She finds her love of reading as a way to shut out the horrors of
Nazi Germany. She steals them, shares them, and uses their words and
thoughts to nurture those around her. In doing so, she creates a
magical world that inspires them all.
Based on Markus Zusak's international best-selling book, "The Book Thief"
is about Liesel, an extraordinary and courageous young girl who finds
solace in stealing books. Set in 1938, the movie opens with Liesel's
mother taking her daughter and son to live with a foster family in a
German working-class neighborhood outside Munich. Unable to care for
her children, Liesel's mother must give them up. However, on the train
ride, Liesel's younger brother dies, and in the snow-covered ground, he
is laid to rest. There, at age nine, she steals her first book, "The
Gravedigger's Handbook" and thus begins her love affair with books.
She
tries to adapt to her new life with the foster parents Hans and Rosa
portrayed by Oscar winners Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson. Hans kindly
takes her under his wing, gains her trust and when he discovers she's
illiterate, he teaches her how to read. Rosa, the stern one, sees
problems with this new addition and questions the decision to take her
in. Liesel, played by Sophie Nélisse, at first wants to run away, but
then finds a budding friendship with schoolmate Rudy (German youngster
Nico Liersch). Over the next six years, the characters are affected by
Hitler's rise to power and the war that follows.
Books are at the
center of this film, not so much for their physical presence but for
their ability to unleash a freethinking society, one that can make up
its own mind. When Hitler came to power, Nazi Germany was obsessed in
suppressing dissident viewpoints, ideas contrary to their ideologies and
the party line agenda. Public book burnings were one way to control
the masses and force them to give up the thoughts, the words, and the
stories that gave direction to their lives.
The book burning is
one of the strongest scenes in this movie because it's a turning point
in young Liesel's life. She attends and initially she is caught up in
the jubilant celebration. However, her composure slowly changes when
she realizes something is shamefully wrong. When pushed to take part in
this horrific act, she becomes one of us and we feel her turmoil
destroying the very thing she loves. Over the loud speakers, the
rantings of German-speaking official combined with the flames of the
burning books creates a terrifying scene. It foretells of the tragedies
to come and that no one is safe in this warped and misguided world.
From this moment on Liesel must live a double life, one seeking truth,
the other obeying the Nazi dictates.
In this hostile setting,
Liesel steals a book from the bonfire embers hiding it under her coat.
The mayor's wife, a compassionate person who likewise loves books,
observes this courageous act.
Shortly after Kristallnacht, (night
of broken glass) when Jewish shops are vandalized, Hans, Rosa, and
Liesel take in Max (Ben Schnetzer) a young Jewish man on the run, one
whose family Hans owns a debt of life for saving his life during WWI.
Max is near death and the family nurses him back to health. Liesel reads
to him and the words somehow nourish him back to life.
Portions
of the film are narrated by Death (English actor Roger Allam) and his
clever observations bring lightness to the story, one that could easily
become bog down in human misery. Here Death handles ones passing with
tenderness and moving compassion, almost feeling sorry for what he has
to do.
The performances in this film will receive numerous
accolades for they are touching, inspiring and compelling.
French-Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse delivers a stellar performance as
the spirited and courageous book thief. Previously, she gained
considerable notoriety for her spot-on-performance as Alice in "Monsieur
Lazhar." An aspiring Olympic gymnast, her athletic abilities were
quite evident in the film as she raced co-star Nico Liersch (Rudy) to a
dead heat. What is most impressive about her portrayals is her ability
to articulate what is going on inside. Her facial expressions and
especially her eyes bring out the essence of the scene. We feel her
fears, her vulnerabilities, as well as the strong affection she has for
words and the solace they bring her. I remember a study saying that
people who read fiction are more empathetic to human conditions
celebrating their successes, comforting their losses. Liesel certainly
fits that mold admirably, a trait that is certain to bring nominations
in the upcoming award season.
The performances by Australian actor
Geoffrey Rush and British actress Emily Watson are equally impressive.
Rush is an award-winning actor having won an Oscar for "Shine", plus
nominations for three other films. In "The Book Thief", he brings to
the screen a character that is kind, loving, and honorable. Yet he has a
lazy streak that angers his wife. He doesn't help with her laundry
business and is not very ambitious about seeking work as a painter. He
plays the accordion, sometimes for himself, sometimes to calm the nerves
of those in the air raid shelter. He's a likeable middle-aged man,
avoids trouble, yet it finds him when he tries to help others. Above
all, he is a loving father whose calling is to protect his daughter
Liesel. While flawed, he is lovely flawed. A stupendous performance,
to say the least.
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