the diary of anne frank is a 1959 film based on the pulitzer prize winning play of the same name , which was based on the diary of anne frank .

it was directed by george stevens , with a screenplay by frances goodrich and albert hackett .

it is the first film version of both the play and the original story , and features three members of the original broadway cast .

the film was based on the personal diary of anne frank , a jewish girl who lived in hiding with her family during world war ii .

all her writings to her diary were addressed as ' dear kitty ' .

the diary was published after the end of the war by her father otto frank ( played by joseph schildkraut , also jewish ) .

by this time , all his other family members had been killed by the nazis .

the movie was shot on a sound stage duplicate of the factory in los angeles , while exteriors were filmed at the actual building in amsterdam .

the diary of anne frank won three academy awards in 1960 , including best supporting actress for shelley winters .

in 2006 , the diary of anne frank was honored as the eighteenth most inspiring american film on the list afi 's 100 years … 100 cheers .

the diary of anne frank ( 1959 film )

diary of anne frank , the ( 1959 ) - - ( movie clip ) . . .
an exhibition about the play and the film ' the diary of anne frank ' . in the anne frank house until 15 april 2014 .
with the headline : an eloquent ' diary of anne frank ' ; stevens is director of film at palace .
i thought i would post a review that i wrote on my own personal blog last year about the 1959 film the diary of anne frank . here it is :
millie perkins stars in the diary of anne frank ( 1959 ) , the true story of a teenage girl hiding with her family from the nazis .
steve press plays peter van daan in the broadway version of the diary of anne frank .
millie perkins stars in the diary of anne frank ( 1959 ) , the true story of a teenage girl hiding with her family from the nazis . >
the diary of anne frank is a 1980 american made - for - television biographical drama film which originally aired on nbc on november 17 , 1980 . like the 1959 film of the same name , the screenplay was written by frances goodrich and albert hackett and directed by boris sagal . unlike the 1959 film , the tv - film focuses more on character development than suspense , and is considerably shorter than the 1959 version .
millie perkins plays anne frank a scene from the film directed by george stevens .
according to bfdealmemo , mamet will use frank’s diary along with the original stage play that became the basis for fox’s 1959 film to craft his vision of frank’s story . this latest “diary of anne frank” is being produced by andrew braumsberg , best known for steering the peter seller’s masterwork “being there” .
a great deal of reliable information is available about anne frank and her diary . . .
das tagebuch der anne frank
( the diary of anne frank ) will screen in the youth sidebar section generation of the berlinale , the first major cinema showcase of the year in europe .
millie perkins as anne frank in george stevens’ “the diary of anne frank” ( 1959 ) . her co - stars included joseph schildkraut , shelley winters , richard beymer , gusti huber , lou jacobi , diane baker and edd wynn . picture : marvin paige film and television archive
the diary of anne frank was filmed for television in 1959 and 1980 . the productions were based on the play by goodrich and hackett , who wrote the screenplay . the 1959 version won three oscars and the 1980 version was awarded a golden globe for best mini - series or television film and was nominated for three emmy awards .
following its publication , the diary of anne frank became the subject of various plays , musicals , films and documentary reports .
at the end , neither a
the end
credit nor a cast list appears , only the title of the film once more (
the diary of anne frank
) .
this is also the 50th anniversary of the movie version of
the diary of anne frank ,
which starred millie perkins in the title role .
the wall of anne ' s room with photos and film star collection . photo ©
a page from anne frank ' s original ' diary of a young girl ' . photo : dpa
otto frank is the family’s sole survivor , and he recovers anne’s diary from miep . he decides to fulfill anne’s wishes by publishing the diary . anne’s diary becomes a condemnation of the unimaginable horror of the holocaust , and one of the few accounts that describe it from a young person’s perspective .
at the end , neither a
the end
credit nor a cast list appears , only the title of the film once more (
the diary of anne frank
) . see more »
the diary of anne frank has been translated into more than 70 languages . here is a list of publishing houses based on languages
you will probably be surprised to know , considering the anne frank fan that i am , that i have only just got round to watching the 1959 film version of the diary of anne frank starring millie perkins as anne . to be honest , i had my reservations about the film because i heard rumours that it was wildly innacurate and that anne was portrayed to be like a 1950s american teenager rather than the 1940s dutch girl which she was .
page turners … anne frank and david mamet . photographs : anne frank house / getty images and francesco proietti / ap
george stevens ' adaptation of the infamous diary of anne frank runs a strange 3 hours long , which drags out proceedings longer than they need to be . in reality , the diary of anne frank only needs to be a 2 hour film at maximum , as most of the material here stevens stretches beyond belief .
anne frank , jewish girl whose diary of her family’s two years in hiding during the german occupation of the netherlands became a classic of war literature . …
scott jacoby , the actor portraying peter van daan in this film , is the real - life grandson of lou jacobi , who portrayed hans van daan , peter ' s father , in the 1959 film . the family is of jewish descent .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the diary of anne frank near you .
anne frank’s the diary of a young girl is the most widely - read personal journal in history , delivering a priceless , intimate portrait of an adolescent girl’s experience in hiding during one of history’s darkest times . adapted for the screen by frances goodrich and albert hackett ( from their own play ) , the diary of anne frank portrays the highlights of anne’s diary in grand dramatic fashion .
watching the diary of anne frank , i remembered this little tidbit about justin bieber in april 2013 . bieber visited the anne frank house and this is what , the then 19 year old wrote in the guestbook .
anne frank died of typhus in the bergen - belsen concentration camp in northwestern germany .
a hollywood film version of the play is made by director george stevens in 1958 . the american actress shelley winters plays the role of mrs . van pels . in her memoirs she elaborates about the film . the film the diary of anne frank premieres on march 18 , 1959 . though it is not a box - office success , it still wins three oscars , including one for shelley winters for
best supporting actress
. the dutch premiere of the film takes place in april 1959 . just like they were at the play ' s premiere , members of the dutch royal family are once again present : queen juliana and princess beatrix attend . the wilhelmus , the dutch national anthem , is sung at the end of the film .
frank ' s diary , first published by her father , otto , in 1947 after her death in the bergen - belsen concentration camp , has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide . the 1959 biopic the diary of anne frank , featuring millie perkins as anne , won three oscars . a 1980 tv movie starring melissa gilbert received three emmy noms , and the 2001 abc miniseries anne frank : the whole story won two emmys .
> the diary of anne frank ( 1959 ) , which was adapted from the acclaimed broadway show that recounts the true story of a young jewish girl who goes into hiding with her family during world war ii . it was the director’s first attempt to deal onscreen with…
nelson mandela talks about the strength he derived from anne frank ' s diary when he was imprisoned on robben island .
disney has acquired the rights to “the diary of anne frank” , the justly famous memoir of a young jewish girl’s life in nazi - occupied amsterdam . david mamet will adapt the screenplay and direct the film for the studio . more after the jump .
anne frank died almost 65 years ago , but the diary she left behind continues to captivate the world , says a rabbi .
anne frank wrote her diary from june 12 , 1942 to august 1 , 1944 . there are various versions .
anne frank in the first class at the jewish secondary school , 1941 . photo ©
anne frank was given the diary for her thirteenth birthday , a few days before they all went into hiding and not after going into hiding as depicted in the film . see more »
the first german feature - length biopic on the jewish teenage diarist anne frank will premiere next month at the 66th berlin film festival , organisers said friday .
george stevens’ the diary of anne frank , with a screenplay by the authors of the play of the same name , is a magnificent film in its own right . it showcases beautiful cinematography , inspired production design , and a magnificent cast of talented actors . however , it is as an adaptation that the film falls short of the mark . as a standalone film , diary paints a perfect picture of two families ( and one old man ) living in hiding together , highlighting the suspense of their situation , the tensions of their relationships , and the explorations of the children’s youth . but relating this film back to its source materials , both anne’s diary and the historical context of the holocaust , indicates where it goes severely off track . …
anne wrote in her diary that she wants to become a writer or a journalist in the future , and that she wants to publish her diary as a novel . friends convince otto frank that the diary has great expressive power and on 25 june 1947 the secret annexe is published in an edition of 3 , 000 . many more editions follow , also translations , a play and a film . people from all over the world learn of anne frank ' s story . over the years otto frank answers thousands of letters from people who have read his daughter ' s diary . in 1960 the anne frank house becomes a museum . otto frank remains involved with the anne frank house until his death in 1980 and campaigns for human rights and respect .
during the two years recorded in her diary , anne deals with confinement and deprivation , as well as the complicated and difficult issues of growing up in the brutal circumstances of the holocaust . her diary describes a struggle to define herself within this climate of oppression . anne’s diary ends without comment on august
george stevens ' s 1959 film adaptation of the play was nominated for eight academy awards , winning three . anne ' s father , otto frank , had been keen for audrey hepburn to play the lead role , but she declined and the part was taken by teenage model millie perkins .
in her diary , otto reads about the plan anne had to publish a book after the war .
