Greta Gerwig: The woman who can write women

Born in Sacramento, California, Greta Gerwig is an American filmmaker famous for her ability to write vibrant, complex and authentic female characters. Gerwig grew up in a middle-class family, attending an all-girls Catholic school, where her love for the arts began with her participation in theatre productions. She attended Barnard College in New York City where she studied English, thus developing her passion for writing. While in university, Gerwig began to write plays and eventually met filmmaker Joe Swanberg. In meeting Swanberg, Gerwig began her acting career as he cast her in his own independent films. With the development of her acting career, Gerwig made her debut as a solo writer and director in 2017 with her semi-autobiographical film Lady Bird starring Saoirse Ronan.

In lieu of International Women’s Day, I wanted to discuss Gerwig’s 2019 film adaptation, Little Women, which I believe best portrays the intimacy and intricacy of the female psyche and female relationships. Based on Louisa May Alcott’s 1894 novel, Little Women focuses on the relationship between the four March sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. In Gerwig’s adaptation, each sister somewhat represents a different facet of womanhood.

Her tendency towards the traditional does not compromise her contribution towards the feminist undertones laced through the film

Meg is portrayed as the most conventionally domestic sister with her aspirations of marriage and motherhood. Her famous line: “Just because my dreams are different than yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant” truly highlights her purpose in the film. Her tendency towards the traditional does not compromise her contribution towards the feminist undertones laced through the film. Meg is aware of what she wants and gets it because she has that choice.

Beth is a source of comfort to all who know her. She is sensitive, empathetic and nurturing towards those around her. Beth can be seen as a voice of reason – both in life and death. Without Beth, Jo would not have thought to write her novel that becomes a source of plentitude for her family in their period of darkness. Beth’s musical quality reigns on after her death in the scene where Friedrich plays her piano. Despite her shyness and short-lived presence in the film, Beth’s significance is not dismissed by Gerwig.

Gerwig unveils a newfound complexity within Jo’s character

What best distinguishes Gerwig’s adaptation from previous adaptations is her portrayal of the protagonist – Jo. Gerwig extracted Jo’s famous monologue from the book, which begins with “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts.” However, she added in the line “But, I’m so lonely” to precede the monologue. With the small tweak, Gerwig unveils a newfound complexity within Jo’s character. Jo is characterised by her typically masculine traits: her loudness, her disregard for her looks, her friendship with Laurie and her large career aspirations. Despite all her love for liberty, Gerwig ensures that Jo does not become averse to fundamental human wants and desires. In Saorise Ronan’s rendition of the line ‘But, I’m so lonely’ it feels as if Jo is surrendering a piece of herself. Her desire to be loved clouds her desire for liberty.

With the addition of the line, Gerwig also conveys how, as a woman, desiring certain things that have been traditionally designed to trap us can feel as if we are betraying ourselves. The ambiguity of Jo’s ending within the film also differentiates Gerwig’s depiction from others. Throughout the film, Jo is seen debating the publication of her literary works with a publisher who is certain that a story that does not end in marriage will not sell. Due to this, Gerwig does craft a romantic scene between Jo and Friedrich where they do end up together.

However, the audience is left uncertain as to whether this scene is merely for the book Jo is writing or if Jo does end up with Friedrich. This unresolved ending for Jo shows how Gerwig lacks interest in highlighting the intricacies of Jo’s romantic affairs or marriage. Rather, through this ambiguity, Gerwig sheds light on the things that have always mattered more to Jo: her writing and her career. Hence, the film assuredly ends with her opening a school and publishing her book and we are left uncertain as to whether she marries or not.

What is truly notable in Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women is her repeated construction of the ‘imperfect woman.’

Gerwig’s portrayal of Amy exudes greater maturity and depth than previous depictions. Amy is not just the typical younger sister she is often painted as. Amy is aware of her social standing and what she must do to achieve success. Unlike Jo, Amy is pragmatic. She understands her limitations within society and is willing to compromise her artistic aspirations for marriage to maintain her dignity. What is truly notable in Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women is her repeated construction of the ‘imperfect woman.’ Amy can be jealous, fiery, intolerant but also extremely observant of her sisters and how the world works. She has enough intelligence to accept her place in it, resulting in her marrying Laurie. However, her marriage to Laurie does not compromise her other qualities of care and intellect. With Florence Pugh’s “I’m just a woman” speech, Amy’s grounded nature certainly shines through. Amy does not dwell on her limitations as a woman, rather she sees them objectively. Amy is a tricky character to comprehend and that’s what individualises Gerwig’s adaptation from others.

Gerwig’s Little Women is just one of the reasons why her presence in the film industry is so significant. She creates stories about women, for women. She does not shy away from the intricacies of the human experience, rather she embraces them. She writes and portrays vivid complex characters that we can all resonate with. Her other works include Barbie (2023) and her upcoming Narnia (2026) adaptation.