There are many wonderful graphic props in Little Women and I want to take a closer look at 5 of them today. If you haven’t seen the film yet, what have you been doing since lockdown!? Go and watch it now you fool! Ready? Good. I shall continue…
I want to begin by saying how much I love this film. I think it’s an incredible piece of screenwriting and directing by Greta Gerwig who beautifully adapted Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 book and gave it unique additions that pay homage to Alcott herself. Gerwig’s feminist views shine though the screen and her ability to write a period piece that emotionally connects so beautifully to the feeling and values of a contemporary audience is magic. I saw the film twice in the cinema and watching it reaffirmed my love of graphic props, it was like a warm glow every time a new piece appeared. I needed this lift as I was beginning my final semester of uni and had chosen Graphic Props as my final topic. My feelings while watching Little Women showed me I’d definitely made the right decision. Having looked up Little Women on IMDB, “Carly Sertic” is the only crew member credited as a “graphic designer”, so I believe she would have designed and made most of these props. Also, “Gregory Hill” is credited as an “illustrator” and he might have had a hand in things like shop signage but I assume his main job would have been creating Amy’s paintings. If anyone knows more about who did what, please let me know.
From a design point of view there are so many graphic props we could take a closer look at; from Mr. Dashwood’s office window lettering in the opening scene to the town’s shop front signage that Jo walks past in the snow and even Beth’s letter from Mr. Laurence’s that accompanies her piano. A lot of graphics gets burned in the film, including one of Jo’s early stories by Amy and Jo’s newspaper clippings and note books which she shows to Frederick, then throws in the fire towards the end of the movie. By the way, watching all those lovely graphics go up in flames fully made me wince. There’s also Jo’s letter to Teddy which she tears up and throws into the river before he can read it. I will actually cover this letter on its own in tomorrow’s post… and you’ll see why. I lastly, very much enjoyed the letterpress printing, bookbinding and gilding of Jo’s finished novel at the end. Anyway, the 5 pieces are: