WOMAN IN GOLD

UK, 2015, 109 minutes, Colour.
Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Bruhl, Katie Holmes, Tatiana Maslany, Max Irons, Charles Dance, Antje Trauer, Elizabeth Mc Govern, Jonathan Pryce, Frances Fisher, Moritz Bleibtreu, Tom Schilling, Allan Corduner, Henry Goodman.
Directed by Simon Curtis.

Woman in Gold is both interesting and entertaining.

In fact, this could be called two films in one, the first in the present, the story of Maria Altman and the painting, Woman in Gold, by Klimt, and the issue of restitution to families of stolen art which was stolen by the Nazis. The second story is in the flashbacks to the 1930s and 1940s, to Maria Altman’s family, the paging of Adele Bloch Bauer by Gustave Klimt and its confiscation by the Nazis.

While the story has its own drama and tensions, one of the principal drawing powers is the presence of Helen Mirren in the central role. It is almost 50 years since she began her career, an early appearance in the Australian film Age of Consent, the story of Norman Lindsay. Since then she has been a constant presence on stage, on television (particularly in the Prime Suspect series) and in many films, with a climax and her many awards, including the Oscar, for the 2006 portrait of Elizabeth, The Queen. Since then she has drawn audiences in such films as The Hundred Foot Journey as well as the spoof action films, Red and Red 2.

Maria Altman is certainly one of her most persuasive roles, an Austrian Jew, a child in the 1920s, marrying in the late 30s, experiencing, with her parents, the Nazi attacks and fleeing with her husband (in a quite dramatic and tense section of the film), settling in the United States, in Los Angeles and living there for many decades.

The film opens with the death of Maria’s sister and the discovery of the will of Adele and her wishes about the portrait by Klimt and its going to the Austrian gallery, Belvedere. In 1998, Maria wonders whether there is some claim to the painting and consults the son of a friend (who is, in fact, the grandson of the composer, Schoenberg, who had fled to the United States). He is played, unexpectedly, by Ryan Reynolds, starting with some diffidence, mixed motivation for helping, a change of heart, especially when he visits the Holocaust Memorial in Vienna and finally realises his Jewish heritage and his ancestors having to flee, committed to the cause despite setbacks over the years and finally acting on the courage of his convictions.

This makes the story in the present very interesting, with visits to Austria and an application to the specially constituted Committee for the Restitution of Art, Maria breaking a promise to herself never to return to Vienna and going to a conference and making an appeal for the Klimt portrait and other paintings which were stolen.

When the application is refused, there seems to be nothing else to do, but Randy Schoenberg discovers a catalogue for The Belvedere, printed in America, which gives a legal opportunity for the case to be heard, not only in a local court but all the way to the Supreme Court (with entertaining cameos by Elizabeth Mc Govern as the first judge and Jonathan Pryce as the Chief Justice).

There is great antagonism for representatives of the Belvedere, but support from a young Austrian journalist, who discovered his father was a Nazi, Hubertus (Daniel Bruhl).

The flashbacks are very well integrated into the story, the focus on Maria (with Helen Mirren’s powerful ability to indicate what her character is thinking and feeling, in close-up, without any words) and her remembering her past. The cumulative effect is that we are taken back into the heart of the family, the painting of the portrait, the character of Adele, her love for her nieces, Maria and the close bond with her parents, the joy of her wedding, her parents realising that they would have to stay, Maria’s escape with her husband.

This is a film that can be widely recommended to audiences who like a good story, some drama and find performances.

1. The title? The portrait by Klimt? Interest, entertainment?


2. Two stories combined, intercut? Dramatic effect?

3. The two periods, 1930s and 1940s, the 1990s onwards? The different styles, decor, costumes, atmosphere? The musical score?

4. The perspective on the Nazis, treatment of the Jews, persecution, humiliation, confiscation of artworks and property? The Holocaust and imprisonment and deaths? A rather calmer telling of the story, audiences identifying with the character and sharing the horror?

