The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)

During World War II, a teenage Jewish girl named Anne Frank and her family are forced into hiding in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands.

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Frances Goodrich (screenplay), Albert Hackett (screenplay)

Stars:

Millie Perkins, Shelley Winters, Joseph Schildkraut

Won 3 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 14 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 Gies (as Dody Heath)
Ed Wynn	...	Mr. Albert Dussell

Storyline

In Nazi-occupied Holland in World War II, shopkeeper Kraler hides two Jewish families in his attic. Young Anne Frank keeps a diary of everyday life for the Franks and the Van Daans, chronicling the Nazi threat as well as family dynamics. A romance with Peter Van Daan causes jealousy between Anne and her sister, Margot. Otto Frank returns to the attic many years after the eventual capture of both families and finds his late daughter's diary.

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Plot Keywords:

attic | diary | world war two | amsterdam netherlands | holocaust | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Family | History | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Features Ed Wynn's only Oscar nominated performance.

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Goofs

On the first night of Hanukkah, Anne says it is December 7, 1942 - a Monday - and two candles are lit and blown out. When Otto 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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Alternate Versions

Originally released at 170 minutes, then later cut and available only in 156-minutes version. Complete edition has been recently restored on video.

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Connections

Version of Het korte leven van Anne Frank (2001)

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Soundtracks

Tales from the Vienna Woods (G'schichten aus dem Wienerwald, Op. 325)
(1868) (uncredited)
Written by Johann Strauss
Hummed and danced by Millie Perkins and Joseph Schildkraut

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")

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

17 April 1959 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

The Diary of Anne Frank

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Box Office

Budget:

$3,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

George Stevens Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

180 min 171 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1