The Monuments Men
review by
ANIZ FILMVALA
*****
Directed by George Clooney ‘The Monuments Men’ is a true
story and a tribute to the unsung heroes who lost their life in the search
operation of the priceless art treasure, the history says that In World War II around
in 1943, Frank Stokes [George Clooney ] persuades the US President that triumph
of the allies will be insignificant if the art treasures of Western society are
vanished or stolen in the warfare. Hence to recover the missing art and to
restore it he is ordered to bring together an Army unit as designated ‘The Monuments
Men’ as a team of seven come together to guide Allied units and search for
stolen art.
Somewhere in occupied Paris, Claire Simone[Cate Blanchett] a
curator, is forced by a Nazi officers like Viktor Stahl to keep an eye on the
theft of art for Adolf Hitler's proposed Führermuseum in Linz.James Granger[Matt
Damon] comprehend that Simone will not assist with those who are art looters. So
the unit makes division to search for various objectives to be successful. While
In the search Donald Jeffries[Hugh Bonneville] of the British Army is killed
attempting to prevent the Nazi Colonel Wegner from stealing a statue of the
Madonna and Child by Michelangelo.
In conclusion, they locate a German mine which is devastated
and is in the part of the Soviet occupied region. Finally they recover the enormous
quantity of gold and invaluable artwork.
Though the film lacks the pace and vivid truth of such heist
which occurred. It’s more of a comedy with witty lines and an ensemble cast of
great oldies. Some brilliant outdoor scenes shot by American Cinematographer Phedon
Papamichael is praise worthy, a soothing background score by Alexandre Desplat
which matches with the period and gratifies the pleasure of watching the movie.
Cast
George Clooney as Lt.
Frank Stokes
Matt Damon as Lt.
James Granger
Bill Murray as Sgt.
Richard Campbell
John Goodman as Sgt.
Walter Garfield
Jean Dujardin as Lt.
Jean Claude Clermont
Bob Balaban as Pvt.
Preston Savitz
Hugh Bonneville as
Lt. Donald Jeffries
Cate Blanchett as
Claire Simone
Sam Hazeldine as
Colonel Langton
Dimitri Leonidas as
Sam Epstein