hans steinbichler ' s handsome prestige pic brings anne frank ' s diary to the big screen as an accessible german - language drama .
the whole world is familiar with , and has been for the past six decades deeply impressed by the moving diary of anne frank , and consequently , most people also know the film version of “the diary of anne frank” ( 1959 ) , directed by george stevens , who convinced millie perkins to play the title character . anne frank ( 1929 - 1945 ) is one of the most famous jewish victims of the holocaust ; she hid from the nazis starting at age 13 and died in a concentration camp at 15 . her diary , written while hiding in amsterdam during the german occupation of the netherlands , became one of the world’s most widely known books ( first published in 1947 , it has been translated in over 60 languages ) . it was the basis for plays and movies , including for george stevens’ 1959 awesome , highly acclaimed and poignant screen drama , winning three academy awards out of eight nominations .
los angeles , california ( cnn ) - - anne frank ' s account of hiding from the nazis in amsterdam during world war ii , published posthumously in english as
anne frank : the diary of a young girl ,
has moved millions of readers across the decades .
knew well the horrors of the holocaust , having been among the first to film the atrocities in the death camps at the time of their liberation . though
delivered by the hosts ( douglas spencer , dody heath ) , introduced to the family ( including joseph schildkraut , shelley winters , millie perkins the title character , lou jacobi as van daan ) , dentist dussell ( ed wynn ) brings news of amsterdam , in george stevens the diary of anne frank , 1959 . >
old classic film , with a very good set of extras , unlike some other film company ' s extras . to say that the director did not want to use cinescope on the film , it does not show at all . just sit back and watch an old black and white film
indirectly , yes . the film was based on a 1955 play by american screenwriters frances goodrich and albert hackett . the play itself was based on the book , the diary of a young girl ( 1952 ) , a collection of writings from the personal diary of anne frank , a young jewish girl whose family went into hiding between july 1942 and august 1944 in amsterdam during the nazi occupation of the netherlands suring world war ii . anne frank : the diary of a young girl is the english translation of the first publication of the diary in dutch under the title het achterhuis : dagboekbrieven van 14 juni 1942 tot 1 augustus 1944 ( the annex : diary notes from 14 june 1942 to 1 august 1944 ) ( 1947 ) .
after finishing “the diary of anne frank , ” you appeared opposite elvis presley in one of his earlier films , “wild in the country” [ 1961 ] . did you enjoy working with him ?
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
touching classic based upon true events in wwii on diary of anne frank . i read the book twice and every tiny bit of the words in the book sucked me in to it . a tragedy .
a poignant drama bringing us into the lives of anne frank , whose diary inspired millions seeking to understand why such a sweet , innocent child could be murdered in the holocaust .
one of the elements that makes the diary of anne frank so effective is in its presentation ; it is a story without violence , yet the backdrop of the story is one of history’s most brutally violent times . what’s more , the story does not sugarcoat its portrayal of the members of the “secret annex” ; the characters are presented…
kraler : mr . frank . - mr frank ? otto frank : kraler . - mr . kraler . miep . my good friends .
george stevens ' motion picture rendering of
the diary of anne frank
is so good , so substantially sound and eloquent of so many ideas . and moods that it genuinely grieves this observer to have to come out and say that it lacks the capstone strength of spiritual splendor in the projection of the anne frank role . view full article in timesmachine »
adapted from the real - life diary of 13 - year - old anne frank ( millie perkins ) , who chronicled the experience of her jewish family’s life in hiding in nazi - occupied holland .
( 1959 ) , stevens asked winters to play the role of mrs . van daan , a character twenty years older than the actress who was thirty at the time . in the autobiography
he continues to answer letters from readers of the diary until his death in 1980 .
in 2009 , the british broadcasting corporation ( bbc ) dedicated a five - part series to the diary of anne frank , for which deborah moggach wrote the screenplay . those in charge at the bbc hoped that this drama would bring anne frank alive to viewers of all generations . the series was subsequently shown in the united states .
baker : the scene was [ steven ] spielberg ' s favorite scene in the film .
in december 1957 , prior to the film ' s release , writer meyer levin sued playwrights frances goodrich and albert hackett for $ 1 , 500 , 000 , claiming that they had stolen his idea of turning the diary into a play and adapting it to the stage . the suit was thrown out of court . the film ' s premiere on march 18 , 1959 was a benefit for the american association for the united nations , inc .
as you probably already know , anne and the other members of the annex were sent to various concentration camps . anne ' s father , otto frank , was the sole survivor .
apart from these however , there were many parts of the film which i thought were highly exaggerated .
explosions aside , the rest of the shoot was comparatively calm . the heavy content of the material , however , did have a lasting impact on the cast , and a mid - shoot visit to the set by otto frank himself was particularly emotional for winters . during a conversation together , the actress pledged that if she should win an oscar for her work in the film , she would donate it to the anne frank museum in amsterdam . the 1959 best supporting actress academy award is housed there today .
i ' d read a bit about the original play and this film version , so i was interested to watch it . there are parts of the film that are quite moving . the pacing is painfully…
the strength of both families in the face of such frightening conditions provides the film with a moral center and tragic power that overcome its minor weaknesses .
hans steinbichler will direct the picture , co - starring martina gedeck (
the lives of others
) and ulrich noethen (
downfall
) and produced with the permission of the swiss - based anne frank fund , which holds the rights to the diary .
the sense of place is as pervasive as a character in “moss , ” a film by daniel peddle .
at the start of the movie is a note saying :
the filming of scenes at the house where anne frank wrote her diary was made possible through the cooperation of the city of amsterdam .
this is somewhat misleading . while many of the exterior shots were actually filmed around what is now called the anne frank house on prinsengracht canal in amsterdam ( photo here ) , the inside annex scenes were shot on a sound stage at 20th century fox in hollywood . the real annex would have been too small to accommodate a film crew .
another thing i thought they did well in the film was the fact that they did location shooting in amsterdam for the outdoor shots of the prinsengracht and the westerkerk . this they didn’t do in anne frank : the whole story – possibly because of the fact that they couldn’t get permission to quote the diary and so maybe they didn’t have permission to shoot outside the house eaither .
publicity still of millie perkins at the beginning of her career as a screen actress . picture : marvin paige film and television archive
although producers of the folman and breinersdorfer biopics say they will adhere to the facts as recorded in the anne frank archive , the tv project intends to link the story to a fictionalized modern narrative . zdf says it hopes its project will appeal to younger viewers , noting it has the support of the anne frank foundation , a fund rival that runs the anne frank house in amsterdam , and salomon korn , vp at the central council of jews in germany .
millie perkins : i get letters constantly . i mean i still get fan mail on
the diary of anne frank
practically every single day of my life . . . . my feeling is that
the diary of anne frank
gives you a human story . it brings you back to feelings - - feelings about everyday life , feelings about what happened , the atrocities that happened during world war ii .
while we all like to joke about holocaust movies being oscar bait , i am of the opinion that no motive is suspect when it will result in more people becoming aware of anne frank and her remarkable diary .
audrey hepburn was first offered the role of anne frank , and otto frank was among those who nominated her . she refused it for three reasons . firstly , she had decided to accept the role in green mansions ( 1959 ) . secondly , she had lived in occupied holland during the war and had seen the nazis carry out . . . . . .
anne ' s first diary , which she received on her thirteenth birthday , 12 june 1942 . photo ©
as the film was based on the published version of the diary ( by that i mean the version edited by otto frank which mainly consisted of version b – anne’s rewritten diary ) the names used in the film were psudonyms rather than actual names , such as mr and mrs van daan instead of mr and mrs van pels and albert dussel instead of fritz pfeffer . what surprised me though was that they left out the helpers bep voskuijl and jan gies ( who was miep’s husband ) . they also merged mr kleiman and mr kuglar ( known as mr koophuis and mr kraler in the published version of the diary ) into one person – mr kraler .
in 2015 , it will have been 70 years since the nazis murdered anne frank , and the anniversary coincides with renewed interest in the jewish girl and her famed diary chronicling a life in hiding .
“two years after the war’s end , she received a manuscript [ the diary of anne frank ] , writes dotti . “it was the diary of a young girl born , like my mother , in 1929 , who had lived for two years hidden in a shelter set up behind a bookshelf in an amsterdam apartment . her name was anne frank . reading the diary stunned my mother because , as she said , ‘that child had written a complete account of what i had experienced and felt . ’ ”
hier calls the diary the most important document to come out of the holocaust because for readers it made nazi terror real .
search of the building , tensions remain high over the subsequent months . meanwhile , anne finds
future learning and skills – giving everyone the opportunity to build a lifelong relationship with film .
