I’m a voracious reader, so I was assuredly sucked in by the title. I wanted to see The Book Thief while it was still in the theaters but it must have caught me at a busy time because it came and before I knew it, it had left. My Granddaughter read the book and loved it so my desire to see it had not waned. The moment I got my little Netflix notice, followed quickly by Redbox, I carved out the time.
Nazi Germany during World War II was a horrible place. The Book Thief treats it lightly. I’m not saying that they gloss over anything but the book was written for a preteen to teen audience. If you are looking for gore you aren’t really going to find it here. After it was over, I realized I was more than okay with that. I’ve seen Schindler’s List, even the Disney film, Boy in the Stripped Pajamas, and though I believe everyone needs enlightenment, The Book Thief probably falls short of bringing that to the table.
Liesel (Sophie Nelisse) is a young girl who is sent to live with new parents. On the way there her younger brother dies on the train and is buried in a field. Liesel finds a book and hides it away. Though she cannot read yet, this begins a journey of a love of reading. The war takes her through death and loss, fear and distrust to love and endurance. As she moves from reading to storytelling and on to writing she found that words can be used for both good and evil.
Hans, her new father is as kind, gentle and loving as her new mother, Rosa is hurtful, brash and hard. Played by Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson, the two prove to be the seasoned pros they are. There are two other pivotal players. Max, played by Ben Schnetzer, is a young Jewish man who was the son of an old friend of Hans and Rosa. He shows up on their doorstep near death and at great risk to the family, they take him in and hide him. Max encourages Liesel in her reading and writing, always asking her to describe things to him; teaching her to not just look but observe. The other is Rudy (Nico Liersch), literally the boy next door. He befriends Liesel as soon as she arrives at her new home and doesn’t let go. They forge a great friendship that changes her life.
Death is the film’s omniscient narrator. He says he rarely gets involved in the lives of those he ultimately takes but does take an interest in Liesel and her circumstances. World War II saw many acts of unheralded courage of Germans helping Jews. Liesel’s was a testament of the endurance of a spirited and courageous young girl.
The Book Thief is the telling of a horrific event as seen through a child’s eyes that would not only be appropriate but enlightening for the whole family. There is also a Discussion Guide on the film’s website, if you want to make it a learning experience.
Delicately done. Elegantly simple. Readily available. I approve. Send me your thoughts and comments at chastings@rockcliff.com
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