The military drama "The Thief of Books", which was based on the plot of an Australian book by Markus Zusak, was perceived very ambiguously. The voices of viewers and critics were divided, and represented by the whole gamut: from sharply negative to absolutely admired. An adaptation of the novels, as you know, is an ungrateful affair, however, it is impossible to evaluate the film only by someone else's feedback. Moreover, the picture has an interesting cast, which will be discussed later.
About the plot
“Book Thief” - a film (actors, audience reviews - hereinafter), based on the novel The Book Thief, based on the novel by the writer M. Zusak, which has been on the bestseller list by The New York Times for over 230 weeks. The British film director Brian Percival, who became famous after working on the television series North and South and Downton Abbey, undertook the film adaptation of the book .
The events shown in the film originate in 1938, when Germany is on the eve of the bloody events that soon plunged the whole world into chaos. The voice-over that tells the viewer this tragic story belongs to none other than the angel of death, who turned his eyes to the still very little girl Liesel Meminger. Once in a foster family, she learns to read, and books eventually become for her the main means of understanding the world around and everything that happens.
Book Thief is a film (actors and photos later in the article) with an unusual atmosphere. The history of the terrible war and mutilated fates are shown through the eyes of a young girl. A child, even in such terrible conditions, still remains a child, and everything he sees is observed through the prism of openness, kindness and naivety.
Actors of the movie "Book Thief": Sophie Neliss
The search for the leading role went around the world. Ultimately, luck fell to the young Canadian actress Sophie Neliss, who was approved for the project on February 4, 2013. At the time of filming, she was 13 years old, but the project was not her debut. Behind S. Neliss was his participation in the film "Mr. Lazar." Sophie has a sister who also acts in films.
Her heroine Liesel Meminger seems only timid and indecisive at first glance. Getting into a new class, she shows the strength of character, stopping ridicule of peers. Foster parents teach the girl to read and from that moment her love for books begins.
Actors of the movie "The Thief of Books" were awarded with nominations for prestigious awards. However, only Sophie Neliss reached the victory and received the award at the Hollywood Film Festival and the Phoenix Film Critics Society, as well as the Sputnik.
Jeffrey Rush
A popular Australian film, theater and television actor, as well as numerous awards, including an Oscar. He is known to the viewer from the films Shakespeare in Love, Shine, and The King Says! and others. In the picture, he played the role of the adoptive father of Liesel - Hans Hubermann. The Nazi regime invades the lives of ordinary citizens, even those who are very far from politics. Hans, by a lucky chance, managed to avoid being arrested, but he falls under the draft, despite his age. Once at the front, he almost immediately returns with concussion, and perhaps this saves his life.
Book Thief is a film in which the actors are selected in exact accordance with a book with a special atmosphere. The bloody events of the 40s are taking place as if off-screen, this is what caused the controversial reviews of film critics.
Emily Watson
The English film and theater actress embodied on the screen the image of the adoptive mother Liesel and the wife of Hans - Rosa. From the first minutes of the film, she impresses the viewer with a heartless, rude and even partly cruel woman. However, as it turns out all this is just an external mask that hides a good heart.
The actress is familiar with the domestic cinema audience from her work in films such as “Breaking the Waves”, “The Cradle Will Rock”, “Boxer”, “My Home Dinosaur”, “Miss Potter”. At home, in the UK, she is best known for her work in the theater.
Max and Rudy
Nico Lirsch and Ben Schnetzer are the youngest actors in the movie The Book Thief. After Liesel moves to the house of foster parents, the first person she meets is a neighbor's boy, who immediately became sympathetic to her. The role of Rudy Steiner was performed by a novice actor from Germany, Nico Lirsch. Having become friends, they spend a lot of time together, including joining the ranks of the Hitler Youth at the same time.
He meets Max Liesel during the infamous Kristallnacht, when there was a pogrom all over Germany, the streets were strewn with fragments of glass from shop windows. The Nazi protest was directed against the Jews. The American actor Ben Schnetzer was chosen for the role of Mask. Work in the film was the starting one for him, most of all he was remembered by the audience in subsequent projects: Pride, Warcraft and Snowden.
Reviews from viewers and critics
“Book Thief” - a film, actors and roles, the script and direction of which received quite contradictory reviews of film critics and viewers. The best-selling book on which the plot is based, as it turned out, does not guarantee absolute success at the box office. The range of reviews is very rich and contains both harsh and critical statements, as well as positive ones. It was said that the film loses much to the book, but has the right to exist. Critics also spoke about the excessive softness of the picture, the war seemed to have passed by the side, the second plan. It is rather a product targeted at a teenage audience. However, it is rather difficult to keep the attention of youth for several hours; there is not enough dynamics.
The actors of the movie “The Theft of Books” were noted positively. Evidence of this are the nominations for prestigious awards, as well as the soundtrack to the picture. The music for the film was written by John Williams. An American composer and conductor, is one of the most famous and successful not only in Hollywood, but also in the world. It’s enough to mention that he created music for such films as “Superman”, “Jaws”, “Schindler's List”, the epic “Star Wars”, “Harry Potter”, as well as the four Olympic Games. The composer has five Oscar statuettes and has 50 nominations for this prestigious award, including for music for The Book Thief.