February 10, 2014

George Clooney thinks Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures

Posted at 12:15 am in Elgin Marbles, Marbles Reunited

The book & now the film of Monuments Men have been covered a number of times already on this website.

Now that the film is out in the cinemas, others have also made the connection between the stories it describes & that of the Parthenon Sculptures.

At a recent press conference, George Clooney was asked by a journalist about whether he thought that Britain should return Greek artefacts (a clear reference to the Parthenon Sculptures). He stated that he felt that Greece had a very good case to make, and that is would be a very fair thing to happen if they were returned.

George Clooney, Star of Monuments Men

George Clooney, Star of Monuments Men

In response to this, the the chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, John Whittingdale, suggested that Clooney didn’t know what he was talking about & that “There’s a very strong view in this country that they should stay in the UK”. Clearly, he has not seen the results of the previous polls organised by the BCRPM & Marbles Reunited a few years ago, which indicated an overwhelming level of support amongst people who were well informed about the issue.

You can see a video of the actual question here:

From:
Independent

George Clooney believes Britain should lose its Marbles
Ian Johnston
Sunday 09 February 2014

Hollywood actor George Clooney has called for the UK to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, saying it is “the right thing to do”.

Clooney was speaking at the Berlin Film Festival yesterday during a press conference for his film The Monuments Men, which tells the story of a team sent by the Allies to try to save artefacts from being stolen by the Nazis.

Some claim the Earl of Elgin took the sculptures from the Parthenon’s frieze in the early 19th century without the proper authority. When asked by a Greek journalist whether Greece should reclaim its historic monuments from the UK, Clooney said: “I think you have a very good case to make about your artefacts. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing if they were returned. I think that is a good idea. I think that would be a very fair and very nice thing. Yeah, I think it is the right thing to do.”

John Whittingdale, the chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, politely suggested the actor might not really know what he was talking about. “I’m a great admirer of George Clooney, but I suspect that he probably doesn’t know the history of the Elgin Marbles and the legal entitlement that Britain has to them,” he said. “He’s an American. I suspect he doesn’t know why it is that Britain came to acquire the Elgin Marbles. There’s a very strong view in this country that they should stay in the UK.”

A British Museum spokeswoman said that “anybody is entitled to their view” but the museum’s trustees had “always been very clear that they feel there’s a public benefit to having the sculptures in our collection remain part of our collection”.

Maria Pullinger Koutsikou, campaign manager for Marbles Reunited, said: “It is always a positive thing when public figures speak in favour of reunification of the Parthenon Marbles as it helps raise awareness.” Pro-return campaigner Anthony Snodgrass, emeritus professor of classical archaeology at Cambridge University, said Clooney was “somebody who has got no axe to grind”.

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32 Comments »

  1. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 12:16 am

    @elginism Whoa. Did he really?

  2. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 12:18 am

    @elginism Rather insulting for Whittendale to say Clooney is essentially an ignoramus. How does he know Clooney didn’t research it?

  3. davidiancollins said,

    02.10.14 at 12:21 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  4. corneliagracchi said,

    02.10.14 at 12:26 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  5. EricdeMarylebon said,

    02.10.14 at 12:29 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  6. speroine said,

    02.10.14 at 12:31 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  7. christos_mak said,

    02.10.14 at 12:35 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  8. JRyme said,

    02.10.14 at 12:57 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  9. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 1:33 am

    @elginism Yeah, kinda…hang on, lemme get the quote…

  10. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 1:35 am

    @elginism Quote: John Whittingdale..a politely suggested the actor might not really know what he was talking about….(cont’d)

  11. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 1:35 am

    @elginism “I’m a great admirer of George Clooney, but I suspect that he probably doesn’t know the history of the Elgin Marbles…(cont’d)

  12. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 1:36 am

    @elginism “…and the legal entitlement that Britain has to them,” he said… (cont’d)

  13. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 1:36 am

    @elginism this last part is a doozy…

  14. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 1:36 am

    @elginism “He’s an American. I suspect he doesn’t know why it is that Britain came to acquire the Elgin Marbles.”

    End quote.

  15. Rowaenthe said,

    02.10.14 at 1:37 am

    @elginism …as if by dint of being American, the opinion is automatically null? Hello?!

  16. ParthenonInt said,

    02.10.14 at 1:38 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  17. sassydew said,

    02.10.14 at 2:22 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  18. ThemisMaglis said,

    02.10.14 at 2:46 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  19. milagergova said,

    02.10.14 at 3:09 am

    @Rowaenthe @elginism As usual to deflect attention from the truth- that returning stolen artefacts is the right thing to do. Period.

  20. MPallidou said,

    02.10.14 at 6:22 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  21. MPallidou said,

    02.10.14 at 6:27 am

    @milagergova @Rowaenthe @elginism You fellows read some history…this beauty was stolen in a vulgar way from Greece! http://t.co/8L2IF9rTHY

  22. mat8iou said,

    02.10.14 at 8:10 am

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  23. VasTheGreek said,

    02.10.14 at 1:08 pm

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  24. GreciaEmbMadrid said,

    02.10.14 at 2:07 pm

    George #Clooney cree que Gran Bretaña debería devolver a #Grecia los mármoles del #Partenón http://t.co/Ma5QXjX9K3

  25. NatashaTsingos said,

    02.10.14 at 2:16 pm

    RT @GreciaEmbMadrid: George #Clooney cree que Gran Bretaña debería devolver a #Grecia los mármoles del #Partenón http://t.co/Ma5QXjX9K3

  26. Dennis Menos said,

    02.10.14 at 2:26 pm

    Dennis Menos liked this on Facebook.

  27. Marina Birdimiri said,

    02.10.14 at 2:56 pm

    Marina Birdimiri liked this on Facebook.

  28. DGMARYOGA said,

    02.11.14 at 1:16 pm

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  29. jamesbelias said,

    02.11.14 at 2:10 pm

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  30. derekfincham said,

    02.11.14 at 3:46 pm

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  31. k8droste said,

    02.11.14 at 4:22 pm

    RT @elginism: Blog post: At the launch of Monuments Men film, George Clooney suggests Britain should return Parthenon Sculptures http://t.c…

  32. james jones said,

    02.16.14 at 1:05 am

    the british academics, generals governer,s east india company raped the world of $billions in antiquities gold and treasures of all types documents etc .they must be returned .aboriginal bodies documents etc a disgrace taken for the royal academy of science 1000s of pages of forged written papers claiming ownership or an excuse to have any item are totally false and illegal in english law and international law .the empire can never be excused for atrocities from 500bc to 2014 john wittingale is an ignorant pompus arse,an outright lier.the facts are from 500bc ane even before items were stolen by british navy, Darwin, banks and100s of government personal from all departments,scientists of all types,governers and still being stolen and smuggled out of countries worldwide john wittingale is chairman of lies, forged so call documents a litany criminal actions which he is trying to validate in some ridiculous 1800s british empire legal fashion .then as now a crime and conspiracy to defraud must never go unpunished .from a king to a footpad you do the crime you serve your time .lord elgin should have been charged and gaoled for major crimes ,the whole house of lords and titles were created by crimes commited by persons then knighted and with auction houses Sotheby,s etc the sale and conspiracy in stolen goods continues today .all devious archaeiologist of stolen goods must be exposed for the thieving bastards they are.lords especially .

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