We live in a throw away society, a world where everything is
expendable and ready to be tossed aside once we've finished with it. Kids today
seem only interested in themselves and what's going on in the present, never
caring what happened before they were born. The saddest part of this is the
fact that in being this way they never expose themselves to some of the
greatest things in the world, everything from classic novels to pieces of art
that have survived centuries. With any luck a few of them will watch THE
MONUMENTS MEN and consider doing so.
George Clooney stars as Frank Stokes, a military officer in
World War II who presents a case to President Roosevelt about the famous works
found in museums in Europe. In this presentation he shows Roosevelt famous
pieces of art that have gone missing, supposedly taken by Hitler to be put on
display when he wins the war in a specially built structure. That is if he
doesn't damage them first or if the allies don't damage them while fighting
battles from one town to the next. Stokes request is that a special select
group of men work to save these pieces of art before they are all destroyed.
Given the go ahead, he assembles his team.
The team is small. There aren't that many people qualified or
willing to be a part. Each has their own role to play in helping with this
seemingly impossible task. Included in the group are James Granger (Matt
Damon), Richard Campbell (Bill Murray), Walter Garfield (John Goodman), Jean
Claude Clermont (Jean Dujardin), Preston Savitz (Bob Balaban) and Donald
Jeffries (Hugh Bonneville). These are the Monuments men, the elite group that
sets out to fulfill the task Stokes has set forth. Granger is sent undercover
to find out as much information as he can concerning the whereabouts of artwork
stolen in France. The rest are split into teams and sent searching for other
various artifacts.
Using various methods they accumulate enough knowledge that
they discover a pattern used in the transport of these works of art. It appears
that each location on the map they point out with the clues presented there are
underground mines where the art has been stored, at least in part. As the
troops move forward, the team accompanies them in an attempt to fulfill their
mission. Placing their lives in danger, not all will come home, but each will
play his part in this truly historic mission.
This gives you the basic idea of what the movie is about.
What it doesn't do is show the admiration these men had for not just the task
at hand but the items they were sent to save. While some might find a Rembrandt
of a museum quality piece of artwork in a foreign church boring, these men look
upon each with reverence and respect. The military might see their job as
unworthy of their efforts but a twist results in them finding more than they
bargained for.
Based on the true story of this team the movie offers it
all. There is plenty of camaraderie among the team, an affection that develops
between them as they move forward. There is the awe that each one inspires with
the items they find. There is humor in various moments where things can be
light hearted. And there is tragedy as some fall to the enemy.
What makes this movie important though is to consider what
it was they actually accomplished. To think that some of these pieces might
have disappeared (which some actually did) makes their story one of success
where few thought it could happen. That they were able to rescue as much as
they did is an amazing feat and one that should be lauded. I found it amazing
that it took this long for their story to be told.
The movie offers not just great entertainment but a piece of
history that all should be made aware of. It's a film that young people should
see to realize that there was a world out there before they were born and that
many things they take for granted could simply have not been there if not for
the efforts of people like this. Ipads, Ipods and Facebook are all great things
but not near as great as what these people saved. It would be nice to know that
at least a few people in the world appreciate the work that they did. Hopefully
young people will find enough interest to watch this movie and feel a bit of
that.
Click here to order.
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