Film classic "The Diary of Anne Frank" is 50 years old

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Fans of the cinematic classic, "The Diary of Anne Frank" gathered in Los Angeles Tuesday night to celebrate the film's 50th anniversary.The event was presented by the American Film Institute and the Skirball Cultural Center. And the panel included actresses Millie Perkins, who played Anne Frank in the film and Diane Baker, who played the role of Anne's sister.

The film is based on the diary of a young Jewish girl's experiences during the Holocaust. Following the Nazi invasion of Amsterdam, 13-year-old Anne and her family went into hiding in an attic. That's where she wrote in her diary about their lives and their fear of being discovered. Frank would have celebrated her 80th birthday on June 16th. She died in a Nazi concentration camp in 1945. But her story has lived on through her writings which were first published in 1947.

The actress who starred as Anne in the film remembers how she was touched by the diary.

Actress Millie Perkins said, "I was aware of what happened during the war, with the Nazis and all the horrible things. But I had never read the book or heard of Anne Frank. So, when I finally agreed to saying yes to doing the test, I went and read the book on the airplane going out to California. As I said before, the minute I read it, it hit my heart. I understood immediately what was right and what was important."

The film version is a true classic. Directed by iconic filmmaker, George Stevens, it was released in 1959. It earned eight Oscar nominations and won three.

George Stevens, son of director George Stevens said, "I think it really speaks to George Stevens, my father. He told me when we were working together. I worked with him on "The Diary of Anne Frank," he often said he was interested in what a film was going to be like in 25 years. He didn't make them to be the fashionable film of a particular year, although they often were. He really wanted them to have a timeless quality. He invested this film with that. It is a miracle this film."

As part of the celebration, a special 50th Anniversary of "The Diary of Anne Frank" will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 20th.