Yes, I definitely think the war has some impact on choices in the 1949 adaptation - Amy's evil food hoarding, and also the fact that in this adaptation Laurie ran away from school to join the army (!!) and was injured (!!!!) and John Brooke was a friend from his regiment who ALSO got injured. Apparently they felt that viewers just couldn't take them seriously as romantic prospects if these able-bodied young men were NOT in uniform. (I know John Brooke joins up at the end of part one in the book, but Laurie never does and the book never shames him for it.)
IMO the 1994 version is also quite sympathetic to Amy, particularly young Amy (played by Kirsten Dunst, a lovable casting choice if there ever was one): it takes care to show that the book-burning is the impulsive action of a child who is truly sorry when she really understands the hurt it caused. I think they bobbled the casting of older Amy, but my recollection is that the 1994 version really ships Jo/Laurie (insofar as it can when it has to break them up), so the good ship Amy/Laurie was just never going to sail on those waters anyway.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2022-03-10 09:52 pm (UTC)IMO the 1994 version is also quite sympathetic to Amy, particularly young Amy (played by Kirsten Dunst, a lovable casting choice if there ever was one): it takes care to show that the book-burning is the impulsive action of a child who is truly sorry when she really understands the hurt it caused. I think they bobbled the casting of older Amy, but my recollection is that the 1994 version really ships Jo/Laurie (insofar as it can when it has to break them up), so the good ship Amy/Laurie was just never going to sail on those waters anyway.