The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)

Harrowing story of a young Jewish girl who, with her family and their friends is forced into hiding in an attic in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Frances Goodrich (screenplay), Albert Hackett (screenplay),

Stars:

Millie Perkins, Joseph Schildkraut, Shelley Winters

Won 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Millie Perkins	...	Anne Frank
Joseph Schildkraut	...	Otto Frank
Shelley Winters	...	Mrs. Petronella Van Daan
Richard Beymer	...	Peter Van Daan
Gusti Huber	...	Mrs. Edith Frank
Lou Jacobi	...	Mr. Hans Van Daan
Diane Baker	...	Margot Frank
Douglas Spencer	...	Kraler
Dodie Heath	...	Miep (as Dody Heath)
Ed Wynn	...	Mr. Albert Dussell

Storyline

Based on Anne Frank's diary, and the stage play that was adapted from it: In Nazi-occupied Holland, Otto Frank and his family have decided to go into hiding, because of the increasing persecutions against Jews. The businessman Kraler and his assistant Miep prepare a hiding place in the rooms above their place of business, and arrange for the Franks and another family, the Van Daans, to stay there. Later on, they are joined by the dentist Dussel. Together, they try to avoid detection while hoping for Holland to be liberated by the Allies, but even meeting basic needs can become a challenge, and even minor incidents could present a grave risk.

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Plot Keywords:

dentist | diary | jewish | attic | fear | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

26 August 1959 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Anne Franks dagbok

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, George Stevens Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

180 min 171 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) (Westrex Recording System) Mono (optical prints) (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

George Stevens chose to film in black and white as he believed it would heighten the drama. He also deliberately shot some scenes in near darkness, forcing the viewer to really concentrate on the details.

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Goofs

On the first night of Hanukkah, Anne says it is Dec 7, 1942 - a Monday - and two candles are lit and blown out. When Mr. Frank goes to inspect the break-in, he says it is Saturday and no one will return until Monday. The same two extinguished candles are seen throughout the scene.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Kraler: Mr. Frank. - Mr Frank?
Otto Frank: Kraler. - Mr. Kraler. Miep. My good friends.

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Crazy Credits

At the end, neither a "The End" credit nor a cast list appears, only the title of the film once more ("The Diary of Anne Frank").

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Connections

Referenced in Anne Frank Remembered (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Tales from the Vienna Woods"
(uncredited)
Music by Johann Strauß

User Reviews

The Saddest and Most Touching Journal Ever Written

From 1942 to 1944, in a Nazi occupied Amsterdam, the thirteen years old German Jewish girl Anne Frank (Millie Perkins) lives hiding in an attic of a condiment factory with her sister, her parents, three members of another family and an old dentist. Along more than two years, she wrote in her diary, her feelings, her fears and relationship with the other dwellers.

When I was about the same age of Anne Frank, I read her book for the first time and I recall how sad I became. Then I read it at least two times more, and in the bottom of my heart, I was maybe expecting a happy ending and that this teenager and the other persons were saved after their tough struggle for survival. In the 90's, I visited her Museum and again I became very sad. Her story is certainly the saddest and most touching journal ever written and published, and shows how cruel the human being can be. This movie has been recently released on DVD in Brazil with 171 minutes running time, and I really liked it. The cinematography is very beautiful, and the tense and claustrophobic story highlights some of the most important parts of the book with minor modifications to keep the movie tense and in an adequate pace. The cast is excellent, and although having about twenty-one years old at that time, the mignon Millie Perkins performs a good Anne Frank. The person who betrayed Anne Frank and the other Jews has never been discovered. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "O Diário de Anne Frank" ("The Diary of Anne Frank")