I’ve been a fan of all kinds of films and television shows about WWII ever since I was a kid. I read a lot about this war and this time in history. When I heard about a new show focusing on this time in history again I was excited. Throw in the fact that it’s a story about or featuring Anne Frank and you have me intrigued. Especially since it stars a young up in coming actress I’ve had my eye on for a while now, Bel Powley.

Miep Gies (Bel Powley) is a young innocent girl who is a free spirit in the 1930s. She has friends and goes out to have fun with them. When she gets a job working for a jam company, Opekta, her life changes dramatically. Her boss Otto Frank (Liev Schrieber) teaches her about responsibility and what it means to do something important. Her whole mindset gets a new outlook on life.  She also meets a young man Jan Geis, (Joe Cole) who she has at first no chemistry with, but later they hit it off and begin a relationship with one another. 

Her boss eventually comes to her with some bad news though. The NAZIs are on the move and they have started a very public mantra that Jews are evil and they are spreading that Mantra all over Europe. He tells Powley’s character he must take his family and go into hiding. She helps him find refuge in Switzerland. Out of the path of the NAZIs. Even though they are everywhere. Powley and Cole’s characters who aren’t Jewish must remain behind in the Amsterdam, Netherlands putting up a public face at their jobs and in social circles.

Powley is used to playing nerds or young women who have a tough time acclimating to society. This is a very different role for her. She has some of her youthful exuberance as this character but it is much more of a serious role. History will show her character had an important role to play in helping Jews hide from NAZIs. She plays off of Cole’s character who is also very important in taking chances in his life and trying to help others as well. He is sick and tired of seeing Jess get physically abused on the streets. This life is now his calling as well as his wife’s. They are all in now.

In films or television shows set in a specific time or place, you have to capture that time and place by getting the look of said film or television show correct. The showrunners of A Small Light Tony Phelan and Joan Rater have got the look of this series down perfectly. There is incredible cinematography by Stuart Howell and Azul Serra. They use various lighting techniques to create a gritty look at times and the period look the show is set in. Lamps, chandeliers, or even sunlight make for various looks in the series. I’m blown away by how authentic this show looks. The look of it drew me in right away. 

Also, the mini-series has amazing costumes by Matthew Simonelli and terrific hair and makeup design by Lukas Baran and many others. The production design by Austin Lapierre and his crew was first-rate. This show looked as good as a show could be set during this era in history. All of these departments give it they’re A game in bringing this period in history to life. It’s as good as I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot of films and television shows about this dark time in history.

Besides the actors I’ve mentioned, many others play a role in bringing this amazing series to life. Billie Boullet as Anne Frank,  Ashley Brooke as Margot Frank, and Noah Tayler as Dr. Pfeffer are just a handful of the incredible people that bring this story to life. With a show like this, you have a massive cast and everybody plays an important role in bringing their characters to life. The cast is one of the best I’ve seen in any mini-series that has come out this year.

Another fine department within the context of the making of the series is the writers led by Ben Esler, Alyssa Marguerite Jacobson, and William Harper. These writers along with the creators have come up with a vision that is among the best this year. They use various techniques to tell this very difficult story. One of them is flashbacks. And with the vast cast, they have a lot of characters to write for. They keep the story focused on the main plot while also allowing many of the actors to shine as their characters. The writing is impeccable, to say the least.

ABC, Disney Plus, and National Geographic all have an absolute winner on their hands with A Small Light. Even though part of this story has already been told it hasn’t been told like this before. The mini-series depicts the events surrounding the life of Anne Frank better than ever before. The creators had a vision and all the departments who had a hand in making this ten-part series did an incredible job. Powley, Cole, Schrieber, and many other cast members brought their characters to life exceptionally well. I can see many Emmy Award Nominations in the future for this show. It’s one of the best mini-series I’ve seen all year. It depicts a very real-time history as well as I’ve ever seen before. 

8 episodes reviewed and they can be streamed on Disney Plus via Nat Geo

5 stars

Dan Skip Allen