Go behind the scenes with the March sisters in this official companion to the major motion picture adaptation of Little Women , written and directed by Academy Award–nominated director Greta Gerwig.
Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic comes to life in Greta Gerwig’s film, and this stunning guide details the making of the major motion picture, with an all-star cast featuring Timothée Chalamet, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Louis Garrel, James Norton, Bob Odenkirk, Florence Pugh, Saoirse Ronan, Eliza Scanlen, Meryl Streep, and Emma Watson.
Learn about the history that led to Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel and the modern vision that brought these cherished characters to life for a new generation. Take a look at how the film was made in New York Times bestselling author Gina McIntyre’s Little The Official Movie Companion , an insider’s guide packed with cast and crew interviews, photos of the real-life locations that were transformed into iconic sets for the film, and recipes that bring the flavors of 19th-century New England to life.
Featuring lavish full-color photos of the set, actors perfecting their craft, detailed images of key props, and more, this companion is a must-have both for fans of the film and Alcott’s original masterpiece.
Gina McIntyre is the New York Times best-selling author of Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down. Her other books include Guillermo Del Toro's The Shape of Water: Creating a Fairy Tale for Troubled Times, The Art of Ready Player One, and Star Wars Icons: Han Solo. Her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Hollywood Reporter, and Entertainment Weekly.
She lives with her husband and daughter in Riverside, Illinois.
The last "movie companion" book I ever bought/received was one written about Twilight when I was twelve & highly obsessed with the book and movie.
I guess the only thing that's different now is I've aged. And there are a lot less vampires.
I can't even begin to describe the emotional depth in which this particular adaptation speaks to me as a woman and as a writer. I've seen it now four times, and plan to purchase the DVD as soon as it releases. It's an exquisite film, a timeless story, and I so enjoy learning more about the things I adore. If you're in any way like me, you should give this a read. I love looking behind-the-scenes on movies I actually am interested in, and I felt every facet - from costumes to set designs to a pickled lime recipe - was covered and given attention & care.
It's no secret that I love Little Women and Louisa May Alcott. The 1994 adaptation of the book has never been a favorite compared to the book, as, say, Babbette's Feast, Ordinary People, and Brooklyn. Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of the classic girlhood novel overcame me. Naturally, I had to read a book about it.
Little Women: The Official Movie Companion is a gorgeous book detailing the choices made in the film, by the actors, producers, director, artisans, and more. The attention to detail is astounding--page backgrounds come from specially designed wallpaper and fabric patterns present in the film. Astonishing wet plate photographs taken on set lend a historical flair. Details about the food, set design, furniture choices, and simply everything imaginable bring the novel itself, Alcott and her life, and the film to living breath. I liked the delicacy of the film's choices between historical accuracy and what seems real to 21st century eyes. For example, the dancing was mostly accurate, but modern dancers (not classically/historically trained) were chosen as extras, to give the dance scenes a robust rather than a formal quality.
Amy's cape, which captivated me on screen, is explicated in the book. Though on screen for just a few seconds, the cape has a lovely amount of detail--turns out, it's vintage flannel with embroidery lifted from a vintage moth-eaten shawl. Honestly, this story reminds me of something the March sisters would have MacGyvered--perhaps Amy wore it with her painted blue boots.
Two of the many things I love about the film are its intimacy with the source material and its respect of Alcott and her life. Alcott and her books are spread across the pages of the Movie Companion, and everyone involved shows a love for the story. That's what makes the 2019 adaptation so special--it's made with the raucous joy of someone sharing her favorite story with a friend, but with the tenderness of a lifelong companion.
Full-page photographs, just the right amount of text, and from-life interviews combine to make the Movie Companion an extraordinarily special gift for lovers of the film and book alike.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>
So much thoughtfulness and passion went into making this movie! I loved getting to read about it here.
From interviews with cast and crew to recipes from the set to prop and set design to traditional wet plate photography of the cast to Alcott family history and much more - this behind the scenes look truly has it all!
