TORONTO 2009: Don Argott's THE ART OF THE STEAL

One of the most anticipated docs at this year's Toronto Film Festival (in part because it had already been announced as one of the few docs screening at the New York Film Festival next month) was Don Argott's THE ART OF THE STEAL, the story of the famed Barnes art collection and a ongoing war between pharmaceutical kingpin/art collector Albert Barnes and the society mavens of Philadelphia (including the Annenberg family) that has lasted decades after Barnes' death.

Philly critic Stephen Rea of the Inquirer calls the film a "conspiracy-theory" documentary - and an effective one:

"It presents a strong case that a "cabal" of Philadelphia power brokers past and present - including John Street, Ed Rendell, billionaire Raymond Perelman, the Pew Charitable Trusts' Rebecca Rimel, and the late publishing magnate Walter Annenberg - strategized to defy the last will and testament of billionaire collector Albert C. Barnes, ultimately succeeding in wresting hundreds of Cezannes, Matisses, Picassos, Renoirs, and van Goghs from the eccentric physician-turned-art educator's Foundation headquarters on leafy Latchs Lane to a new spot just blocks from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

This important and fascinating film - guaranteed to upset more than a few people on both sides of the Barnes battle - will no doubt find theatrical and broadcast distribution at TIFF. Look for much, much more about this incendiary film, also to be shown at the New York Film Festival later in September, in the weeks and months ahead."

Variety's Todd McCarthy weighs in with a rave, calling the film impeccable and heartrending:

"Docus centered around social or legal outrages get easy mileage out of making politicians and corporate bigwigs the bad guys, and this one is no exception; several of them, as always, "declined to be interviewed for this film." One who did take part, Gov. Edward G. Rendell, comes off well by just speaking plainly and undefensively, and there is a case to be made for, at long last, making these incomparable artworks available to a wide public on a permanent basis...

The film is sharp in every way, from the crisp visuals to the brisk editing and lively musical backgrounding. Happily, plenty of footage shows how the paintings looks inside the Barnes (which remains open for now), and color home movies of Barnes himself (usually in the company of dogs) are an added boon."

Variety, indieWIRE and Screendaily are all reporting that there is significant distributor interest in ART OF THE STEAL, with indieWIRE buzzing that there are "a pair of offers on the table".  Screendaily reports that Submarine sales honcho Josh Braun is close to selling the film.

James Adams of the Globe and Mail gives the film 3 stars: 

"As its title suggests, Argott's effort is more polemic/cri de coeur than dispassionate depiction of the myriad forces and interests battling over the Barnes legacy... Still, while overlong and sporting an irritating soundtrack, it does its agitprop job well and, for the most part, persuasively."

Moira McDonald of the Seattle Times calls it "a passionate tell of a story the filmmaker clearly feels to be an injustice":

"As the title indicates, this documentary takes a very definite point of view (and is hampered a bit by the fact that few taking an opposing view would agree to speak to Argott on camera), but it's told like a crime thriller and is riveting throughout. You leave agreeing with one of the interview subjects: "If you're going to leave your paintings somewhere, don't let there be a politician within 500 yards.""

Onion A/V Club's Scott Tobias gives the film a "B" grade:

"There are two sides of the story—the other being that the Barnes Foundation simply didn’t have the capital to be a sustainable entity—but the film makes its allegiances clear. And that’s not a bad thing: In this David and Goliath story, Goliath kicks the ever loving shit out of David, and the film is convincing and righteous in its advocacy. It also leaves you with troubling questions about the runaway commodification of art, the extent to which it does or does not belong the public, and just how much power the individual really has in society."

Eric Kohn interviews Argott for the Wall Street Journal.

Comments

[Margaret Smith]

When will this film be coming to the West Coast?
How can we be informed of its imminent arrival?
Margaret
mash10@msn.com