The Book Thief (2013); drama film review

Spanish poster artwork for the drama film The Book Thief.

Liberating Literature by Linh

The Book Thief is a film adaptation of the Markus Zusak book of the same name, and is quite faithful to the original novel. The film closely mirrors the book’s themes, emotive pull and narrative style, particularly with Death as narrator throughout the film. The story may appear grim at the beginning with Death narrating, yet it appears apt as the film is set during World War II in Nazi Germany with death as a recurring theme. However, the slight difference is the book does not immediately name the narrator as Death, thereby giving the reader opportunities to determine the identity of the narrator based on the narrator’s observations. The film’s opening scene is ambiguous at first, giving the impression that an angel or God is narrating due to overhead scenes of sky and clouds being shown. Within several seconds, the viewer understands it is neither of them.

COMPETITIVE COMPANIONS: Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) finds a true friend in Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch) in the drama film The Book Thief. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

The film begins with Death introducing the story and the focus is on the early life of a young German girl named Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse) on a train with her mother (Heike Makatsch) and younger brother (Julian Lehmann). Her brother dies during the train ride and is buried soon after. At her brother’s funeral, the grave digger (Gotthard Lange) drops a book, which Liesel picks up and keeps with her. Liesel’s mother then sends her away for adoption and mysteriously disappears. Liesel’s foster parents are Hans Hubermann (Geoffrey Rush) and his wife Rosa (Emily Watson), who are very poor. Hans discovers Liesel is illiterate and helps her learn to read and write using the basement walls as a giant dictionary for Liesel to write the words she just learnt. The first book Hans teaches Liesel to read is the one she picked up at her brother’s funeral – The Grave Digger’s Handbook.

One of the locals in Liesel’s neighbourhood is a German boy named Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch) who loves playing soccer and running. He immediately likes Liesel and becomes one of her closest and dearest friends in the film. As the Nazis continue arresting Jews, Hans takes in Max (Ben Schnetzer), a young Jewish man whose father saved Hans’s life in World War I. Liesel and Max become friends as she reads to him in the basement amid the growing danger he faces if the Nazis find him. As World War II intensifies and many more people die, Liesel finds courage, enlightenment and hope in the words found in books.

SHARING STORIES: Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) keeps Max (Ben Schnetzer) company in the basement with books and conversation in the drama film The Book Thief. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

The Book Thief depicts a balance of cruelty and inhumanity in some scenes and kindness and generosity in others. An example is the archival footage of Jesse Owens winning gold medals at the 1936 summer Olympics in Germany, which may have been included to show Hitler’s chagrin, while being an inspiration for Rudy Steiner to become a faster runner and make Owens his role model for athleticism. The film shows the growing power of Hitler’s influence during the 1930s and1940s, such as the choir of young children singing the German anthem with Nazi flags and swastikas prominently displayed; the book burning scene; Nazi soldiers smashing and destroying property belonging to Jews then beating them in public before arresting them for persecution. These scenes are contrasted with kindness by Hans and Rosa in helping to hide Max from the Nazis thus risking their own lives if Max is captured; Ilsa Hermann forgives Liesel for stealing her books and then lets Liesel read them in the library with her; Hans, Rosa, Liesel and Max having a snowball fight then building a snowman in the basement for Christmas.

BOOK BORROWER: Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) sneaks into the private library of Ilsa Hermann in the drama film The Book Thief. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

The cast, that includes Australian, British, German and Canadian actors, is excellent, the performances are compelling and the filming in Germany brings an authentic feel to the time when the terrible events occurred. The use of some German words such as ja/yes, und/and, nein/no or dummkopf/stupid person among the English spoken words may seem awkward at first, but viewers will gradually become accustomed to it and understand it adds a sense of authenticity to the setting, people and time of the film’s events.

Sophie Nélisse (Monsieur Lazhar, Pawn Sacrifice) is captivating as Liesel, the protagonist in the film who finds books are a source of comfort and inspiration. Nélisse is convincing as her character discovers how friendships with Hans, Rudy, Max and Ilsa Hermann (Barbara Auer) help her to understand the importance of using words to stimulate good or evil. Liesel feels robbed of so many loved ones in her life that she tells herself “When life robs you, sometimes you have to rob it back.” However, Liesel uses words to maintain friendships, share in her joy of storytelling and to distract her from the oppressive horrors of the war. On the other hand, Hitler uses words to control a nation, influence the minds and hearts of citizens and to persecute.