I absolutely LOVED this book. It’s so informational and really provides lots of details you wouldn’t have picked up on just watching the movie. 10/10 recommend
This book was written for a general audience but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I really dug reading about all the detail that went into the creation of the props, production sets, and costumes. Also liked how many local New England craftspeople and historians they used throughout production.
Just like finishing the novel, I cried when I finished this book.
Absolutely beautifully presented, it documents the creation of the Gerwig adaption of Little Women - from actor interviews, to costumes, to props, recipes for the foods created (I am going to try and make picked limes now!) and behind the scenes photos.
My favourite behind the scenes photo is the classic long shot of Beth (Aussie Eliza Scanlen) and Jo (Saorsie Ronan) on the beach reading Eliot’s Mill on the Floss - and instead of classic long shot - captured in a wide shot to show Gerwig beside the girls directing in the most fantastic coat and hat.
“We could never have loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it, if it were not the earth where the same flowers come up again every spring that we used to gather with our tiny fingers…”
The most beautiful part of the book however is the attention given to Louisa May Alcott herself, Gerwig’s love of her and her life, and how every scene, every line is absolutely a tribute to her.
The metacinematic ending is the most famous overlap between Alcott, March and Gerwig - all as female writers in the world - and the need for us to find a middle ground between our artistic vision and the monetary transactions that are necessary for our livelihoods.
It truly is a novel and a film about money.
Also, the thoughtful connections made to transcendentalism and its importance in the wider text was a welcome addition.
This book was gifted to me by a very special teaching colleague and she has inspired me to reteach the film next year as there is so much still to learn and love from this text that has meant so much to me for so long.
i thought i couldn't love this film anymore but i was wrong !!! this has elevated my adoration and admiration for little women (2019) tenfold and im so gahhhhhhhhh i loved reading all about how it was made and the fact that all the food was real and they were dancing to david bowie whilst filming the dance hall scenes and i just :'))) best book best film <3
I used to LOVE these sorts of books. The costume sketches and the snippets of interviews with the actors and designers. This was decently fun. A nice overview.
"in this film, 'strong' is defined in many different ways, and that's what's so special about little women. louisa may alcott established strength as ambition, strength as independence, strength as marriage and parenting, strength as being an activist."
if you know me, then you know little women (2019) is my favourite film of all time. it's also the best film adaptation ever.
not many seem to know about this movie companion but it's a precious keepsake and a trove of information and memories from the making of the film. i was pleasantly surprised to know how deeply autobiographical this story is to alcott's life, how james norton and emma watson themselves wrote the wedding vows for john and meg, and how it was laurie who had that postbox made for the march sisters and had different keys made for each sister, and how each sister had a different colour palette for their costumes. there's so much to learn about this film here, its writing, making and timelessness. that being said, i do wish they had a dedicated chapter or even section to the score by alexandre desplat instead of just mentioning it once. would have really loved to hear more about the genius and craft behind this score that I so deeply love and am obsessed with.
also, i will never ever fully be able to put into words what jo march specifically means to me. she is probably my favourite character of all time. her scene in the attic and the ending have changed the trajectory of my life.
long story short, this book has also just made me realise i am due for a rewatch (and to bawl my eyes out).
One of the novels that shaped me and left me with quite an impression when I first read it as a young girl was Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. I was so surprised reading about the story of the March’s sisters because I felt it mirrored and described the relationship I had with my own sisters. It was so surreal to read something like that (granted, it was also one of the first novels I ever read). I felt as if Louisa May Alcott had entered my mind and described what it meant to have and be a sister.
Naturally, I was super excited when I learned that another film adaptation was on the works. Now, I haven’t have the opportunity to watch Greta Gerwig's Little Women (because it hasn’t been released on my country) but I’m sure I’m going to love it with what I learned reading this movie companion (and all the interviews with her and the actors in the film). It is so clever the way she made this adaptation felt timeless and modern and the same time. I agree wholeheartedly with the producers, every generation has to have its own Little Women film adaptation. I’m so eager to watch the film! Having been a fan of the 1994 version, I’m ready to love another one!
This movie companion is gorgeous, with beautiful pictures and interesting and insightful bits of information about Greta's adaptation. My only complaint is that I would have loved for it to be 300 pages! You can’t get enough of this beautiful coming of age story. I also found it really fitting that it was one of my sisters who gave it to me as a birthday present!