( sd , 87 minutes ) – this riveting documentary , narrated by burt reynolds , chronicles both the making of the film and , more importantly , the frank family history . the film fleshes out the personalities depicted in the diary , addresses discrepancies , and details the ultimate fate of each person in the attic hideout . there ' s also a fascinating discussion of anne ' s signature statement about the goodness of mankind . perkins and stevens , jr . offer fond recollections of otto frank , who visited the set but could never bring himself to see the play or film , while rare color footage of the dachau concentration camp ( shot by stevens himself ) , as well as interviews with anne ' s american pen pal , one of her childhood friends , otto frank ' s stepdaughter , and shelley winters add immeasurably to this comprehensive and involving documentary .
the anne frank saga remains moving , personal , and relavant , no matter how distant we become in time .
( sd , 13 minutes ) – stevens , jr . reads rare letters from otto frank and george stevens that relate to the production , as well as the prologue to the movie tie - in edition of ' anne frank : the diary of a young girl , ' upon which he and his father collaborated .
teenaged anne frank , a dutch jew , perished along with most of the rest of her family in a nazi concentration camp , but her hopes , dreams , and optimistic outlook have endured thanks to the publication of her diary in 1952 . after intense negotiations with anne ' s father , the sole survivor of the frank family , the diary of anne frank was dramatized in 1954 in a pulitzer prize - winning version by frances goodrich and albert hackett . in the 1959 film version , director george stevens could stage many dialogue sequences in furtive whispers , conveying the precariousness of the franks ' existence , and that of their fellow exiles , the van daan family and fussy dentist mr . dussel , during the two years they spent hiding from the gestapo in a tiny amsterdam attic . along with millie perkins as anne , the movie also features such veterans as joseph schildkraut as otto frank , shelley winters as mrs . van daan , lou jacobi as mr . van daan , and ed wynn as dussel . oscars went to supporting actress winters and cinematographer william c . mellor .
reviewed at berlin film festival ( generation 14plus ) , feb . 18 , 2016 . running time : 129 min . ( original title :
das tagebuch der anne frank
)
one thing they did in the diary of anne frank which they didn’t do in af : tws was play the sounds of the westertoren bells in the background often throughout the film , and also the sound of bombs . they did do this in af : tws but they only really did this in one or two scenes , which actually focused on these sounds , for example , the scene in af : tws where anne is gazing at the westerkerk from the attic window .
this is not about money for us ,
yves kugelmann , member of the board of the anne frank fund , tells thr , noting that the fund is a nonprofit with proceeds going to education and charitable projects .
this is about anne frank ' s legacy . she has become incredibly commercialized - - anne frank has become a brand , separated from the real person and her identity .
this film adaptation of the eponymous historical testimony that moved the world primarily depicts the period of time that anne spent in her family ' s hiding place . . . in amsterdam ,
the festival said in a statement .
news item , garson kanin , who directed the broadway production of the play , and milton sperling of warner bros . also bid on the film rights to the diary , but were outbid by buddy adler from twentieth - century fox . an october 1956
david mamet , the pulitzer prize - winning writer of glengarry glen ross , is to write and direct a new version of the diary of anne frank for disney , variety reports . mamet will combine frank ' s much - loved journal , a later stage adaptation by albert hackett and frances goodrich , and his own take on the story .
in nazi - occupied holland in world war ii , shopkeeper kraler hides two jewish families in his attic . young anne frank keeps a diary of everyday life for the franks and the van daans , chronicling the nazi threat as well as family dynamics . a romance with peter van daan causes jealousy between anne and her sister , margot . otto frank returns to the attic many years after the eventual capture of both families and finds his late daughter ' s diary .
for 2 years , 13 year old anne and her family along with 4 other people hid from the nazi roundups to the concentration camps and spent most of her time writing in her diary . this film , takes this direct excerpt from the diary .
. . . in spite of everything i still believe that people are really good at heart .
on jan . 13 , german production firms moovie and constantin film , together with public broadcaster zdf , unveiled plans for a german - language miniseries based on frank ' s life . the project immediately was condemned by the anne frank fund , the swiss foundation that holds rights to frank ' s diary and the frank family archive . the fund accused constantin and zdf of violating
all standards of convention , fairness and decency
by going ahead with a frank project without the fund ' s participation and accused the producers of
disrespecting the frank family , which was largely massacred in the holocaust .
it wants zdf and constantin to cancel their project , set to begin shooting in the summer , and has threatened legal action if they don ' t .
. anne’s diary , the observations of an imaginative , friendly , sometimes petty , and rather normal teenage girl , comes to an abrupt and silent end .
in holland it was as if i was a beatle . they practically knocked my car over and i had hordes of people chasing me and crowds pushing to get at me and it was because of
the diary of anne frank .
it was amazing .
ben - hur was a re - make of mgm ' s own 1926 silent film of the same name , and the first and only re - make to have won the best picture award . both films were based on or inspired by general lew wallace ' s novel ( first published in 1880 ) about the rise of christianity . ironically , the famed director cecil b . demille , who had made ' ben - hur - like ' films throughout his lifetime - without the same awards success as the 1959 winner , died the same year ( on january 21 , 1959 ) .
what more can be added to all the words written about anne frank , the diary , the books , films , television series , documentaries . . . . not a lot . a wonderful film of a truly heartbreaking story , beautifully acted , and so evocative of the time and place . the film really captures the clautrophobic environment of the attic , something you really appreciate after you ' ve visited the house , and captures the hopes & dreams of anne , to become a famous writer , dreams that were never to be fulfilled in her lifetime , but in death , gave her a fame that will live forever .
in nazi - occupied holland in world war ii , shopkeeper kraler hides two jewish families in his attic . young anne frank keeps a diary of everyday life for the franks and the van daans , chronicling the nazi threat as well as family dynamics . a romance with peter van daan causes jealousy between anne and her sister , margot . otto frank returns to the attic many years after the eventual capture of both families and finds his late daughter ' s diary . written by jwelch5742
stevens always wanted to make a film honoring world war ii , and though ' the diary of anne frank ' lacks the scope and violence of a typical combat movie , it quietly and poetically salutes the heroics of war better than most genre pictures . like its characters , the film has faults , but it remains an important , moving document of both humanity and inhumanity , and proves even unspeakable horrors cannot quash the spirit of youth and , more importantly , hope . few directors could do justice to such strong , vital material ; george stevens is one of them .
this five - part bbc miniseries of the diary of anne frank is a more relatable , faithful adaptation of the legendary diary than the classic 1959 movie . as portrayed by kendrick ( who looks quite a bit like the real anne ) , anne is still as energetic and upbeat as she is in previous depictions , but she ' s also moody , self - absorbed , jealous , and believably 13 , 14 , and 15 . anyone who has read the diary knows that anne isn ' t perfect or a martyr , as the media can sometimes portray her . she was a fiery teenager who could be petulant and unkind but also incredibly optimistic and insightful . kendrick captures that untamed spirit , and it ' s refreshing that she ' s not distractingly beautiful like millie perkins from the original hollywood movie , or natalie portman , who played anne on broadway .
a diary discovered in the attic of an amsterdam factory , reveals the plight of a jewish refugee family that lived there in hiding for two years .
( sd ) – eighty - two highly interesting black - and - white images from a wide range of sources comprise this comprehensive gallery . highlights include shots of stevens at work on the set and conferring with actors ; a couple of lovely photos of perkins with otto frank ; george stevens , jr . perusing anne frank ' s actual diary ; and the elder stevens touring both the gas chambers at dachau concentration camp and the amsterdam attic hideout with otto frank .
( sd , 8 minutes ) – one of the finest film documentaries ever produced , ' george stevens : a filmmaker ' s journey ' astutely and poetically chronicles the director ' s life and work , and this short excerpt focuses on ' the diary of anne frank ' through clips , stills , and an interview with perkins , who provides a perceptive , eloquent account of the demanding stevens at work .
anne frank is a jewish girl who has to go into hiding during world war two to escape from the nazis . together with seven others she hides in the secret annex at prinsengracht 263 in amsterdam . after more than two years in hiding they are discovered and deported to concentration camps . anne’s father , otto frank , is the only one of the eight people to survive . after her death anne becomes world famous because of the diary she wrote while in hiding .
anne frank is a jewish girl who has to go into hiding during world war two to escape from the nazis . . .
since anne’s diary is a true personal account of a life in hiding , it is inappropriate to analyze it as a novel or other work of fiction . parts of the diary were intended for public view , but others clearly were not . to appreciate and interpret the diary , it is necessary to consider its horrible context , world war ii and the holocaust , before any discussion of plot development or thematic content .
every film that has ever been nominated for an academy award in any category . enjoy !
there her diary ends . two short months after anne’s fifteenth birthday , and two days after he last diary entry , the secret annex is raided . we don’t know anne’s thoughts or feelings at that point or any time after , but we know things got worse .
represents stevens at the height of his pretentiousness and the depths of his accomplishment .
mr . stevens has done a superb job of putting upon the screen the basic drama and shivering authenticity of the frances goodrich - albert hackett play , which in turn caught the magnitude of drama in the real - life diary of a jewish girl .
