Little Women

Get ready!

Got them!

Jo, those are the kitchen scissors!

They're good and sharp.

Please don't make me be the first.

No.

Amy's first!

If I must make this sacrament,

I do it gladly.

But don't you dare take more than a half-inch!

Do you have any letters

for the post, Pastor March?

This will go in the mail train tonight?

Yes, sir.

Bless you, son.

Cold...

"Merry Christmas, Father.

With our fondest love..."

"Meg I II

"Jo. II

"Beth."

"And Amy. "

Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents.

Jo, get up off the rug.

That party dress

is in a bad enough state as it is.

We agreed not to have any presents this year.

We said we didn't mind--

As long as we had Marmee and Father and each other.

Beth, we haven't got Father.

And we shan't have him for ever such a long time.

Not until the war ends.

Meg!

I found Jo's gloves.

They're all creased and sticky.

I used them to mop up some lemonade I spilled

at Sallie's birthday dance.

Jo, why didn't you clean them?

You can't go to a party without any gloves!

I was hoping we wouldn't be invited to another one!

I should have gone away with Father in disguise,

signed up as a drummer boy,

and done my duty as he has.

Jo, I don't think that's allowed.

Or even possible...

Besides,

I can't think of anything more disagreeable.

Why would you want to sleep in a tent,

and drink out of a tin mug,

and eat all sorts of bad-tasting food, Jo?

Because, Amy, she forgets that she's a young lady

and that I'm trying to mend her dress.

I can't help that I like boy's clothes

and work and manners.

Being born a girl is the most disappointing thing

that ever happened to me.

I do believe that was the busiest day the depot ever had!

We had to get 200 boxes of soldiers' comforts

onto the 5:00 train,

and we lacked mittens for some of them.

We'll have to sit and knit more,

like pokey old women.

Jo, be careful.

You look tired to death.

Aunt March kept me on my toes today.

Most people mellow out at Christmas, but not her.

Do I get a kiss,

as well as warm slippers, Amy?

You are all such a treat to come home to.

And I have a treat for you, too.

A letter?

ls it {from Father?

Yes, it is.

You're late, Theodore.

I'm sorry, Grandfather.

How was your voyage?

Did you stay on deck

and keep your eyes on the horizon as I advised?

Mostly.

It mostly worked.

I presume you brought your principal's reports

for me to read.

"A year is a long time to wait before we meet again.

"But these hard days will not be wasted

"if we all work hard.

"Give them all my dear love, and a kiss.

"Tell them I think of them by day

“and pray for them each evening.

"Our country may be torn in two

"because it can't agree on what is right,

"but even in this time of darkness,

"when armies clash and blood is shed,

"we can shine a fight through our kindness to each other.

"And there are smaller battles we can win,

"within our hearts and close to home.

"I know my daughters

"will fight their bosom enemies bravely

"and conquer themselves so beautifully,

"that when I come back to them,

"I may be fonder and prouder than ever

of my little women."

: Merry Christmas, Jo!

Hannah, do you know where our mother is?

She isn't in her room. Well, she wouldn't be,

because we had some shoe less little lad

come wailing and hammering on the door,

saying his mother was starving

and sickly, and like to die,

and all her children like to die with her.

Kindly get your fingers out the syrup!

Sorry. Sorry.

So your mother

went running off after him to see what she could do,

and she took a great pile of firing from next to my stove.

As long as we've enough to cook the bacon.

Merry Christmas, Hannah!

If you don't unleash me,

you young rapscallions,

there'll be no pancakes!

Girls.

I've just come from the most deprived and wretched home

I have ever seen.

There was a mother with a newborn,

and five other little ones huddled under rags for warmth.

I took firewood, but it was not enough.

Cream!

We never have cream!

I'm carrying the bacon.

The smell torments me

like the legions of the damned!

Hurry, Beth, dear.

Don't let those sugar rolls get cold!

Come on, Jo!

Oh, my stars!

Miss, I'm so sorry.

I could have broken your... coffee service.

I'm quite likely to break it myself

before I'm through.

Or lose my self-control and just drink all the coffee.

We're giving our Christmas breakfast away

to a poor German family we've never even met.

Was that your idea?

No, our mother's.

The soccer ball wasn't mine.

It was my grandfather's.

He thinks it's the kind of thing

a boy my age might like.

Mr. Laurence is your grandfather?

Until last night I hadn't seen him for ten years.

But I'll be living with him now--

At least until I go to college.

That's nice.

Hurry up!

I should go back.

: Grandfather's watching through the window,

so I have to make out like I'm having fun.

Happy Christmas present-giving!

Oh, yes.

(carriage rumbling, horse snorts)

Jo, dear, there you are.

Uh, a hot drink first, for Mrs. Hummel.

Give the tray to Meg.

Beth and Amy, would you start

spooning out some oatmeal for the little ones?

Jo, see if you can stop that broken window.

What with?

Uh...

Hannah's hat will do.