This modernized retelling of the Louisa May Alcott classic has missed its calling: It could have been a delightful centerpiece of this year’s Countdown to Christmas series on the Hallmark Channel. And I say that as an avid consumer of the soothing, pablum charms therein.

As a theatrical release, though, this “Little Women” doesn’t do justice to the beloved 1868 novel about the four March sisters, headed by Jo (Sarah Davenport), an independent-minded aspiring author. First-time feature director Clare Niederpruem gives it her very earnest all, but falls short both on continuity issues (a smoldering curling iron, for example, is dropped to the floor and immediately forgotten) and on making her gradually aging cast match up.

At times it seems like half the sisters are young adults, while the others are still young children. Jo, our heroine, while always a prickly character, comes off here as . . . well, a bit of an a - - hole. And although that may hew fairly closely to accounts of the real Louisa May, we need Jo to be likable enough to root for. Also, if you’re going to update, keeping your matriarch named Marmee (Lea Thompson) just feels bizarre.

Finally, through no fault of its own, this “Little Women” suffers the unfortunate fate of preceding Greta Gerwig’s pretty assuredly superior version, set to come out next year.