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From the
Diary of Anne Frank
Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn,
Public Gardens & Trees
Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire
This final scene of the series was inspired by the UNICEF Benefit Concerts conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, with Audrey as narrator From the Diary of Anne Frank, accompanied by a musical score especially composed by Michael Tilson Thomas: in 1990 with the New World Symphony in Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston and New York; and in 1991 in London with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Audrey Hepburn talked with Larry King about the concerts, and about Anne Frank:
AUDREY HEPBURN:
"AND THEREBY HANGS A TAIL WHICH I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT ANNE FRANK — WHICH THAT SHE AND I WERE BORN IN THE SAME YEAR, EXPERIENCED THE SAME WAR, EXCEPT THAT SHE WAS LOCKED UP FOR THE BETTER PART OF TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND SHE WROTE ABOUT EXPERIENCES WHICH I ON THE OUTSIDE SAW.
AND WHEN THE LIBERATION CAME—A LIBERATION THAT WAS TOO LATE FOR ANNE FRANK — I TOOK UP MY BALLET LESSONS, WENT TO LIVE IN AMSTERDAM. AND HOUSING WAS VERY, VERY SHORT AT THE TIME; IT WAS A COUNTRY LYING IN RUINS. I LIVED IN A ROOM WITH MY MOTHER IN A HOUSE WHICH WE SHARED WITH ANOTHER LADY - A WRITER - WHO I BECAME FRIENDS WITH, WHO ONE DAY HANDED ME A BOOK IN GALLEY FORM AND SAID, 'I THINK YOU'D LIKE TO READ THIS.' IT WAS IN DUTCH IN 1946 OR 7, AND IT WAS THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK. AND I MUST TELL YOU, SHE [ANNE] WAS SO PROFOUND AND SO AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THE OUTSIDE — ALTHOUGH SHE WAS LOCKED IN THESE COUPLE OF ROOMS FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
BUT I WAS DEVASTATED. IT WAS READING ABOUT MY OWN EXPERIENCES FROM HER POINT OF VIEW. AND I WAS QUITE DESTROYED BY IT . . . IT TOOK ME YEARS TO DEAL WITH IT IN A WAY BECAUSE YEARS LATER I WAS ASKED TO DO THE PICTURE, I WAS ASKED TO DO THE PLAY, AND I WAS NEVER ABLE TO DO IT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO CLOSE TO HOME. BUT NOW, I'VE BEEN GIVEN THIS WONDERFUL OCCASION TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THIS CHILD AND I THINK ANNE FRANK WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO THINK THAT TODAY, HER WORDS WOULD BE USED TO BRING SOLACE TO SO MANY CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THESE FOUR CONCERTS FOR UNICEF."
LK:
"DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS FOR TURNING IT DOWN?"
AUDREY HEPBURN:
"NO, NOT AT ALL. i WAS TRUE TO MYSELF. BUT DO I HAVE A MINUTE TO READ SOMETHING? I JUST WANTED TO READ AN ENTRY IN HER DIARY AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A GIRL WHO WAS LOCKED UP IN TWO OR THREE ROOMS, COULD NEVER SET FOOT OUTSIDE. WHEN THIS WAS ENTERED SHE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 14, AN ADOLESCENT, WITH NO WAY OF EXPRESSING HERSELF OTHER THAN WRITING TO HER DIARY, WHICH WAS HER BEST FRIEND. AND THE ONLY WAY, FOR INSTANCE, SHE COULD TELL THE CHANGES OF SEASON WAS BY A GLIMPSE OF A CHESTNUT TREE THROUGH THE ATTIC WINDOW. THIS IS FEBRUARY 4, 1944 — SIX MONTHS BEFORE SHE WAS TAKEN TO A DEATH CAMP.
'IT'S LOVELY WEATHER OUTSIDE AND I'VE PERKED UP SINCE YESTERDAY. NEARLY EVERY MORNING I GO TO THE ATTIC, AND FROM MY FAVORITE SPOT ON THE FLOOR, I LOOK UP AT THE BLUE SKY AND THE BARE CHESTNUT TREE ON WHOSE BRANCHES LITTLE RAINDROPS SHINE — APPEARING LIKE SILVER, AND THE SEAGULLS AND THE OTHER BIRDS, THEY GLIDE ON THE WIND. AS LONG AS THIS EXISTS, AND I MAY LIVE TO SEE IT, THIS SUNSHINE AND THE CLOUDLESS SKIES, WHILE THIS LASTS I CANNOT BE UNHAPPY. THE BEST REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID, LONELY OR UNHAPPY, IS TO GO OUTSIDE SOMEWHERE THEY CAN BE ALONE WITH THE HEAVENS, NATURE AND GOD. BECAUSE ONLY THERE DOES ONE FEEL THAT ALL IS AS IT SHOULD BE. GOD WISHES TO SEE PEOPLE HAPPPY AND IT'S THE SIMPLE BEAUTY OF NATURE. AS LONG AS IT EXISTS, AND CERTAINLY IT ALWAYS WILL, I KNOW THERE WILL ALWAYS BE COMFORT FOR EVERY SORROW.'"
Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn,
Public Gardens & Trees
Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire
This final scene of the series was inspired by the UNICEF Benefit Concerts conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, with Audrey as narrator From the Diary of Anne Frank, accompanied by a musical score especially composed by Michael Tilson Thomas: in 1990 with the New World Symphony in Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston and New York; and in 1991 in London with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Audrey Hepburn talked with Larry King about the concerts, and about Anne Frank:
AUDREY HEPBURN:
"AND THEREBY HANGS A TAIL WHICH I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT ANNE FRANK — WHICH THAT SHE AND I WERE BORN IN THE SAME YEAR, EXPERIENCED THE SAME WAR, EXCEPT THAT SHE WAS LOCKED UP FOR THE BETTER PART OF TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND SHE WROTE ABOUT EXPERIENCES WHICH I ON THE OUTSIDE SAW.
AND WHEN THE LIBERATION CAME—A LIBERATION THAT WAS TOO LATE FOR ANNE FRANK — I TOOK UP MY BALLET LESSONS, WENT TO LIVE IN AMSTERDAM. AND HOUSING WAS VERY, VERY SHORT AT THE TIME; IT WAS A COUNTRY LYING IN RUINS. I LIVED IN A ROOM WITH MY MOTHER IN A HOUSE WHICH WE SHARED WITH ANOTHER LADY - A WRITER - WHO I BECAME FRIENDS WITH, WHO ONE DAY HANDED ME A BOOK IN GALLEY FORM AND SAID, 'I THINK YOU'D LIKE TO READ THIS.' IT WAS IN DUTCH IN 1946 OR 7, AND IT WAS THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK. AND I MUST TELL YOU, SHE [ANNE] WAS SO PROFOUND AND SO AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THE OUTSIDE — ALTHOUGH SHE WAS LOCKED IN THESE COUPLE OF ROOMS FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
BUT I WAS DEVASTATED. IT WAS READING ABOUT MY OWN EXPERIENCES FROM HER POINT OF VIEW. AND I WAS QUITE DESTROYED BY IT . . . IT TOOK ME YEARS TO DEAL WITH IT IN A WAY BECAUSE YEARS LATER I WAS ASKED TO DO THE PICTURE, I WAS ASKED TO DO THE PLAY, AND I WAS NEVER ABLE TO DO IT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO CLOSE TO HOME. BUT NOW, I'VE BEEN GIVEN THIS WONDERFUL OCCASION TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THIS CHILD AND I THINK ANNE FRANK WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO THINK THAT TODAY, HER WORDS WOULD BE USED TO BRING SOLACE TO SO MANY CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THESE FOUR CONCERTS FOR UNICEF."
LK:
"DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS FOR TURNING IT DOWN?"
AUDREY HEPBURN:
"NO, NOT AT ALL. i WAS TRUE TO MYSELF. BUT DO I HAVE A MINUTE TO READ SOMETHING? I JUST WANTED TO READ AN ENTRY IN HER DIARY AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A GIRL WHO WAS LOCKED UP IN TWO OR THREE ROOMS, COULD NEVER SET FOOT OUTSIDE. WHEN THIS WAS ENTERED SHE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 14, AN ADOLESCENT, WITH NO WAY OF EXPRESSING HERSELF OTHER THAN WRITING TO HER DIARY, WHICH WAS HER BEST FRIEND. AND THE ONLY WAY, FOR INSTANCE, SHE COULD TELL THE CHANGES OF SEASON WAS BY A GLIMPSE OF A CHESTNUT TREE THROUGH THE ATTIC WINDOW. THIS IS FEBRUARY 4, 1944 — SIX MONTHS BEFORE SHE WAS TAKEN TO A DEATH CAMP.
'IT'S LOVELY WEATHER OUTSIDE AND I'VE PERKED UP SINCE YESTERDAY. NEARLY EVERY MORNING I GO TO THE ATTIC, AND FROM MY FAVORITE SPOT ON THE FLOOR, I LOOK UP AT THE BLUE SKY AND THE BARE CHESTNUT TREE ON WHOSE BRANCHES LITTLE RAINDROPS SHINE — APPEARING LIKE SILVER, AND THE SEAGULLS AND THE OTHER BIRDS, THEY GLIDE ON THE WIND. AS LONG AS THIS EXISTS, AND I MAY LIVE TO SEE IT, THIS SUNSHINE AND THE CLOUDLESS SKIES, WHILE THIS LASTS I CANNOT BE UNHAPPY. THE BEST REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID, LONELY OR UNHAPPY, IS TO GO OUTSIDE SOMEWHERE THEY CAN BE ALONE WITH THE HEAVENS, NATURE AND GOD. BECAUSE ONLY THERE DOES ONE FEEL THAT ALL IS AS IT SHOULD BE. GOD WISHES TO SEE PEOPLE HAPPPY AND IT'S THE SIMPLE BEAUTY OF NATURE. AS LONG AS IT EXISTS, AND CERTAINLY IT ALWAYS WILL, I KNOW THERE WILL ALWAYS BE COMFORT FOR EVERY SORROW.'"