The Devil's Arithmetic (film)
Encyclopedia
The Devil's Arithmetic is a 1999 TV movie based on the historical novel
of the same name
by Jane Yolen
. It stars Kirsten Dunst
as Hannah Stern and costars Brittany Murphy
, Louise Fletcher
and Mimi Rogers
. Dustin Hoffman
introduces the film but is uncredited and serves as an executive producer with Mimi Rogers
.
) isn't much interested in her family's religious tradition. But her blasé attitude changes radically when she suddenly enters a time slip
back to a 1941 Nazi death camp, where Hannah learns firsthand the horrors of The Holocaust
and the price her family and other Jews paid because of their heritage. She also learns the importance of remembering, and how the past continues to resonate in the present.
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
of the same name
The Devil's Arithmetic
The Devil's Arithmetic is a historical novel written by American author Jane Yolen and published in 1988. The book is about Hannah, a Jewish girl who lives in New Rochelle, New York...
by Jane Yolen
Jane Yolen
Jane Hyatt Yolen is an American author and editor of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books...
. It stars Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst is an American actress, singer and model. She made her film debut in Oedipus Wrecks, a short film directed by Woody Allen for the anthology New York Stories...
as Hannah Stern and costars Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
, Louise Fletcher
Louise Fletcher
Louise Fletcher is an American actress best known for her role as Nurse Ratched in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, and as Kai Winn Adami in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She also guest starred on the science fiction television series Heroes...
and Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers is an American movie actress and competitive poker player.-Early life:Rogers was born Miriam Spickler in Coral Gables, Florida, the daughter of Philip C...
. Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
introduces the film but is uncredited and serves as an executive producer with Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers is an American movie actress and competitive poker player.-Early life:Rogers was born Miriam Spickler in Coral Gables, Florida, the daughter of Philip C...
.
Plot synopsis
Jewish-American teen Hannah Stern (Kirsten DunstKirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst is an American actress, singer and model. She made her film debut in Oedipus Wrecks, a short film directed by Woody Allen for the anthology New York Stories...
) isn't much interested in her family's religious tradition. But her blasé attitude changes radically when she suddenly enters a time slip
Time slip
A time slip is an alleged paranormal phenomenon in which a person, or group of people, travel through time via unknown means...
back to a 1941 Nazi death camp, where Hannah learns firsthand the horrors of The Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
and the price her family and other Jews paid because of their heritage. She also learns the importance of remembering, and how the past continues to resonate in the present.
Cast
- Kirsten DunstKirsten DunstKirsten Caroline Dunst is an American actress, singer and model. She made her film debut in Oedipus Wrecks, a short film directed by Woody Allen for the anthology New York Stories...
as Hannah/Chaya Stern - Brittany MurphyBrittany MurphyBrittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
as Rivkah - Paul Freeman as Rabbi
- Mimi RogersMimi RogersMimi Rogers is an American movie actress and competitive poker player.-Early life:Rogers was born Miriam Spickler in Coral Gables, Florida, the daughter of Philip C...
as Leonore Stern - Louise FletcherLouise FletcherLouise Fletcher is an American actress best known for her role as Nurse Ratched in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, and as Kai Winn Adami in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She also guest starred on the science fiction television series Heroes...
as Aunt Eva - Daniel BrocklebankDaniel BrocklebankDaniel Brocklebank is an award-winning British actor. He received a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in the multi-award–winning movie Shakespeare in Love...
as Shmuel - Philip Rham as The Commandant
- Daniel Rausch as Steinbach