The story of the "Monuments Men," who saved many of Europe's art treasures from the destruction and chaos of World War II, is one of the great, previously untold stories of modern history. Many of these heroes were trained at Princeton or made careers at Princeton after the war.
Grab a bag of popcorn and join us during the opening weekend of The Monuments Men, starring George Clooney and Matt Damon, for a special screening. After the show, Museum Director James Steward will join Alfred Bush (who knew and worked with many of Princeton's Monuments Men) for a discussion with the audience.
The Monuments Men is an action-thriller focusing on an unlikely World War II platoon, tasked by FDR with going into Germany to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and returning them to their rightful owners. It would be an impossible mission: with the art trapped behind enemy lines, and with the German army under orders to destroy everything as the Reich fell, how could these guys—seven museum directors, curators, and art historians, all more familiar with Michelangelo than the M-1—possibly hope to succeed? But as the Monuments Men, as they were called, found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend humankind's greatest achievements.
Director: George Clooney
Stars: George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray
Rated PG-13
