This Masterpiece Classic adaptation of Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" is an exceptionally well-acted and scripted television presentation.
The challenges of adapting such a well-known diary into a drama are formidable. After all, Anne Frank was writing a personal diary from her perspective, and the reader sees all of the characters through Anne's position.
In this adaptation, the script remains faithful to characters, as depicted by Anne. Yet, the result is a an array of complex characters that all come to life as individuals. The ensemble acting cast contributed greatly to the emotional characterizations. Ellie Kendrick as Anne and Iain Glen as her father, Otto Frank, are especially memorable.
Another challenge of the film was to create the environment of the "secret annex" in Amsterdam, where the Frank and Van Daan families resided with a dentist, Albert Dussel. Once again, the filmmakers were successful in conveying the claustrophobic living arrangement while providing creative camera angles into the tiny space.
Of course, the heart of the drama is the character of Anne herself. The film was successful in tracing the depth of Anne's character, including how she changes through life in the annex. The film was especially true to the spirit of the diary in revealing the personal growth of Anne as her identity changes into a young woman with a passion for writing. Her unbounded passion for life and her clear potential as a writer were made all the more tragic due to the circumstances of her senseless death.
The challenges of adapting such a well-known diary into a drama are formidable. After all, Anne Frank was writing a personal diary from her perspective, and the reader sees all of the characters through Anne's position.
In this adaptation, the script remains faithful to characters, as depicted by Anne. Yet, the result is a an array of complex characters that all come to life as individuals. The ensemble acting cast contributed greatly to the emotional characterizations. Ellie Kendrick as Anne and Iain Glen as her father, Otto Frank, are especially memorable.
Another challenge of the film was to create the environment of the "secret annex" in Amsterdam, where the Frank and Van Daan families resided with a dentist, Albert Dussel. Once again, the filmmakers were successful in conveying the claustrophobic living arrangement while providing creative camera angles into the tiny space.
Of course, the heart of the drama is the character of Anne herself. The film was successful in tracing the depth of Anne's character, including how she changes through life in the annex. The film was especially true to the spirit of the diary in revealing the personal growth of Anne as her identity changes into a young woman with a passion for writing. Her unbounded passion for life and her clear potential as a writer were made all the more tragic due to the circumstances of her senseless death.
