Amy and her family spend the night on a small hill. Next morning, they return to their house only to find it burned and destroyed. They must move north to stay with Aunt March in New England.
A grandson comes to stay with Mr. Laurence, who lives next door to the March family. The boy is intrigued by laughter coming from the March household. The sound is so distracting he cannot study.
Jo visits Aunt March, who is in bed recuperating from angina. When Jo reads the newspaper to her Aunt, she learns of a very interesting speech made by President Lincoln.
Meg and Jo attend a dazzling party. While Meg mingles and dances, Jo leans against the wall, trying to hide the scorched mark on her dress. But her disappointment turns to fun when she meets a shy but engaging young man, Mr. Laurence's grandson Laurie.
Jo hasn't seen Laurie for a while, so she throws a snowball at his bedroom window. He appears, and explains he has been sick with a cold for a week. Concerned, Jo pays a cheerful call to inquire about his health.
Amy and Jo take a walk and along the way meet their neighbor Mr. Laurence. Inviting them to tea, they listen as Laurie plays the beautiful grand piano. They listen with rapture -- but are surprised to see tears well up in his eyes.
When Beth plays Mr. Laurence's grand piano for the first time, she is so absorbed in its beautiful tone that she looses all track of time. Beth is so late, Meg goes to fetch her -- and meets Laurie's handsome tutor Mr. Brooke at the door.
Every day Beth goes next door to play Mr. Laurence's piano. She wants to make him a pair of slippers as a gift, but cannot afford the materials. Jo helps her out, giving her the money she needs to make a beautiful pair.
Though Mr. Laurence seems a stern and frightening presence to timid Beth, he is touched and delighted by her music and kindness. In return he gives her a wonderful gift -- a piano which had once belonged to the daughter he had lost.
Though sweets are forbidden, Amy's school friends enjoy sneaking treats during recess. Amy brings candied limes for all her friends, except Jenny. Jenny reports to the teacher, who takes the limes and -- to Amy humiliation -- punishes her with a cane.
Laurie invites Jo and Meg to the theater to see a play. Amy is hurt at being left out and decides to get even with Jo. In a fit of anger, she throws Jo's manuscript into the fire, destroying the novel that Jo has worked so long and so hard to write.
Amy and Jo have not spoken since Amy destroyed Jo's manuscript, and Amy is feeling remorseful. When Jo leaves to go ice-skating, Amy runs after her, planning to apologize. But before they work out their differences, Amy falls through the ice.
Jo works for her beloved but crotchety Aunt March. When her Aunt travels to a hot spring for her health, Jo gets a welcome vacation, and begins to make plans.
Amy goes fishing with John's young brother Tom hoping for a dinner of trout. She has a happy time but becomes very tired and falls asleep. Jo startles her from a frightful dream.
Jo waits impatiently after delivering her novel to the newspaper office. Laurie takes her to the office to check things out, but they are unable to learn anything until . . .
The March family receives news that Father is seriously ill. Mother immediately arranges to travel to Washington where he is hospitalized. Desperate to raise money for Father's care, Jo sells her beautiful long hair.
The sisters know their Mother's absence is a test of their character and abilities, and they try hard to keep up their work and their spirits. But the more cheerful they try to be, the more gloomy they feel.
In her Mother's absence, Beth looks after the poor Hummel family. The baby is sick, and while Mrs. Hummel hurries for a doctor, the infant dies in Beth's arms. The baby died of scarlet fever, the doctor reports. And before long, Beth is sick too.
Beth has scarlet fever and her worried sisters struggle with the crisis. Meg and Jo, who have already had the disease, care for Beth, while Amy is sent to stay with Aunt March. When Beth takes a turn for the worse, her sisters send an urgent telegram.
The family rejoices as Beth's health improves. One day Amy meets the newspaperman Anthony, and he sends a message to Jo, telling of an opportunity to pursue a writing career in New York.
Meg's mother scolds Laurie for the hurt he caused forging a letter to Meg. To protect Meg's feelings, they agree not to tell anyone. Laurie's grandfather hears about the reprimand, and when Laurie refuses to tell him the details, Laurie is punished.
Father is home for the holiday, but plans to return to the war as soon as he has fully recovered. Next day, Brooke proposed to Meg, and she joyfully accepts.
With the arrival of spring, the war ends and Father is home to stay. The March's have a party to celebrate Beth's recovery and Meg's engagement. Then Jo sets off for New York with high hopes for a career as a writer.
