THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

US, 1980, 100 minutes, Colour.
Melissa Gilbert, Maximilian Schell, Joan Plowright, Clive Revill, Doris Roberts, Scott Jacoby.
Directed by Boris Sagal.

The Diary of Anne Frank is a telemovie remake of the George Stevens film of the late 1950s. Melissa Gilbert, of The Little House on the Prairie and such telemovies as The Miracle Worker, is a vigorous and outspoken Anne Frank. Maximilian Schell and Joan Plowright are very good as her parents. Clive Revell is very good also as the obnoxious guest. While the film was made for the big screen and dramatic impact, the telemovie returns to the original stage text and capitalises on its claustrophobic atmosphere and the verbal clash between
characters.

The film is moving in its reminder of World War Two, Nazi persecution of the Jews, the Dutch sheltering the persecuting the Jews. This was a theme treated in many films, especially Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place. This version comes rather late in the day and though it has its impact, it is overshadowed by previous films about Nazis and Jews.

1. The classic status of the book? The adaptation for the stage in the '50s? The prestige of the film version of the '50s? The impact for a telemovie audience?

2. The reliance of the telemovie on the text of the play? Confinement of scenes? Emphasis on dialogue? Claustrophobic atmosphere? Dramatic confrontations? The creation of prison in homes, the experience of years confined? Fear, hopes for safety, suspense and fright?

3. The quality of the telemovie: cast. colour photography, atmosphere? Dramatics? The emotional impact?

4. Audience familiarity with the plot and the characters and the film relying on this? Comparisons with previous versions? Audience judgment on remakes? The film's presupposing audience attitudes towards the persecution of the Jews, World War Two, the Nazis?

5. The establishing of the situation: the Franks and their place in the city, their shop? Their being Jews and the persecution? The invasion of Holland? The wearing of the Jewish stars? The alternatives of hiding or the concentration camps? The dangers in living in confinement? The dangers of discovery, betrayal? The pathos of the\ending with the betrayal, the arrests, the concentration camp deaths? The flashback framework with Mr. Schell going back to the home and discovering the diary? The device of highlighting the diary? Listened to in the light of the experience and the information about the deaths?

6. The focus on the couple who hid the family, their concern, the giving of news, the cake, D-Day? information, the constantly ringing phone? The encounter with Mr. Frank at the end? The tribute to the people who hid Jewish refugees?

7. The attic and its layout: the rooms, confinement, space? The two families? Rules for sharing? The need for quiet during the day? Growing tensions and clashes? Age differences? Family comparisons? The children growing up? Adolescent questions of love. like and dislike, hate? Forgiveness? Change? The sense of imprisonment but personal freedom?

8. Anne and her diary: as a record of events, facts, her feelings, her growth? Her helping others? The gifts? Her devotion to her father? Her differences with her mother? Love for Margit but her looking down on her? Her taunting of Peter but her change of attitude towards him? The clashes with the Van Danns? with the visitor - sharing the room, her dreams, rivalries and nastiness? The picture of a g-rowing girl, changing and moody girl? Tantalising people, outspoken? The gifts and the celebration? The study with Peter, sexual awareness, their discussions? Her potential and the tragedy of her dying?

9. Mr. Frankland his wisdom, coping, courtesy, the guests in his attic, his making decisions, fears, managing people, his devotion to his wife, his love for Anne? The meal and the singing of the songs? D-Day? The phone call and panic? His strength? The pathos of his surviving? Mrs. Frank and her worry about her daughter, their clashes? Her being hurt by Anne? Her clash with the Van Danns. especially about the food - her break-out and her asking forgiveness? Margit and her health? Comparisons with Anne? Her infatuation with Peter?

10. The Van Danns as guests. their helping Mr Frank in the past, Mrs. Van Dann and her flirting, her fur and her angers, her husband and his pleasantness, growing tension, incessant talking and resentment against Anne? His cigarettes and the selling of the fur? His stealing the food and the humiliation?

11. Peter and his relationship with his parents, the cat, the study, his sensitivity, the visits with Anne? The parallel of his growth with hers?

12. The visitor and his being imposed on the group. Mr. Frank welcoming him, his sharing the room with Anne, his taking over, his complaints, the clashes, the fear about the phone?

13. The worry about the group being betrayed? The soldiers coming at the end? The arrests? The culmination of the imprisonment?

14. Themes of war from the point of view of families who suffer? Persecution? Religion, race? Human potential?