9. The Rape of Europa
Rank by site 1, Rank by IMDb 7; Overall score = 8 points
Directed by Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen, and Nicole Newnham
The Rape of Europa was described as “having enough drama for at least three Hollywood movies” by SF Weekly and they’re right. The story of how Hitler’s troops pillaged Europe’s art treasures during the dark days of the Third Reich is absolutely riveting. It has all the elements of a Hollywood blockbuster and then some. The film is based on Lynn H. Nicholas’ book of the same title, which described the efforts of the Monuments Men, a special unit founded by the US Army in 1943 to protect and recover stolen art in warzones.
