this be truly a re make that should never have get out of the stable . it have two cast that be act in entirely different stratum . at the top of their game be joan plowright and maximillian schell . every nuance of the frank be in plain sight . at the rock bottom be melissa gilbert and doris robert . i can not imagine how schell and plowright manage to play so well when gilbert and robert be work their anti magic . gilbert ruin every scene she in . it like father know best in the ghetto . she ann frank light . her run at helen keller be thin but not awful . this be sacrilege . doris robert make mrs. van damm merely annoy . she be a completely inappropriate choice to play the sexually hungry woman whose flirtatious and dissatisfied presence cause so much trouble in het acherhuis . this need to be play by a woman who could convince u that she at least remember what it be like to voluptuous . her weight be not the problem . joan plowright could have play this part beautifully . robert be on a career high when this be make and get lot of press and many opportunity . her performance here display her weakness a an actress shamefully . james coco and clive reville and have most of their scene with gilbert and robert and and and strong though they be and they be completely incapable of undo the damage do by their partner . reville be a wily actor capable of the kind of iconic performance give by ed wynne in the original film . he get no support from gilbert . she drain the color out of every scene . i have read with dismay the comment by those of you who grow up watch this version and fill with attachment to these performance . it a lesson in how the version you see first attach to you . it make me reconsider my attachment to some inferior product i love in my childhood . i encourage you to watch the original . it have very few weak spot and it head and shoulder above this mess .