A modern take on Little Women

Greta Gerwig's film reinterprets the classic and unveils the monetary considerations of women of the time

Little Women stars (from far left) Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen.
Little Women stars (from left) Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen. PHOTO: SONY PICTURES
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How do you bring a classic 19th-century novel to the big screen and make it feel relevant for the present day?

For writer-director Greta Gerwig, the key was rereading Louisa May Alcott's 1868 coming-of-age classic, Little Women, and discovering some deeper truths about it, including that it is really all about money.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 16, 2020, with the headline A modern take on Little Women. Subscribe