Released in 2008, Kate Winslet’s The Reader is one of a kind. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, the film left its viewers speechless. Based on a German novel of the same name, The Reader was nominated for five Academy Awards in 2009, out of which it won one – Kate Winslet’s first and only Oscar so far.
There is a scene in the film where Kate Winslet’s Hanna Schmitz is trying to prove her innocence at a trial where several SS guards were accused of letting 300 Jewish women and children die in a fire. The trial ended with Hanna pleading guilty to writing a report which stated that the guards did not know about the fire until the morning. While Hanna was not the one to write the report, the reason why she lied still breaks the heart of many viewers, and rightly so.
Kate Winslet’s Emotional Scene in The Reader
Years before the events of the trial, Ralph Fiennes’ Michael Berg was romantically involved with Kate Winslet’s Hanna despite the latter being 21 years older than him. They eventually part ways. Cut to the present, Michael is now a law student observing a trial of former SS guards accused of letting prisoners die in a fire.
To his shock, he realizes that one of the defendants at the trial is none other than Hanna.
At the trial, Ilana and Rose, who were the only two survivors of the fire, testified that the guards locked the doors from outside in order to stop the prisoners from escaping. Eventually, Hanna admits that it was indeed a Nazi concentration/extermination camp.
While the report states that the guards did not know about the fire till the morning, an overwhelmed Hanna admits that this was a lie and that they had deliberately locked the doors from outside so that the prisoners couldn’t escape.
Needless to say, the report was false and the one who wrote it was going to be in deep trouble. Hanna’s co-defendants put the blame on her but she kept trying to prove her innocence throughout the scene. When the judge orders her to give a sample of her handwriting, she ends up confessing to writing the report.
But we all know that Hanna was not the woman who inked the report. The question is, why did she confess? Well, as Fiennes’ Michael too slowly realizes the truth, we learn that Hanna is illiterate.
This was clear proof that she could not have written the report and was a strong point in proving her innocence. But Hanna, ashamed of her illiteracy, decides to take the blame on herself rather than letting everyone know the truth.
Winslet successfully managed to make the audience feel what Hanna felt as she pleaded guilty at the trial. The emotions of shame and resignation are absolutely heart-wrenching for the audience to watch.
Fans React to Kate Winslet’s Scene
It has been over 15 years since The Reader was released but Winslet’s performance has left a lasting impact on fans who keep returning to watch the scene where Hanna confesses to writing the report.
In the comment section of the YouTube video showing this particular scene from the controversial movie, fans couldn’t help but applaud the actress’ raw and hard-hitting performance. Calling it one of the most powerful scenes of all time, fans admitted that they still shed a tear or two every time they come across this moment from the film.
Here’s what some of them had to say about the scene:
@Frivolous_ – No matter how many times I watch this scene, I can’t hold my tears.
@PrimalElf – One of the most powerful scenes of all time. Kate Winslet is amazing.
@arminarlert1953 – I thought at first. What a dragging movie. But then it builds up to this. Such a magnificent movie. It brought tears.
@ogbodupeter4488 – If you watch this, movie and your eyes were dry the entire time, you have no soul.
@Zainab-jb7lr – This is one of my favorite movies. She is phenomenal in it… the way she transitioned to different ages… her death scene broke my heart.
@josephgonzales8897 – Omg……….what an incredible scene……..my heart is breaking.
The Reader was criticized by many for trying to show a concentration camp guard in a sympathetic light. Still, one cannot deny that this was one of Winslet’s best performances to date.
The Reader is available to stream on Prime Video.
