Imaging the Unimaginable…

Last updated on: October 19, 2007 at 12:31 am by J. Ryan Parker

Imaging the Unimaginable… 2007-10-19T00:31:32-07:00 J. Ryan Parker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

There are many striking elements to George Stevens’ The Diary of Anne Frank. William C. Mellor’s stunning cinematography consistently captures the claustrophobia and mental/emotional degeneration of two and a half years in an attic. Unfortunately, Mellor does not employ his skills to shed light on the horrors of the Holocaust. Cynthia Ozick’s focus on Otto Frank’s submersion of some of the more disturbing or scandalous elements of the diary finds cinematic parallels in George Stevens’ film version. With Peter Novick’s chapter, “Not in the Best Interests of Jewry,” from The Holocaust in American Life close at hand, we might re-title Stevens’ film The Amnesia of Anne Frank.

Novick’s chapter focuses on the virtual absence of public (and private) discourse about the Holocaust in the years immediately following the war. Novick gives numerous reasons for this silence, some understandable and all unfortunate. He mentions the precious few films and books that helped break the silence, not the least of which was The Diary of Anne Frank. Yet if we examine the film version of this popular literary work, we find the perseverance of this deafening silence. Far from a striking diegetic presence, the reality of the Holocaust plays a minor role throughout the course of the film.

To follow this argument, and to be faithful to the film, we must recognize that we bring a lifetime of familiarity with the Holocaust to our viewing of this film. Therefore, we view this film through gas chamber-colored glasses. Yet from the start, the evils surrounding the Frank’s attic seem, for the most part, miles away. The tensions that occasionally build result more often from a persistent burglar than Nazi soldiers. The enemies appear only once before they come to take the Franks and van Daans away at the end. Of course we see them march along the street, rounding up Jews and their protectors, and even shooting someone in the middle of the street; however, in the film, it appears that all will be well for these two families if they just quietly stay in the attic.

In the film, Anne makes little reference to the horrors around her. She has one nightmare in which she envisions rows of Jewish prisoners swaying solemnly. Are they approaching a gas chamber? Are they working? We never know as she is broken off in her description of it. She begins to talk to Peter about the horrors surrounding them, of which the audience is well aware, but Peter breaks her off well before she can say anything horrific. Anne’s greatest worries involve her relationship with her mother and her roommates.

As time passes, the invasion begins. We see the planes flying overhead, or at least their exhaust trails. We hear the exploding bombs and gunfire and we see the trembling house; however, we never see the explosions themselves or their destructive, bloody remains. Of course, this film is an adaptation of Anne’s diaries and therefore a more internal exploration. However, in a movie that runs three hours long and was panned for its pouty, unconvincing lead actress, Millie Perkins, perhaps a more focused approached to the Holocaust, diegetically speaking, while still relying on a heavy dose of the diary, could have leant more gravity to the film.

Ultimately, however, Novick’s book, The Holocaust in American Life, evidences the near impossibility of speaking cogently about this evil. The Diary of Anne Frank is simply one of many films that tries to do so, all of which have shortcomings of their own. Perhaps we can forgive The Amnesia of Anne Frank, and other films, for their inability to contain the enormity of this event.

Film

Previous Post

October 8, 2007

Bing and Bergman: Faith Vs. Works

Next Post

November 2, 2007 New Dylan Biopic

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Classics DVD Film Music News Pop Culture Events Print Sports Television Uncategorized Video Games

Select a Month March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How old was David when he became king over Israel?

Select your answer to see how you score.

30 years old 40 years old 20 years old 25 years old