and watches star-studded cast bring his novel to life for cinema-goers ‘Thief’ author steps aside
BY SEANNA CRONIN
AUSTRALIAN author Markus Zusak felt like a bit of a voyeur during his visit to the set of The Book Thief, the film based on his best-selling novel.
The Sydney-based writer took a hands-off stance after signing over the rights to the film, which is directed by Brian Percival, and stars fellow Aussie Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and young French Canadian actress Sophie Nelisse.
Zusak chose not to pen the film’s screenplay, or to be a producer.
“It’s a little bit like living vicariously through your brother or sister,” he said.
“You get to watch from the sidelines.
“I wanted to give it to someone creative and say ‘all right, go ahead and do what you have to do’. You have to give someone freedom when you do that. It would have been a bit heartbreaking for me to pull the book apart.”
What started as a 100-page novella evolved into a 580-page novel that went on to become an unexpected hit, staying on the New York Times’ Best Seller List for 230 weeks.
“First of all, I didn’t think the book would be successful, so that shows I know nothing about the publishing business,” Zusak said.
“Then I thought ‘Oh it’ll get signed up for a film, but it’ll never get made’, so I know even less about the movie industry.”
Zusak’s only involvement during the film’s production
It could have gone so wrong. It’s a gamble on a 12-year-old kid, but she just brought so much to it.
was a short, four-day set visit, when he got to meet the cast and crew.
“Geoffrey and Emily treated me like an old friend, and treated the book like an old friend as well. I can’t ask for more than that; they were always so generous to me,” he said.
Zusak saw the film for the first time in November with his family, and has seen it a handful of times since then.
“My first reaction was just how beautiful the performances were,” he said.
“Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson are just really superb.”
The big gamble, Zusak said, was its young star Sophie Nelisse, who plays “book thief” Liesel.
“It could have gone so wrong. It’s a gamble on a 12-year-old-kid,” he said.
“But she just brought so much to it. I couldn’t have imagined a better Liesel.”
It’s not the film’s star-studded red carpet events that fill Zusak with pride. “Probably the best celebration I’ve had has been just walking my dog in Centennial Park the other night,” he said.
“I could hear the moonlight cinema and the trailer came on for The Book Thief.
“I recognised it instantly and I sat down and listened to it. (All of this) is amazing because I thought it was going to be my least successful book.”
With the film’s release this week, Zusak now plans to forge ahead.
“In that sense this is the perfect way to say goodbye to The Book Thief, with the madness of a film coming out.
“Now I can go ‘right, that’s it; I’ve got to become the writer of something else’.” The Book Thief is in cinemas now.