combining monologues to the camera with traditional dramatization and big , charismatic performances , swiss - born director hans steinbichler’s “the diary of anne frank” is a compassionate and intelligently made contribution to the ever - growing body of work on the subject . distinguished by a fresh lead performance of real range from lea van acken , and by a determination not to rose - tint frank as a character , it is also significant as the first german film adaptation of the diary . while the result is perhaps too methodical and respectable to overly excite international arthouse audiences , even as subtitles prove a barrier to broader exposure , its domestic success seems assured .
i can understand why they played on the romance between anne and peter a lot in the film , it was only made a few years after the holocaust , therefore fresh in peoples memory and so they could have used the romance plot as some form of diversion away from the horrors of the holocaust . even so , the relationship between anne and peter , i believe wasn’t that romantic at all . anne was a skilled writer , and a teenager . she could have easily exaggerated the relationship in her diary to give a sense of excitement in her mundane life in the annex . the ‘relationship’ which anne describes ended before they were discovered in august 1944 anyway , unlike in the film which shows them together till the end .
the winner in the best supporting actress category was shelley winters ( with her second nomination - and first oscar win ) as mrs . van daan in director george stevens ' the diary of anne frank - an indomitable mother , and one of the jews hiding out from the nazis with the frank family in a cramped attic in amsterdam . it was the first of winters ' mature , serious character roles . [ winters ' first nomination was for a role in another stevens film - a place in the sun ( 1951 ) . in 1965 , she starred in her third stevens film , the greatest story ever told , but won a nomination - and her second oscar - for a role in director guy green ' s film a patch of blue ( 1965 ) . ]
( sd , 7 minutes ) – four of the six movietone news clips chart the journey of perkins from her discovery to the film ' s los angeles premiere . the initial report shows the actress being introduced to the press , and subsequent entries chronicle her meeting with a netherlands official , dressing for the premiere , attending an anne frank exhibition at the los angeles county museum of art , and arriving at the premiere on the arm of dean stockwell , whom she would later marry . the remaining two movietone segments look at the 1959 academy awards ( though there ' s no footage of best supporting actress winner shelley winters ) and honor a belgian priest who won the nobel peace prize for reuniting refugee families after the war .
a wildly enthusiastic review by writer meyer levin in the new york times book review results in sales of the diary taking - off .
news item , karl silberbauer , the nazi officer who arrested anne frank , was himself arrested and sentenced to prison for the mass murder of dutch jews during world war ii .
this hungarian film is a careful , compassionate and beautifully acted character drama with a social conscience .
in the award - winning 1959 film the diary of anne frank , we see a mercurial anne on the first day of her arrival in the secret annexe finally wind down with a book . she reads the last sentence out loud and we recognise a tale of two cities , charles dickens ' historical novel set in eighteenthcentury french revolutionary times . in the film the camera zooms in on the title page in dutch , translated as verhaal van twee steden . there is something wrong with this picture , because it is highly unlikely that the real anne frank ever read this book . first of all , she had just started to learn english , and this would have been too difficult for her . secondly , the dutch translations published up to 1942 were entitled in londen en parijs , and thirdly , it is unlikely that she was reading this , because this kind of book did not fit in with the other books she was interested in at the time . the book is not mentioned in her diary . the screenwriters , frances goodrich and her husband albert hackett , who also wrote the theatre version , must have come up with the idea from the diary itself , in which anne mentions four times that her father is reading his dickens . once he even entertained the entire annexe company with readings from the pickwick papers . one can argue that choosing a tale of two cities was very appropriate for dramatic effect and added thoughts of revolutionary violence to the certain ominous suspense so apparent in other small details in the film . however , it is probably not historically accurate .
, the end of a seemingly normal day that leaves us with the expectation of seeing another entry on the next page . however , the frank family is betrayed to the nazis and arrested on august
during world war ii , a teenage jewish girl named anne frank and her family are forced into hiding in the nazi - occupied netherlands .
the star rarely spoke about her harrowing experiences as a young girl growing up in holland during the nazi occupation , or about the deep connection she felt with anne frank .
the poignant true story of a jewish family who hid in an attic for two years before they were captured by the nazis . the film follows the life of celebrated diarist anne frank ( millie perkins ) , as remembered in hindsight by her father otto ( joseph schildkraut ) . shelley winters won the oscar for best supporting actress , and the film also garnered oscars for best black and white cinematography and best art direction , in addition to receiving a further five nominations .
i ' m an anne frank aficionado and was looking forward to watching this , but was unable to sit the whole way through - i tried twice . the fault unfortunately lies , in my view , in the casting of katharine schlesinger , who portrays anne as shrill and unlikeable ; the adult characters are much more likeable . better dvds are the two later versions - one starring ben kingsley as otto frank and hannah taylor - gordon as anne ( ' anne frank - the whole story ' ) and the more recent version starring ellie kendrick , which in my view is the best .
combining monologues to the camera with traditional dramatization and big , charismatic performances , swiss - born director hans steinbichler’s “the diary of anne frank” is a compassionate and intelligently made contribution to the ever - growing body of work on the subject . distinguished by a fresh lead performance of real range from lea van acken , and by a determination not [ … ]
in addition to her diary , anne also wrote stories and fairy tales in the hiding place . she wanted to have a
proper book
published .
following the war , otto frank devotes himself to human rights and achieving mutual respect .
frank chronicled her life from june 1942 to august 1944 when the family was betrayed .
sometimes , though , given the more neutral observational qualities that a camera , as opposed to first - person prose , inevitably imposes , the film is arguably too faithful to anne’s perspective . the diary is an extraordinarily well - observed record of the world as seen through teenage eyes , but it is necessarily subjective . the film tends to treat her words as an objective description of events , which occasionally requires the adults in the annex to behave and speak in ways that feel like a teenager’s description rather than a documentary record of plausible adult personalities . but of course , anne’s is the only record of the time in the annex , and so the filmmakers are caught in something of a bind : to present another version of events would become an unthinkable transgression against her writing .
the diary of anne frank , the first stage dramatisation , premièred on broadway in new york on october 5 , 1955 . the stage adaptation of the book was written by frances goodrich and albert hackett . the play premièred simultaneously in seven german cities on october 1 , 1956 . queen juliana of the netherlands attended the première in amsterdam on november 27 , 1956 . the play was a great success in many countries : it received a tony award for best play and was nominated for several other tony awards . goodrich and hackett received the pulitzer prize for drama for the diary of anne frank , and was performed until 1957 . forty years later , in 1997 , it was revived in an adaptation by wendy kesselman , in which anne frank was played by famous hollywood actress natalie portman . in 1999 , the adaptation was nominated for a tony award for best revival of a play .
madrid hosted un canto a la vida , a musical based on her life story and starring 13 - year - old isabella castillo . the musical caused a rift between the anne frank foundation , which supported it , and the anne frank fund , which said the diarist ' s life was
no theme for a happy evening of song and dance
.
despite the dustup , zdf argues that multiple projects about frank can only help raise awareness of her life and legacy .
in writing in a diary and is a source of optimism amid the adults’ growing despair . in july 1944 , however , the gestapo finally discover the annex , and anne and peter passionately embrace before they meet their fate .
the story has made numerous appearances on stage ( a musical version played in madrid just last year ) , television ( a critically lauded five - part bbc adaptation starring ellie kendrick as anne and tamsin greig as her mother was broadcast in january ) and film ( most notably in 1959 : shelley winters won the best supporting actress oscar for her portrayal of petronella van daan , whose real - life counterpart , auguste van pels , was another occupant of the annexe ) .
as writers like primo levi have observed , part of the effectiveness of frank’s diary is that it does the opposite : she is humanized as a regular teenage girl , fighting with her parents and dreaming of romance . this is steinbichler’s approach also ; the majority of his film is dedicated to spending time with a family engaged in the mundane minutiae of every day life . that their quotidian exchanges take place in strange circumstances at times comes to feel almost incidental : the normalcy of their alternately frayed and affectionate interactions convey the tensions of any family under emotional pressure , though of course the stakes here are terrifyingly high .
( sd , 14 minutes ) – part of an ongoing series focusing on fox classics , this promo piece retreads much of the territory of the previous featurettes , but not nearly as well . studio chief rothman is an affable host , and he relates the film ' s production history , briefly recounts the frank family history , and shares his personal views on the diary ' s significance . of all the supplements included on this disc , this one is the least relevant and certainly can be skipped .
cast : millie perkins ( anne frank ) , joseph schildkraut ( otto frank ) , shelley winters ( mrs . petronella van daan ) , richard beymer ( peter van daan ) , gusti huber ( mrs . edith frank ) , lou jacobi ( mr . hans van daan ) .
frank and her family went into hiding from the nazis in 1942 in a secret annexe at the back of a building owned by her father otto frank ' s company in amsterdam , two years after german troops occupied the netherlands .


cemetery without crosses ( french : une corde ... un colt ... , italian : cimitero senza croci ) , also known as the rope and the colt , is a 1969 french-italian spaghetti western film by robert hossein , its director , co-screenwriter and star .

