The Book Thief -- November 2013

WORDS ARE LIFE

Time: the late 1930s. Place: Nazi Germany. Situation: 11-year-old Liesel has just been transported by train to the town of Molching – a fictional name for a real town on the outskirts of Munich. The State has recently taken her away from her mother, reputedly a Communist fleeing for her life, and Liesel has watched her brother die on the train and be buried next to the tracks. The authorities have arranged with salt-of-the-earth citizens Hans and Rosa Hubermann to be the new "parents" of Liesel, in return for a governmental housing stipend. The Hubermanns are disappointed that they are only going to get half of the money, but they have little choice but to take Liesel in. Given her initial reception, it appears initially that Liesel is going to be jumping from the frying pan into the fire, but we soon see that Papa Hans has a big heart and will treat Liesel kindly. Mama Rosa seems like a dragon lady at first, but we eventually learn that her crusty, gruff exterior conceals a much warmer heart. But then there are Liesel's problems: She's numb from all she has witnessed, and she comes with a great deal of mental baggage. Most seriously, she is illiterate. She is frightened and at first refuses even to communicate with her new parents. Things look grim for Liesel, who has nowhere else to turn.

Thus we have the framework for a new movie entitled The Book Thief, based on a novel by Markus Zusak and directed by Brian Percival, best known for his helming of the PBS TV series Downton Abbey. Those familiar with the TV series will recognize the same sort of draw-the-viewers-into-the-story quality present in The Book Thief. The picture stars Geoffrey Rush (of The King's Speech) as Papa Hubermann, Emma Watson (of War Horse) as Mama Hubermann, thirteen-year-old Canadian actress Sophie Nelisse as Liesel, and American actor Ben Schnetzer as Max, the Jewish refugee the Hubermanns take in and hide in their cellar.

Shortly after Liesel's arrival at her new home, Mama Hubermann takes her to school, where she is immediately humiliated. The toe-the-line teacher asks Liesel her name and then insists she go to the blackboard and write it. Liesel is unable to do this because she can neither read nor write. Most of her classmates laugh mercilessly at her and begin calling her "dummkopf" ('dumbhead,' 'dodo,' etc.). She makes one friend, though, a young neighbor named Rudy, who stands up for her. At home Papa shows he is in Liesel's corner by promising to help her learn to read, telling her that he really doesn't read all that well himself and that they will help each other. Liesel is fascinated by words and extremely motivated to learn. Papa shows her a dictionary that he has begun to write on the cellar walls, encouraging Liesel to write down every new word she encounters. This privilege is exactly what Liesel needs, and she starts to make fast progress in conquering the mystery of the written word. She's soon borrowing books illicitly from the wife of the town burgermeister, sometimes without telling her – hence the book and film's title.

One night shortly thereafter the Hubermanns hear an insistent knock on the door. On opening it, they discover a young man who identifies himself as Max. It seems that in the previous war Max's father saved Hans Hubermann's life, and thus Hans vowed he would always be there for his friend's son. Max is running from the authorities, so the Hubermanns must give him refuge in their cellar. It isn't long before Liesel and Max become fast friends. Max makes a big impression on Liesel, telling her that not only must she continue to read but must become a writer herself. "Words are life," he tells Liesel, and those words become Liesel's watchwords. When Max becomes very ill, Liesel helps to keep him alive by reading aloud to him, day after day.

The picture is full of a great many other interesting happenings which I'll leave for you to discover on your own. Be assured, though, that The Book Thief is riveting, touching, and substantive. The performances by the principal actors – indeed, by the entire cast – are compelling. Above all, the movie is about personal sacrifice for the good of others. As the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3-4, we are to "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Film Rating: PG-13 – largely for war violence

My rating: 3 ¼ stars
Highly Recommended