The Book Thief Movie Script
The Book Thief Movie Script: A Review
The Book Thief is a 2013 war drama film directed by Brian Percival and starring Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, and Sophie Nélisse. The film is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Markus Zusak and adapted by Michael Petroni. The film is about a young girl living with her adoptive German family during the Nazi era. Taught to read by her kind-hearted foster father, the girl begins \"borrowing\" books and sharing them with the Jewish refugee being sheltered by her foster parents in their home.
The Book Thief movie script is a faithful adaptation of the novel by Markus Zusak, but also adds some original elements that enhance the emotional impact and the historical context of the story. In this article, we will review some of the main aspects of the movie script, such as:
The narrator: Death
The main character: Liesel Meminger
The foster parents: Hans and Rosa Hubermann
The Jewish refugee: Max Vandenburg
The neighbor boy: Rudy Steiner
The antagonists: The Nazis
The setting: Molching, Germany
The themes: Words, books, death, war, humanity
The Narrator: Death
One of the most distinctive features of the movie script is the use of Death as a narrator and a character. Death's voice-over introduces the story and provides commentary throughout the movie, sometimes breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly. Death's perspective adds depth and irony to the story, as he reveals his curiosity, fascination and sympathy for the human characters, especially Liesel. He also foreshadows some of the events and outcomes of the story, creating a sense of inevitability and tragedy.
Death's role in the movie script differs from the novel in some ways. In the novel, Death is more present and detailed in his narration, often digressing and describing his experiences and thoughts. He also provides more information and background about the characters and their histories. In the movie script, Death is more concise and focused on Liesel's story, leaving more room for the visual and auditory elements of the film to convey the mood and tone of the story. He also has a more humorous and sarcastic tone in the movie script, which contrasts with his more solemn and poetic tone in the novel. These changes work well for the movie script, as they make Death's narration more engaging and accessible for the audience, while still retaining his unique and intriguing personality.
The Main Character: Liesel Meminger
Liesel Meminger is the protagonist and the heart of the story. She is portrayed as a brave, curious and compassionate girl who faces many challenges and losses in her life. She is also a book thief, who steals books from various sources, such as a grave digger, a bonfire, a mayor's library and a book shop. She does not steal books for selfish reasons, but rather for her love of reading and learning. She also shares her books with others, such as her foster father, her best friend, her love interest and the Jewish refugee hiding in her basement.
Liesel's love for books and words shapes her identity and her relationships throughout the story. She learns to read and write with the help of her foster father, Hans Hubermann, who becomes her mentor and confidant. She bonds with Max Vandenburg, the Jewish refugee, over their shared experiences of persecution and their passion for words. She impresses Rudy Steiner, her neighbor boy, with her courage and intelligence. She defies Ilsa Hermann, the mayor's wife, with her honesty and determination. She challenges Frau Holtzapfel, a bitter neighbor, with her kindness and empathy. She also uses words as a weapon against the Nazis, by writing her own book, reciting poetry in a bomb shelter and tearing pages from Mein Kampf.
Liesel's character development reflects the themes of the story. She grows from an illiterate and traumatized girl to a literate and resilient young woman. She experiences both joy and sorrow, love and loss, friendship and betrayal, hope and despair. She witnesses both beauty and horror, life and death, humanity and inhumanity. She survives both war and death, but not without scars. She is both a victim and a hero of her own story.
The Foster Parents: Hans and Rosa Hubermann
Hans and Rosa Hubermann are Liesel's foster parents who take her in after her mother gives her up for adoption. They are shown as complex and realistic characters who have their own flaws and virtues. They are also opposites in many ways: Hans is gentle, calm and artistic; Rosa is harsh, loud and practical. Hans is sympathetic to Jews; Rosa is indifferent to politics. Hans plays the accordion; Rosa does laundry.
The Foster Parents: Hans and Rosa Hubermann
Hans and Rosa Hubermann are Liesel's foster parents who take her in after her mother gives her up for adoption. They are shown as complex and realistic characters who have their own flaws and virtues. They are also opposites in many ways: Hans is gentle, calm and artistic; Rosa is harsh, loud and practical. Hans is sympathetic to Jews; Rosa is indifferent to politics. Hans plays the accordion; Rosa does laundry.
Hans and Rosa's relationship with Liesel evolves throughout the movie. At first, they are strangers who have little in common with Liesel. Rosa is strict and impatient with Liesel; Hans is kind but distant from Liesel. However, as time passes, they grow to love Liesel as their own daughter. Rosa becomes more affectionate and supportive of Liesel; Hans becomes more involved and protective of Liesel. They also risk their lives to hide Max Vandenburg, a Jewish friend of Hans, in their basement, showing their courage and humanity in the face of oppression.
