Matt Damon on The Monuments Men and How it Felt Like Its an Oceans Movie

In September 2009, American writer and businessman Robert Edsel released “The Monuments Men,” a compelling account of a group of middle aged museum directors, curators and art historians tasked with going into Germany in the closing stages of World War II to try and rescue artworks requisitioned by the Nazis.

“The Monuments Men,” produced, directed and starred in by George Clooney along with a very impressive cast including Matt Damon, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Leonidas Dmitri, Hugh Bonneville and Cate Blanchett is set amidst a war that cost the lives of 65 million people when mankind’s cultural and artistic fingerprint is at risk of being destroyed. Their small group of middle aged museum curators and artists and architects, called The Monuments Men, the most unlikely of spies, who volunteer to go into military service and try and save these things and ultimately recover them.

Matt Damon was one of the many to get the direct approach. Damon further discusses in the following q&a of his involvement in the film and working with a great cast.

Q: How did you first get involved with Monuments Men?

A: “I was on my way to pick up my kids from school and I got an email from George [Clooney] that said, “Are you busy in the spring?” So when I got home, I called him and he told me a little bit about what he was up to and then he sent me the script. I read it and instantly just loved it. That was maybe four or five months before we started shooting. But I literally had no notes on the script at all. Grant and George had done all of the heavy lifting already so it was a very easy movie to just kind of slide right into.

Q: Were you aware at all of the original Monuments Men story and their wartime activities?

A: No, I actually didn't know anything about it. I’m surprised that such a great story had eluded me in every history class I had ever taken about World War II. And this idea of these guys who were, you know, a little past their prime soldiering years, kind of dropping everything and going through basic training and going to the front, risking their lives to save artwork was just an incredibly compelling story.

Q: You’re friends with Clooney. Does that make the working process easier or trickier in any way?

A: It makes it much easier because, you know, there's just a shorthand. He doesn't have to spend any time worrying about my feelings. There’s an implicit trust there that goes both ways. If I'm screwing up a scene, he can say that to me!

Q: What kind of a director is Clooney?

A: He's both very in control and very relaxed, which is really the mark of a great director. He never raised his voice. There was never any tension on set. Even though this was a very big film, in terms of cost and production value, it went along like we were doing a tiny little kitchen sink drama. It was right on schedule and I think they even came in under budget.



Q: Would you say Monuments Men was similar to other ensemble films that you've been in, like the Ocean's movies?

A: Yeah, it's similar to the Ocean's movies, I think. Partly, hopefully, in tone. It should feel fun and entertaining, the way those movies did. And I think in terms of process, it was extremely similar as well: thea ctors had a blast. But these movies are always the hardest for the director and the producers. So for George, directing and producing and starring in it and having written it, and then Grant – who wrote it with George and then produced it – those guys were very focused and had a lot on their plate. I mean, we were all focused too; we just had less on our plate.

Q: Clooney is notorious for on-set pranks. Were you the victim of any on this film?

A: Well, he never copped to this to me, but he did give an interview saying that he was taking in my wardrobe by like, a 16th of an inch every few days. Which, I had attributed to my poor eating habits while I was making the movie. But it makes a lot of sense when I heard that! [Laughs] Honestly though, he was so busy on this one. He'd always have a big dinner on Saturday night with the cast and the crew. But that was like a two- or three-hour thing and the only free time that he really allowed himself. He and Grant had their heads down on this one.



The greatest heist story in history is about to be told when “The Monuments Men” opens February 12 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

2014's Best Actress Frontrunner Cate Blanchett in The Monuments Men

Cate Blanchett, this year’s Best Actress winner at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Critics’ Choice Movie Awards (for her role in “Blue Jasmine”) and nominated at the 86th Academy Awards (Oscars) stars in a sweeping true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history where she is the only woman among “The Monuments Men.”

Based on the real history chronicled in the non-fiction book “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History” by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter, “The Monuments Men” is an action drama focusing on seven over-the-hill, out-of-shape museum directors, artists, architects, curators, and art historians who went to the front lines of WWII to rescue the world’s artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their rightful owners. The Monuments Men found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend mankind’s greatest achievements.

The film is directed, co-written, co-produced and starred in by George Clooney with a phenomenal ensemble cast including Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Cate Blanchett.

Cate Blanchett rounds out the cast as Claire Simone, a Frenchwoman in a unique position in Occupied France. “This story opens up the Second World War in a way that gives you a different perspective on it,” says Cate Blanchett, who plays a key role as Claire Simone, a woman who holds the key to the secret location of thousands of priceless pieces of stolen art.

