Dutch premiere of the film 'The Diary Anne Frank'

Just like they were at the play's premiere, members of the Dutch Royal Family are once again present. Queen Juliana and Crown Princess Beatrix attended.^[1] At the end of the film, the Wilhelmus, the Dutch National Anthem, was played.^[2]

A month before the Dutch premiere, critic Alex Burnham wrote a review in newspaper Het Vrije Volk: 'Last night I read The Diary of Anne Frank for the second time and I was reminded of the theatre performance in New York. As I write this, I think that they are both better than the film. But for those who neither know the diary itself nor the play, they will find the film exceptionally moving. I have already said that it is a good film, and that is true; and I do not think that the people of Amsterdam and Dutch people as a whole will feel disappointed when they see it..' Although he praised the performances of the actors, in particular those of Millie Perkins (Anne Frank), Joseph Schildkraut (Otto Frank) and Ed Wynn (Dussel), he was critical of the, in his view, annoying score and the direction of George Steven, especially the ending of the film. 'The film does not end at the moment where the play left us deeply affected and in tears. The film fades away, in bits and pieces. The love story between Anne and the boy is too stretched. The Nazis' approach is taking too long.' Nevertheless, he concluded: 'Still, one must see the film, if only to be reminded of the bestiality of human beings. And also to the greatness of the human heart. Of Anne's heart.''^[3]