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Summary: THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK ON DVD IS MARVELOUS!
Review: Fox has issued THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK as part of its "Studio Classics" series. They have put a great deal of time and money into making this DVD release a winner all the way. Beautifully restored, the DVD contains the "roadshow", 170 minute cut of the film complete with Alfred Newman's Prolog and Exit music that was only available on Fox's 1995 Laser Disc issue.[However, the Intermission music has been removed so that the film plays straight through.] George Stevens Jr. and Millie Perkins, the girl who plays Anne, provide a nice commentary track. The film is contained on Side One. Those who have the Laser Dics or VHS of this film will be pleased when they see the great improvement in the picture transfer. This is a film that must be seen in the CinemaScope format that it was shot in. THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK represents one of the finest uses of the wide screen ever and deservedly won the Academy Award for B&W cinematography. Side Two has a number of outstanding Extras: A full-length (90 minutes) documentary, "Echos from the Past" that is very well done. There is an excerpt from "GEORGE STEVENS: A FILMMAKER'S JOURNEY", a screen test for Millie Perkins, dozens of interesting behind-the-scenes photos, several related newsreel offerings, and a restoration comparison. Fox gets an "OUTSTANDING" for this wonderful DVD release!
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Summary: What an awesome movie abou the hollocaust!
Review: This movie has no words to describe it. It was a touching movie about a family in hiding, in Germany, hiding in an annix with another family and going through the struggles. The scenes between Anne and members of her family was awesome, the Anne and Peter scenes were unforgettable. Definetly a great movie that I want to see over and over again!
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Summary: Classic Film...Poor Lead for Anne
Review: George Steven's production of "The Diary of Anne Frank" is in every way a classic film....except for one thing: The casting of Millie Perkins as Anne. Horribly miscast, her characterization of who was supposed to be a sweet young girl comes off as obnoxious and annoying. Her voice overs are completely wooden....with no emotion. Her portrayal is irritating and failed to illicit any sympathy from me for her dilemma. Much more fascinating is the exceptional cast that surrounds Perkins. Joseph Schildkraut as Mr. Frank, the father is perfect as the sounding voice of reason throughout the film. His portrayal is heartbreaking. Equally fine is Gusti Huber as Mrs. Frank....she's outstanding in every way but especially in the scene where she discovers Mr. Van Dann stealing the food and demands that they leave. Shelley Winters is properly irritating as Mrs. Van Dann but that is as it should be. But I think Huber deserved the Oscar that Winters won. Richard Beymer is also excellent as Peter Van Dann but there is no chemistry between him and Perkins because Perkins is just downright terrible as Anne. Beymer is much better with the other actors. The rest of the cast is excellent in every way and the production values are top notch, particularly the musical score and cinematography. The movie is suspenseful even though one knows the inevitable outcome. One thing is never made clear, though. Towards the end, when Dussell is having coniption fits about the incessant ringing of the phone.....it is never revealed if Miep was in fact calling to try to warn them...or if the office was being called by the Gestapo. All Miep says at the end is that she had gone to the country that day to find food. But why weren't she and Kruller arrested after that for hiding the fugitives?? That was never made clear either. All in all, overlooking Perkin's performance as Anne, the movie is a classic in every way! Enjoy!! You won't be disappointed.
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Summary: Painful and Poignant
Review: THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, the Broadway play upon which this movie is based, is a drama of almost unbearable poignancy. It tells the true story of eight Jewish people who take refuge in the attic of an Amsterdam office building during WWII to avoid being captured by the Nazis. The group consists of the Frank family - Mr. and Mrs. Frank and their teenage daughters, Anne and Margot - and their friends the van Daans - the blustering but cowardly Mr. van Daan, his overprotective wife, and their teenage son, Peter. The last to join the group is Mr. Dussel, a dentist from Holland and a stranger to the others. That Dussel is a single, older gentleman who has never had to accommodate other people only adds to the tension felt in the attic. The drama depicts the conflicts, big and small, that arise among the eight people, all of them very different personalities and at different stages in their lives. While the adults have "already lived their lives," those of Anne, Margot, and Peter are cut off just as they are really beginning. The blossoming into womanhood of the thirteen year old Anne is contrasted with the stagnancy of the attic and the terrible hardships she must face at such a young age. Through it all, however, Anne retains her ideals and her faith in humanity: her pure soul will live on even after she is dead.
The movie is cast with a strong ensemble of actors: Millie Perkins (Anne), Joseph Schuildkraut (Mr. Frank), Gusti Huber (Mrs. Frank), Lou Jacobi and the Oscar-winning Shelly Winters (Mr. and Mrs van Daan), Richard Beymer (Peter), and Ed Wynn, the famous comedian who acted successfully in a series of dramatic roles during the 1950's and 1960's, as Mr. Dussel. The shadowy, cramped attic set effectively conveys the ominous, claustrophobic mood so essential to the story. Alfred Newman's musical score is stirring and an integral part of the drama. The acting is, for the most part, completely believable and "right." In fact, the actors hardly seem to be "acting" at all; they seem to be LIVING their parts, to be INHABITING that attic.