“These men were spurred on by a higher ideal. So many of the works that we take for granted in the great museums of the world were returned by this band of men – it was a near impossible task. Absurd, in a way: non military men going to the front lines and asking generals to stop bombing a certain church or area to save a window, or a sculpture or mural – you wonder how they were able to save anything at all. It’s an extraordinary, selfless thing that they did, done to preserve history.”

“Claire Simone is a curator at the Jeu de Paume – once an art museum but became a kind of depot for art looted by the Nazis,” Blanchett explains. “But her real work goes on at night, when she records the provenance of the works and where they were being taken in an obsessively detailed way. She’s the catalyst for the third act of the movie – the Monuments Men know the works are disappearing but they don’t know where they are going, and they need her information.”

Blanchett says that there was truly something different about the ways the Nazis went about looting art. “In every war, there’s looting. What was shocking to me was the mathematical, calculated and systematic way the Nazis went about their looting, and the fact that their acquisition of works began as early as 1938.”

The other element that made the Nazi looting different was the so-called Nero Decree. “When Hitler realized he was going to lose the war, he ordered that everything the Nazis had amassed was going to be destroyed. He was going to leave nothing in the hands of the victors,” Blanchett explains. “In relation to the art, what the Nero Decree meant was that everything that they had stolen was to be destroyed.”

“Matt’s character, Granger, must win her trust,” Blanchett continues. “There was an understandable fear on the part of the French that, if the works were recovered by the Allies from the Nazis, they’d simply go to collections or collectors in Russia and the United States. From that standpoint, did it really matter whether it was stolen by the Germans, the Russians or the Americans?”

Ultimately, Granger and Simone forge an unusual bond, Blanchett says. “I think the love story that exists between them is a mutual love of art, of culture.” Blanchett says. “They are both gripped – passionately gripped – by the importance of saving this work for all time. They believe that no single person can ever truly own a masterpiece. It’s for everyone. So, I think they’re united in the nobility of the cause.”

Blanchett’s character is inspired by Rose Valland, a French woman who bravely and secretly kept track of the Nazis’ systematic tracking, risking her life in the process. “Rose Valland was, at first, a volunteer and then overseer at the Jeu de Paume, which adjoins the Louvre. During the war, it was a depot for looted Jewish art collections and other objects. Hermann Göring basically used the Jeu de Paume as a shopping mall – the Nazis set it up like an exhibition space for the pilfered art,” Blanchett explains. “Her work singlehandedly saved crate-loads, castle-loads full of works of art that otherwise could have easily been destroyed. The fact that she was working alone was an act of extraordinary bravery. I think she was able to achieve what she did because she didn’t stand out – she was the woman least likely.”

“The Monuments Men” opens February 12 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Movies to Expect from 20th Century Fox

Dear Readers, It's 2014 and there's a caboodle of new movies coming out from a variety of film outfits. Here's what you all should expect from 20th Century Fox.

20th Century Fox dominates all timeline this 2014 with its lineup of movies spanning millions of years in the past and into the future utilizing unprecedented tools in moviemaking to tell the most unforgettable stories meant to be seen only in cinemas.

Experience a new kind of real in “Walking With Dinosaurs: The 3D Movie” as it transports us back in time in prehistoric Alaska. Find out what life was really like 70 million years ago when these awe-inspiring, prehistoric dinosaurs roamed the earth. At the heart of the movie is Patchi (voiced by Justin Long) as he and his family embark on a perilous and exciting journey across Alaska. The movie also features the voice of John Leguizamo ("Ice Age's" Sid) who voices Alex, a prehistoric bird who became Patchi's friend.

“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” stars Ben Stiller, a story of a daydreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies. When his job along with that of his co-worker (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined. Sean Penn, Shirley McClaine and Kathryn Hahn joins Stiller in this awe-inspiring journey of self-discovery.

George Clooney directs and stars in the action thriller “The Monuments Men” set at the backdrop of World War II based on the bestselling non-fiction book “The Monuments Men” by Robert Edsel with Bret Witter about an unlikely group of men tasked to retrieve highly regarded art masterpieces stolen by Hitler across the globe. Clooney pooled an impressive cast that includes Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban and Dmitri Leonidas.

Another kind of heist during World War II happens in the humorous drama “The Book Thief” starring Geoffrey Rush, Emma Watson and newcomer Sophie Nielsen in the titular role. Based on the beloved bestselling novel by Markus Zusak of the same title, the movie tells the inspiring story of a spirited and courageous young girl named Liesel, who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a foster family in World War II Germany.

Animation giant DreamWorks is set to take the audience on a wild ride in “Mr. Peabody and Sherman” and “How To Train Your Dragon 2.”

