The Monuments Men Movie Is Worth Watching

By Jaclyn Hurley


It is not often that a new film open that has an all star cast, a great storyline and wonderful locations. Yet the Monuments Men movie has managed to do all three. The iconic George Clooney is the driving force behind the entire project. Not only did he take the starring role, but also directed and co wrote the film.

The film is based on a book by Robert M. Edsel, which was based on facts. It was released on February 7, 2014 to some mixed reviews. Many critics feel that they producer tried to do too much. Condensing such a huge and interesting story into a feature film is never easy. However, it has received much praise for the excellent recreation of the era, with most scenes being shot in Europe providing much authenticity.

During the Nazi occupation of many European countries many officers began to take art treasures. This included priceless paintings, sculptures and much more. By 1943 it was widely known that on Hitler's orders massive number of valuable treasures had been taken. Some were heading for the Fuhrer's own collection, others to his planned museum in Linz and others to the private collections of his officers including the head of the Luftwaffe Hermann Goering.

Both the British and American governments were aware of the large scale looting and realized that something had to be done. It was becoming clear that the Allies were most likely going to be victorious, even if the end of the war was still years away. But what would that victory be worth if most of the art treasures of western civilization were lost for ever.

It quickly becomes clear that the extent of the problem is far greater that they had imagined. Not only is it becoming clear to everyone that the allies will most likely win the war, the Russian army is advancing across eastern Europe. The Russians are also on the trail of lost art works, but they have no intentions of returning them. Instead, they consider anything they can find the spoils of war and are quickly shipping it back east.

The movie has been praised for its excellent scenes and locations. To keep things as authentic as possible much of the film was shot on location in Europe. Audiences can enjoy scenes set at historically accurate British air force camps. Every effort has been made to maintain the seriousness of the message, whilst adding a little humor and some great actors.

One particularly poignant scene is when the team find a cache of hidden art treasures, that also contains a bag of gold fillings extracted from the mouths of concentration camp victims. It emphasises to the shocked viewer that people were reduced to the status of objects and even after death their bodies were desecrated.

Overall the movie achieves its goal of educating the public about one of the forgotten aspects of war. It also touches on topics such as the treatment of Jews at the hands of the Nazi's when the men find bags of gold fillings along with works of art. It moves along nicely and has enough humor to keep audiences entertained.




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