Mille Perkins does a good job of conveying Anne's purity and innocence, as well as her desire to enjoy life - even as she lives under the constant threat of death. Perhaps her characterization lacks a little in depth - though Anne is, after all, only a young teenager. Joseph Schildkraut is hugely sympathetic as Mr. Frank, the peacemaker among the group, whose quiet faith sustains them during even their darkest moments. Gusti Huber gives a superb performance as Mrs. Frank, a loving woman fiercely devoted to her family and deeply hurt by Anne's neglect of her. Also superb is Shelly Winters as the often petty and difficult Mrs van Daan. As her loudmouthed husband, Lou Jacobi is ideal except for some overdone weeping when he is caught by the others trying to steal food (I like Dussel's reaction: "Oh, for Heaven's sake!"). It is easy to understand why Peter feels alienated from his parents and attracted to Anne. Ed Wynn's portrayal of Dussel is absolutely wonderful, from his quiet and dignified entrance, to the (very welcome) little touches of humor he provides later on, to his near-hysteria in the final scene when he fears an impending tragedy. The screenplay, which follows the Broadway script very closely, is remarkable for its humanity and for its ability to create a full and living drama with only eight characters, one set, and very little physical action (most of the movie, in fact, is "still"; the camera moves more than the actors do). I recently watched THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK for the first time since high school, and it was a moving experience. I was unable to stop thinking about it for days afterward.
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Summary: The Diary Of Anne Frank!
Review: This was the best movie! If you like WWII or Anne Frank you sould see this movie! Now about the movie, Anne Frank (Mille Perkins) is a 13 year old who went into hideing with her family. In her family there is Mother, father and sister Margret.There is another family liveing with them in a small room on top of a old mill. There are parts of her diary that someone reads and it tells you about her life before the war. This has very good acting in it and I would tell anyone to see it. If you have not seen the book, you sould read that too, it is a wounderful book! Enjoy!=)
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Summary: A Wounderful Movie!
Review: This was the best movie! If you like WWII or Anne Frank you sould see this movie! Now about the movie, Anne Frank (Mille Perkins) is a 13 year old who went into hideing with her family. In her famil there is Mother, father and sister Margret.There is another family liveing with them in a small room on top of a old mill. There are parts of her diary that someone reads and it tells you about her life before the war. This has very good acting in it and I would tell anyone to see it. If you have not seen the book, you sould read that too, it is a wounderful book! Enjoy!=)
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Summary: Excellent Theme but Poor Production
Review: I have visted Anne Frank's factory/house in Armsterdam more than once and I have even taken the trouble of visting the concentration camp in Poland where Schindler's List was filmed. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned the latter even though both are about Nazi German, both in B/W. But that was as far as their similarities go. The whole film was taped within a small house, as such it was more like a play than a movie and it was in B/W. As a play, there wasn't any illuminating dialogue and those under depiction were poignant at times but sporadic. So was the rhythm. It was rather plain and straightforward without much drama, no plot except the ticking of the clock of history plus a little bit of suspension at most. There wasn't any change of scenes as such nor any costume. It's devoid of music too. But it was not a documentary either. The actress to say the least was ( at least 10 years) too old for the heroine to convey with any conviction the change from an adolescent into puberty, neither her feelings nor aspirations. It is not real enough to be a good documentary. To conclude, it's quite boring. Five stars for Schindler's List, six for the Diary ( for both the edited and unedited version ) but only two for this film.
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Summary: in spite of everything
Review: "in spite of everything, i still believe people are good" -anne frank WOW i don't normally watch black and white movies but i am interested in the holocaust and really wanted to see this...the movie really captures the innocence, beauty, and pureness of anne frank...everyone should see this movie
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Summary: A Suspenceful and Funny Movie
Review: The writers of the video "The Diary of Anne Frank" are Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. I give "The Diary of Anne Frank" a 3-star rating. To begin with, "The Diary of Anne Frank" is suspenseful. You never know what will happen next. The suspense especially makes you wonder if or when the Gestapo will come for the Franks, the Van Daans, and Mr. Dussel. The different music tones also add suspense, especially the fast and enthralling music heard near the end. Furthermore, "The Diary of Anne Frank" is comical. When Anne spills milk on Mrs. Van Daan's coat, she gets outrageously mad, acts insane, and burst out crying. She does the same when Mr. Van Daan says he is going to sell the coat for some money. When Mrs. Van Daan kisses Mr. Frank it is hilarious. It becomes even funnier when Mrs. Frank goes over and wipes Mr. Frank's mouth off. Another humorous incident is when Peter calls Anne Miss Quack Quack and Anne gets really mad. Moreover, this video received many Academy Awards in 1959. It won "Best Cinematography," "Best Supporting Actress" for Shelly Winters, "Best Set Direction," and "Best Art Direction" all for black and white. If you enjoyed this movie, I would recommend that your read Anne's diary. Another World War II movie you might enjoy is "Pearl Harbor." My name is Brandon. I am 14 years old and am from Concord, NC.
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Summary: The Dairy of Anne Frank
Review: This extraordinary film is the last crowing acheivement in the career of director, Geroge Stevens. Although the film is not yet on DVD, please take note, that you will be engaged with the Cinemascope original screen version . The length of the screen enhances the claustrophobic setting of the attic. The beautiful black and white photography adds poignance to the story. The finest acheivement is the ethereal score composed and conducted by the late and prolific Alfred Newman. The film begins with an overture that forshadows the human elements of the film. The finale and exit music take you to the emtional depths of the story. This score mirrors the tragdedy and ultimate hope that this "special" girl believed in. The muics is one element, that taken with all the other attributes, makes this film a masterpiece; at times diffiuclt to watch, but one that touches the heart and mind.
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