For many years, Gustav Klimt's shimmering 1907 Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer hung in Vienna's Belvedere Museum. But viewers of this so-called “Mona Lisa of Austria” had no idea that Nazis stole the painting from the estate of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. This compelling true story follows the battle waged by elderly Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) and her Los Angeles attorney, Randol Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), to retrieve what rightfully belonged to Altmann's family. The daughter of a wealthy Jewish industrialist, Maria grew up in a cultured home, filled with art and music. But when Nazi forces took over in 1938, she was forced to flee with her husband (Max Irons). These are horrific memories she'd rather leave behind, but when Maria discovers the whereabouts of her aunt's portrait, she reluctantly decides to return to her homeland to pursue ownership. Director Simon Curtis somewhat heavy-handedly interweaves historical flashback segments with proceedings in a court case that would result in a landmark legal decision. As the refined yet tartly obdurate propelling force, Mirren is incomparable. Unfortunately, blandly superficial Reynolds seems miscast as her inexperienced advocate. In supporting roles, Jonathan Pryce scores as U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, while Daniel Brühl is memorable as a helpful Viennese journalist. Also appearing are Tatiana Maslany, who adroitly captures the younger Maria's spirit and composure; Katie Holmes as Schoenberg's wife; Charles Dance as his boss; and Elizabeth McGovern as a sympathetic judge. Recommended, overall. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Simon Curtis and producer David M. Thompson, a “making-of” featurette (24 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a press conference at the Neue Galerie New York featurette (11 min.). Bottom line: a solid extras package for an interesting true story.] (S. Granger)
Woman in Gold
Anchor Bay, 108 min., PG-13, DVD: $29.98, Blu-ray: $34.99, July 7 Volume 30, Issue 4
Woman in Gold
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