cemetery without crosses

the success of these films also led to hossein obtaining the financing for cemetery without crosses .
cemetery without crosses is now available on blu - ray and dvd combo pack from arrow video .
the rope and the colt ( cemetery without crosses ) ( une corde , un colt . . . )
use the thumbs up and thumbs down icons to agree or disagree that the title is similar to cemetery without crosses . you can also suggest completely new similar titles to cemetery without crosses in the search box below .
the rope and the colt ( cemetery without crosses ) ( une corde , un colt . . . ) quotes
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing cemetery without crosses near you .
trailer - original trailer for cemetery without crosses . in italian , with optional english subtitles . ( 4 min ) .
critic reviews for the rope and the colt ( cemetery without crosses ) ( une corde , un colt . . . )
audience reviews for the rope and the colt ( cemetery without crosses ) ( une corde , un colt . . . )
cemetery without crosses . i ' m like it very well done movie . i ' m a western and spaghetti western fan .
the rope and the colt ( cemetery without crosses ) ( une corde , un colt . . . ) ( 1969 ) - rotten tomatoes
arrow video usa gives the deluxe treatment to the long - neglected french escargot western cemetery without crosses on blu - ray / dvd combo .
cemetery without crosses aka
the rope and the colt
aka
une corde , un colt . . .
aka
cimitero senza croci
[ blu - ray ]
cemetery of crosses spares few words and relies instead on stylish action sequences and elegant , atmospheric cinematography to achieve its ends .
if you ' re content to watch a french - italian western that doesn ' t star clint eastwood or lee van cleef , then perhaps you might like
cemetery without crosses .
a disappointment , yes . but , strangely appealing .
grotesque rabbit stew . split - second shootouts . endlessly spinning roulette wheel . scavenging a frying pan from the ashen remains of a burnt house . the world is a cemetery without crosses , a place of living dead just waiting to be buried .
this week at the b - movie clubhouse arrow us has been nice and given us some dvds so i picked and french / italian western from 1969 called cemetery without crosses ( aka the rope and the colt / une corde , un colt ) .
cemetery without crosses
has plenty of crosses in the cemetery . this is what i would call a minimalist
spaghetti western
. simple revenge kidnapping story , with minimal dialog . i really would have liked to see the characters and screenplay developed a bit further . the editing , which is rather choppy , makes this seem more like loosely connected vignettes . the stunt work is some of the most unconvincing i have ever seen , and the blood looks like nothing more than red paint . a downbeat ending was somewhat of a surprise , but overall
cemetery without crosses
must be considered as nothing more than a slightly better than average
spaghetti
. - merk
vincedeau : “perhaps most european , or french , in cemetery without crosses is the bleak pessimism that permeates the film . even granted the tendency for spaghetti westerns to focus on low ethics , venality and cruelty , hossein’s narrative paints a particularly dark picture . ”
cemetery without crosses — as you’ll note — begins in black & white , and as the credits for the film roll we find ourselves watching three men raising dust on horseback because they’re being chased by members of the rogers clan , a wealthy cattle ranching family .
cemetery without crosses is a darker breed of western , bleak and melancholy in tone amid the explosive set pieces . it also boasts an outstanding score by composer andré hossein ( father of robert ) and the catchiest of themes , sung by cult figure scott walker .
what a stellar ' pasta ' western cemetery without crosses is . it was a co - french - italian production and accents key features of the genre with delicate precision . nothing is heavy - handed and i found it an exceptionally well realized story impressively shot by henri persin . the arrow
inspired by the international success of the dollars trilogy , and dedicated to director sergio leone , cemetery without crosses offers a gallic spin on the spaghetti western formula thanks to its star and creator , robert hossein ( best - known to english - speaking audiences for his role in jules dassin s rififi ) .
it’s not leone - esque , not a typical “spaghetti” western , if it even in fact is one . nor does cemetery without crosses draw from the american style . it’s a unique and rare movie that is if nothing else a unique cinematic statement and a rare chance to indulge in a rare french quinine .
interview with robert hossein - in this short archival interview , robert hossein quickly explains what inspired him to shoot cemetery without crosses . the interview was conducted for the french television program cote d ' azur actualites , and first broadcast on april 17th , 1968 . in french , optional english subtitles . ( 3 min ) .
and dedicated to sergio leone , cemetery without crosses presents a gallic spin on the spaghetti western and succeeds largely on the strength of hossein ' s ability to weave together an overwhelming sense of melancholy with explosive set pieces and andre hossein ' s stellar original scre along with scott walker ' s tremendously effective theme song . hossein shares writing credit for the film with claude desailly , though dario argento is also noted as having involvement with the film ' s script ( note : hossein has stated that argento contributed not more than a couple dozen lines to the script ) . originally released under the title the rope and the colt , cemetery without crosses is a true tribute to leone ' s films and hossein deserves credit for having crafted a film that remains faithful to leone ' s ability to create emotional resonance and outstanding set pieces . cemetery without crosses feels authentic and , if you surrender yourself to it , it will linger in your psyche long after the closing credits .
arrow video sheds clarifying light on dario argento’s elusive and hallucinatory deep red , without compromising the film’s unnerving bottomlessness .
cox also said that cemetery was “the one film to prove that the italian western was not solely sergio leone’s . ”
cemetery without crosses ( u . s . a . ) | cimitero senza croci ( italy ) | una cuerda , un colt ( spain ) | friedhof ohne kreuze ( germany ) | haudat vailla nimeä ( finland ) | cemitério sem cruzes ( brazil ) | kato apo ton ourano tou texas ( greece ) | the rope and the colt | death valley gunfighters
cemetery without crosses is a fairly typical “spaghetti” western revenge scenario , but what is different is that the movie shows revenge to be a fruitless endeavor that has consequences and a high price to be paid ; the heroes don’t just lose their way and ultimately their lives , but also their very humanity . it’s one of the most morally conscionable the genre ever had to offer .
at the heart of cemetery without crosses is a desire to evoke a pitch black response to life at the limits . there are no goodies or baddies in this , just mystery and the grim realisation that most character’s fates have probably already been mapped long ago . the philosophical nature of the work lends it an authoritative air , and offers a rewarding – if uncomfortable – watch .
cemetery — which features great cinematography by henri persin — also features an evocative background score by hossein’s father , composer andré hossein .
location report - presented here is an extract from the french television program cinema with raw footage from the shooting of cemetery without crosses as well as clips from archival interviews with robert hossein , michele mercier ( maria caine ) , and serge marquand ( larry rogers ) . the episode was first broadcast on february 29th , 1968 . in french , with optional english subtitles . ( 8 min ) .
we here at night flight hq consider ourselves lucky then , all these decades later , to be able to see cemetery without crosses today , and have arrow films / arrow videos to thank for it being so lovingly restored and treated with the utmost respect ; now we can all decide for ourselves where hossein’s film should be placed in the pantheon of all the great spaghetti westerns ( or “baguette westerns” ) .
remembering sergio - in this brand new video interview , actor and director robert hossein recalls how cemetery without crosses came to exist , and discusses his admiration for sergio leone . ( the great italian director shot the sequence in which manuel and the rogers are seen eating together ) . the interview was conducted exclusively for arrow video on february 25th , 2015 . in french , with optional english subtitles . ( 6 min ) .
cemetery without crosses is a grim but stylish tale of revenge gone wrong . that isn ' t really a spoiler since some of the first dialogue in the film heavily foreshadows the dangers of vengeance . dialogue is sparse overall in cemetery , and the film conveys more in a downcast expression or a black glove than a turn of phrase . robert hossein starred , directed , and co - wrote , doing a fine job across the board . it ' s not a groundbreaking spaghetti western , but it does deliver on its promises of clever staging , inevitable betrayals , and violent confrontations .
as prepared by the fine folks at u . k . - based arrow films , this blu - ray / dvd release is filled with arrow ' s usual extras that are far too often saved for blockbuster films . while cemetery without crosses may not be a blockbuster , for fans of spaghetti westerns it will unquestionably be one of the genre ' s finer examples and an inspired film dedicated to one of the genre ' s true icons .
cemetery without crosses — aka une corde… un colt… ( france ) and cimitero senza croci ( italy ) , among other titles internationally , including the rope and the colt and death valley gunfighters in the u . s . — is a french / italian / spanish co - production , a “baguette western” lensed at the height of the european western craze , and you’ll find it streaming over in our arrow video collection over on night flight plus !
as an actor , hossein was famous for starring in the controversial forbidden priests ( 1973 ) and the historical romance of the angelique films ( 1964–1968 ) , which numbered five , with his cemetery without crosses co - star michele mercier . hoessein doesn’t look like your typical movie gunslinger , not even of the european variety . he’s short , doesn’t look particularly tough or mean , his features are a little funny , but hossein is appealing and has a great screen presence .
there’s an interesting and perhaps apocryphal story still in wide circulation which makes the claim that sergio leone actually played the part of the hotel desk clerk in cemetery .
