Critics with mixed and negative reviews have underrated this fascinating tale of art restitution and the Holocaust

Rating: 7/10 (2 June 2015)

"Woman in Gold" chronicles the efforts of a Viennese-born Jewish woman, Maria Altmann, to recover her family's artwork stolen by the Nazis. What sets this apart from many of these art restitution cases, is that the main painting in question, a portrait of Altmann's aunt by the famed painter Gustav Klimt, came to be considered a national treasure in Austria.
The film received mixed reviews for various reasons but in my estimation, a good number of those negative and mixed reviews clearly underrated the film. Part of the problem is that the bulk of the action concerns itself with a series of legal dramas, which is not always conducive toward the stuff of great cinema (perhaps better suited to theater, with all the attendant legal dialogue and maneuvers). Nonetheless, the story is so fascinating, that one can ignore the occasional lack of arresting visuals.
The drama begins with Maria Altmann conscripting a young lawyer, Randol Schoenberg (who happens to be the grandson of the famous composer, Arnold Schoenberg) and also the son of a good friend of hers, to represent her case in Austria. Initially it appears that the painting was ceded to an Austrian gallery by Altmann's aunt. With the help of an Austrian journalist, Hubertus Czernin, he manages to obtain documents from the national archives (in an unlikely scene involving a mole) and it's soon discovered that the painting was not owned by the aunt but by her husband, whose plans to give it to the Austrian gallery after his death, was cut short after it was stolen by the Nazis.
Part One of the legal saga ends when the Austrian Art Restitution Board rules against Schoenberg and Altmann. Part two involves Schoenberg's appeal to the US Supreme Court who rules that Altmann is permitted to sue Austria for the return of the painting. With this ruling, Austria agrees to arbitration before a new panel at the Art Restitution Board.
Before the climactic decision involving the painting, Altmann and Schoenberg have a falling out over Altmann's decision not to return to Austria a second time. Schoenberg decides to argue the case in Austria by himself. But in a dramatic moment, Altmann changes her mind and shows up at the final hearing.
A number of critics found the Austrian characters to be stereotypical bad guys but the truth of the matter is that Altmann offered to let the Austrians keep the painting if they simply acknowledged that her claim was legitimate. They refused to do so. When she won the painting back, her decision to sell it to Ronald Lauder for $135 million resulted in cries that Altmann all along was simply in it for the money. My feeling is that Altmann owned the painting and she could do whatever she wanted with it—especially in light of Austria's obstinacy in acknowledging that she was the legitimate owner.
"Woman in Gold" also features flashbacks to Altmann's life as a young woman, just as the Nazis occupied Austria. Tatiana Maslany plays the young Maria with aplomb and rivals Helen Mirren (who plays the elderly Altmann), in acting chops. The flashbacks notably feature a hard to believe chase of Altmann and her new husband by the Nazis, obviously created to pump up the film's action quotient. Some additional scenes of mistreatment of Jews on the streets of Vienna are a powerful reminder of what actually occurred but by the same token, these are scenes we've seen before in other Holocaust-themed films, such as "Schindler's List."
While a good deal of what transpires in "Woman in Gold," actually happened, I did wonder how Schoenberg supported himself and his family while taking on the Austrian government. The film's scenarist failed to include information that Schoenberg was hired by another law firm and was allowed to pursue his case against the Austrian government, while in their employ!
By no means is "Woman in Gold," a complete masterpiece, but it's a solid, fascinating story that needs telling. The film not only sheds light on a particular aspect of the Holocaust but it also chronicles the presence of reactionary elements in Austria in recent times.