Researching for Film: How Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ reinterprets the novel’s little-known print history
A behind-the-scenes researcher’s guide to consulting on the Oscar-nominated film “Little Women”
In the fall of 2018, I had the opportunity to provide historical consultation and research for Greta Gerwig adaptation of “Little Women,” which filmed in the Boston area. [Note: Spoilers for both book and film follow.]
My research for LW focused on the film’s climax, the first printing of “Little Women.” In the scene, Jo March eagerly watches as the printing press creates the first copy of her life’s work. It’s a beautiful scene, energetic and rich in visual detail. It’s also where the two narratives — the classic plot of LW and the life of author Louisa May Alcott — come together to form Gerwig’s own unique interpretation of the novel and help distinguish it from the beloved 1994 film version. But what would this scene actually look like in Alcott’s universe? During filming, production reached out to Truly*Adventurous, who then in turn contacted me with this query.
The 1868 novel’s publication history is readily available to literary scholars and LW enthusiasts. The March sisters wouldn’t get their happily-ever-afters (or goodbyes in Beth’s case) until the…
