CLIP TRAILER THE MONUMENTS MEN USA Production: George Cloney Direction: George Cloney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett Starring: Phedon Papamichael Cinematography: Stephen Mirrione Edited by: Alexandre Desplat Music by: SYNOPSIS Based on a true story, the film is an action drama focusing on a special unit of art experts, led by Frank Stokes, aimed at protecting artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves. An impossible mission with art masterpieces behind enemy lines. But against all odds, seven people (museums directors, curators, architects, art historians) more familiar with Titian than weapons, decide to risk their lives in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture. Their mission becomes even more urgent when the team learns about Hitler’s “Nero Decree”, which orders the destruction of the artworks if the Third Reich falls. Finally, Stokes reports back to President Truman that the team has recovered vast quantities of artwork and various other culturally significant items. As he requests to stay in Europe to oversee further searching and restoration, Truman asks Stokes if his efforts were worth the lives of the men that he lost. Stokes firmly replies that they were. BEFORE WATCHING 8 Answer the questions. Why do you think this film is often shown in schools? According to the synopsis, what do you expect the main characters to be like? Do you expect them to behave like trained soldiers? Where do you think the film is set? Is there a happy ending? 1. 2. 3. 4. 9 Choose the right word to complete this review. The movie’s best quality is its effort to how hard it is to make a moral or philosophical case for their mission when millions have already died. When a field informs Stoke (played by Clooney) that even though a particular church contains significant art, they’ll still bomb it, if the Germans decide to use it as a hiding place, you understand in terms what American soldiers must have seen and suffered. The Monuments Men presents its main not as heroes, but as educated people who are trying to convince soldiers who saw horrible things that their goal deserves to be pursued. They are mostly too old or out-of-shape to be soldiers, and they are aware that the combat troops they pass in the field would support their mission only to the point where they had to choose between saving a Picasso and getting shot. 1. show / persuade / assess 2. soldier / officer / Nazi 3. objective / practical / theoretical 4. characters / actors / actresses 5. cute / effective / hopeless
