The Diary of Anne Frank
Published 2025-09-10
Film info
- Title The Diary of Anne Frank
- Director George Stevens
- Year 1959
- Run time 2hr 54m
- Genres Drama, History
- Tagline Hollywood has never made a greater suspense story... a more tender love story... or a finer human drama!
- Cast Shelley Winters
The true, 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.
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 4:28 | It’s impossible to imagine what it’s like going back to the attic like that. |
| 8:21 | It definitely didn’t start Dear Diary. We all know this. |
| 14:04 | “I’ve thought this out for weeks.” What else could you think about? |
| 23:13 | It does seem dangerous to have a cat hiding with you. They are unpredictable at best. |
| 29:23 | “We’re going to forget how to dance. When we get out, we won’t remember a thing.” |
| 37:19 | Just realised that’s Tony from West Side Story. |
| 51:12 | So many people living in such close quarters, and then to add another one. |
| 56:16 | Ed Wynn is more of a comedic actor, isn’t he? This feels a bit weird. |
| 1:06:20 | “I think I’m really grown up, and then something happens and I run to you like a baby.” |
| 1:18:08 | I love the idea of rubbing out the crossword book so she can do it again. |
| 1:27:49 | His cat allergies were always a bit suss. |
| 1:36:45 | “Es ist eine Katze.” |
| 2:06:40 | Having a date like this is so intense. Bless them! |
| 2:18:10 | Poor Peter, caught between the nice Franks and his not-so-nice parents. |
| 2:27:37 | “I can shake off everything if I write.” |
| 2:42:09 | So many people looking for so many lost people. |
Thoughts
It's such a well known story but this must have been one of the first adaptations of it. Obviously, it's a tragedy, and it's told very well in this film - although it's a little drawn out and long, three hours! The actors inhabit their real life characters very well, although Anne is a bit high pitched, she definitely gets the restless quality. The steadiness of Otto and the irritability of everyone else. The tensions ramp up, the stakes get higher, you feel it growing all the time. There were a few liberties taken in the service of the film but ultimately it's very respectfully done.
Rating: 3 / 5
