While conducting research for The English Masterpiece, I read numerous books (both fiction and nonfiction) about art, forgery, deception, painting, insurance… anything and everything I could get my hands on in order to create a compelling art forgery caper. But sometimes, rather than venture into the story itself, we just want to settle down in our favorite armchairs and let a movie present the story to us. And if it’s an art story, it’s usually a beautiful, sensorial, and emotive journey—as art always involves emotion. Add in some forgery and the stakes, intrigue, and tension rise—all of which make for a great viewing experience. Here are five movies to check out if you want a taste of the art world’s high-stakes glamor and power, while having a little fun along the way.
How to Steal a Million (1966, starring Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole)
Set and filmed in Paris, this delightful caper stars Audrey Hepburn as Nicole Bonnet, the daughter of a forger, who enlists the help of an insurance investigator posing as a burglar (Peter O’Toole), to steal one of her father’s works before the museum discovers his con. Yes, they steal the piece back, but in this light-hearted romp, it’s Hepburn who steals away with your heart, resplendent in a dizzying number of gorgeous Givenchy dresses.
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999, starring Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo)
While this is technically a remake of the 1968 movie with the same title, that one revolved around a bank heist, while Brosnan’s centers upon a forgery and an audacious theft at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Renee Russo plays the insurance investigator who immediately stumbles upon Brosnan’s charade then falls in love with him. It’s got it all — glamour, art, forgery, theft, daring-do, and romance.
Ocean’s Eight (2018, starring a massive cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, Awkwafina, Sarah Paulson, and more…)
This film’s cast will stun you and, during the Met Gala scene, you’ll spot more luminaries playing themselves in delightful cameos. Sandra Bullock, playing Debbie Ocean (Danny Ocean’s sister) is the mastermind here and, with the help of her team, forges a diamond necklace worth $150M and steals the real under the bright lights and cameras of the gala. It’s super-fun, campy, and full of great gowns and gorgeous jewels. Don’t forget the popcorn.
Big Eyes (2014, starring Amy Adams)
Now we turn to the more emotional side greed and forgery. Amy Adams gives a wonderful and poignant performance as Margaret Keane, an artist whose work and signature “Keane Eyes” became famous in the early 1960s. Yet while she painted, her husband Walter Keane stole the credit. It wasn’t until after their divorce and a subsequent “paint-off” challenge in court, which Walter refused to participate in, that Margaret received both attribution and $4M in damages.
Woman in Gold (2015, starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds)
Here’s another art movie that involves theft of a different nature, and one [meaning the movie or the theft?] that will pull on your heartstrings. Helen Mirren gives a stunning performance as Maria Altmann in this true story of Altmann’s fight to reclaim Klimt’s iconic painting of her aunt Adele Bloch-Bauer, stolen by the Nazis in Vienna on the eve of WWII. With Ryan Reynolds playing her lawyer, the duo take their international case all the way to Supreme Court of the United States in Republic of Austria v. Altmann (2004). While the masterpiece is obviously worth millions, this movie does a wonderful job of looking past the money to people behind the art, asking what “restitution” means when something so meaningful is taken from a family, and showing how one person’s sacrifices can help others heal.
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