“he always had to be first to shoot . not out of a thirst for money or revenge… something else drove him to dare , to fight . by now , time was running out . there was no time to think , to live… there was only time to hate and die . a rope was ready to be tightened . a coffin was ready to be shut . a six - shooter was ready to judge . an entire desert was ready to become a great… cemetery without crosses . ”
the closing card reads “dedicated to sergio leone . ” leone was a big influence on hossein , though his presence isn’t felt all that much on the finished film . still , leone is alleged to have actually directed one scene unaccredited and appears in a cameo role . hossein had been cast as the sheriff in leone’s masterwork once upon a time in the west , but a last minute change kept him from the picture . one thing that cemetery without crosses shares with leone is that it an auteurist film , a rarity amongst the “spaghetti” western genre .
made as a tribute to the legendary sergio leone - who in the same year would make one of , if not his best film , ' once upon a time in the west ' - robert hossein ' s ' cemetery without crosses ' takes place in a seemingly desolate wasteland , it ' s protagonist a tortured gunslinger who lives in a ghost town and coolly puts on a single black leather glove whenever he is about to exact swift gunslinging justice against his foes . it is an unforgiving setting where unforgiving things happen and the characters are stuck hopelessly in the middle .
lead actor robert hossein became one of the few actors to direct a “spaghetti” western in which he also starred . the french - born hossein had been directing films since 1955 , and would go on to helm a well received version of les miserables in 1982 , but cemetery without crosses would mark his only foray into the western genre and he makes the most out of it . hossein added a unique stamp on the genre , creating such a memorable film that i would argue that hossein deserves a place in the top - tier of the genre just for this credit .
frayling — who has penned a number of books on spaghetti westerns — also writes , in his preface ( dated october 2005 ) to spaghetti westerns : cowboys and europeans from karl may to sergio leone ( originally published in 1981 ) that “dario argento… went on to co - write among others cemetery without crosses and the five man army before becoming the sergio leone of italian horror films , ” and so his calling argento a co - writer on the film seems to confuse the matter even more , and actually calls into question whether he may have been wrong about leone’s participation as an actor as well .
disc # 1 - - cemetery without crosses 1 . scene 1 [ 6 : 40 ] 2 . scene 2 [ 6 : 43 ] 3 . scene 3 [ 6 : 48 ] 4 . scene 4 [ 8 : 47 ] 5 . scene 5 [ 9 : 03 ] 6 . scene 6 [ 7 : 05 ] 7 . scene 7 [ 8 : 36 ] 8 . scene 8 [ 6 : 13 ] 9 . scene 9 [ 7 : 51 ] 10 . scene 10 [ 9 : 14 ] 11 . scene 11 [ 7 : 33 ] 12 . scene 12 [ 6 : 04 ] 13 . scene 13 [ : 01 ]
cemetery — a dark , sometimes melancholic spin on the spaghetti western genre’s familiar revenge storyline — feels like a french - language homage to italian director sergio leone’s dollars films ( the film is even dedicated to him ) .
cemetery without crosses ’s newly restored image is sharp and detailed , doing full justice to the gritty texture of robert hossein’s locations . one scene at a smoky saloon could have easily degenerated into unintelligibility with a sloppy transfer , but arrow’s preservation ensures that the shots pop with all the little set elements and wardrobe eccentricities hidden within the clouds of dust . it’s not a terribly saturated restoration ( with the exception of some incongruously vibrant blue skies ) , but that’s in keeping with the emptied - out vigor of hossein’s world . the soundtrack is hushed but exacting , and in general the dubbed voices ( one version in italian with dialogue by dario argento , another in english ) are integrated organically into the sonic space .
is likely to disappoint a fair number of eurowestern fanatics . haunted and defeated even in triumph , manuel by design lacks the commanding presence of the most memorable spaghetti western anti - heroes . coupled with the film ' s disinterest in action setpieces , occasionally long stretches without dialogue , and a tone that ' s astonishingly dour even by the genre ' s standards , viewers expecting a more traditional spaghetti western may find themselves without something immediately appealing to embrace . though i admire and respect
like sergio leone ' s westerns , the images in cemetery without crosses of the american west as a bleak and desolate place are what capture and hold your imagination while the story of vengeance plays out . also like leone , there is a recurring musical theme that heightens everything that goes on . it isn ' t morricone , but it has its own charm , a classical guitar backed by an organ , fits right in . overall this is spaghetti western with its own unique identity . instead of just men perpetrating violence , this film uses its two female characters as wielders of gun violence to pretty cool effect . in this film you got to be pretty tough , whether man or woman , to to make it to the classic conclusion .
ginette vincedeau’s dvd essay “western without americans , ” which accompanies the 2005 dvd release by arrow films , compares hossein’s directorial style to the then - recently released films of fellow french filmmaker jean - pierre melville ( particularly 1967’s le samouraï , and 1969’s le cercle rouge ) .
she also claims that cemetery “did respectable business when it was released in february 1969 ( attracting almost one million spectators in france ) , ” but then sums up its failings by stating “it left hardly a mark on film history , whether as a french production or as a western . ”
the extras are outstanding , including a 2015 interview with robert hossein , where he says that he was to appear in sergio leone ’s once upon a time in the west , but was under contract to do a film , which ended up being madame with sophia loren . speaking of leone , hossein says that leone asked to direct a sequence and that uncredited sequence is the outstanding dinner scene at the rogers’ ranch . also included is a fantastic segment from a french television news show that visited the set of cemetery without crosses during the filming , it is in black and white with english subtitles . in the news segment they interview hossein and mercier and also actor serge marquand ( larry rogers ) , who appears in a cast after breaking his leg falling off a horse , which is shown on the presented footage . outstanding release in both quality and quantity , if you don’t have it yet , pick up this masterpiece !
consider the familiarities . there is a bullying , patriarchal family forcing neighbours from their land and building a mammoth empire for themselves while ruthlessly eliminating anyone in their way . there is a second family , victimised and downtrodden by the former , who want revenge for the brutal killing of one of their own . there is a town , policed by a corrupt lawman , and populated by people filled with fear who are unwilling to stand up to the patriarch boss . and finally , there is a taciturn lone gunman , called upon to exact the revenge the victimised family cannot manage on their own . here ' s a storyline we ' ve seen countless times in westerns , both american and european , over the years and which can provide an entertaining , if somewhat predictable narrative . but , if you have popped cemetery without crosses into the old machine and are settling down to witness another conventional revenge flick , you will be mightily , and pleasantly , surprised .
hossein — who expresses his regret that he was never able to appear as an actor in any of leone’s films — met with leone in almeria , and it was there that leone filmed a dinner sequence ( providing one of the only moments of comic relief in the film ) which hossein then inserted into cemetery .
© 2009 - 2018 flickering myth limited . all rights reserved . the reproduction , modification , distribution , or republication of the content ( including rss feeds ) without permission is strictly prohibited . movie titles , images , etc . are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders . read our terms of use and privacy policy / cookie disclaimer .
the movie begins in black and white and slowly moves to color , though in the end it returns to its b & w roots . however , the movie is not about black and white ; as is typical of the genre , it is grey . there are no easy answers , even the “good guys” are not without stains on their souls ; the difference here is that it is more fully explored .
the “spaghetti” western is often dismissed as an inferior film genre , but that has been changing in recent years . there is a link between the celebrated art films of europe and the more “uncultured” westerns seen simply as entertainment movies . the cast is small , the dialogue nominal , volumes are spoken without the aid of words ; this was often a result because “spaghetti” westerns were filmed without sound to be dubbed into a myriad of languages . not just the faces , but the whole film has a naturalistic appearance to it . the camera seems to be always moving . the cinematography is often ignored in the euro - westerns , but was often bold and distinctive . the artistic touches are many , but i am always fond of the “spaghetti” westerns that wear their european art film ambitions or influence on their sleeves front and center as to better appreciate it .
illustrates the dichotomy between contemplated violence and actual violence . hossein’s characters are conflicted by their basic morality and the utter immorality of the actions they ponder ( and ponder ) . these scenes are portrayed using leone trademarks like close - ups of grim faces or eyes and accompanied by very dramatic music . eventually , all the characters choose violence , but not without long , long deliberation . this does have the effect , i came to see , of making the resulting violence seem more sudden and jarring . in truth , i found the film miserably / painfully slow ( and wondered why the film had such a strange title , which seemed to have nothing to do with the film’s actual plot ) until the final third , which contains some iconic western imagery and some very effective violence . the entire movie seems satisfied to be effectively leone - ish .
some parts of this page won ' t work property . please reload or try later .
a melancholic , fetishistic gunfighter is drawn into a vengeful and tragic kidnapping plot by his widowed ex - lover .
go behind the scenes of the mission : impossible movies , check out the latest videos and trailers , and see which spy movies topped the box office in our mission : impossible guide .
want to share imdb ' s rating on your own site ? use the html below .
