Lust for Life (1956)

Thanks for the memories!

Powerful

Good concept, poorly executed.

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Based on Irving Stone's fine biographical novel of the same name, "Lust for Life" follows self-tortured artist Vincent van Gogh from his failure as a clergyman to his eventual suicide. Kirk Douglas, who has a passing resemblance to the artist, is generally very good (other than an occasional bit of overacting, especially in scenes where van Gogh seems to be suffering from seizures). The film, which focuses on van Gogh and his brother, is a bit less of a 'who's-who's' of impressionist/post-impressionist artists than the book and some interesting events are left out (such as the delivery of his severed ear to a women). Anthony Quinn is very good as Paul Gauguin and the two actors/artists play off each other very well. The movie painstakingly takes the viewer to the sites where van Gogh painted and showcases much of his work (it is interesting to speculate how much the paintings that are shown stored in his brother's home towards the end of the movie would be worth now – billions of dollars?). All in all: a great film depiction of a fascinating and tragic life. A perfect evening: invite some friends over, open a bottle of absinthe, hide the razors, and watch the film.

the films of our childhood have a special aura. each is great ignoring the artistic virtues. because they are part from us. from memories, emotions, representations, dreams. in this case , for me, all has the virtues of magic. the great performance of Kirk Douglas. the impressive work of Anthony Quin. the admirable way to translate on screen the book of few generation of Vicente Minelli. sure, it is a slice from a period. sure, it is far to be example of biographic accuracy. but it gives a realistic, sensitive, maybe useful portrait of a great artist. or, maybe, revolutionary. and this is its huge virtue. to discover on the screen models and the air of XIX century. to meet names and characters. to be pushed to discover the real van Gogh. and to be front to a magnificent Gauguin. so, an admirable film. for its artistic virtues. but, maybe, first, for its status of film of my childhood.

Director Vincente Minnelli has made an art film. It is evident from the way he has used his colour palette and light when shooting the film. Cold greys with the early mining village scenes, reds for glimpses of Paris turning to greens in the countryside of Provence and for the fields of Arles we see yellows.In turn scenes and characters would reflect his famous works of arts even the sets such as his room in Arles. We have images of Van Gogh painting the night sky with candles on his hat so he can see better in the dark.Kirk Douglas immerses himself as Van Gogh becoming a preacher in a small mining town and decides he needs to really live amongst the dirt than be a pious preacher. He is miserable but passionate, after his widowed cousin turns down his advances, he becomes more miserable but also turns towards art. Initially he sketches and with the aid of his cousin, he turns to painting and colours.Over time there is desperation, his brother Theo provides him with money but cannot sell his works. His paintings go against fashion of the times, it is mocked. Only Paul Gaugin (Anthony Quinn) understands but when Gaugin goes on to stay with him they have an artistically wild relationship where they also irritate each other.In the end Van Gogh succumbs to mental illness. Douglas gives generally a subtle performance but underneath there is passion, for life, for art, for love but also hurt, the hurt he felt from failure in love, his life and his art which did not sell.Van Gogh would fall out with people, whether they were friends, family or lovers. Even Gaugin could not stand the whining from Van Gogh or the pigsty of the house he was staying in. Quinn gives a brash, animalistic performance, his short cameo won him a best supporting actor Oscar and he also bagged some nice lines.Lust for Life is an effective melodrama, maybe it does not always adhere to the truth but presents Van Gogh as lonely, vulnerable, haunted figure while Minnelli adds an artist's eye and a visual style which is helped by shooting in locations that Van Gogh lived in rather than a Hollywood backlot.

When I first heard Hollywood had made a film about a great artist and Kirk Douglas(although a fine actor) was the lead I thought automatically of how poor it would be. But i was very wrong, I really consider this, if not a great film then certainly a very very good one. It pleasantly surprised me with its use of Van Gogh's artistry as somewhat the main character. Its a solid cast also, James Donald is quite interesting in the part of Theo(Vincents brother), Anthony Quinn as Paul Gauguin is very good(he won the Oscar for supporting actor)although his part is very small, and Kirk Douglas gives probably the best performance I've seen him give in a film. The soundtrack is also very powerful and Vicente Minnelli certainly puts in a good shift in this thoroughly enjoyable film.