Hans and Rosa's actions demonstrate their character and values in the movie. Hans teaches Liesel how to read and write, and encourages her to use words for good. He also stands up for a Jewish neighbor who is being taken away by the Nazis, and joins a group of dissenters who paint anti-Nazi slogans on walls. He also plays his accordion for Liesel and Max, creating moments of joy and hope in their bleak lives. Rosa takes care of the household and the family, and shows her kindness by feeding Max and giving him books. She also shows her loyalty by staying with Hans when he is injured by a bomb, and by comforting Liesel when she loses her loved ones.
The Jewish Refugee: Max Vandenburg
Max Vandenburg is a Jewish refugee who is hidden by the Hubermanns in their basement. He is introduced as a mysterious and vulnerable character who arrives at their door with a copy of Mein Kampf and a key. He suffers from nightmares, hunger and illness, and lives in constant fear of being discovered by the Nazis.
Max's friendship with Liesel grows over time and they learn from each other. Max teaches Liesel about his life, his family, his dreams and his fears. He also shares his love for books and words with Liesel, and creates two books for her: The Standover Man and The Word Shaker. These books are symbolic of their bond and their resistance against the Nazis. Liesel teaches Max about her life, her friends, her books and her stories. She also brings him gifts from the outside world, such as snow, newspapers and feathers. She reads to him when he is sick, and writes to him when he is gone.
Max's presence in the Hubermann's basement creates tension and suspense in the movie. He has to hide in a small space under the stairs, and can only come out at night when no one else is around. He has to avoid making any noise or leaving any traces of his existence. He has to face the possibility of being betrayed by someone who knows about him or being caught by someone who finds out about him. He also has to cope with the guilt of putting the Hubermanns in danger for his sake.
The Neighbor Boy: Rudy Steiner
Rudy Steiner is a boy who lives next door to Liesel and becomes her best friend. He is depicted as a loyal, adventurous and rebellious boy who loves soccer, running and mischief. He is also obsessed with Jesse Owens, an African-American athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
Rudy's crush on Liesel adds humor and romance to the story. He constantly tries to impress Liesel with his skills, jokes and bravery. He also asks her for a kiss several times, but she always refuses or ignores him. However, they share a deep friendship that goes beyond attraction. They support each other through their hardships, joys and secrets. They also share their love for books, as Rudy helps Liesel steal books from various places.
Rudy's fate illustrates the tragedy and injustice of war. He is forced to join a Nazi youth group that trains him to be a soldier. He witnesses the brutality and cruelty of the Nazis towards Jews and other people. He loses his father, who is drafted to fight in the war. He also loses his life, when a bomb hits his home and kills him and his family. He dies without ever getting a kiss from Liesel, which is his last wish.
The Antagonists: The Nazis
The Nazis are the main antagonists of the story, as they represent the evil and oppressive force that threatens the lives and freedom of the characters. The movie portrays the Nazi regime and its impact on Germany and its people in various ways, such as:
The book burning scene, where the Nazis force the townspeople to gather and burn books that they deem as \"un-German\". This scene shows the Nazi's censorship and propaganda, as well as Liesel's defiance and curiosity.
The parade scene, where the Nazis march Jews through the town on their way to a concentration camp. This scene shows the Nazi's persecution and dehumanization of Jews, as well as Hans' compassion and courage.
The air raid scene, where the Nazis bomb the town and cause destruction and death. This scene shows the Nazi's violence and cruelty, as well as Liesel's resilience and hope.
The movie also depicts the different types of resistance and collaboration among the characters in relation to the Nazis. Some characters resist the Nazis by hiding Jews, painting anti-Nazi slogans, stealing books, or refusing to join their groups. Some characters collaborate with the Nazis by reporting Jews, joining their groups, or following their orders. Some characters are indifferent or ambivalent to the Nazis, as they try to survive or avoid trouble.
The movie criticizes the Nazi ideology and propaganda through Liesel's actions and words. Liesel challenges the Nazi's hatred and fear of Jews by befriending Max and helping him. She also challenges the Nazi's glorification of war by writing her own book that tells the truth about her life. She also challenges the Nazi's manipulation of words by tearing pages from Mein Kampf and using them to create a new book for Max.
