Woman In Gold (2015)
Certified: 12A
Duration: 109 minutes
Directed by: Simon Curtis
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl, Katie Holmes, Tatiana Maslany, Max Irons, Charles Dance, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Pryce, Moritz Bleibtreu
KRS Releasing Ltd

In 1998 Los Angeles, shopkeeper Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) has just lost her sister. She asks about young lawyer Randol Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), who is married to Pam (Katie Holmes) and has a child. He had tried running an independent firm but when he did not succeed ended up working for Sherman (Charles Dance).

Maria wants him to help her as her country of birth, Austria, is giving back restitution to those who had their property taken over by the Nazis during World War II.

At that time, Maria (Tatiana Maslany) was 21 years old, married to Fritz (Max Irons) and came from a wealthy family who owned, among other artistic treasures, the famous Gustav Klimt painting Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. Adele (Antje Traue) was Maria’s aunt. When Vienna was taken over by the Nazis, they looted this portrait, also known as The Woman in Gold.

Randy and Maria call in investigator journalist Hubertus Czernin (Daniel Bruhl) to bring her case in front of the Austrian Restitution Committee to have this piece of art and others given back. At one point, elements of doubt will come in, and all hope seems lost. But Randy perseveres and even when he returns to the US, he will do all he can to set things right.

Mirren as Maria Altmann plays her role with all the mirth and bravado she can muster, which is a lot! Reynolds is very subdued as I can imagine he felt like a fish out of water. He is not used to playing such a role and, even more so, next to Hollywood royalty. However, he ends up being better than one would have expected from him.

The film plays on various contrasts. The characters of Mirren and Reynolds make for an odd couple, where he is all bite and she looks like an eccentric diva. There are even visual contrasts between the Vienna of Maria’s childhood –full of life and colour – and the Austrian capital under the Nazis, which is grey and foreboding. Maslany delivers a strong presence and shows why this young Canadian actress is being regarded as one of the upcoming actresses.

Director Simon Curtis here neatly places together the present day and flashbacks in a seamless fashion, and with no muss, no fuss, lets the characters do the talking in what is a sentimental piece of history telling.

The film brings together elements of the Holocaust, injustice, the government vs the individual and the issue of artistic property. The fact that this is a true life story makes for even more interesting viewing.

The director has delivered a very British affair in style, format and content, and has a very BBC feel to it. Actually, BBC Films is its production company.

What is very important here is also the appreciation of Gustav Klimt’s artwork which goes beyond simply the monetary value of his works.

The background and sentimental value that is placed behind the art in question makes us feel more attached not only to the characters and the battle for ownership, but also feel more connected to the Woman in Gold that has captivated all those who have laid eyes on her.

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