the adopted son of a preacher comes upon a village that is under the thumb of a deranged ex - confederate officer , who is - among other things - stealing land from the locals with phony land grants .
a history professor has a chance meeting with an infamous outlaw and eventually assumes leadership of his gang .
a scruffy garbage boy becomes the pupil of a famed gunfighter , and the stage for confrontation is set when the gunman becomes unhinged and overruns the boy ' s town through violence and corruption .
various factions , including a half - breed bandit , a gang of homosexual cowboys and a priest , feud over stolen gold in a surreal town .
a greedy polish mercenary aids a mine worker and peasant girl as they lead a revolution against the oppressive mexican government , and are pursued by an american rival .
a returning union officer discovers that his home has been overrun by mexican bandits , and infiltrates the gang to restore order and determine if his wife has been faithful to him .
a bounty hunter arrives in a mining town and is hired to track down the missing daughter of the town ' s crippled mayor and learns she has been kidnapped by the mayor ' s corrupt right - hand - man and a band of outlaws he is secretly working for .
a half - breed ex - union gunfighter attempts to protect his plague - ridden hometown from being overridden by his racist half - brothers and a confederate tyrant .
an ' angel - faced ' gunfighter is tasked with infiltrating a ranch overrun by mexican bandits and saving their hostages , including the fiancée of the local sheriff .
a master gunfighter teams up with his banjo - playing partner and a mexican bandit to foil the town leaders of daugherty , texas , who want to steal $ 100 , 000 from their own bank to buy land that the approaching railroad will cross .
several competing groups and mavericks ( including the lead character cuchillo ) are hunting a gold treasure of $ 3 , 000 , 000 . the gold was reserved for the mexican revolution .
a band of mexican gun - runners employed by a revolutionary general accept an american into their gang , unaware of his intentions .
the rogers family are rich and powerful cattle and land owners . the caine brothers - ben , thomas and eli - rebel against them and steal a shipment of gold coins . the rogers are used to settling their affairs personally and kill ben , while the other two manage to escape , although their house is burned down . maria , ben ' s wife , has only one wish : to avenge her husband ' s death . only one person will help her to achieve this end : manuel , a lonely gunfighter who accepts to help her due to his past relationship with maria and ben . manuel decides to kidnap diana , the rogers ' beloved daughter , and maria obliges her father and his three sons to humble themselves on ben ' s grave and ask for forgiveness . however , both the rogers and the caines ' plans for each other go awry . . . with tragic and deadly results .
he always had to be first to shoot . not out of a thirst for money or revenge . . . something else drove him to dare , to fight .
0 of 0 people found this review helpful . was this review helpful to you ? yes no | report this
released : january 25 , 1969 ( france ) starring : michèle mercier , robert hossein and guido lollobrigida hossien stars as a leather - clad killer , drawn into a tragic kidnap / murder plot by his former flame michelle mercier . an almost totally visual film with perhaps not more than two dozen lines of dialogue .
ramon il messicano ( 13 . 11 . 1966 ) [ maurizio predaux ] ita . avi
une corde , un colt 1968 - de avec robert hossein , complet . fr
maria ( michele mercier ) , widow of the slaughtered ben caine and ex lover of manuel , is equally three dimensional . exhibiting equal quantities of despair and determination , she fills the screen with her stoic suffering . what is more , in a welcome break from spaghetti tradition , she is not here merely to pretty the place up . so often female characters in the genre are relegated to vamp or victim ; rarely being allowed to exert more than a superfluous influence on the heart of the proceedings . but here she is the driving force behind the narrative and a character of central importance .
lastly , the theme of revenge , while at the heart of the story , is questioned and approached from a very different angle to the average western . manuel states early in the piece that ' vengeance never ends ' and his words prove to be prophetic as each action causes an escalated reaction and the brutality from all sides spirals out of control .
all these facets make this film stand out from most of its contemporaries but that is not to say it doesn ' t contain all the attributes you would expect from a western of this period . it is gritty , sombre and violent , with fist fights and plenty of gunplay . there are bad guys and good guys , although the lines are a little blurred and there is enough pace and action on the whole to keep the most impatient action fan happy . there is even , i ' m delighted to say , a role ( if fleeting ) for lorenzo robledo ; a face that always makes a true spaghetti fan feel right at home . what ' s more , it ' s a role where he avoids getting killed or tortured too . and you don ' t see that very often .
the real difference here , and the reason this film sits among some of the genre ' s best , is the level of subtlety it allows itself and the questions it asks us . the characters are allowed to express real emotions ( albeit silently ) and the themes at play in the seemingly familiar storyline are given just enough of a twist to make us think . it is still a western and an action film . but it is a thoughtful action film ; with genuine drama . and that ' s a pretty good and welcome combination .
this page was last modified on 5 march 2016 , at 14 : 50 .
film is dedicated to sergio leone who also directed the dinner scene of the movie .
sergio leone was supposed to play the role of the hotel desk clerk in the film but was eventually replaced by chris huerta . christopher frayling now admits that when he reviewed leone ' s performance in the movie , he was watching a very bad print , and didn ' t realise that he had mistaken chris huerta for sergio leone . however , he maintains that
everyone
he spoke to when researching his book on leone , claims that leone played the part for the cameras . if we are to believe
everyone
, then maybe leone ' s version of the hotel clerk scene was shot but not used , and instead replaced by chris huerta ' s version of the role .
dario argento is credited as a co - writer in most international prints , but has according to hossein nothing to do with the film .
this page was last modified on 3 october 2016 , at 01 : 42 .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
movies and tv shows are certified fresh with a steady tomatometer of 75 % or higher after a set amount of reviews ( 80 for wide - release movies , 40 for limited - release movies , 20 for tv shows ) , including 5 reviews from top critics .
this western finds manuel ( robert hossein ) visiting his friends only to discover the husband has been murdered in a feud between two rival families . he promises the widow he will kidnap the daughter of the other family to avenge the killing . manuel manages to apprehend the girl , and the widow has the girl raped . she offers the young woman back to her family in exchange for a decent burial for her murdered husband . the family of the kidnapped girl rides into town for the inevitable showdown in this violent story of murder and revenge . ~ dan pavlides , rovi
hossein has clearly studied leone a lot , maybe a bit too much . the movie is trying to evoke a similar melancolic atmosphere to something like once upon a time in the west , but while
west
felt like an opera , this feels like a stage rehersal that drags out a bit too much . hossein ' s face is perfect for the material , but the rest of the cast is not particulary exciting to watch . not a bad effort , but lacks more strenght to become more memorable .
an anomalous
baguette western
( a term coined by alex cox ) from the late ’60s comes to home video , and it’s a revelation of harsh , melancholy fatalism .
donate slant is reaching more readers than ever before , but advertising revenue across the internet is falling fast , hitting independently owned and operated publications like ours the hardest . we’ve watched many of our fellow media sites fall by the way side in recent years , but we’re determined to stick around . we’ve never asked our readers for financial support before , and we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or subscription fees . if you like what we do , however , please consider becoming a slant patron . you can also make a one - time donation via paypal :
synapse films’s restoration of suspiria is revelatory and head - spinning , essentially serving as a portable guided tour of a decadent horror museum .
dario argento’s late masterwork opera remains a real eye - opener , and it’s never looked better than in this new blu - ray presentation .
our preview section is your best , most complete guide for all the films , big and small , coming your way soon .
after her husband is lynched by bandits , maria ( michele mercier ) turns to manuel , an old friend played by robert hossein . initially reluctant to become involved , manuel soon infiltrates maria ' s enemies and forces a showdown .
hossein has crafted a film with sparse , intentional dialogue and devoid of distractions . it ' s a film where every sound seems to be another character , yet those sounds are often something as simple as the creaking of wooden planks as someone walks along or the sounds of a gentle breeze in a not so gentle scene . it ' s a remarkably effective sound design courtesy of guy villette that weaves its way into marie - sophie dubus ' s patient , lingering editing and henri persin ' s naturalistic lensing .
hossein himself is tremendously convincing here as manuel , while mercier steals the show as maria , a woman whose emotions vacillate between hope and despair yet who is constantly compelling throughout the film .
well developed paté / spaghetti western co - produced by france / italy and shot in almeria , as usual .
after finally seeing this in a very good print i believe it to be one of the best of the non leone spaghettis . it ' s a shame that a lot of these forgotten westerns are only available in multi generation copys because it really affects ones perception . i originally saw this in a vhs dub that was just a shade above unwatchable . what a difference a clear picture and sound track makes . vintage 60 ' s spaghetti music and cynical noir like script . very simple , nothing
spectacular
but everything works and it moves at a good clip . good cast with the french leads and some spaghetti regulars . the scene where hossein plays the music box while brushing up on his shooting skill is a high point . every spaghetti fan should check this out . only available in a japanese import . great stuff .
this movie is great . how dare they give this a 6 . 2 !
