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It's the true but little known story of a group of art historians, curators and architects who were charged with going in to occupied Europe to try and retrieve looted art back from the nazis before they destroyed it.
I have to say both Ishbel and I loved the movie but it wasn't the greatest movie in terms of dialogue, which I found to be rather banal at times but the story needed to be given the wider audience recognition that it has; as from all accounts very few of us, including me, did not know about it before.
It was clearly a serious business and there were so very few of them but the film also relied on a good bit of humour, not laugh out loud humour but really chuckling at the screen humour. I also found myself welling up a little when a couple of these middle aged to elderly guys got killed in the line of duty, dying in their quest to save bits of canvas or marble for us to admire today. I can relate to that as Ishbel and I have traipsed round many a museum both here in the UK and in Europe and marvelled at many wonderful pieces of art that may well have been destroyed had it not been for The Monuments Men.
At just a smidgen under two hours I did think, mainly because of what I considered lack of meaningful dialogue, opening scene with Clooney and Mark Wallberg, sorry Matt Damon in the Met in New York and then at a bar as point in case, it was probably about 30 minutes too long, but never the less still enjoyed it immensely.
Ishbel gives it a 5 out of 5
Tom gives it a 4 out of 5
I'm a little worried it might be one of those Ocean's Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen kind of movies.
ReplyDeleteWell I can't comment on that my sweet as I have never actually watched one of those movies, no idea why not either! xxx
DeleteJim and I made it a full Date Day--first the movie, then out to dinner to relax and discuss/argue about the movie--a full day of no cooking, laundry, or dishes! We really liked THE MONUMENTS MEN. Several days earlier we saw an interview with one of the few remaining Mon. Men, and it was with the young Jewish guy who'd been sent to America to be safe, and then later enlisted in the Army because he still had a grandfather and others in Germany. In the film he's the one who listened to the German prisoners and caught the lies their translator told the American soldiers. He was very well cast in the movie and even today shares touching stories and some of the art that was retuned after his grandfather died in one of the camps. We especially liked the real black and white photographs at the end of the film, next to the movie scenes.
ReplyDeleteJulia, this is not one of the Oceans anything. This is an amazing film!
Marylin, I actually thought his character was under used. He was introduced as a driver and apart from that one bit where he exposed the Hauptmann/Captain he very much had a bit part. And it's nice to know that we 'old folk' are still having dates with our life partners too across the world xxxx Again I can't comment on the newer Oceans movies as I ain't seen any of them
DeleteOh, we 'old folk' over here are big fans of Date Day, Date Weekend, or on snowy days the favorite thing is Date Breakfast somewhere in mountains that requires driving in 4-wheel drive through snow!
ReplyDeleteActually, the scenes in this movie that I found most touching often included this character, young, watching and learning and helping, and he was usually a quiet presence in the background. There were so many great scenes in this movie that, as it turned out, were faithfully scripted from actual scenes. Jim's not big on seeing a movie twice, but since I want to see it again he's agreed. Sweet guy.
Yep, Ishbel and I love nothing more than getting out for a meal or latterly a movie, or strolling along by the river, coast, or one of the many parks in the area or I set up the table with candles and whip something up on the stove with some nice music playing in the background.
DeleteI did enjoy the movie but clearly not as much as you or Ishbel and I am a big fan of seeing certain movies over and over again, but nah, not back to see this one so soon, if and when it appears on the telly, I probably will ....... Kudos to Jim for going back so quick though ' LOVE IS......'
xxx