August 4 - The Diary of Anne Frank (2009)

This is a movie with a scene that happens today – August 4. I hope you enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

In 1942 in Nazi –occupied Holland, Anne Frank gets a diary for her thirteenth birthday. When her older sister Margot gets a summons to report for shipment to a labor camp, the whole family goes into hiding in the attics over Otto Frank’s business. Miep Gies, who works there, helps hide them at the risk of her own life. Hermann van Daan, his wife Petronella and their teenaged son, Peter move in with them. Being confined in such close quarters beings out personality conflicts between the residents. Albert Dussel also moves in with them. This causes problems as Anne is forced to share a bedroom with him. The building is sold. Anne becomes furious when her father refuses to stop Dr. Dussel from sending letters out of the Secret Annexe. The two further argue over sharing the desk in their room. Anne also has to deal with all the emotional and physical changes of puberty. The Van Daans argue continually about everything. Anne starts to develop an attraction for Peter. Her mother and her father warn her about her relationship with Peter and Anne writes them a hurtful letter. Burglars break into the building. She starts to revise her diary for publication after the war. Her relationship with Peter becomes strained. Then suddenly on August 4, 1944 [1:33:36 to 1:42:11] the Nazis enter the Secret Annexe and arrest them.   Miep Gies finds and preserves Anne’s diary.

A good adaptation of the book. This highlights all the aguements and petty spats that show above all else Anne and her family were real people, not just idealized icons. Her death made the world a less beautiful place.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (Doubleday, NY, 1991) at page 338 and the film at 1:33:43 give the date of their arrest.

Producer – Elinor Day

Director – Jon Jones

Screenplay - Anne Frank and Deborah Moggach

Runtime – 1 hour 45 minutes

Released -  5 January 5, 2009

Starring –

Ellie Kendrick as Anne Frank

Iain Glen as Otto Frank

Tamsin Greig as Edith Frank

Ron Cook as Hermann van Daan

Lesley Sharp as Petronella van Daan

Nicholas Farrell as Albert Dussel

Kate Ashfield as Miep Gies

Geoff Breton as Peter van Daan

Felicity Jones as Margot Frank