Little Men (1998)

Little Men (1998) is a Canadian family drama film that features Mariel Hemingway and Chris Sarandon. It is based on Louisa May Alcott’s novel of 1871, the same author who wrote Little Women. Essentially, it serves as a sequel to the 1994 film version of Little Women. The story takes place in New England during this time period, specifically focusing on two young orphans named Nat Blake and Dan. They survive by using their wits and thievery while living on the streets of Boston. However, an event leads to Nat being taken under the wing of John Brooke, who arranges for him to attend Plumfield – a boys’ boarding school run by John’s sister-in-law Jo and her husband Fritz Bhaer.

Despite their differing approaches to discipline, both Jo and Fritz believe that showing compassion towards the boys and treating them as equals will ultimately lead to them becoming better individuals compared to strict rule enforcers. Nat experiences a period of adjustment from lying to survive on the street to adapting to life at Plumfield. In the end, he realizes that this new way of life is what truly fulfills him and the changes he makes lead to personal growth. His time at Plumfield becomes even more eventful with the arrival of two individuals. One of them is Dan, who lacks a sponsor for his education due to the school’s financial struggles.