The robbery of the Mona Lisa

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Movie
Original title The robbery of the Mona Lisa
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1931
length 89 minutes
Rod
Director Géza from Bolváry
script Walter Reisch
production Julius Haimann
music Robert proud
camera Willy Goldberger
cut Hermann Haller
occupation

The Rape of the Mona Lisa is a musical comedy film from 1931.

action

The Italian painter and glazier Vincenzo, who lives in Paris, is in love with the chambermaid Mathilde. Mathilde expects a future husband to accomplish something very special for her. The Mona Lisa is considered a national work of art in Italy and the Italians find it shameful that the Mona Lisa is exhibited in the French Louvre . For Vincenzo, the theft of the Mona Lisa is therefore just the right amount to impress the proud Mathilde with this deed. He actually manages to steal the picture. Since he was recently commissioned to put paintings from the Louvre, including the Mona Lisa, behind glass, he is familiar with the premises and processes as well as the staff. In order to create a waterproof alibi , Vincenzo first meets with the supervisor of the Louvre in a nearby café for a game of chess . In the middle of the game he makes off under a pretext, takes the work of art out of the Louvre under his coat and hides it in his apartment. He returns to the chess game in the café, where the supervisor is still brooding over his last move and does not seem to have noticed his disappearance.

A stranger observed the theft and tried to buy the painting from Vincenzo on behalf of an American collector, but was turned away. Mathilde appears shortly afterwards. She does not accept this coup from Vincenzo and considers the painting to be a copy. She laughs at him and turns away from him. Since Vincenzo was seen and recognized in the Louvre at the time of the crime, he was summoned for interrogation shortly afterwards and spontaneously decided to make a confession. But because of the exonerating statement of the superintendent, it does not come to that and he is sent away again in the general hubbub of the investigation.

Ultimately, the disappointed Vincenzo takes the picture to Florence and chooses an antiquarian as a middleman to return the Mona Lisa to the Italian people in return for covering his expenses. Then he wants to leave undetected. But the anonymous prospective buyer, rejected by Vincenzo, followed him from Paris and reveals the action to the authorities. Vincenzo is arrested and the picture is ceremoniously returned to France. The trial of Vincenzo takes place in Florence with great public and media participation. Mathilde, who knows that Vincenzo stole the picture because of her, comes to Florence to get the corresponding fame. However, she has to realize that Vincenzo doesn't want to know anything more about her and doesn't grant her this fame. When he sees her in the courtroom, he decides on a different justification for his act. He claims he stole the Mona Lisa back in revenge against Napoleon Bonaparte's art thefts . With this nationally proud statement, he earned a standing ovation from the audience in the courtroom and became the national hero of Italy.

background

The film is based on the true story of the Italian house painter and decorative painter Vincenzo Peruggia , who stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911 and hid it in his accommodation for two years before the painting reappeared in an attempt to sell it in Florence and could be brought back.

The film was shot in Paris in June 1931 and had its world premiere on August 25, 1931 in Berlin . The film structures are by Andrej Andrejew and Robert A. Dietrich . Hermann Haller was responsible for the sound editing . Josef von Baky performed one of his first tasks here as assistant director . The Robert Gaden Orchestra played under the musical direction of Robert Stolz .

In 1965 an adaptation of the same material was made under the title The Thief of the Mona Lisa . This Italian-French co-production was directed by the French director Michel Deville . The main roles were played by George Chakiris and Marina Vlady .

Reviews

  • Lexicon of international film : Musical comedy from the beginnings of the sound film era, amusingly staged with a light hand and convincing actors.

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