movie25.htm

Lust for Life,
USA 1956, Metro-color

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German title: Vincent Van Gogh - Ein Leben in Leidenschaft

Distributed by: MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Picture

Produced by: John Houseman

Genre / keyword: Drama / biographical / painting / based-on-novel

Runtime: 122

Directed by: Vincente Minnelli

Summary:

That a Hollywood studio in the mid-1950´s should proceed to make a film about a great painter was in itself surprising, but that the end result should be an artistic and cultural achievement is amazing. Yet Lust for Life is a beautiful and faithful account of the life of Vincent Van Gogh, and manages to convey his genius and his personal agony.
And Kirk Douglas is brilliant as Van Gogh - unfortunately he only got an Oscar nomination although he really had deserved it!
Vincent Van Vogh is the archetypical tortured artistic genius. His obsession with painting, combined with mental illness, propels him through an unhappy life full of failures and unrewarding relationships. He fails at being a preacher to coal miners. He fails in his relationships with women. He earns some respect among his fellow painters, especially Paul Gaugan, but he does not get along with them. He only manages to sell one painting in his lifetime. The one constant good in his life is his brother Theo, who is unwavering in his moral and financial support.
Lust for Life benefits enormously from the authenticity of it´s locations. The company filmed in Le Borinage, in Nuenen, The Hague, in Auvers-sur-Oise, and in their several weeks in Provence they filmed in the actual institutions at St. Rémy where Van Gogh was hospitalized. Perhaps the locations and the atmospheres inspired the cast and crew, because Lust for Life is an inspired film. Kirk Douglas was able to marshal his own brand of intensity to graphically suggest that of Van Gogh, a man possessed. It is a vivid, moving and pulsating piece of acting.

Cast (in credits order): Kirk Douglas ... as Vincent Van Gogh

Anthony Quinn ... as Paul Gauguin

James Donald ... as Theo Van Gogh

Pamela Brown ... as Christine

Everett Sloan ... as Dr. Gachet

Niall MacGinnis ... as Roulin

Noel Purcell ... as Anton Mauve

Henry Daniell ... as Theodorus Van Gogh

Madge Kennedy ... as Anna Cornelia Van Gogh

Jill Bennett ... as Willemien

Lionel Jeffries ... as Dr. Peyron

Laurence Naismith ... as Dr. Bosman

Eric Pohlmann ... as Colbert

Jeanette Sterke ... as Cousin Kay

Toni Gerry ... as Johanna

Wilton Graff ... as Reverend Stricker

Isobel Elsom ... as Mrs. Stricker

David Horne ... as Reverend Peeters

Noel Howlett ... as Commissioner Van Den Berghe

Ronald Adams ... as Commissioner De Smet

John Ruddock ... as Ducrucq

Julie Robinson ... as Rachel

David Leonard ... as Camille Pissarro

Written by: Norman Corwin (based on the novel by Irving Stone)

Photographed by: Freddie A. Young and Russell Harlan

Music by: Miklós Rózsa

Film Editing by: Adrienne Fazan

German title:	Vincent Van Gogh - Ein Leben in Leidenschaft
Distributed by:	MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Picture
Produced by:	John Houseman
Genre / keyword:	Drama / biographical / painting / based-on-novel
Runtime:	122
Directed by:	Vincente Minnelli
Summary:	That a Hollywood studio in the mid-1950´s should proceed to make a film about a great painter was in itself surprising, but that the end result should be an artistic and cultural achievement is amazing. Yet Lust for Life is a beautiful and faithful account of the life of Vincent Van Gogh, and manages to convey his genius and his personal agony. And Kirk Douglas is brilliant as Van Gogh - unfortunately he only got an Oscar nomination although he really had deserved it! Vincent Van Vogh is the archetypical tortured artistic genius. His obsession with painting, combined with mental illness, propels him through an unhappy life full of failures and unrewarding relationships. He fails at being a preacher to coal miners. He fails in his relationships with women. He earns some respect among his fellow painters, especially Paul Gaugan, but he does not get along with them. He only manages to sell one painting in his lifetime. The one constant good in his life is his brother Theo, who is unwavering in his moral and financial support. Lust for Life benefits enormously from the authenticity of it´s locations. The company filmed in Le Borinage, in Nuenen, The Hague, in Auvers-sur-Oise, and in their several weeks in Provence they filmed in the actual institutions at St. Rémy where Van Gogh was hospitalized. Perhaps the locations and the atmospheres inspired the cast and crew, because Lust for Life is an inspired film. Kirk Douglas was able to marshal his own brand of intensity to graphically suggest that of Van Gogh, a man possessed. It is a vivid, moving and pulsating piece of acting.
Cast (in credits order):	Kirk Douglas ... as Vincent Van Gogh
	Anthony Quinn ... as Paul Gauguin
	James Donald ... as Theo Van Gogh
	Pamela Brown ... as Christine
	Everett Sloan ... as Dr. Gachet
	Niall MacGinnis ... as Roulin
	Noel Purcell ... as Anton Mauve
	Henry Daniell ... as Theodorus Van Gogh
	Madge Kennedy ... as Anna Cornelia Van Gogh
	Jill Bennett ... as Willemien
	Lionel Jeffries ... as Dr. Peyron
	Laurence Naismith ... as Dr. Bosman
	Eric Pohlmann ... as Colbert
	Jeanette Sterke ... as Cousin Kay
	Toni Gerry ... as Johanna
	Wilton Graff ... as Reverend Stricker
	Isobel Elsom ... as Mrs. Stricker
	David Horne ... as Reverend Peeters
	Noel Howlett ... as Commissioner Van Den Berghe
	Ronald Adams ... as Commissioner De Smet
	John Ruddock ... as Ducrucq
	Julie Robinson ... as Rachel
	David Leonard ... as Camille Pissarro
Written by:	Norman Corwin (based on the novel by Irving Stone)
Photographed by:	Freddie A. Young and Russell Harlan
Music by:	Miklós Rózsa
Film Editing by:	Adrienne Fazan