Honestly, when the news first broke of Greta Gerwig helming a movie version of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, it felt like the cinematic stars had finally aligned. Greta Gerwig directing an ahead of its time, coming-of-age classic starring Saoirse Ronan, Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, Florence Pugh and — above all — former i-D cover star Timothée Chalamet? What did we do to deserve such perfection?
Well after months of speculation, with die-hard TC stans being placated by on-set photos, rumours of release dates and stills from the movie, we finally have our first look at the film in motion, in the new trailer which dropped today.
The film, much like the book and the Winona Ryder starring movie from the mid-90s, follows the lives of the March sisters — four sisters living in 19th century New England — as they prepare the fly the nest and grow up in a society that expects them to live as caregivers in subservience to their husbands. Of course, Gerwig’s version is rumoured to up the ante a bit, and hone in on the ‘men are trash and we don’t need them’ mantra that movies need to hear more of.
Greta has a history of making movie alchemy from the chemistry of Saoirse and Timothée, so our expectations are rightfully high for this one. They were last seen alongside each other in Greta’s blissfully brilliant Lady Bird, with performances that lead Saoirse to an Oscar nod; Timmy, of course, earned his for Call Me By Your Name. The awards trail that ensued — the two of them best friends pictured side-by-side — was one of the sweetest combinations to come from the usually cynical world of big studio movie-making. Maybe Little Women will give us a well overdue round two?
“They’ve got ambition and they’ve got talent as well as just beauty, and I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.” Saoirse — who plays mini family matriarch Jo March — says of her sisters in the trailer, through furious tears. There’s also a clip of Jo arguing with her boy-next-door beau Laurie, played by Timothée, in which he pleads her to marry him, saying he’d be a “perfect saint”. Trust him, Jo!!!
For anybody desperate to see the bound-to-be modern classic, there’s not much longer to wait: Little Women hits UK cinemas on Boxing Day 2019.