While Little Women has been adapted numerous times, Greta Gerwig’s refreshing 2019 iteration is seen as one of the best, and a large part of that is thanks to Florence Pugh’s unique portrayal of Amy March. The classic American novel was written by Louisa May Alcott in the late 1860s, with Little Women centering around the four young March sisters as they come of age during the Civil War. Most readers embrace Jo, the second-eldest sister with the fiery temper and dreams of becoming a writer, as the true heroine, with youngest sister Amy being universally reviled in the fandom.

Amy March isn’t the only element Gerwig changed in her beloved Little Women adaptation. Along with Pugh, the Little Women cast, including previous Gerwig collaborators Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalament, breathed new, refreshing life into this 2019 version. Rather than telling the story chronologically, as Alcott does in her book, Gerwig chose a non-linear structure that served both the story and her performers well. Pugh was even nominated for her first Academy Award for her portrayal of Amy March — which is very impressive considering the character’s terrible reputation over the years.

Why Fans Of Little Women Hate Amy In The Book

Burning Jo’s Manuscript & Marrying Laurie Are Often Cited As Amy’s Worst Crimes

Amy March is the youngest of the four March children — which may already be a clue about her personality to those with siblings. At the start of the Little Women book, Amy is 12 years old, and obsessed with the idea of being a proper young lady. Although her family lives modestly, she daydreams about attending balls, wearing fine dresses, and living a sophisticated lifestyle. She’s also a bit spoiled, and when her sisters decide to give away their Christmas breakfast to those in need, it takes some convincing to get Amy to agree.

One might forgive Amy’s petulance because of her young age, but fans of the book have more reason than that to loathe her. In one iconic moment from the novel, the youngest March sister is angry over a perceived slight, Jo, and throws the manuscripts of Jo’s novel into the fireplace as revenge. With Jo having spent years writing it, Amy knew just how to hurt her the most, and Jo’s anger towards her sister is certainly justified. Although the girls later reconcile, it was difficult for readers to get over such a cruel and petty act.

Finally, many Little Women readers hated the fact that Laurie married Amy instead of Jo. Even though years had pᴀssed since Jo spurned Laurie’s affections, having Laurie end up with Amy makes her seem like a consolation prize. Even worse, her acceptance of Laurie’s marriage proposal feels like a betrayal to Jo.

How Florence Pugh Made Amy A Likable Character

Pugh Plays Up Amy’s Pᴀssion & Self-Awareness

In order to make Amy a more likable character, the Little Women movie would have to change a few things. To start with, Amy is aged up to a teenager in the flashback sequences. As such, she’s seen as less of a spoiled brat and more of a maturing young woman — even though she still has some growing up to do.

Transforming Amy March into a someone worth rooting for was a tough job, but Florence Pugh rose to the occasion and then some. Pugh’s performance helped make Amy a much more rounded character, as well as more sympathetic. As young Amy, Pugh demonstrated how the youngest March sister could indeed be petty in her actions but still had a good heart underneath. When Amy grows up, Pugh portrays her as a young woman with deeply held beliefs and a strong sense of self.

The romance between Laurie and Amy in the film is also benefited by Pugh’s performance. When Amy marries Laurie in the book, the majority of the romance happens off-page, making it difficult to believe that the two characters could actually be in love. In the 2019 movie adaptation, the audience watches their relationship unfold, proving the undeniable chemistry between Pugh and Timothee Chalamet’s characters.

Greta Gerwig Paints Amy In A More Positive Light

Pugh’s Amy Has More Feminist Motivations For Wanting To Get Married

Contrary to the book, the 2019 film adaptation begins the story with the March sisters all grown up. This was a stroke of genius on Greta Gerwig’s part, as it allows the audience to see how the girls have evolved before showing how they came to be there. One of the first scenes shows Amy March in Paris learning to paint. By chance, she runs into her old friend Laurie, and their clear familiarity and fondness for each other make their potential romance more believable. This scene occurs before Laurie and Jo are shown together, so viewers latch onto his and Amy’s attraction first.

Another fix that Gerwig made in her version of Little Woman is allowing Amy to grow more as a person. In the book, Amy initially wants to marry Fred Vaughn because he will give her the wealthy lifestyle she always wanted. This is changed for the film, as established when Amy gives a feminist speech about how expectations for women to marry rich are unfair, yet necessary. It also doesn’t help that her Aunt March puts pressure on Amy at a young age to “save” her family by marrying someone wealthy.

With this film, Gerwig’s screenplay gives Amy a nuance that was not only missing from other adaptations but the book as well. Instead of a spoiled girl who only cares about being rich, this Amy contends with growing up in the shadows of her older sisters and trying to make her own way in the world.

How Pugh’s Performance Compares To Other Amys Onscreen

The Other Portrayals Are Either Overshadowed Or Play Up Amy’s Worse Qualities

There have been many movie and TV adaptations based on Little Women over the decades, though some stand out more than others. One of the first to grab the spotlight is the 1933 film starring Katharine Hepburn as Jo and Joan Bennett as Amy. Bennett’s portrayal of Amy in this version of Little Women is demure and innocent, although it’s often overshadowed by Hepburn’s strong presence.

Maybe the most famous version before the 2019 movie, the 1994 adaptation of Little Women earned high praise from critics. In the movie, young Amy is played by Kirsten Dunst. Like the character in the book, Dunst portrays Amy as spoiled, immature, and shallow, making her instantly unlikable. Unfortunately, the grown-up version of Amy, played by Samantha Mathis, isn’t much better. In fact, adult Amy seems like she’s only there to be the object of Laurie’s desire, and there is very little depth to the character.

Compared to the versions that came before it, Pugh’s Amy in Little Women is a huge improvement. While she still wants nice things and has big dreams, they’re presented in a way that doesn’t make her seem shallow and greedy. When Jo criticizes Amy as being “crᴀss” for saying she wants to be a famous artist, Amy insists that she shouldn’t be ashamed to say what she wants from life — a subtle sign of her feminist sensibilities. Without a doubt, changing Amy’s character from the book was the best choice, as was casting Florence Pugh.