10 Bad Film Adaptations Of Great Books

This historical novel does not shy away from the brutality of its chosen subject matter. The plot follows the young Liesl Meminger as she comes of age in Nazi Germany. After the death of her younger brother, Liesl is exposed to the horrors of the Nazi regime while she is in the care of her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, who are concealing a Jew named Max Vandenburg.

To cope with the deteriating state of Germany, Liesl is shown the wonders of reading and writing by Hans, and decides to write her own story while stealing books that the Nazi Party would rather destroy. With such a powerful story about love, language and morality, chances were always high that if the book was ever converted into a film, it would have major Oscar potential.

But alas, instead of staying faithful to the books depiction of Nazi Germany and sticking with its heavier tone, the film decided to play things much safer and had a more diluted feel to it. Where the book was considered a major success, the film was regarded as another Oscar-baiting cash grab that did not do the film the justice it deserved.