Did anyone see the riveting film "The Rape of Europa" that was on PBS in 2008 about this same group of men and their rescue of the stolen art? Breathtaking. http://www.pbs.org/therapeofeuropa/
In a French movie from around 1967 called "A Man and A Woman", the eponymous characters are conversing, and this is said: "Life is more important than art." "You mean that if the house is burning, you should save the cat rather than the Rembrandt." "Yes." I have thought about those words many times since then. I do believe that Life is more important than Art, but does it really come down to that? Judging from the trailer, this movie seems to be holding, somewhat exaggeratedly, to the opposite point: that saving great art is tied to the saving of what ties our whole culture to its soul. And therefore, saving these paintings is worth losing lives for. I don't know. It would seem to me that neither of these extremes is exactly right. I'd be interested in what other people think.
Just saw this trailer in the theater tonight. Looks like a good one.
ReplyDeleteBill Murray?! I'm there!
ReplyDeleteDid anyone see the riveting film "The Rape of Europa" that was on PBS in 2008 about this same group of men and their rescue of the stolen art? Breathtaking.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pbs.org/therapeofeuropa/
Looks good. I like Matt Damon.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought it was about this:
http://delphine-angua.blogspot.co.nz/2008/05/curator-by-miller-williams-we-thought.html
In a French movie from around 1967 called "A Man and A Woman", the eponymous characters are conversing, and this is said: "Life is more important than art." "You mean that if the house is burning, you should save the cat rather than the Rembrandt." "Yes."
ReplyDeleteI have thought about those words many times since then. I do believe that Life is more important than Art, but does it really come down to that?
Judging from the trailer, this movie seems to be holding, somewhat exaggeratedly, to the opposite point: that saving great art is tied to the saving of what ties our whole culture to its soul. And therefore, saving these paintings is worth losing lives for.
I don't know. It would seem to me that neither of these extremes is exactly right.
I'd be interested in what other people think.
Hey Jim!
ReplyDeleteHere is an excellent book about saving the art in Europe during WWII. It's called "The Venus Fixers".
http://www.amazon.com/Venus-Fixers-Remarkable-Monuments-Officers/dp/0312429908/ref=la_B001PYX548_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382060744&sr=1-1
Enjoy!
-Gene
This came out after I finished my book about the same subject, stolen art during WWII. The Vault A Journey of Discovery. I liked the movie.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Vault-Journey-Discovery-Steven-Weaver-ebook/dp/B00CGAF3W2/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402245898&sr=1-4&keywords=steven+weaver