TV and Movies

[Oznell]

Not only are they showing the 1933 and 1949 versions of "Little Women",  they are doing double airings of 2 different versions of "Imitation of Life", and 2 different versions of "Anna Karenina".   It's the night and morning of originals and remakes!

8:00 p.m. Eastern--  "Little Women".  (1933)   Joan Bennett, Katharine Hepburn, Frances Dee, Spring Byington, Paul Lukas, Jean Parker

10:15 p.m. Eastern--  "Little Women".  (1949). Janet Leigh, June Allyson, Mary Astor, Elizabeth Taylor, Margaret O'Brien, Peter Lawford

12:30 a.m. Eastern--  "Imitation of Life".  (1934).   Claudette Colbert, Louise Beavers, Warren William, Rochelle Hudson

2:30 a.m. Eastern--  "Imitation of Life".  (1959) Lana Turner, Juanita Moore, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Susan Kohner, Dan O'Herlihy, Mahalia Jackson

4:45 a.m. Eastern-- "Anna Karenina"  (1935). Greta Garbo, Fredric March, Basil Rathbone, Maureen O'Sullivan

6:30 a.m. Eastern--  "Anna Karenina". (1948). Vivien Leigh, Ralph Richardson, Kieron Moore, Sally Ann Howes 

[spiderw]

I like any version of Little Women.  It was one othe first books I read as a young girl and  thoroughly enjoyed.  

As far as Imitation of Life, I have seen the Lana Turner version a few times, it was one of my mother's favorite movies.  For me it was an OK movie.  Yes, it was sad but not on my favorite movie list.

Masterpiece Theater had a series based on Anna Karenina and it was excellent.  I admit I haven't seen the movies but perhaps will DVR one of the TV versions mentioned.  

All in all it sounds like a movie time for all!!!!!  Enjoy.

[Oznell]

I forgot that TV production, @spiderw, but it was fantastic.  Can't remember who played Anna in that one, but do remember how good she was!

The two movie versions for me, is that rare instance of not being able to choose which I like better-- both Garbo and Leigh bring different things to that incredible role of Anna.  The older I get, the more I appreciate the brilliance of Tolstoy in creating the themes and worlds that he did....

[QVCkitty1]

This morning's CBS Sunday Morning did a segment on the latest version of " Little Woman."  They interviewed Greta Gerwig the writer director, and showed some scenes from the movie. They toured the Alcott family home, and showed a desk that Louisa's father built for her so she could write. Jo is being played by Saoirse Ronan, a particular favorite of mine, it also stars Meryl Streep and Laura Dern. I love the story, and am anxious to see this new version of it. 

[Oznell]

That's great, I would have loved to have seen the preserved Alcott family home with artifacts from that time, @QVCkitty1.

[QVCkitty1]

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@Oznell wrote:

That's great, I would have loved to have seen the preserved Alcott family home with artifacts from that time, @QVCkitty1.

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I forgot to mention, that Alcott's publisher told her that whatever she wrote, at the end the woman had to be married or dead. That says a lot .  Also, Louisa's father wanted the house painted brown  so it would blend with nature. It was also mentioned that Emerson and Thoreau were neighbors. There I'm done , LOL

[Somertime]

I love the Katharine Hepburn Little Women but the one with June Allyson was not a favorite.  I prefer the one with Susan Sarandon instead.  Both Garbo and Leigh were wonderful as the tragic Anna besides being exquisite to look at.

Never found a Ross Hunter movie, I didn't like!

[Mz iMac]

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@spiderw wrote:

Masterpiece Theater had a series based on Anna Karenina and it was excellent.

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@spiderw  By far the best of all the Anna Karenina movies/remakes.  I have the dvd.

[Oznell]

In "Little Women",  there's always the initial disappointment when Jo spurns Laurie and he eventually turns to Amy-- that seems so wrong!  Apparently her readers in the 19th century had the same reaction, in many quarters, and author Louisa May Alcott got an earful from them!

"Laurie" was evidently a composite character, based on a boy from her youth, plus a young Polish patriot that she met upon her sojourn in Europe.  His name was Ladislaus and she called him "Laddie".  I'd have to go back and read the biography of her that I read, but I think they suggested, if not asserted, that she was in love with him.  But it was not to be.

In so many ways, LMA had such a tough life, first, living with the poverty and crackpot utopian schemes of her father, and then having unfulfilled personal dreams as an adult.  But what a gift she was to children's literature.

[bathina]

I love both versions of Little Women. I also enjoyed the most recent version with Uma Thurman's daughter (her name escapes me). It was beautifully filmed. For a great documentary on LMA, check out PBS American Masters. Had no idea the Alcott family moved to a commune-Fruitlands- started by Louisa's father.