A great movie about an interesting topic...

Rating: 10/10 (24 July 2015)

It is one of those perdurable questions of the Nazi era. Who is the rightful owner of that art stolen by the Nazis? Does an heir have a right to that artwork that had been stolen; how does the heir assert that right? Question of the value of the art is irrelevant.
In this instance--"Woman in Gold"--is about Gustav Klimt's painting "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer" which hung in the private home of Maria Altmann's family in Vienna. When the Nazis took over, the possessions of the Altmann family were stolen.
Maria Altmann left Austria just before the beginning of World War II; many years later, at the death of her sister, she realizes that the painting of her aunt Adele is now hanging in the Belvedere Museum, Austria. She wants either recompense for the painting or the painting returned. The Belvedere fights her on both counts.
The movie describes the emotional and legal turmoil of this kind of challenge re ownership and right to ownership. And once the heir asserts and wins ownership what to do with a painting that has risen exponentially in value over the years. A work of art to be treasured and visible for all to see and not just a private residence. By the time of the return of the painting (2006) what had been a relatively inexpensive value of art--took on a value of some $135 million.
The movie is based on a book by Anne-Marie O'Connor, "The Lady in Gold: The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt's Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer", published on February 7, 2012. Apparently, the film reasonably and accurately depicts the book and the actual incident. The painting is now in the Neue Galerie in New York; Maria Altmann sold the painting; for $135 million it was acquired by Ronald Lauder for his Gallery in New York.