Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich were approached to write a play based on Anne Frank's diaries. They travelled and exhaustively researched around the subject. It was the hardest thing they ever wrote, Frances crying throughout, and it took eight tries before they had the play they were happy with, striving always to find the humour and vivacity which Anne displayed. They also needed the approval of Otto Frank. When Garson Kanin came on as director he came up with two invaluable suggestions: to have Anne reading diary entries over the set changes, and to construct an 'outside world' soundtrack.
Albert and Frances also wrote the screen version. Joseph Schildkraut repeated his role of Otto Frank; Susan Strasberg, who had played Anne on Broadway, was then too old and Millie Perkins was cast, though Albert and Frances were disappointed with her and the picture itself. It should have been produced by Sam Goldwyn and directed by William Wyler, but Goldwyn became pissed off when Otto Frank demanded script approval and backed off.
We didn't mind Millie. I'd seen her a bit older in the sixties, making a mark in two Monte Hellman films, The Shooting and Ride in the Whirlwind. Schildkraut is the oily bad guy in The Shop Around the Corner.
With Gusti Huber and Diane Baker as Anne's mother and sister, Lou Jacobi, Shelley Winters (winning Oscar) and Richard Beymer, and Ed Wynn as the dentist. Plus Douglas Spencer and Dodie Heath. Photographed by William C Mellor (Oscar) with exterior Amsterdam scenes well caught by Jack Cardiff. Music by Alfred Newman, though quite rightly the tensest scenes play out without music. Interesting editing with long dissolves - not all of which work - the most effective Anne's bedroom ceiling turning into women prisoners of war.
It's long (2 hours 44) but doesn't feel it and is rather special.
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