What's the Difference between The Reader the Book and The Reader the Movie?
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
Hanna Schmitz
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Hanna Schmitz
Portrayed by: Kate Winslet
|
Michael Berg
|
Michael Berg
Portrayed by: David Cross
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Michael Berg (grown-up)
|
Michael Berg (grown-up)
Portrayed by: Ralph Fiennes
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| In the Book |
In the Movie |
|
Michael made two trips to the Struthof-Natzweiler concentration camp. |
He took only one trip to Auschwitz. |
|
They drive to the trial. Michael says he feels nothing when he sees Hanna. |
They take the train to the trail, with the professor. On the way in there are protestors, they discuss on the way home. Michael seems upset, during the trial, on the way home, and in a scene in his dorm after.
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This does not happen in the book. Also, the book sticks to the chronological order of the events, told looking back. |
Michael writes a poem about Hanna while she is swimming. He tells her he will read it to her one day. Then old Michael is looking at the book in present day. In fact, the movie goes back and forth between the past and present. |
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Michale takes a ride on Hanna's street car. But she ignores him and chats and jokes with the driver, glancing at him once. |
Hanna sees Michael, looks furious and slams the streetcar door separating the driver from the passengers.
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Michael mentions his time at the pool, but there is no dialogue. On his birthday he feels resentment for having to go to Hanna's but does not tell her it is his birthday. |
Scenes at the lake (rather than a pool) include dialogue. On his birthday he goes to
Hanna's. They fight and he tells her it is his birthday. He says he always has to apologize (his resentment over this is kept inside in the book). She slaps him when he tries to kiss her, then she gives him a scrub down, followed by love making. She tells him to go back to his friends. |