In “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” Mr. Peabody, the world’s smartest talking dog, has invented a time machine he calls the WABAC, which enables Peabody and his adopted human son Sherman to witness world-changing events first hand. But when Sherman breaks the rules of time travel, our two heroes find themselves in a race to repair history – and save the future.

“How To Train Your Dragon 2” comes back after five years since Hiccup and Toothless successfully united dragons and Vikings on the island of Berk. While Hiccup and Toothless continue to fly away in unknown territories, they soon encounter a fearsome rider who is building an army of beasts by trapping dragons that will again test their strength and wits to safeguard the peace between man and dragons.

The most horrifying delivery is a about to take place in “Devil’s Due,” a movie that employs found footage style on the coming of the antichrist. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett written by Lindsay Devlin and Zoe Green, the movie stars Zach Gilford and Allison Miller as newlyweds who find themselves dealing with an earlier-than-planned pregnancy right after their honeymoon.

“Rio 2” continues the grandeur of adventure into the heart of the Amazon as we see Blu and Jewel raise their children while unexpectedly meeting relatives in the wild and dodging dangers. Along the way, they rediscover Jewel’s long-lost father Eduardo (voiced by Oscar nominee Andy Garcia) and all kinds of new friends and baddies set to rock the Amazon jungle with laughter and exciting adventure in 3D.

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” recounts the adventures of Gustave H., a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The movie is directed by Wes Anderson and stars a grand coup of a cast including Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Lea Seydoux, Tilda Swinton and Owen Wilson.

“The Other Woman” stars a powerhouse cast of women led by Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton and Nicki Minaj. In the movie, a woman learns that she’s part of a love triangle, so she teams up with the spurned wife in order to exact revenge on the cheating husband.

The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” The beloved characters from the original “X-Men” film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from “X-Men: First Class,” in an epic battle that must change the past – to save our future.

Directed by Matt Reeves, ““Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” is set 15 years later after “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” previously starred in by James Franco. In "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

Based on John Green’s bestselling young-adult romance of the same title, “The Fault in Our Stars” stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort and is the story of Hazel Lancaster and Augustus Waters, two Indianapolis teenagers who meet at a Cancer Kid Support Group. The two eventually fall in love, decides to see past their prognoses and diagnoses to experience how it is to live full in such short a span of time.

Non-stop thrills and chills await in "The Maze Runner," based on the first book of the best selling trilogy by James Dashner. The movie stars Dylan O'Brien as the main protagonist Thomas, brought to a dystopian world where the only memory remains is his name, Thomas along with the rest of other young adults thrive to survive in this world of maze known as the Glade.

Ben Affleck and Gemma Arterton star in “Gone Girl” based on the book by Gillian Flynn. The movie introduces us to the story of Nick and Amy, a married couple married for five years where Nick suddenly find himself at a loss when Amy had gone missing on the day of their wedding anniversary.

An animated comedy with a unique visual style, "The Book of Life" is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Rich with a fresh take on pop music favorites, the movie stars the voices of Channing Tatum and Zoe Saldana.

"Exodus" takes us on the most unforgettable journey of Moses starring Christian Bale, Sigourney Weaver, Joel Edgerton and John Turturro. The movie spans on Moses' time from near death as an infant to his adoption into the Egyptian royal family, his defiance of the Pharaoh and deliverance of the Hebrews from enslavement.

If you want to follow these movies closely, you might to LIKE Fox's official fanpage HERE

First Look Photos and The Untold Story of The Monuments Men Revealed

A whole lot of art loot is at stake in the action-thriller “The Monuments Men” produced, directed and starred by George Clooney along with an all-star, high-caliber cast including Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman and Jean Dujardin.

Based on the non-fiction tome by Robert Edsel, “The Monuments Men” takes us back to World War II when Western Allies protect heritage sites at risk during the war and recover art treasures from the Nazis.

Clooney who also produced the Oscar-winner “Argo” collaborates with writer/producer Grant Heslov in “The Monuments Men” to film an untold chapter during WWII when a group of men and women from different countries recovered thousands of stolen artworks perpetrated during the war. The task began with a small group of determined art professionals drafted for war – architects, designers and museum staff who will identify and protect museums, churches and other significant “monuments” from damage. As the Allies pressed farther into occupied territory, the team had to determine what had been stolen and where it was hidden.

An impossible mission with an unlikely set of platoon trapped within enemy lines, “The Monuments Men” found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1000 years of culture and risk their lives to protect and defend mankind’s greatest achievements.

“The Monuments Men” will soon screen in local cinemas (January 2014) from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.