EXIT POLL
What does Little Women offer big (and little) men? Ryan Gilbey asks the punters
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Your support makes all the difference.You'll know by now that the new cinema adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women has struck a winning formula, satisfying both politically alert critics and those who think they don't make them like this anymore, netting £37,326 in its first three days on a single screen.
But did the film have anything to say to the men at the Odeon Leicester Square in London this weekend? And would anybody even own up to a sniffle?
"Very uplifting", said Simon, who was with his wife. "It's the kind of thing you'd want to watch at Christmas when they show it on television isn't it? Did I cry? No I didn't. It wasn't that good."
Ben, nine, came with his parents and sister. "It was a good film," he agreed, "but it was sad when she died. I think girls like it better because there's girls in it."
Jonathan, 10, was also on a family outing. "I wouldn't have gone to see it with my friends." Why not? "We watch funny ones or ones with action." Not enough fighting? "Nah."
"I knew he'd say that," frowned his father.
Ahmar is a sales assistant and part-time student in his early twenties. "She chose this one." She is his girlfriend, Fay, who has bright pink hair. "I suppose it's a bit sexist to say it's a woman's film," he goes on, "but you can see that can't you? I mean, generally a lot of women like weepies." "Yeh, I do," Fay chips in.
Is it a feminist film?
"How do you mean?" Ahmar asks. "Because of all the women in it? I don't really know much about feminism. I mean, I guess it would be nice for younger girls to see, to get an idea about doing what they want to do and that."
Were any tears shed?
"I didn't cry, but I wouldn't be ashamed to."
"We both cried at Dead Poets Society," Fay assures me proudly.
So what does Little Women reveal about women?
"That they always stick together," guffaws Anthony, to the embarrassment of his girlfriend. "But then we knew that, didn't we?"
American relatives had recommended the film to Clive and his daughters. "Did you see it? Wasn't it splendid? Very old-fashioned."
Some have suggested that it's a feminist film.
"Good gracious! It's just a film for the family isn't it? It's a relief that nobody gets their head chopped off."
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