The pairing of Geoffrey Rush (The Best Offer, Gods of Egypt) and Emily Watson (Molly Moon: The Incredible Hypnotist, Belle) as the Hubermanns is sheer delight, with a mix of nasty name-calling and gestures of love between this dynamic couple; the young Nico Liersch is brilliant as Liesel’s friend Rudy who secretly loves her and eventually gains her trust; Roger Allam (The Iron Lady,The Angels’ Share) is wickedly cynical yet comforting and kind-hearted as Death.

AIR RAID ANGUISH: Rudy (Nico Liersch), Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) and Rosa (Emily Watson) hide with others in a bomb shelter during an air raid in the drama film The Book Thief. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

The film is beautifully scored by John Williams whose musical compositions have an emotive flow particularly during the traumatic events of Liesel’s life in Nazi Germany. The Book Thief is not a Holocaust film but it does deal with many elements of the human condition using the events of World War II as a backdrop and the characters as a means to link the power of words to do good and triumph over acts of evil and terror. The film has moments of poignancy and sadness, yet is uplifting and joyful, with enough to be on par with the book.

Director: Brian Percival

Writers: Markus Zusak (novel), Michael Petroni (screenplay)

Cast: Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Nico Liersch, Kirsten Block, Rainer Reiners, Ben Schnetzer, Levin Liam, Barbara Auer, Rainer Bock, Roger Allam, Heike Makatsch, Julian Lehmann, Hildegard Schroedter, Oliver Stowkowski, Carina Wiese, Gotthard Lange

Producers: Redmond Morris, Karen Rosenfelt, Henning Molfenter, Charlie Woebcken, Christoph Fisser, Ken Blancato

Cinematographer: Florian Balhaus

Original Music Composer: John Williams

Film Editor: John Wilson

Production: Simon Elliott (Production Designer), Bill Crutcher (Art Director), Anja Müller (Art Director), Jens Löckmann (Art Director), Mark Rosinski (Set Decorator)

Costume Designer: Anna B. Sheppard

Languages: English and German with English subtitles

Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Bran Nue Dae/Brand New Day (2009); musical comedy romance film review

Poster artwork for the musical comedy romance film Bran Nue Dae.

Broome-bound by Linh

Bran Nue Dae is the brainchild of Asian-Aborigine writer/composer/director Jimmy Chi, who included some of  his own life experiences of relationships, indigenous land rights, self-discovery and religion into what began as a stage musical production in Western Australia in 1990, and then became a documentary which explored the issues behind the stage musical in greater depth. Jimmy Chi and Broome band Kuckles collaborated with other friends to bring his idea to life, with a blend of spiritual/rock/reggae/blues music accompanying the story of a teenage Aborigine's journey 'home'. It is a metaphor where 'home' is symbolic of his consciousness and relates to his understanding of his place in the world and among his people.

REBEL REVOLTS: Willie (Rocky McKenzie) refuses to join the priesthood in the film musical Bran Nue Dae. Image: Roadshow Films.

Director Rachel Perkins (Radiance) has made Bran Nue Dae into a feel-good, humourous and inspirational film featuring an excellent cast, brilliant songs and music. Bran Nue Dae's vibrancy, energy and comedy is a refreshing change in Australian cinema where most of the locally-produced films in the past year had very grim and depressing themes or storylines.

The story is set in the summer of 1969 and follows a teenage boy named Willie who lives in Broome with his religious mother Theresa, and his attempt to win the heart of local songstress Rosie. Willie's mum sends him off to a Catholic boarding school in Perth and under the watchful eye of Father Benedictus, he is groomed to become a priest. Unfortunately, Willie succumbs to peer pressure and disobeys one of the Ten Commandments - "thou shalt not steal". He refuses a beating as punishment from Father Benedictus and runs away from the boarding school to find his way home to Broome. Along the way Willie meets some colourful, confused and comic characters who are also part of his path to self-discovery.

ROCKIN' ROSIE: Lester (Dan Sultan) has his eyes on the lovely singer Rosie (Jessica Mauboy) in the film musical Bran Nue Dae. Image: Roadshow Films.