5. The opening funeral, the Jewish emphasis, Maria’s presence, her dead sister, the papers, the boxes in the house? The will, Klimt’s painting, ownership rights, restitution? Maria talking to her friend, mother of a lawyer, contact with the lawyer?

6. Randy sought out by Maria, tentatively visiting her, against the job and the situation, his wife, the child, her pregnancy? Financial issues? The failure in Pasadena? The interview, Sherman, his listening, impressed by Schoenberg’s music, offering him the job? Randy and Maria’s request, wary, looking through the papers, the cash value of the painting, asking Sherman and his being granted a week? Maria not wanting to go?

7. The flight to Vienna, the visuals of the city, the landmarks, the beauty of the city in itself? Seeing the city through Maria’s eyes, her reluctance to return, looking from the plane, remembering the past, the challenge in her memories to be true, the effect?

8. The meeting with the Austrian authorities, casual response, politeness? The committee and its listening to requests? Constituted for restitution of artworks?

9. The meeting with Hubertus, in himself, journalist, his magazine, his wanting to help, friendly, the story of his father and discovering he was a Nazi? His wanting to make amends? The investigations, supplying information, the contact and revealing the documents? His being present as support?

10. The conference, the committee for restitution, the speakers, Maria and her making the case, not being accepted?

11. Randy, his experience, the law, the possibilities? His attentiveness to legal detail? Going to the Holocaust Memorial, going aside to weep, the effect of realising his ancestry and the consequences?

12. His return home, explanations to his wife, her support, her pregnancy, wanting him to do the right thing, shocked at his resigning from the company?

13. Maria, strong character, the memories of her past, living in Los Angeles, her Germanic manner, the Jewish tradition? Her shop, wanting a new washing machine?

14. The memories from the past, the way that they were intercut, Maria’s memories? The painting, Klimt and Adele posing, her character, beauty, her husband, not having any children, a love for her nieces? The necklace, the gift to Maria, her place in society, Jewish? Her early death? Her will – and its later being contested as a will, her death, her husband and true ownership?

15. The 1930s, Maria and her love for her parents, as a couple, his playing the cello, the Nazi persecutions? The wedding, the joy, the son-in-law singing opera, the dancing? Maria and her love for her husband?

16. The time for escape, the brother warning Maria’s father, his leaving Austria? The father, staying, considered a dreamer? Too late to escape? For Maria to go? The sadness of the farewell? America, the language of a new country?

17. The drama of the escape, the friend owing the father and prepared to drive the couple, the plan to take the plane to Cologne? Going to the pharmacy, accompanied by the guard? Escape from the shop, the chase, people reporting them, others helping? The car, to the airport? Maria improvising about the reason for going to Cologne, the opera? The waiting, the two men being taken? In the plane, leaving, her weeping, going to the United States? A strong woman, her loving husband?

18. The personalities of the Austrian authorities, their reluctance to part with the portrait, the nationalism? The months passing, the Belvedere guide published in the United States, grounds for an American claim? Sherman and his not wanting to take a greater risk? The opposition, the Austrian official coming, the lawyer and his skills? The details of the hearing? The judge, her listening, her decision in favour of Maria?

19. The Estee Lauder heir, his discussions with Maria, offer to buy the painting, his gallery? Maria’s refusal? The later reconsidering?

20. Being allowed to go to the Supreme Court? The Austrian presence? the lawyer? Washington, the hearings, Randy and his inexperience, a sympathetic response of the Chief Justice, his comments and quips? Maria and waiting for the news? The victory?

21. The verdict, Maria not wanting to take it further? Not wanting to go to Austria again? The clash with Randy?

22. His determination, the birth of the baby, his wife?

23. Going to Vienna, the appeal for arbitration, the hearings, the Belvedere personnel present? Hubertus and his support? Maria’s arrival? The discussions, the decisions of the arbitrators? The Austrian and his pleading with Maria, her refusal?

24. The aftermath, the financial implications, the paintings going to the United States? Maria, her philanthropy? Dying at 94? Randy, his family, his practice and restitution of art?

25. The finale, the Maria going into her past, the various characters in her life, looking at her, her joy and the joy in her presence?