The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)

The Diary of Anne Frank poster

Twentieth Century Fox
Starring: Millie Perkins, Richard Beymer
Also Starring: Orangey
Directed by: George Stevens

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: The true-life account of Anne Frank (Millie Perkins), a teen-aged girl who documented her family’s life while in hiding from the Nazi’s in occupied Amsterdam.

Cinema Cat: Two families live together in hiding in an attic above a spice-packing shop; the Franks and the van Daans. The van Daan’s teen-aged boy, Peter (Richard Beymer) has an orange tom cat named Mouschi (played by the noted cat actor Orangey). Anne is excited to learn about Mouschi the cat, to whom Peter is strongly attached. Anne is jealous when Peter shows more interest in her sister Margot (Diane Baker) than her.

The Diary of Anne Frank - Anne Millie Perkins petting orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey held by Peter Richard Beymer

The Diary of Anne Frank - Mouschi Orangey held by Peter Richard Beymer

Anne’s father, Otto (Joseph Schildkraut) says he is glad Peter is there and even rubs Mouschi’s chin.

The Diary of Anne Frank - Otto Joseph Schildkraut with Anne Millie Perkins petting orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey held by Peter Richard Beymer

The family spends their first day in silence, something they must do whenever the workmen are in the shop to avoid anyone learning of their presence.

The Diary of Anne Frank - tabby cat Mouschi Orangey lying behind boards

When the people who are hiding them, Kraler (Douglas Spencer) and Miep (Dody Heath) come upstairs, Mouschi starts to run away, darting all over the attic room with the children chasing him. Margot finally catches him and Anne is again jealous when Margot and Peter share the moment.

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey at feet

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey running

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey running up stairs

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey caught by Margot Diane Baker with Anne Millie Perkins

After spending some time in such a confined space, the families understandably becoming impatient with each other. Anne makes fun of Peter, putting on his hat and walking around petting and praising Mouschi. Peter takes offense and the two fight, with Anne throwing the hat at Peter and making Mouschi cringe. Anne throws a shoe at the door and Peter and Mouschi pop out again to mock her.

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey being hugged by Anne Millie Perkins

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey in the middle of fight between Anne Millie Perkins and Peter Richard Beymer

The Diary of Anne Frank - Peter Richard Beymer looking out door with orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey

A tense evening happens when the families hear someone downstairs. It turns out to be a burglar robbing the shop below. The family stays stock still while Mouschi walks and sits among them. In the end many of them fall asleep on the floor, including Mouschi.

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey standing on floor

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey lying on floor

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey sitting next to Anne Millie Perkins

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey standing by family on floor

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey sleeping with family on floor

Still later the families take in another person, a dentist named Mr. Dussell (Ed Wynn) who claims to be allergic to cats. Peter plays a trick on Mr. Dussell on the first day of Hannukah by pretending to bring Mouschi into the room wrapped in his jacket. When Mr. Dussell starts to complain and sneeze, Peter reveals the cat is not with him at all.

The Diary of Anne Frank - Peter Richard Beymer with orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey on bed

Disaster strikes when the burglar returns and again the families have to be quiet. Mouschi enters the room and starts to sniff around. While trying to catch the cat, Peter falls into some buckets, scaring the prowler away.

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey walking around

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey with head in bucket

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey being held by Peter Richard Beymer

A patrolmen and some Nazi guards then enter the premises, seeing the door has been broken through. Once again there are tense moments as the family freezes but Mouschi pokes around a sink and counter, first pushing his face into a funnel and almost dropping it to the floor (the film footage was reversed to make it seem as if Orangey had pushed the funnel to the brink of falling then pulled it back up again).

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey sniffing at funnel

The Diary of Anne Frank - Mouschi orange tabby cat Orangey pushing funnel with face and back animated gif

Mouschi then starts eating some toast left on a plate. The Nazi soldiers hear the noise and then the sound of the plate falling into the sink. Thankfully Mouschi meows and the guards laugh and call for the cat before giving up and leaving.

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey eating toast on plate

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey standing on counter

Mouschi is only seen once more, sitting in the background as everyone argues about what they should do. Sadly part two of the film begins with Anne explaining that Mouschi has run away. The cat does not return.

The Diary of Anne Frank - orange tabby cat Mouschi Orangey in background