The Rape of Europa

Name: The Rape of Europa
Genre: History, Documentary
Released: September 14, 2007
Duration: 117 min
Rating: 77

2007

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Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Menemsha Films | Release Date: September 14, 2007 | Unrated

Summary: The Rape of Europa is an epic journey through seven countries that follows the violent whirlwind of fanaticism, greed, and warfare, which threatened to wipe out the artistic heritage of Europe. For 12 long years, the Nazis looted and destroyed art on an unprecedented scale in history. But heroic young art historians and curators fromThe Rape of Europa is an epic journey through seven countries that follows the violent whirlwind of fanaticism, greed, and warfare, which threatened to wipe out the artistic heritage of Europe. For 12 long years, the Nazis looted and destroyed art on an unprecedented scale in history. But heroic young art historians and curators from America, as well as across Europe, fought back. They did so in a miraculous campaign to rescue then return the millions of lost, hidden, and stolen treasures. (Menemsha)… Expand

Director: Bonni Cohen and Nicole Newnham and Richard Berge

Genre(s): History, Documentary

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 117 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Carrie Rickey

Throughout the film its makers pose the question of whether saving a work of art is as important as saving a human life. The question is not answered, and perhaps ultimately unanswerable. Yet Europa movingly shows how for many, art and artifacts are living things. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

This gripping documentary sheds light on the frightening totality of Hitler's vision for a Germanic Europe, and the extent to which he and his Nazi thugs were no better than common thieves. Read full review

Shawn Levy

The film is somewhat scattered in construction, but it's an eye-opener. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

A surprisingly vast and involving topic. Read full review

Kenneth Baker

With impressive clarity and sweep, The Rape of Europa recounts the Nazi theft and destruction of European art and architecture. Read full review

Roger Ebert

A startling documentary. Read full review

V.A. Musetto

Uninspired in style, and Joan Allen's narration is dry. Read full review

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JayW

Oct 26, 2007

Stunning documentary about the cultural pretenses that underlied Nazi ideology and war policy to the bitter end, and the Allies' conflicted views about the value of Europe's art treasures at a time of deadly conflict. This masterful blending of archival footage and interviews Stunning documentary about the cultural pretenses that underlied Nazi ideology and war policy to the bitter end, and the Allies' conflicted views about the value of Europe's art treasures at a time of deadly conflict. This masterful blending of archival footage and interviews keeps you glued to your seat. Superb in all respects. See it on a big screen if you can!… Expand

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Christopher_G2

Mar 2, 2013

The Rape of Europa is a fascinating documentary that tells of the story of the theft, destruction, and in some cases saving of art during World War II. Narrated by Joan Allen the film takes you through the Nazi plundering of paintings in Poland, France and other countries (especially by NaziThe Rape of Europa is a fascinating documentary that tells of the story of the theft, destruction, and in some cases saving of art during World War II. Narrated by Joan Allen the film takes you through the Nazi plundering of paintings in Poland, France and other countries (especially by Nazi art collectors like Hitler and Goering) to the efforts by citizenry to save museum pieces in Paris and Leningrad, to the unfortunate destruction of Renaissance architectural wonders during allied bombings in Italy and the German army demolishing various important Russian structures in the east. It also goes into efforts that are still going on to track down pieces since missing, and tells of efforts to give back personal effects to families of Jews, items the Nazis stole without thinking twice from people they considered inhuman. All this is told with a delicate balancing act, reminding the viewer of the far greater tragedy of the war: the tens of millions of lives lost, most of them civilians. The misfortune of art during the war is not even close to that level of tragedy, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Art is part of one’s culture and means a lot to great number of people. This is a story that deserves to be told, and though maybe this documentary goes in a few too many directions I found it quite interesting to see this perspective of the War that people rarely talk about.… Expand

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