Movie: The Stolen Painting

The discovery of a painting by Egon Schiele that had been lost since 1939 provides the inspiration for French movie The Stolen Painting.

The painting was discovered in 2006 in the house of a young chemical worker living in regional France by a modern art specialist from a major international auction house.  It had been kept in a room heated by a coal stove for 70 years when discovered.

For his film, The Stolen Painting, writer/director, Pascal Bonitzer, conducted numerous interviews with auctioneers, gallery owners and antique dealers.

As a result, The Stolen Painting brings to life a true story albeit with a number of fictional characters.  It also provides an insight into the high-end art world.

It tells of brash 40-something André Masson (Alex Lutz), a hotshot modern art appraiser at prestigious high-end auction house Scottie’s. André receives a letter from lawyer Miss Egerman (Nora Hamzawi) suggesting her client, a young factory worker Martin (Arcadi Radeff), may have a Schiele in his home.

Despite his scepticism, André travels to view the canvas with his ex-wife Bettina (Léa Drucker) who is also an expert valuator. Both quickly realise the work, Sunflowers, is a Schiele masterpiece. It had been assumed the work of the Austrian painter had been destroyed by Nazi officials during the Second World War.

Their research reveals the man Martin purchased his house from was an active Nazi and the painting was stolen from its original Jewish owner.

The Stolen Painting then follows the fortunes of all those involved from its discovery to its eventual sale.

Naturally, given it is a movie `inspired` by real events, there are many twists and turns along the way, many of which spotlight the often cynical and ethically questionable world of high-end art sales and those who work in the field.

Twists include the rights of the painting’s true heirs, represented by family’s head – New York based Bob Wahlberg (Doug Rand).

Without the support of his less-than-reliable intern Aurore (Louise Chevillotte), another of these twists could have proved extremely costly for André.

All the actors are excellent in bringing their characters to life; although many of the main players aren’t necessarily that likeable, they are very believable.

Thanks to the work of the actors and the story itself which, seemingly, hasn’t deviated too far from the truth, The Stolen Painting offers an entertaining and ultimately feel-good insight into a world most of us know little about.

The Stolen Painting opens in cinemas around Australia on July 31.

*©PalaceFilms