Writer-director Greta Gerwig has crafted a film that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott and unfolds as the author's alter ego, Jo March reflects back and forth on her fictional life. In Gerwig's take, the beloved story of the March sisters, four young women each determined to live life on her own terms, is both timeless and timely. "[T]his is a film in love with its characters' passions, a rich and effortlessly...

Morning glory: An aspiring actress is mentored to success by several Broadway veterans. Little women: Follows the lives of the four March sisters living with their mother in Concord, Massachusetts, while their father is ministering to Union troops during the American Civil War. Stage door: A group of aspiring actresses share a boardinghouse in New York City. Philadelphia story: A socialite's wedding plans are complicated by the appearance of her...