If George Clooney Says It….

We all know there has always been a bit of rivalry between Italians and the French. We fought over Tunisia, we fought over Nice and Corsica. And most of the time Italians lost to the French, who then went back home with many of our beautiful treasures.

La Gioconda (Mona Lisa) property of the Louvre Museum for the past 300 years

Desperate tourist trying to get a picture of the masterpiece

Revenge began in 2006 when Italy won the FIFA World Cup during the final match against the “baguette eaters.”

Now we hope to win another fight and bring Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa back home. Italians always thought that the painting belonged to their country, but never said it officially. However, an American did. And guess who? The famous Hollywood star and Italy lover George Clooney, who also owns a villa near Lake Como where he spends most of his leisure time.

During a press conference in Rome to present his new movie “The Monuments Men,” the 52-year old actor and director suggested that France should return to Italy the famous Italian masterpiece, currently part of the permanent collection at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The Mona Lisa, acquired by France’s King Francis I around the first half of the XVI century, is considered one of the most important and wonderful paintings in the world.

Has Clooney been inspired by his own film? After all, “The Monuments Men” is based on a true story about a band of artists, curators and architects hired by the US during the wining period of the war to recover cultural treasures stolen by the Nazis. Apparently, Clooney demonstrates a certain hidden revolutionary spirit after filming “The Monuments Men.” Indeed, a few days before the Mona Lisa comment, he and his co-star Matt Demon caused a scandal in London by stating that England should return the famous Elgin Marbles currently displayed at the British Museum, to Greece.

“Someone urgently needs to restore George Clooney’s marbles,” said London Mayor Boris Johnson to the Daily Telegraph in response to Clooney's comments.“He should stuff the Hollywood script and stick to history,” he continued.

Well, at least Clooney said what everyone, except maybe for the French, think! Let’s bring back the Mona Lisa to Italy, and the Elgin Marbles to Greece, and then, dear George, WHAT'S NEXT?