David Mamet Reopens 'The Diary of Anne Frank'

David Mamet and Disney are bringing The Diary of Anne Frank back to theaters. The studio acquired the rights for a new version of the story, which Mamet will reportedly adapt from Frank's book and the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich. We'll presume you know the story of Anne Frank, so there's no need to go back over those details. For Mamet, this is his biggest project as a director; he has almost exclusively worked with his own original screenplays or adapted stageplays to this point, but as dramatists go, he's hard to top from Disney's perspective. Like the play he's been hired to direct, Mamet is a Pulitzer and Tony award winner, and has straddled the line between the New York stage and Hollywood for nearly 30 years. Interestingly enough, though, news of the new Diary of Anne Frank comes as Mamet is preparing to direct on Broadway for the first time. The rights to the story were not easy to pick up, according to Variety, which reports that producer Andrew Braunsberg worked for years with the estates of both playwrights as well as Frank's estate to secure the approval for the update to go forward. You could ask why the movie needs to be made now, but it's 50 years since the George Stevens film and it's not as though the story of Anne Frank should ever be silenced, right? It will be interesting to see what kind of push Disney gives the project; it's not exactly a studio known for its promotional subtelty.

Comments

[SEAN]

David Mamet is a freaking genius!!!

I love this man, so articulate, wordy yet precise, intellectual and brilliant...

Ive been a fan of his plays for a while now, and I suggest to anyone to read his plays such as American Buffalo, Speed-the-plow, Oleanna, and of course Glengarry Glen Ross also a film made famous by Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, and Kevin Spacey!

Not only a great playwright but the man knows acting as well, he has written several acting books and into directing, I can he's an "actor's director" which is what actors essentially want for films/theatre!

BUT Iam surprised at this project, I mean everybody knows the story of Anne Frank, so if Disney want it to be profitable let alone good I wonder what they will do with it, you know them being Disney...

Mamet is great for the job though and Im surprised he got the greenlight to go ahead since there has been trouble doing that..

[sammo]

Far out! The real life story of Anne Frank is practically embedded in the American psyche, and Mammet's ability to explore the depths of his characters will add an intensity that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Like with House of Games , Homicide (which interestingly dealt with the main character's Jewish heritage- Joe Montagnea's Sgt Goldberg). It might not be one for mainstream movie going America, but worth watching anyway.