When Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl was first published in English in 1952, its author should’ve been 23 years old. Instead, Anne Frank died at the age of 15 in a Nazi concentration camp. Her story, however, has helped generations of kids around the world develop an emotional anchor to the horrors of World War II. Adapted for the stage and screen over the years, Anne Frank’s story is universally known. The Annex, where she lived in secret hiding for two years, has been preserved as a museum in Amsterdam that continues to draw in visitors from all over the world who were touched by Anne Frank’s story. But without the work of Miep Gies, the central character in National Geographic’s historical drama A Small Light, we wouldn’t have The Diary of Anne Frank for a multitude of reasons. Discover Miep’s story in this eight-part series, premiering Monday, May 1st.
(National Geographic for Disney/Dusan Martincek)
Miep (Bel Powley) is a young woman trying to make a life for herself in Amsterdam when the series begins. She takes a job as a secretary at a pectin company run by Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) and meets her husband, Jan Geis (Joe Cole), shortly before her life drastically changes with the Nazi invasion of her city. Driven by a powerful sense of right and wrong, she agrees to help her boss hide his family and a few close friends in a secret part of their office building. But keeping them hidden is no easy challenge with rationed resources and reward money given to anyone who turns in people who were wanted by the Nazis.
Titled after a famous Miep Gies quote (“Even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can, within their own small ways, turn on a small light in a dark room”), A Small Light sets itself apart from other adaptations of The Diary of Anne Frank by allowing most of the action to take place outside of The Annex. The production utilizes real locations around Amsterdam, including the Anne Frank House, to bring historical authenticity to the series. But A Small Light doesn’t limit itself to just the story of the Frank family but also broadens its horizon to show what life was like for the people of Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Through one of Miep’s brothers (Cas Nieuwenburg, played by Laurie Kynaston), the risk of being homosexual in a Nazi-occupied area is touched upon.
(National Geographic for Disney/Dusan Martincek)
Performances are stellar across the board, with the series guaranteed to nab at least a few nominations for its cast. Knowing where things will eventually lead for the Frank family, Liev Schreiber delivers a performance that touches on every possible human emotion. Bel Powley is charming and relatable as the glue that holds the entire series, and her chemistry with Joe Cole makes Miep and Jan a couple you won’t soon forget. Amira Casar (Call Me By Your Name) plays Edith Frank with the warmth and restraint you’d expect from a mother in hiding, while also continuing to prove herself to be a master of accents. And taking on the enviable task of playing Anne Frank is Billie Boullet, who captures Anne’s exuberance and curiosity, delivering a performance that feels authentic to anyone who has read her published diary. Ashley Brooke also does a marvelous job as Anne’s sister Margot, particularly in a scene in the first episode in which Miep has to try and sneak her past a security check to safely get Margot to The Annex.
A Small Light also does a believable job of taking viewers to the 1940s. Utilizing real locations in Amsterdam, some digital trickery is in place to help obscure the modern. There are a few times where it’s noticeable, such as the introduction of a swastika in the reflection of Miep’s glasses early on. But in general, the effects work and don’t distract from the story, which not long ago would’ve required a backlot shoot in order to achieve.
(National Geographic for Disney/Dusan Martincek)
The only challenge with A Small Light is knowing how the story will end for the people in The Annex. However, with such excellent storytelling and production values, by the time the moment comes, you’re holding your breath alongside Miep and experiencing a similar level of disbelief at the situation. Having seen all eight episodes, I was reminded of this famous Orson Wells quote: “If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” While nobody can claim that A Small Light has a happy ending, it does manage to leave viewers with a resonating message that, rather than feeling hollow, fulfills Miep’s message of inspiring others to be the light in a world of darkness.
I give A Small Light 5 out of 5 stars.
A Small Light premieres Monday, May 1st, at 9/8c on National Geographic with two back-to-back episodes. Disney+ and Hulu subscribers can stream new episodes the day after they air.
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