Recounting a true bit of history with the class and style this motion picture achieves is a rarity: bringing to the general public's attention as beautifully as this film delivers is a viewing opportunity that deserves very wide attention. Based on the true history of one of the most famous art forgers in history - Han Van Meergeren - the screenplay was written by John Orloff, Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby as adapted form the Jonathan Lopez novel 'The Man Who Made Vermeers,' the sensitive direction is by Dan Friedkin with ample assistance from Remi Adefarasin's cinematography, Arthur Max' production design, and the hauntingly beautiful musical score by Johan Söderqvist.
WW II soldier Joseph Piller (Claes Bang) investigates Dutch artist Han Van Meegeren (Guy Pierce) who is accused of conspiring with the Nazis in selling a rarely known painting by Vermeer to Hermann Göring. Piller questions Van Meegeren and gradually becomes convinced of the artist's innocence. In a fast paced struggle in and out of courtrooms and dark political situations, Piller, aided by his fiend, the bouncer Esper Dekker (Roland Møller), and female associate Minna Holmberg (Vicky Krieps), ultimately bring a 'qualified' degree of innocence to the artist only to make a strange discovery that make s significant impact on the story!
Or as the synopsis states well, 'While Joseph Piller a Dutch Jew, was fighting in the Resistance during the Second World War, the witty, debonair art connoisseur Han van Meegeren was hosting hedonistic soirées and selling Dutch art treasures to Hermann Göring and other top Nazis. Following the war, Piller becomes an investigator assigned the task of identifying and redistributing stolen art, resulting in the flamboyant van Meegeren being accused of collaboration - a crime punishable by death. But, despite mounting evidence, Piller, with the aid of his assistant Minna, becomes increasingly convinced of Han's innocence and finds himself in the unlikely position of fighting to save his life.
Danish actor Claes Bang offers an exemplary presence as the soldier who believes in truth and Guy Pearce is superb in the role of the strange and mysterious artist. The entire cast is excellent and the ensemble crew associated with the creation of this important film deserves kudos. This is one of those little films that somehow got lost in the pandemic isolation: it deserves wide viewing on wither DVD or Amazon Prime! Very highly recommended for history and art lovers!
WW II soldier Joseph Piller (Claes Bang) investigates Dutch artist Han Van Meegeren (Guy Pierce) who is accused of conspiring with the Nazis in selling a rarely known painting by Vermeer to Hermann Göring. Piller questions Van Meegeren and gradually becomes convinced of the artist's innocence. In a fast paced struggle in and out of courtrooms and dark political situations, Piller, aided by his fiend, the bouncer Esper Dekker (Roland Møller), and female associate Minna Holmberg (Vicky Krieps), ultimately bring a 'qualified' degree of innocence to the artist only to make a strange discovery that make s significant impact on the story!
Or as the synopsis states well, 'While Joseph Piller a Dutch Jew, was fighting in the Resistance during the Second World War, the witty, debonair art connoisseur Han van Meegeren was hosting hedonistic soirées and selling Dutch art treasures to Hermann Göring and other top Nazis. Following the war, Piller becomes an investigator assigned the task of identifying and redistributing stolen art, resulting in the flamboyant van Meegeren being accused of collaboration - a crime punishable by death. But, despite mounting evidence, Piller, with the aid of his assistant Minna, becomes increasingly convinced of Han's innocence and finds himself in the unlikely position of fighting to save his life.
Danish actor Claes Bang offers an exemplary presence as the soldier who believes in truth and Guy Pearce is superb in the role of the strange and mysterious artist. The entire cast is excellent and the ensemble crew associated with the creation of this important film deserves kudos. This is one of those little films that somehow got lost in the pandemic isolation: it deserves wide viewing on wither DVD or Amazon Prime! Very highly recommended for history and art lovers!