Having always been in love with all things Little Women, this movie companion book was a fun and unique read! There were typos and misinformation (photo captions misrepresenting a scene or actor, for example), but nothing that took away from the overall delight in getting a BTS look at Greta’s modern adaptation of this beloved classic. I’ll be paging back through this for next year’s Christmas decoration inspo!
This volume is beautifully illustrated with still photograph from the film and behind the scene snapshots from the sets. The text includes insightful commentary on the production, including character development, prop crafting, locations, food recipes, and costuming. My favorite section discussed how the ice skating sequence was filmed.
This book is a must read for all the people who love the 2019 adaption of Little Women, like me!! I loved learning all the extra tidbits about the cast, the director (I love Greta so much), the location, and props. This was a splendid companion book, it truly solidified my love for this adaption!
Cantik! Membuat film tentunya membutuhkan banyak persiapan. Buku ini memberikan pengetahuan pada pembacanya mengenai apa saja yang terjadi dibalik layar. Selain itu ada beragam informasi lain misalnya tentang para tokoh, hingga resep yang bisa dicontoh.
Kok jadi pingin bikin satu baju ala Little Women ya, lucu juga dipakai saat ada pameran koleksi. Kesannya totalitas sekali he he he. Walau saya belum bisa membayangkan bagaimana rasanya mempergunakan gaun seperti itu.
Saya selalu yakin, tiap orang yang membaca dan mencintai LW akan menemukan 1 tokoh yang identik dengan dirinya.
First things first – it’s time for some confessions. I’ve only read Little Women once, and I barely remember it. (Except for Jo, because she was the most interesting). The second is that I really didn’t rate the latest Little Women movie. It was overly long and the back and forth in time just confused me. (The guy seated next to me drank two beers and left the cinema twice during the film – and he wasn’t the only male doing that!) But the acting was great with a strong cast and some lovely costumes. This companion to the movie goes into the technical and behind the scenes aspects in much more detail and for me, was the best part of the new film.
The book is published under a young readers imprint, but it will definitely entertain adult readers. It goes into detail regarding the cast, Louisa May Alcott’s history, the costumes and sets. Extra detail is provided on the food used in various scenes (Christmas, the ball, the final scene) with a recipe or two. The anatomy of a scene when Amy falls into the ice was fascinating – so much work for a short section of the film but it definitely looked good. (And who knew that CGI was used to make it look so realistic?) I also loved the wet plate photography illustrated throughout the book which was used for portraits of the main characters. The description of the process was clear and succinct and the photos themselves highly detailed, but in a different way to the photographs today. The modern photographs were also very well done, sharp and with a lot of detail.
Overall, this is a high-quality book that shows the details and background work required to make a film. It’s interesting whether you’re a fan of the movie/book or not, but I’m certain that fans will adore the additional insight.
The classic novel "Little Women" written by Louisa May Alcott is getting a brand-new film adaptation which is arriving in theatres on Christmas Day! Directed and adapted for the screen by Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), the film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, and Chris Cooper. To celebrate the film's release Abrams Books for Young Readers recently released "Little Women: The Official Movie Companion" by Gina McIntyre, featuring many behind-the-scene photos by Wilson Webb.
The very first chapter focuses entirely on Louisa May Alcott and "The Legacy of Little Women," where you get a big of a history lesson about the author. Chapter Two & Three centers around screenwriter & director Greta Gerwig and her new take on the classic story. Chapter Four gives detailed descriptions of each "Little Women" character. Chapter Five is all about the creation of the historical costumes that the cast wear in the film. In Chapter Six, you get to learn all bout the shooting locations and the set designs. Chapter Seven focuses on all the food that appears in the film, followed by a few recipes you can try out for yourself.You'll learn in Chapter Eight about how the New Year's Eve dance scene was shot in the film. Chapter Nine is just titled "Ever After" and it basically just wraps up the book.
Overall, Little Women: The Official Movie Companion is a beautiful and well-written book to own for any fan of the classic novel. All the photographs are stunning! It would make a great gift for any reader this holiday season!
