60 Comments
User's avatar
Pedro Lourenço's avatar

What a tremendously informative article. I know more than half of those films quite well and had no notion of their link to the fine arts.

Sera's avatar

Is cinema not a fine art? I think the classical disciplines of painting and sculpture are ready to be joined by what Gore Vidal called “The only art form of the 20th Century that also makes money”.

Ann Del Tredici's avatar

What a wonderful study of both special art and good movies--I had never thought of any of this!

Barbara Miller's avatar

I loved this article so much. What a great connection you have made between the paintings and the movies. Truthfully, I had never made any of the connections. And, I have never seen Vincent van Gogh’s Prisoners’ Round and it was amazing. Thanks for sharing all this.

Amy Johnson's avatar

The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is home to another truly great painting by Edward Hopper, New York Office (https://collection.mmfa.org/objects-1/info/3691). As Director of that museum for 23 years, my late husband had his master preparators build a 3-dimensional version of the painting that was installed in the ArtWorks gallery, an educational gallery for children and the young at heart. That version of the painting allows people to enter the office and talk on the phone which is on the desk near the woman working in the window. The installation is very popular...as is the original painting that hangs in the American Painting galleries.

Lori Daniel's avatar

So beautifully written! Thank you so much. I learned A LOT. I read it twice. 🙏🏻

lou J's avatar

Thank you. You woke me. And will look closer for this something new that has clearly been around.

HS's avatar

Absolutely amazing article! It’s been thirty years since my Art History courses in college and this has brought so much back, and even more art to life for me. Thank you!

Christine C Faircloth's avatar

Thank you for your knowledge of art history and film. Each of the 10 selections emotionally stirred me. I have seen most of the movies here & have noted the ones I intend to watch.

Joy in the Morning 44's avatar

My cousin worked as a movie decorator. She bought a flea market/ antique shop painting for a few hundred dollars for one of the films she worked on. It turned out to be a lost artwork worth a quarter of a million dollars. I'm pretty sure she wishes she had bought it with her own money and kept it. It does appear in the movie.

Julie Neches's avatar

Thank you for making the connections between paintings and the movies! Now I have a whole new lens!

Beverly's avatar

This is one of the most interesting article ideas I’ve seen in a minute!

There are musicians who hear songs from other bands and wish they had written them, and I feel the same way about this article.

What a cool concept. It’s hard to choose which example is the most compelling. I’m definitely going to be looking for more hidden art even more than before.

Debby's avatar

That was phenomenal…. I hung on every word and image. And …YES. ME TOO. Made me shiver.

Thank you 🙏

Faithful Recovery's avatar

Every time I read your work I’m transported and captivated. Seeing the world through your eyes is a gift. One that brings stillness to life.

BonnieBlue's avatar

Thank you for a fantastic compilation of classic films with their masterpiece inspirations! Love it! Spectacular!

llaw555's avatar

Fascinating!! I had no idea. Thank you James!

Amanda's avatar

Great article. Thank you for the opportunity to read your work.