George Clooney and the Raiders of the Lost Art

George Clooney and the Raiders of the Lost Art
 
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The actor completed his new film, "The Monuments Men" on rescue works stolen by the Nazis. Meet a star at work.
 
Bad Grund, southwest of Goslar, Lower Saxony, in the heart of the Harz Mountains, Germany. Forty-third day of filming The Monuments Men, the fifth film as director George Clooney. The day before, on 6 May, he celebrated his 52 years. It is 11 h 25 and tumbling here at base camp, and dashing mustache, jeans and blue hooded sweatshirt navy. A broad smile, he launched a "Willkommen!" Of circumstance, together with a solid handshake. He just put the box in the first stage of the day and worried about the rain that could jeopardize the next level in the coming hours.
 
Adapted from the bestseller by Robert Edsel, The Monuments Men (Editions JC Lattes) tells the extraordinary treasure hunt of a group of experts convened on the initiative of General Eisenhower and under the leadership of President Roosevelt. Their mission: to find the thousands of works of art confiscated by the Nazis on the orders of Hitler. "I'm attracted to unconventional projects, says Clooney. And I've always wanted to make a film against the backdrop of World War II, like the ones I like: The Train, John Frankenheimer, The Great Escape, John Sturges, and A Bridge Too Far, Richard Attenborough. The history of these men is truly unique monuments. These men were not heroes, but for the most part, fifties or more in 1944 landed on the beaches of Normandy and left to fend for themselves in their quest. Nobody wanted to help. I shoot in anamorphic to give an epic dimension. The pace will be supported, peppered with funny moments, like The Dirty Dozen! Often in tragic times, humor is the only antidote. It was important to incorporate this element, without neglecting action thriller, nor of course betray the memory of this commando like no other. "
 
For the cast, Clooney and Grant Heslov, his longtime producer (they have been friends for thirty years), have applied their usual criteria. "Bringing together a nice group of actors company, uncomplicated and with whom we get along well, which makes everything easier." John Goodman, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville responded to the call. "To convince Matt Damon, Clooney jokes, we have simply told him it would be the star of the movie!"
 
"I regret not speak French"
Cate Blanchett plays a French resistant stationed at the Jeu de Paume Museum. The character was inspired by the true Rose Valland durable big secret that lived in the stolen works, which facilitated their return after the war. Not to mention - crowing! - Jean Dujardin, whose character is modeled on Jacques Jaujard, director of the National Museum at the time. "It is great, you see, promises Clooney. So good that I wanted to remove from her first scene! This is a great imitator: he imitated everyone. I'm sorry I do not speak French because it is hilarious. I think we would be good friends if we speak the same language. "
 
The real names of monuments men have been changed. "To have more freedom to do less perfect and idealized characters," explains Clooney, who plays Frank Stokes, aka George Stout, chief curator of the Fogg Museum at Harvard. This was the true leader of the network, a remarkable man. But for dramatic reasons, I assigned some flaws. "Matt Damon, meanwhile, is James Granger, inspired by James Rorimer, curator at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. "I consider myself well versed on the history of World War II, says the actor, encased in a deliberately ill-fitting uniform. But I knew nothing of the monuments men before George asked me to be part of the project. What I learned I was fascinated. "
 
A disused mine in part serves as a backdrop to the sequence of the day, the action is supposed to take place by April 1945. This is the perfect replica of Altaussee, Austria, where, since 1943, had been piled about 10,000 masterpieces as invaluable Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, the Van Eyck brothers or Madonna Bruges by Michelangelo, all stolen from museums or collectors Jews. The Führer's intended for his megalomaniac project museum in Linz, he wanted to make a cultural capital. Some works have been reproduced for the purposes of the film. "The Madonna of Michelangelo took several months and the result is fabulous," says Clooney.
 
Capricious weather
While his cinematographer adjusts the frame, the actor-director provides some guidelines for a wide shot. IMs are in their brands at gunpoint. All extras are German. At the entrance of the mine, gaping hole immersed in darkness, waiting for a military truck tarpaulin. Two men are working on the back: Bill Murray and John Goodman, helmets, uniform and pistol belt. They monitor the loading crates believed to contain the tables found. The vehicle once loaded, they boarded. "Cut!" Says Clooney before approaching actors. "It still happens to me to make blunders as director, he confessed later. I often tend to give indications game by putting myself in their place. "
 
Three strikes, it's time to shoot the scene from a different angle. Clooney turns quickly. He does not like to waste time. Accurate, efficient and focused, but also very relaxed. Often joke impresses others in a good humor. "Directing a film is a bit like being at the head of an army, he says. We must learn to adapt and react instantly to face a lot of problems. It's a constant race against time because of logistics, because we have many different designs, extras and unpredictable weather ... "He looked up to heaven:" As you can see "Persistent rain! forced the team to pack up the equipment. Actors can change.
 
In early May, there was still thirty-two days of shooting. Then George Clooney is attached to the assembly in his Villa Oleandra Lake Como. "Ideally, he said, I'd like the film, in addition to its entertainment value, raises awareness about the importance of preserving our cultural heritage, regardless of its origin ... America has committed many mistakes in this field. Remember the Battle of Baghdad where they had left destroy the museums without intervening. We did well we pay the consequences. "Message received.
 
The release of The Monuments Men in France is scheduled Feb. 5, 2014.
 
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Love this article's heading - hope it catches on. Our friend at Frenchies have this too - thank you to both

I like the artical too. Specially the line:

"To convince Matt Damon, Clooney jokes, we have simply told him it would be the star of the movie!"

Nicky80 wrote:I like the artical too. Specially the line:

"To convince Matt Damon, Clooney jokes, we have simply told him it would be the star of the movie!"

......and that was followed through by Matt's position on both film posters !

Good move IMO.

Great article and it makes me feel so much better about the film....and yes that is a great line about MD.  


I love behind the scenes info....so interesting to read about the process of making a film.

Good article. I like the language (french) remark. My friend everytime she get´s frustrated with the pronaunciation says :" In France, it's l´herpès. And it makes it so much better."  

Yeah Bagdad was disaster, amount of art destroyed there...

Thanks so much Nicky this is another great find I save all of these articles, so I really appreciate them. I don't always have time to look for them. Thanks again.