History Film / TheMonumentsMen

The story involves the adventures of the US Army's UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, aka "The Monuments Men." They were a collection of various art experts who were tasked to minimize damage to works of art and fine architecture during combat and to find and recover as many as possible pieces of art stolen by the Nazis in their conquest of Europe.

* GoldTooth: The Men find [[FinalSolution an entire barrel full of them]].

* ArtisticLicenseArt: Stokes gives a lecture to Roosevelt and identifies a work by "Da Vinci", rather than Leonardo. This is a classic post -- ''Literature/TheDaVinciCode'' mistake that '''no''' art historian -- and certainly none living in the 1940s -- would have made. The ''name'' of the artist was Leonardo and he ''was born'' in the town of Vinci -- Leonardo Da Vinci means "Leonardo, of Vinci".

* HiddenInPlainSight: The Men tear the last mine apart trying to find the last panel of the Ghent Altarpiece, only to find it [[spoiler:wrapped in a blanket and being used as a table]].

** The Germans did not destroy the art held in the mines. The Nero Decree did not mention archives or art at all. In fact Hitler specifically ordered that all the art be left to German museums upon his death. While the Germans did destroy some art, it was all art they considered "degenerate", which does not cover most of the art depicted in the film (though Picasso's were indeed on the list), and the mines were reserved for art they intended to keep. Hitler actually considered the Ghent Altarpiece an example of "Aryan genius". In addition, there is little evidence that the Monuments Men knew of the Decree.

** This isn't the [[Film/{{Downfall}} first time]] that Justus von Dohnányi was fighting for Germany.

** This isn't the [[Film/{{Downfall}} first time]] that Justus von Dohnányi was fighting for [[ThoseWackyNazis Germany]].

''The Monuments Men'' is a 2014 War Movie directed by Creator/GeorgeClooney and starring himself, Creator/MattDamon, Creator/BillMurray, Creator/JohnGoodman, Creator/JeanDujardin, Creator/BobBalaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Creator/CateBlanchett. It is based on the history book ''The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History'' by Robert M. Edsel.

* HypocriticalHumor: Stokes gripes over the flippancy of the Soviets naming their art unit the "Trophy Commission". Granger points out that "Monuments Men" is NotSoDifferent.

* NotSoDifferent:
** The Nazi soldier found in the woods by two of the men, after their standoff.
** The Russians are also revealed to have their own team of art recoverers, albeit men who keep the art for Russia.

* YourCheatingHeart: Averted -- Granger stays faithful to his wife despite Claire dropping hints that she's interested and noting that he is, after all, in Paris.

-->'''Granger''': ''"If it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking German right now."''
-->'''Simone''': ''"Wrong. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead right now, but I would still speak French."''

* DramaticIrony

* {{Foreshadowing}}

* GenreBlindness: [[spoiler: Jean-Claude]] is this when he stops the car to pet that wild horse [[spoiler: and there's a group of enemy soldiers hiding in the undergrowth]].

* GracefulLoser: [[spoiler: The Russian leader of the "trophy brigade", once he finds the American flag in front of the salt mine.]]

* NotSoDifferent: The Nazi soldier found in the woods by two of the men, after their standoff. The Russians are also revealed to have their own team of art recoverers, albeit men who keep the art for Russia.

* OhCrap

** Garfield and Clermont realise they're out in the open between an American and a German patrol.

* PullTheThread: Two of the Monuments Men are led to a farmer who was an "arts student," who is in reality Viktor Stahl, one of the Nazis in charge of the looting in Paris. The fugitive tries to pass off the paintings in his house as mere copies, but the experts are able to tell in seconds that they are the real ones with clear evidence they are stolen and make him squirm with their questions until they arrest him.

* RunningGag: French people constantly asking Granger to please ''not speak French.'' He states that he learned it in Quebec, but apart from some slang, he's beyond terrible in that dialect as well (pronunciation, grammar, syntax are all wrong and he is barely understandable).

''The Monuments Men'' is a 2014 War Movie directed by Creator/GeorgeClooney and starring himself, Creator/MattDamon, Creator/BillMurray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Creator/BobBalaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Creator/CateBlanchett. It is based on the history book ''The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History'' by Robert M. Edsel.

!!Tropes displayed include:

*** In the film he gives a lecture to Roosevelt and identifies a work by "Da Vinci", rather than Leonardo. This is a classic post -- ''Literature/TheDaVinciCode'' mistake that '''no''' art historian -- and certainly none living in the 1940s -- would have made. The ''name'' of the artist was Leonardo and he ''was born'' in the town of Vinci -- Leonardo Da Vinci means "Leonardo, of Vinci".

''The Monuments Men'' is a 2014 War Movie directed by Creator/GeorgeClooney and starring himself, Creator/MattDamon, Creator/BillMurray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Creator/CateBlanchett. It is based on the history book ''The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History'' by Robert M. Edsel.

* PacingProblems: Many reviews cited this issue with the film. The film goes off on too many arcs at once, and sometimes shows two events back and forth at the same time which have little relation to each other. One historian wrote that the story(s) may have been better suited for a TV series than a movie.

** Claire Simone is based on Rose Valland, and while she and Rorimer did indeed work closely together, the romantic subplot was made up for the movie. Donald Jeffries was based on Ronald Balfour, who was indeed killed, but in different circumstances unconnected to the Madonna of Bruges.

* RunningGag: French people constantly asking Granger to please ''not speak French.'' He states that he learned it in Quebec, but apart from some slang, he's beyond terrible in that dialect as well (pronounciation, grammar, syntax are all wrong and he is barely understandable).

* TheAtoner: Jeffries regards his WW2 service as making up for his alcoholism, which has ruined his reputation and [[WellDoneSonGuy disgraced his father]]. His father even writes to Stokes, thanking him for giving his son the [[RedemptionEqualsDeath chance to redeem himself]].

** AlexandreDesplat not only composed the score but also appears onscreen as a member of the Resistance in several scenes (he plays Emile, who helps Granger get to Paris).

** Despite their earlier animosity, Savitz plays the record sent by Campbell's wife and children over the camp PA system.