The Setting: Molching, Germany
The movie recreates the historical and cultural context of Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s through its setting. The movie is set in a small town called Molching, which is fictional but based on a real town near Munich. The movie shows how the town and its inhabitants are affected by the political and social changes brought by the Nazi regime and the war.
The movie uses cinematography, music and sound effects to create contrast between beauty and horror, life and death, hope and despair in its setting. The movie uses warm colors, natural light and soft music to highlight the moments of happiness, love and peace in the characters' lives. The movie also uses cold colors, artificial light and loud noises to emphasize the moments of sadness, fear and violence in the characters' lives.
The movie shows the effects of war on the town and its inhabitants in various ways, such as:
The poverty and scarcity of food, clothes and other resources
The propaganda posters, flags and symbols that cover the walls and buildings
The air raids, bombings and sirens that disrupt the daily routines and activities
The deaths, injuries and losses of family members, friends and neighbors
The destruction, rubble and ashes that remain after the attacks
The Themes: Words, Books, Death, War, Humanity
The movie explores several themes that are relevant to its story and its message. Some of these themes are:
Words: The movie shows how words have power to create, destroy, inspire or oppress. Words can be used as tools of expression, education, resistance or connection. Words can also be used as weapons of propaganda, censorship, hatred or violence.
Books: The movie shows how books have value to preserve, share, learn or escape. Books can be sources of knowledge, wisdom, culture or history. Books can also be sources of joy, hope, imagination or freedom.
Death: The movie shows how death is inevitable, unpredictable, impartial or personal. Death can be a constant presence, a narrator, a judge or a witness. Death can also be a friend, an enemy, a teacher or a companion.
The Themes: Words, Books, Death, War, Humanity
The movie explores several themes that are relevant to its story and its message. Some of these themes are:
Words: The movie shows how words have power to create, destroy, inspire or oppress. Words can be used as tools of expression, education, resistance or connection. Words can also be used as weapons of propaganda, censorship, hatred or violence.
Books: The movie shows how books have value to preserve, share, learn or escape. Books can be sources of knowledge, wisdom, culture or history. Books can also be sources of joy, hope, imagination or freedom.
Death: The movie shows how death is inevitable, unpredictable, impartial or personal. Death can be a constant presence, a narrator, a judge or a witness. Death can also be a friend, an enemy, a teacher or a companion.
War: The movie shows how war is destructive, cruel, tragic or senseless. War can cause suffering, loss, fear and violence, but also inspire courage, compassion, friendship and love among some characters.
Humanity: The movie celebrates humanity as a diverse, complex and resilient quality that can be found even in the darkest times. Humanity can be expressed through kindness, generosity, loyalty or forgiveness. Humanity can also be challenged by hatred, prejudice, betrayal or cruelty.
The movie illustrates these themes through various scenes and quotes that convey its message and emotion. Here are some examples:
ThemeSceneQuote
WordsLiesel learns to read and write with Hans\"Make the words yours.\"
BooksLiesel steals a book from the bonfire\"When life robs you, sometimes you have to rob it back.\"
DeathLiesel sees her brother's grave\"One small fact: you are going to die.\"
WarLiesel sees the Jews being marched through the town\"They were people who looked like corpses.\"
HumanityLiesel reads to Max when he is sick\"She was the book thief without the words.\"
Conclusion
The Book Thief movie script is a well-written and well-executed adaptation of the novel by Markus Zusak. It captures the essence and spirit of the original story, while also adding some creative touches that enhance its cinematic appeal. It features a talented cast of actors who bring the characters to life with their performances. It also uses various cinematic techniques to create a vivid and realistic portrayal of Nazi Germany and its impact on the lives of ordinary people.
The Book Thief movie script is more than just a historical drama. It is also a story of hope and humanity in the face of adversity and evil. It is a story of how words and books can change lives and hearts. It is a story of how death can be both an enemy and a friend. It is a story of how war can bring out the worst and the best in people. It is a story of how humanity can survive even in the darkest times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote The Book Thief movie script?
The Book Thief movie script was written by Michael Petroni, based on the novel by Markus Zusak.
Who directed The Book Thief movie?
The Book Thief movie was directed by Brian Percival, who is known for his work on Downton Abbey.
Who played Liesel Meminger in The Book Thief movie?
Liesel Meminger was played by Sophie Nélisse, a Canadian actress who was 13 years old at the time of filming.
Who narrated The Book Thief movie?
The Book Thief movie was narrated by Roger Allam, an English actor who voiced Death.
When was The Book Thief movie released?
The Book Thief movie was released in 2013, eight years after the publication of the novel.