The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Frances Goodrich (screenplay) and
Albert Hackett (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 August 1959 (Denmark)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Thriller | War

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Attic | Diary | Dentist | Amsterdam | Jewish

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 11 nominations

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

Runtime:

180 min | Argentina:158 min | USA:171 min (FMC Library Print) | West Germany:152 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | USA:Approved (certificate #19008) | Canada:PG (video rating) | New Zealand:G | Australia:PG (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:G | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | Taiwan:GP | UK:U | West Germany:12 (bw)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The original Broadway production of "The Diary of Anne Frank" by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett opened at the Cort Theater on October 5, 1955, ran for 717 performances and won the 1956 Tony Award for the Best Play. Joseph Schildkraut, Gusti Huber and Lou Jacobi recreated their stage roles in the movie version for which Goodrich and Hackett also wrote the screenplay.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Anne spells milk over the coat, she starts to clean the chair and puts the glass back on the table. It vanished in the next shot.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Anne B. Real (2003)

"I still believe"

The first time I saw this film was on the old Saturday Night at the movies back in the early sixties. I have since bought the video.

I have had people tell me how depressing this movie is.Those folks have missed the point for years. We do know what fate befell Anne and her family and friends,but the overriding feeling is,as Anne says near the end of the film, that in time things can and will change. The entire cast is wonderful.Millie Perkins brings a charm and innocence to Anne that cannot be duplicated. Joseph Schildkraut and Gusti Huber as Anne's parents are different as day and night in their relationship to Anne.Shelley Winters deserved her Oscar as the 'ultimate Jewish mother" Mrs Van Daan. Lou Jacobi is superb as Mr Van Daan and Ed Wynn is brilliant as fussbudget Dussel. As a long time fan of Richard Beymer, I have to say that Peter remains his best work. The "First kiss" sequence still gives me goosebumps,and the final segment in the attic just before the SS arrives still brings tears. A bravo to Diane Baker as the long suffering Margot.

The fact that director George Stevens shot the film in black and white adds to the tension. I just hope it never gets colorized. I know that the film was nominated for Best Picture, but didnt stand a chance against "Ben Hur",although I would have picked it! When I travel I always take a copy of the book. If the movie comes out on DVD,I may take it too.