The ensemble cast is a joy to watch with some familiar faces already cemented in our hearts and minds from television, music, stage and film backgrounds. The  most recognisable face among the talented cast is Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush who brings an air of religious righteousness mixed with dry wit and humour to his character the German priest, Father Benedictus; Rocky McKenzie is convincing as the rebellious teenager, Willie, and his singing voice is marvellous; singer and song writer Missy Higgins is wonderful in her feature film debut as a daffy and affable hippie named Annie who possesses a strong sense of spirituality; Jessica Mauboy (The Sapphires) also makes her film debut, and steals almost every scene as Rosie, when she sings, dances and acts with confidence and panache; one of the original cast members of Bran Nue Dae the stage musical is Ernie Dingo who reprises his role as Uncle Tadpole in the film. Dingo provides a spirited and amusing presence as the homeless drunk who becomes a friend and father figure to Willie.

PRIESTLY PURSUIT: Father Benedictus (Geoffrey Rush) is hot on the trail of runaway teenager Willie in the film musical Bran Nue Dae. Image: Roadshow Films.

The supporting cast is terrific with Tom Budge as Annie's sceptical German boyfriend Slippery; Deborah Mailman, whom Rachel Perkins directed in Radiance, shines in her brief appearances as the "good-time" girl Roxanne who tries to deflower Willie under the condom tree; and comedienne Magda Szubanski is a hoot and relishes her cameo role as a mad but flirty Roadhouse Betty.

MUSICAL MUSINGS: Uncle Tadpole (Ernie Dingo) and Annie (Missy Higgins) share a love for music in the film musical Bran Nue Dae. Image: Roadshow Films.

Bran Nue Dae boasts equally fine talent behind the camera, with New South Welshman and Oscar winner Andrew Lesnie as cinematographer. Lesnie, who worked with Peter Jackson on The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, King Kong and The Lovely Bones, brings the rural beauty of Western Australia to the forefront and the spectacular wide open spaces are used to great effect.

WATER WONDERS: Annie (Missy Higgins) and her boyfriend Slippery (Tom Budge) bathe in the waterhole in the film musical Bran Nue Dae. Image: Roadshow Films.

Some of the songs from the original stage musical were dropped and new ones added, such as the rock/blues rendition of 'Stand ByYour Man' which is beautifully sung by Jessica Mauboy in the film. Musical producer David Bridie, a Melbourne musician and band member of My Friend The Chocolate Cake, brings his skills to the film where he shows flair for composing scores which evoke emotion and stimulates the senses. Songs from the stage musical which feature in the film include the joyful song title 'Bran Nue Dae', the catchy 'There’s Nothing I Would Rather Be (Than To Be An Aborigine)', and the gentle and calming ballad 'Afterglow' sung with heartfelt sincerity by Missy Higgins.

FINDING FAMILY: Father Bendictus (Geoffrey Rush) and Theresa (Ningali Lawford) reveal family connections to Slippery (Tom Budge) in the film musical Bran Nue Dae. Image: Roadshow Films.

Bran Nue Dae only touches lightly on many political/social issues affecting Aborigines such as alcoholism, land rights/native title, and racism. The film doesn't make the indigenous people appear as political targets, instead it gives a voice to Aborigines to express the messages from an Aboriginal perspective of everyday social issues. The film's characters strongly communicate the message that everyone shares common human values and relationships regardless of race or religion. Bran Nue Dae is an entertaining and joyful musical comedy and road movie that will lift your spirits and inspire you to look forward to your own brand new day.

HAPPY HOME: Willie (Rocky McKenzie) prefers Broome as his home instead of Perth in the film musical Bran Nue Dae. Image: Roadshow Films.

Director: Rachel Perkins

Writers: Jimmy Chi, Rachel Perkins, Reg Cribb Stephen Pigram, Patrick Duttoo Bin Amat, Michael Manolis Mavromatis, Kuckles

Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Rocky McKenzie, Jessica Mauboy, Ernie Dingo, Missy Higgins, Tom Budge, Deborah Mailman, Magda Szubanski, Ningali Lawford, Dan Sultan

Producers: David Whealy, Christopher Mapp, Matthew Street, Robyn Kershaw, Graeme Isaac, Glennie Allan, Andrea Distefano, Catherine Bishop

Original Music Composer: Cezary Skubiszewski

Music Producer: David Bridie

Cinematographer: Andrew Lesnie (Director of Photography)

Film Editor: Rochelle Oshlack

Choreographer: Stephen Page

Production: Felicity Abbott (Production Designer), Sophie Nash (Art Director), Tania Einberg (Set Decorator)

Costume Designer: Margot Wilson

Running Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes