Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • February 19, 2014 Select few attempt to save art stolen by the Nazis Frank Stokes (George Clooney) tells art curator James Granger (Matt Damon) about a plan to rescue art stolen by the Nazis in ‘The Monuments Men.’ by Dennis Seuling “The Monuments Men” is based on a true story, though the screenplay has veered off in terms of authenticity. It is a tale of rescue -- not of human beings, but of treasure. Adolf Hitler, an art fancier, had dreams of establishing the Fuhrer Museum, a massive structure intended to exhibit art masterpieces stolen from museums and pri- vate collectors. The war is winding down, and there is danger that these masterpieces, scattered throughout var- ious locations in Europe, will be either destroyed as the Allied invasion intensifies, or lost forever. Intelligence has discovered that Hitler will order the destruction of this art if Germany’s defeat is inevitable. A group of art historians, museum curators, and pro- fessors, most of whom are well beyond fighting age, is assigned to locate these works and make sure they are protected and returned to their rightful owners. Under the leadership of Frank Stokes (George Clooney), the team arrives in Europe and the members spread out to track down various leads. James Granger (Matt Damon) heads for Paris, where he looks up the imprisoned Claire Simon (Cate Blanchett), believed to be a Nazi collaborator. She is suspicious of Granger’s motives, fearing the art will never be returned. The other team members (Bill Murray, Hugh Bonnev- ille, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban) pursue leads that take them to Belgium and Germany, where battles are still raging. Sam Epstein (Dimitri Leonidas), an enlisted soldier who speaks German, joins them as translator. Though “The Monuments Men” is a decent movie, it fails to come together on a number of levels. The origi- nal art task force consisted of 350 people from several nations, which makes sense considering the scope of the task. Films traditionally take dramatic license, but believ- ing that six men could manage this massive undertaking is a stretch. The tone, too, is odd. There are humorous bits sprin- kled throughout, but they seem out of place because of serious life-and-death issues and an underlying gravi- tas that director Clooney brings to the picture. A speech given by his character hammers home the importance of preserving art as the history of a people. Star power is in abundance, but none of the actors except Blanchett truly shines. Hers is a well written role, and viewers understand her dedication to the art, her hatred of the Nazis, and her suspicion of the art “rescu- ers.” Clooney attempts to give each of the male leads a good scene or two, but never properly makes use of their talents. The picture has an authentic look and feel, with the assorted military equipment, uniforms, weapons, and even a few limited battle scenes, but this is all window dressing that can’t mask the movie’s flaws. The film is reminiscent of such 1960s war pictures as “Guns of Navarone,” “The Dirty Dozen,” and “The Great Escape,” in which a small group of men must over- come overwhelming odds to accomplish a near-impos- sible task. With less emphasis on action and more on detective work as time runs out, “The Monuments Men” never achieves the excitement of a war movie, and makes ferreting out the rare masterpieces seem methodical, but unimaginative. Rated PG-13, “The Monuments Men” tells a story not generally known and raises the question of whether human life should be sacrificed to locate and save art, however priceless. The film’s point of view is that it is essential.