only a different western . using the classic rules of genre . but who could not be reduced at this rules . because it is a gray , silent , precise story . like a mediteranean story of justice and revenge . because the meet of viewer with michele mercier and robert hossein has nothing with the memories about angelique series . because michele mercier gives a character , with each subtle nuances , remembering more the greek tragedies than a western . because the cinematography is great . and the story has a special flavor . a film a bout duty and love . clear , precise , special .
as others have stated , a minimalist western that has a unique look . the ' ghost town ' is awesome , the mood is downbeat throughout . unusual in it ' s over - all ' look ' . i liked it very much . it certainly is different from the norm in a lot of ways , the music is superb , the acting is good esp . hosssein ' s black clad leather gloved gunfighter . recommended for italo / euro western fans . not recommended for a new comer ' s introduction to spaghetti westerns simply because it falls far outside what would be considered a ' typical ' spaghetti western in execution / form & characterizations . the french influence is clear & not a bad thing imo . btw the rancher ' s blonde daughter is incredibly hot too bad she didn ' t get more scenes . however her role is pivotal to the film ' s course . i have this one in my collection & imo certainly in the top 20 euro westerns ever made . it is a ' horse of a different color ' however & not for everyone .
what may interest a number of viewers about this spaghetti western is that dario argento is given credit as one of the writers , though reports state that he actually had nothing to do with this movie . whether he was involved or not , the end results are really strange . there is some good stuff here - the movie has a great deal of atmosphere , from the ghost town set to even the interior of saloons . the musical score is also well done , whether the scene calls for something loud or something more subdued . however , the script needed a lot more work before shooting began . the story , what there is , moves at an incredibly slow pace . also , the story is frequently confusing right from the start , leading to a number of moments when you wonder what exactly is going on . if you are a spaghetti western fan of great patience , the movie does have some rewards , but even then you ' ll see that it could have been a lot better .
overall , this one was unexpectedly good . having seen all of leone ' s work , most of corbucci ' s , and a decent amount of lesser - known spaghetti westerns , i went into this one not expecting a lot . it has a great opening scene and is obviously well - written ( thanks dario . ) the main theme is a little different than other italian westerns . more similar to an american western in plot . i wanted to see a little more violence , but it ' s got a few shootings and the ones it does have are awesome . a little tame , but very entertaining overall . a must see for argento fans . 7 out of 10 , kids .
let ' s get one thing straight right from the giddy up . . . . . . . . . . .
rancher ben caine is pursued by several horsemen . they catch him outside his home , hang him and force his wife to watch .
they are the rogers family , rich ranchers who want his land and cattle . caine ' s brothers go seeking revenge , but return with gold , in payment for the cattle . the brothers are satisfied by this , and they leave . his wife , maria , wants revenge . she seeks out her old lover , a gunfighter named manuel . manuel tells her he does not believe in revenge , and he will not help her .
in spite of saying this , manuel goes to the rogers ranch and is hired to work there . he secretly sabotages their operation , stampeding horses and killing men . maria does not know he is there , and she still wants revenge . she kidnaps the daughter of old man rogers . her plan is to kill the men when they come for the daughter . caine ' s brothers show up again . when they learn of the plot , they go back to rogers . they reveal maria ' s plan , and return the daughter for more gold . the rogers men beat maria .
manuel goes to see maria , and finds her dying . after she dies , he goes back to confront the rogers gang . he faces off alone against all 4 rogers men in the middle of the street . he shoots them all dead . as he is turning to leave , he is shot dead from behind by the daughter .
, because you know , the french , is a late 1960s western done in the style of sergio leone but written and directed by popular french actor robert hossein , who also stars in the film . the leone influence is everywhere : in the framing of shots , the music , the storyline , the performances , and the stylized use of violence . in fact , leone actually “guest directed” a single scene in the film , and was originally supposed to play a bit part .
never adds up to more than the sum of its parts . while aspects of the film are fascinating , this is another example of the old saying , “it knows the notes , but not the music . ”
trivia footnote : although he is credited as a screenwriter on almost every version of this film , our old pal dario argento did not contribute to the screenplay in any way . writer / director / frenchman hossein claims it was a marketing gimmick dreamed up by overseas distributors .
the main reason to recommend this odd film—and i do recommend it , heartily—is the inspired cinematography by henri persin . though dealing with subject matter that is ugly , this film is very beautiful to look at and every shot is a well - composed painting . the film opens in black and white and after the credits slowly goes to full color . it’s an effective choice ; viewers get the impression of a history book full of early daguerreotypes being brought to life . at movies’ end , the image changes back to monochrome , as if the filmmakers are placing the events back into the past . i am not in the habit of recommending a film based solely on this one element , but as martin scorsese is fond of reminding us all… pictures ! they’re called pictures !
this dichotomy at the heart of the film is mirrored in the score , which is wildly erratic , jumping back and forth between overproduced , operatic superhero music and low - key , acoustic strings . near the end of the film , a main character mounts his horse and , as he rides , the music rises to fever pitch and we expect the character to don a crude superman a cape and to fly into the air . it’s that crazy .
as a public service to you , the reader , i present the lyrics to this song , so that you can , if you wish , sing along . do it in your bedroom , office , or kitchen right now—sing loud ! practice singing this several times—i want all of my readers to join in a worldwide sing - along today at 10 : 00am cst—sing , babies , sing !
is now available in a nifty arrow video 2k restoration from amazon . com !
wow you were very distracted indeed . thank you for the interesting post . an interesting treatment of violence . did it seem more plausible or realistic ? i feel bad but i could never get into any spaghetti westerns ( unless silverado counts ) . i do love leone ' s once upon a time in america , though . not sure why i adore one of his films and can ' t sit through the others . this is unrelated but i was wondering if you ever read / taught / watched the prime of miss jean brodie . it ' s a little movie , not much visually but always sticks with me . i think things are going on in there that other stories don ' t like to talk about . it ' s so harsh . . . and good .
prime of miss jean brodie is a terrific film , certainly ahead of its time . it was on turner classic movies just last week .
cool , thanks for your take , jb . it makes me really happy to hear coming from an english teacher / old movie buff . it had such an insightful screenplay . i think jean brodie is the most heartbreaking woman character i ' ve known , and sandy one of the most important . i love that she cries at the end .
the fade to color / / fade to monochrome is very interesting . park chan - wook tried something similar for lady vengeance . on the dvd release you have the option to watch park ' s original cut , in which the entire film gradually fades to monochrome during its 2hr + runtime . a fascinating choice , indeed . i wonder why more notable directors have not utilized / experimented with this technique .
© f this movie ! . awesome inc . theme . powered by blogger .
the film opens in black and white as three men are fleeing a group of men , one of the men ben caine ( benito steffanelli ) , who is wounded separates from the other two and heads to his small ranch where his wife maria awaits him . the men who were giving chase are the rogers family and their gang . at the ranch , they grab ben up and hang him as the hysterical maria sobs as the grim spectacle unfolds . the father of the rogers clan will rogers ( daniele vargas ) says , “let’s go men , i want the other two caine’s , let’s go , ” as they ride off in pursuit of the other two men , thomas caine ( guido lollobrigida as lee burton ) and eli caine ( michel lemoine ) . thomas and eli evade the men , but perched on a hill above their ranch , they see it burnt to the ground . they return to find maria burying ben and go in and split the money they had stolen from the rogers , who in turn had stolen and sold their herd .
maria with her part of the money in hand , goes to a ghost town where a man from her past lives and she offers her portion of the money to help her get revenge against the rogers . the man manuel first refuses to help maria saying , “you believe in revenge , but i don’t . it never ends . ” after maria leaves the money and vacates , manuel who lives a lonely existence reaches into a small cupboard that holds a music box that contains a black glove , on the cupboard door is a photo of ben , maria and manuel . the glove is that of a man in manuel’s violent past , a man who lived by the colt , but has stopped the killing , but dons the black glove again , for love .
thomas and eli end up at the ranch of the rogers’ and are beaten severely by the rogers’ , until tomas tells them , $ 2000 to get her back . ” will allows only thomas to leave , holding eli as collateral that thomas will return with the girl . the rogers’ pay maria a visit and after manuel returns dianna to her father’s ranch he goes to get maria and leave for a new life together .
a man who has quit fighting , is asked by the women he had left , but had never stopped loving , to strap on his gun and seek revenge for his friend ben , but he does so mostly for the woman who had broken his heart when he had left and upon returning had found her married . manuel lived symbolically in a ghost town , all alone and living in a broken past of love lost . “i remember when you first went away . i shouldn’t have married ben . but you… you never came back . ”
a movie that has been in dire need of a proper english language release , and thanks to arrow video , here it is in all its blu - ray glory . the print used for the most part is outstanding , with the only issues being the generic hand - held opening sequence , which is due to the filming process and a few scenes where the scope of the picture is impacted because of the colors and background being impossibly vast and lacking a bit of definition , again partly the fault of the original process . the sound is superb and is synced properly . the film begins in black and white and switches to color around the 3 : 26 mark and remains colorized until the end , when it resorts back to black and white .