These are definitely names everyone today would recognize, so it's obviously worth your time and totally still relevant. You can watch this version and the new one, and decide for yourself which one stole your heart the most. Regardless, we'll always love Ryder and Bale bringing these famous characters to life.
Little Women (2019) - 8.3/10
The newest version takes the gold medal on this list. Directed by the brilliant and wonderful Greta Gerwig, this cast definitely is the modern star-studded crew we needed. Starring Saoirse Ronan as Jo, this all-star cast also includes Emma Watson, Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, and Timothée Chalamet. Honestly, this version is wholesome and perfect. With an 8.3/10, this movie is ringing Oscar bells right, left, and center. This version might just become your new all-time favorite, and this entire cast and crew was absolutely spectacular. If you love this novel, we definitely think you should go watch this flick over and over again. Obviously, Gerwig should give herself and her cast a huge pat on the back.