The Diary of Anne Frank (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
1959's 'The Diary of Anne Frank' (directed by the great George Stevens) chronicles the 2 years in which a Jewish teen named Anne Frank (Millie Perkins) & her family spent hiding from WWII Nazis in their Amsterdam, Holland textile factory's secret attic. The Franks (including her parents played by Joseph Schildkraut & Gusti Hulber, & her older sister, Margot, played by Diane Baker) are concealed in the small loft with yet another Jewish family, Mr. & Mrs. Van Daan (Lou Jacobi, Shelley Winters), their kind teen son, Peter (Richard Beymer), and later, an elderly dentist, Mr. Dussell (Ed Wynn, excellent); Gusti Hulber & Lou Jacobi reprise their roles here from the stage play this film is based on. All the while, young Anne writes in her diary.
Since the Franks' factory is directly below them, the inhabitants of the attic must spend all day in utter silence, lest they accidentally tip-off someone to lure the Gestapo. 2 office managers, Miep & Kraler, routinely visit with pressing news about the war and about food rations, but most of the film follows the small daily horrors of living in persistent fear & in cramped quarters. As Anne goes from an awkward 13 yr. old to a mature 15 yr. old, her relationship with the slightly older Peter develops into a bit of a romance, despite the fact that their confinement offers little-to-no privacy. As anyone who knows this story & has read Anne's diary knows, the Franks are, in the end, betrayed ... and the loft is besieged by the Nazis.
64 years after its release, this movie is still a powerful & poignant drama about hope and, unfortunately, tragedy. There's a good balance of unease, inter-personal drama, & even some levity. Humorous scenes in which Anne gives out homemade Hanukkah gifts or prances around sporting Mrs. Van Daan's mink coat contrast well with the very scary images of them all trying desperately to be silent as an unforeseen thief trashes the office below, or, of Anne's nightmares of what has happened to her concentration camp-bound friends. Excerpts from her incredibly-detailed diary are mixed-in with the movie dialogue, which captures the way simple domestic details can easily turn into heated melodrama under the emotionally-charged conditions.
At 180 min. in length, 'TDoAF' runs too long as it churns towards its inescapable conclusion. Another issue, while Millie Perkins is lovely, her sing-songy way of speaking makes her sound too mopey. She does exhibit believable chemistry with Beymer {Tony from West Side Story}, but I think another actress may have been better suited for this seminal role. Joseph Schildkraut, an aging star from the silent film era, acquits himself well as the father. And Shelley Winters is exceptional in her Academy Award-winning role as tactless Petronella Van Daan. This film also won Oscars for its wonderfully claustrophobic & stark cinematography & its unique set design. 'TDoAF' honors its subjects with respect & reverence and, I do recommend it.
Since the Franks' factory is directly below them, the inhabitants of the attic must spend all day in utter silence, lest they accidentally tip-off someone to lure the Gestapo. 2 office managers, Miep & Kraler, routinely visit with pressing news about the war and about food rations, but most of the film follows the small daily horrors of living in persistent fear & in cramped quarters. As Anne goes from an awkward 13 yr. old to a mature 15 yr. old, her relationship with the slightly older Peter develops into a bit of a romance, despite the fact that their confinement offers little-to-no privacy. As anyone who knows this story & has read Anne's diary knows, the Franks are, in the end, betrayed ... and the loft is besieged by the Nazis.
64 years after its release, this movie is still a powerful & poignant drama about hope and, unfortunately, tragedy. There's a good balance of unease, inter-personal drama, & even some levity. Humorous scenes in which Anne gives out homemade Hanukkah gifts or prances around sporting Mrs. Van Daan's mink coat contrast well with the very scary images of them all trying desperately to be silent as an unforeseen thief trashes the office below, or, of Anne's nightmares of what has happened to her concentration camp-bound friends. Excerpts from her incredibly-detailed diary are mixed-in with the movie dialogue, which captures the way simple domestic details can easily turn into heated melodrama under the emotionally-charged conditions.
At 180 min. in length, 'TDoAF' runs too long as it churns towards its inescapable conclusion. Another issue, while Millie Perkins is lovely, her sing-songy way of speaking makes her sound too mopey. She does exhibit believable chemistry with Beymer {Tony from West Side Story}, but I think another actress may have been better suited for this seminal role. Joseph Schildkraut, an aging star from the silent film era, acquits himself well as the father. And Shelley Winters is exceptional in her Academy Award-winning role as tactless Petronella Van Daan. This film also won Oscars for its wonderfully claustrophobic & stark cinematography & its unique set design. 'TDoAF' honors its subjects with respect & reverence and, I do recommend it.