MovieChat Forums > The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) Discussion > 'Am I terribly ugly?'

'Am I terribly ugly?'

posted 15 years ago by atomicstuffing
10 replies | jump to latest

Did it strike anyone as funny Millie Perkins would say this? It's obvious she was cast because she was a little more photogenic than most.

A young lady who looks like Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn asking if she was terribly ugly.

One thing that bothered me about Millie was not so much the age (she does sort of pass off as a 13-14 year old) but her eyelashes. Either she applied eyeliner or attached some, but the real Anne Frank would not have had those made-up eyes that were in fashion in the 1960s.

Did Anne Frank actually write that in her diary or did she display any signs of insecurity regarding looks?

[–] marcchanois 15 years ago

Perkins was so pretty, I doubt if she used eyelashes. as for anne, certainly not ugly.

[–] bobbynear 15 years ago

This film is positively brilliant and brilliantly directed but it suffers in some way from being too much Hollywood and this is a perfect example. Although Millie Perkins is quite good in this role, she was actually 21 at the time and not 13. When she was discovered she was a model in real life. For her to say she was ugly was ludicrous. The real Ann Frank was really quite a plain looking young girl who had not yet reached maturity. Millie Perkins is quite the opposite. It really is a pity that the powers that be in Hollywood cannot get over this notion that we will not support a film that does not have a beautiful looking actress in it. This compelling story has nothing to do with how these people looked on the outside, but how much they were made of on the inside. Ann Frank's looks meant nothing and the film should have portrayed her that way. It s a tribute to the brilliance of this film that it was able to overcome this.

[–] judeanslingshot 15 years ago

That scene [based on an actual diary entry] where Millie Perkins as Anne Frank asks if she's ugly is part of the reason why I can't take this film seriously as a retelling of Anne's story. It all seems so insincere. And her voice kills me.

As for Anne herself, she really was kind of vain -- and a bit insecure about her appearance. Included in the Critical Edition of her diary is list she drew up on the flyleaf of her first diary of various "beautiful features", and whether she has them or not. :/

-------------------

"You -- I can't describe it. You suck up all the oxygen."
--Margot Frank, The Diary of Anne Frank [BBC, 2009]

[–] ruminerpianogrl 15 years ago

Plain? I always thought Anne was very pretty. Not drop-dead gorgeous, but she was definitely very pretty, at least in my opinion.

Never misjudge the most faithful
heart of your beloved. Forever yours, forever mine, forever us.

[–] marcchanois 15 years ago

she had the jewish princess looking face, huge tender eyes, high nose bridge. big thin mouth. , least slutty . but not popular until 80s, sadly..

[–] marvelass 14 years ago

"Did Anne Frank actually write that in her diary or did she display any signs of insecurity regarding looks?"

Yes, Anne was insecure about her looks and often wrote about it in her diary. In fact, she even expressed jealousy at Margot, saying she was "prettier" and the better sister.

[–] lunarose 11 years ago

I, for one, think that Millie Perkins was too old to play Anne Frank. AF was in her early teens, and MP doesn't look anywhere near early teens. I found it distracting through the whole movie.

"Qui conduisait la voiture?"

[–] novastar_6 9 years ago

A young lady who looks like Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn asking if she was terribly ugly.

Outsiders looking in don't see what insiders looking out see. Just like TLC, three gorgeous ladies, doing the song Unpretty, because you see yourself differently than everyone else does, because YOU know your every flaw, and adolescence is an awkward time when your body changes and you DO feel ugly.

[–] boxerrebellion 8 years ago

Also, Mr. Frank originally requested Audrey Hepburn.... and Miss Perkins have that same look. In his eyes, they both resembled his daughter. Every Dad finds his daughter beautiful. Please get over yourselves.

[–] freebird1987 8 years ago

It was odd. Millie Perkins was a cutie.