Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Living… the sheltered life of a curator. Prior to World War II, James lived a quiet life, but when Uncle Sam comes calling, James finds himself in the middle of a battle to save Western culture from Nazi hands.
Visiting… the frontlines of occupied Europe. In order to protect Europe's masterpieces from Nazi looting, the U.S. Army draws upon Granger and his artistic expertise for help.
Profession… curator temporarily turned lieutenant. Deployed as part of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Section, James is initially much less idealistic than their team leader, Frank Stokes. Unlike Stokes, Granger doubts that the Monuments Men will be able to achieve their goals. “So you want to go into a war zone with some architects and artists," he asks Frank, "and tell our boys what they can and cannot blow up?”
Interests... art and saving it, but not at the expense of his life.
Relationship Status… married, but also intrigued by fellow curator Claire Simone. A Parisian beauty trying to keep art out of Nazi hands, Simone quickly attracts Granger's attention, but she may be too jaded from Paris's occupation to trust him.
Challenge… finding stolen art before it's too late. Hitler has plans to destroy his looted artworks if Germany is defeated, and with the Nazi occupation slowly crumbling, Granger and the rest of the team must find and save the thousands of masterpieces that may be soon gone forever.
Personality… bookish, handsome, and dedicated to art. Though reticent, Granger is devoted to his causes and can be more than daring under the right circumstances.
Get to Know him in...
-
Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, 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. With the art hidden behind enemy lines, how could these guys hope to succeed?
-
At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuehrer had begun cataloguing the art he planned to collect as well as the art he would destroy: "degenerate" works he despised. In a race against time, behind enemy lines, often unarmed, a special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians, and others, called the Momuments Men, risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture. Focusing on the eleven-month period between D-Day and V-E Day, this fascinating account follows six Monuments Men and their impossible mission to save the world's great art from the Nazis.
