Little Women (1933) is the first film to be based on Louisa May Alcott's novel of four young girls and their maturing in an age of affectation and Victorian sensibilities. It stars Katharine Hepburn in one of her early defining roles as Josephine 'Jo' March; the central protagonist. She's very much a defiant tomboy in petticoats, defying her Aunt March (played to perfection by the crotchety Edna May Oliver), cutting off her long tresses to pay for her father's train ticket, and always, 'always' usurping any and all interest to fall into the trap of becoming some man's noble wife…at least for a while. Despite the fact that Alcott's novel is very much an ensemble piece about four girls growing up, this film is very much the story of Jo. Other roles are rounded out by Joan Bennett (as the vane and snooty, Amy), Paul Lukas (Prof. Baer), Jean Parker (in the thankless role of Beth) and Francis Dee (as the impetuous, Meg).

Clearly with the goal of generating star interest in Kate Hepburn, director, George Cukor uses up the bulk of his running time to extol the idiosyncratic quirks that make Jo March tick. He delights, for example, showing us Jo sliding down the banister at her Aunt March's home, or throwing snowballs at the young master of the adjoining maison, Theodore Lawrence (Douglas Montgomery). Cukor, known throughout the industry as a woman's director, side steps Alcott's novel on more than one occasion to satisfy his own artistic vision. That said, overall then, the film is faithful to Alcott and a veritable lush and lovely cinematic experience in the vein of golden Hollywood film making.

The transfer from Warner Bros. has been considerably cleaned up for this DVD presentation. The B&W picture elements from RKO were in very poor shape. While certain scenes continue to attest to this lack of initial preservation, most look quite marvelous and will surely please. There is a bit of digital edge enhancement that crops up now and then and distracts one from the otherwise sterling picture, but these are fleeting moments of distraction at best. Blacks are generally solid. Whites are generally clean. Contrast and fine details are as they should be and film grain, with minor exceptions, is kept in check. Extras include a music only selection of score that has been nicely remastered, as well as extensive notes on both Hepburn and Cukor; good stuff for both the heart and the mind. Bottom line: this is a great golden oldie that will surely warm the heart. But it's not definitive Alcott. For that one has to jump seventy years into the future for Gillian Armstrong's masterful remake, starring Winona Ryder.