Please don't spend money on this.

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

It's 1942 Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Otto Frank (Iain Glen) brings his wife Edith (Tamsin Greig), his daughters Margot (Felicity Jones), and Anne (Ellie Kendrick) to hide in a secret annex above his food and spice warehouse. They must keep quiet during the work day. Only the office staff Miep Gies (Kate Ashfield), Bep Voskuijl (Mariah Gale), Mr Kugler (Tim Dantay), and Mr Kleiman (Roger Frost) know the secret. The Franks are joined by Hermann Van Daan (Ron Cook), his brash wife Petronella (Lesley Sharp), and their son Peter (Geoff Breton). The final addition is dentist Albert Dussel (Nicholas Farrell) who becomes Anne's roommate. In the confined space, the personal conflicts mount. The Allies are closing in and freedom is almost at hand.This is like the Titanic. The sinking is inevitable but the story is still so compelling. Anne's modern humanity is undeniable. The performances are pitch perfect. Each character is well-defined and engaging. Ellie Kendrick is terrific in the lead. The mini-series ends with their capture. It makes no speculation about their informer. Their tragic ends are spelled out in text. I guess their horrific endings are subject for another time.

The Diary of Anne Frank (2009) tells about the experiences of Anne Frank and seven other people, who had to go hiding.It was all because they were Jews and Adolf Hitler was a psychopath.He and his Nazi regime.The story is told in five half-hour episodes.Ellie Kendrick was a very good pick to play Anne Frank.Geoff Berton is great as Peter Van Daan (Pels).Felicity Jones is marvelous as Margot Frank, who would have turned 85 a week ago.Iain Glen is terrific as Otto Frank.Tamsin Greig is great as Edith Frank.Nicholas Farrell is excellent as Mr Dussel (Fritz Pfeffer).Lesley Sharp and Ron Cook do great work as Petronella and Hermann Van Daan.Tim Dantay is brilliant as Mr Kugler.And so is Roger Frost as Mr Kleiman.Mariah Gale is wonderful as Bep Voskuijl.Kate Ashfield is superb as Miep Gies, their lovely helper.This Good Samaritan sadly lost her life at 100 on January last year.This gives a very realistic picture of the events.It's horrible to watch when the Gestapo arrives.You cry when Anne is shaking, unable to tie her shoes, and Dussel helps her.The relationship between Anne and Peter is beautifully portrayed.And the words of the actual diary sound very good.I read the diary about eight years ago, and it is one of the best things I have ever read.Right now I'm reading Carol Ann Lee's Anne Frank 1929-1945.If they would have left Anne to go on with her life, she could be a famous writer now.But her fate, her Jewish fate was to die at age 15.

The cramped existence that the Jewish hideouts were forced to endure during WWII and the Nazi period, is excellently portrayed by a cast of sensitive actors who were fortunate to have a good script to work with.Ellie Kendrick makes an excellent Anne, bearing a good resemblance to the Jewish girl who loved writing and kept a daily diary of events in the attic where her parents and a some other neighbors were forced to stay. Leslie Sharp and Nicholas Farrell as the Van Daans are particularly moving members of the strong cast.The gradual maturity of a girl confronting her feelings about boys as she grows up is portrayed in a poignant and tender manner. The story is compelling from the start and increases in intensity as various conflicts among the attic inhabitants arouse hostility and anger.What might have made the whole drama even more intense would be outdoor scenes outside the confines of the attic showing how the villagers were being treated by the Nazis, but since those incidents would be outside the scope of Anne's diary the drama remains intimate instead with a narrower focus.Well worth viewing even if you've seen the big screen version made by George Stevens in 1959.

such an emotional story, acting was superb!the best BBC production in years. They have definitely out done them self this time. This is a must see video/series. If you are into history you MUST WATCH IT! Ellie Kendrick was amazing! so was Tamsin Greig. I always loved to see her in black books, but this performance was just amazing. It still made me go out buy buy all three series again!well done everybody involved.as soon as it is available to buy i will buy it. and so should you.truly inspirational.