Movie Review: ‘La Chimera’

Tomb raiding and the selling of artifacts are against the law in Italy. This is especially true in the Tuscan area, home to the Etruscan culture dating from around 600 BC. Arthur (Josh O’ Connor), is only too aware of these laws as he has just been released from prison for breaking them. He is a British archaeologist who moved to Italy to practice his very unique skill of “finding” buried treasures.

He uses a dowsing twig and the visions (chimeras) he experiences while standing on a gravesite. He finds the tombs and his gang digs. They are always rewarded.

Arriving by train to his Tuscan village he’s greeted by one of his tombaroli (tomb raiders) pleading with him to come to their hangout for a welcoming home party. They haven’t been digging since his incarceration. He refuses. He’d rather visit the home of his ex-girlfriend’s mother, Flora (Isabella Rossellini).

Flora’s home is a crumbling country villa. She lives surrounded by a gaggle of daughters who feel Arthur is a freeloader and want him to find a job to support himself. Also in Flora’s home is her music student/housekeeper Italia (Carol Duarte).

The next day Arthur’s gang tries again to attempt him with a party, this time it’s the Epiphany celebration in town. He finally agrees and the group drives into town to the riotous event filling the streets.

It’s the first time Arthur shows any sign of enjoyment. That feeling is short lived however, when the local police inform him they’re aware of his past activities and his return. Also at the celebration and noting Arthur’s return are members of a rival band of tomb robbers.

A farmer approaches Arthur with a proposal. He believes there is a tomb buried on his land and wants Arthur to find it. The rival gang overhears the farmer’s request.

Later, as he roams the farm, Arthur’s skills prove themselves again – he finds it. The tombaroli need the farmer to leave so they can work unobserved. Arthur pretends to be sick, scaring the farmer away. As the frightened farmer rushes home, the gang also leaves with plans to return later that night. 

Digging, not too far into the soil, a shovel hits metal. It proves to be the cover to a tunnel leading deeper into the ground. As the men crawl through the tunnel they find small artifacts scattered around the floor. Finally entering a huge chamber they find a perfectly preserved statue of Artume, the Etruscan goddess of animals. She is standing with a large dog-like creature at her side.

The sale of the piece means a huge profit for them. The lookout above ground becomes alarmed when he hears police sirens in the distance. As the sounds grow louder flashing lights begin to appear heading his way.

The lookout shouts to the others: “The police are on the way, we need to leave – now.”

Just before dashing to the surface, one of the men knocks the head off the sculpture, tucks it under his arm and scrambles off into the night. Arthur later hears of a clandestine auction held aboard a yacht parked off shore. A select group of international art collectors is onboard to bid on a recently discovered impressive Tuscan figure –but without the head. Arthur investigates.

Directed by Alice Rohrwacher (Credits: Happy as Lazzaro, The Pupils), La Chimera runs 130 minutes and is a “see” for an amusing look into stolen art works up for sale/auction. Presented at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.