L'antiquaire

...a beautiful film. Because the basic idea deserves that. And the actors. The basic problem is the ignorance of director to use the subject. The ambition to give a happy lesson about virtues. And the presence of veterans is a good virtue, too easy wasted. The problem of reconciliation with past is more delicate and the start point of the crusade of Esther is not real realistic. The story itself seems fake , against its profound echoes. And the couple scenes real inspired are more accusations than good points.

The first half is acceptable. Around the half time it develops a huge sag. There are totally unnecessary scenes. The protagonist is taking a shower and we are treated to a view of her nipples behind the glass wall. Does this imply that noone else in the movie showers? What is the relation to the story? She also has a PG-13 sex scene with her partner. Totally unnecessary. There is a long confrontation with the two elderly relatives that should have been much shorter. And in half the scenes the heroine puts on a fedora like Sam Spade. A stronger movie with similar theme is Woman in Gold with Helen Mirren. No shower scenes though!

This film by François Margolin and starring an enigmatic, talented Anna Sigalevitch is an interesting movie to review because I liked it to a certain degree, but was baffled and irritated by it as well.

The story is about a Jewish magazine journalist in current day Paris who investigates her own family's history in order to learn the truth about her suspected theft of hundreds of pieces of her family's artwork via collaboration of her great uncle, who worked undercover for the Gestapo during World War II. It's a cat and mouse game, with Anna as Esther, a chainsmoking, determined, flawed woman, in a detective-like tan trenchcoat and scarf, who riffles through her own father's belongings - against his knowkedge - in search of evidence.

I liked the subject matter, the artwork, and found some of the cinematography alluring. I also learned some basics about the topic of artwork stolen from Jews during the Nazi regime, however the film felt muddled and confusing at times. It took a while to figure out who was who. I felt that showing old filmreels in color instead of black and white was an odd choice, and Esther's incessant smoking was distracting.

Although I hoped she would unravel and expose the secrets, lies, theft, and betrayals, there weren't likeable characters to care about. Also, there were two scenes that were both gratuitous and poorly executed that added to my overall frustration with the film.

So although L'Antiquaire is not a Masterpiece and has some flaws, I would recommend the film for the subject matter. I did enjoy it.

When the art dealer husband of Esther, a magazine journalist in Paris, brings home an 18th- century painting for an upcoming auction, she is startled to discover her father emotionally stunned at the sight of it. In seeking to find the cause of his discomfort, she follows a trail that leads through her parents and their friends during the war, Nazi art confiscations, conspiracies between her Jewish elders, and government cover-ups. Her job is threatened, and surveillance photos of herself are emailed to her phone.

It's a bit painful to watch a fairly strong cast labor to try to make such a poorly written film work. One might be tempted to suppose the English subtitles have left too much out, but large plot holes, overlong shots that add nothing to the story, and unresolved threads suggest otherwise. This is basically an interesting plot situation, with some decent acting and stylish design and camera work, but in the end it's not a very intelligent movie.

Poor Anna Sigalevitch, who mostly does a creditable job in the lead, is forced to perform a shower scene and an erotic reconciliation with her husband that are utterly gratuitous. Best scene is her confrontation with her powerful, menacing uncle, played by veteran French actor Michel Bouquet, who sells a fairly pedestrian piece of plotting and dialogue with tremendous conviction and ambiguity.

"The Art Dealer" from 2015 is a somewhat confusing film about the search for paintings stolen from Jews by the Nazis.

This is not a particularly well-made film, and I had a problem with one character who appears in old movies and shows up in the present. Apparently it's the same person (it was definitely the same actor).

The star is Anna Sigalevitch, who is a good actress and deserved better. She has to carry the whole film.

This is certainly an interesting subject, but it's been covered better in "Monuments Men," "Woman in Gold," and even an excellent episode of "Law and Order" starring Karen Allen called "Survivor."