I really enjoyed this book. I had a small role in the filming of the movie and was anxious to see more about the production. I was not disappointed as it gives good insights into the production itself and into what the film makers had in mind. It is generously illustrated with photographs. Of particular interest are the profile perspective of the film maker and of the actors who play the principle characters. This is not the first time Louisa May Alcott's classic novel has been brought to screen & stage and reference is made to that. Other aspects of the production itself are also featured. There are hints about the filming locations, all in the greater Boston area, and in Alcott's hometown of Concord. Details about featured props, costuming, choreography and even recipes of period foods are included. I am now looking forward to the release of the film itself. This book makes a worthy companion, as the title suggests.
It was truely amazing and interesting seeing photos and information about each scene and thought process of the book, characters and clothing.
If you know me you know I love every actor (especially Florence Pugh) that plays these little women. I love how they described their characters and how incredibly talent they all are and their strong characteristics. I love how Emma Watson says that Meg marrying a Man is also a part of feminism and I feel like now a days people get super confused on to what a feminist.
Overall I recommend this book if you loved this movie or even the book little women it’s self. It covers the Author and her life, the characters and how they made different scenes work.
I LOVE Little Women with whole my heart All the Little Women content really makes my heart smile. It is the perfect book for readers who love Little women as much as me. The book is very dear to my heart and the 2019 film by Greta Gerwig is a real masterpiece. I loved learning more about Louisa May Alcott, the filmmakers, actors, and characters. The pictures in this book are stunning, especially the wet plate photographs. My only regret is that the book isn't longer. I will cherish this book forever.
Si te ha gustado la nueva películas de Mujercitas, dirigida por Greta Gerwig, este libro te va a encantar. Es de muy buena calidad, tapa dura suave y las fotos, algunas inéditas y detrás del rodaje son un regalo. Entrevistas con la directora, los actores, diseño de vestuario... me ha parecido muy interesante saber más cosas sobre el libro y la adaptación a la gran pantalla. Y como sorpresa final, unas cuantas recetas sobre platos que salen en la película, seguro que intento hacer alguno!
I ADORED this behind the scenes book. As the reader, you get to learn the process behind those who made the food, who created the costumes, the inner workings of shots, how they made the christmas decorations, etc. It also weaved in a bit of Louisa May Alcott’s history and how her life was incorporated more into this movie adaptation. A perfect movie companion that any fan of the 2019 movie would love as well as a fan of the original novels.
This is a beautiful coffee table style book comprised of many pictures from the 2019 film. I found it especially interesting in providing "behind the scenes" images and also including the impact the novel had on various actors and producers. Attention to detail was maintained throughout the cast and crew, even to producing 19th century style wet plate photo portraits of the main characters. This is a book that makes me want to watch the movie.
It's a rough year, and I needed something pretty and wholesome with lots of pictures. Since I am a Little Women fanatic (I once was able to recite the chapter titles) and loved the recent film, this fit the bill! Lots of fun information about the cast, set, and director. I would have liked it if Bronson Alcott, Louisa May Alcott's dad, had been taken to task a bit more for the burden his idealism ultimately put on the family, but that would have been hard to do in the space there was, I guess.
This is a great book if you loved the movie. It gives you more information on the movie itself as well as a TON of details regarding the making of the movie. I love the Little Women book series, having read each of the four books countless times and I think that the 2019 movie is perfection. This book is a fabulous mix of both. I was gifted this book for Christmas and it’s a great short read. Would recommend!
This is a very beautiful book with beautiful photos from the movie. The background info about the characters, cast , and , how it was filmed was very insightful. It was more than what I expected . I only expected a book full of pictures but was pleasantly surprised. In fact I think it is more enjoyable than the novel itself which I’m reading at snail’s pace. It makes me turn page after page and that is an indication of a good book .
I bought this on kind of a whim because I'm obsessed with the film and starving for content, and it was a freakin' delight! I have read a lot of pieces on this film and watched a lot of interviews with those involved, and still most of the book was new information to me. It's also a lovely and aesthetically pleasing book, which I personally very much appreciate.