Lust for Life (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Its Vincent x 2, as Vincente Minnelli directs 'Lust for Life', an illuminating, intensely acted biopic on 19th century Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh (Kirk Douglas). The plot begins in 1878, when social misfit Van Gogh leaves his native Holland to preach for his church society to coal miners in a poor Belgian province. After only 1 year, he's been dismissed by the local church for siding too much with the miserable, faithless miners; and he's found living in utter squalor by his caring, art-dealer brother, Theo (James Donald). Fairly quickly, Van Hogh is persuaded to return to Holland to "recuperate". See, Van Gogh was an artistic, sensitive man who looked at life with the glass half full, but it was apparent that he had some horrible mental issues that were insurmountable (given the place & time).
Back in Holland, and now preoccupied with art, he leaves his parents' home with some $$ (from Theo) & finds dwelling in The Hague with a prostitute (Pamela Brown). Sometime afterwards, when Vincent joins Theo in Paris, he meets some great artists of the Impressionist movement & is befriended by the magnetic Paul Gauguin (Anthony Quinn). Vincent finds great inspiration from these artists and can't wait to get cracking on some paintings. The crux of the film takes place in warm, sunny Auvers-sur-Oise, where he 'seems' to be happy & has found a purpose in life ... art. He paints. He paints, a lot. The paintings are earthy, vibrant, colorful ... and positive. With time, he meets up again with friendly rival Paul Gauguin (Quinn); and they even decide to live together for a while.
But Van Gogh's mental weakness creeps in from time to time; resulting in some disastrous incidents. Though they get along, Van Gogh & Gaughin's boisterous chats about love, life, & art sometimes lead to a negative outcome. Their methods for painting are quite different from each other. Gaughin overpowers Van Gogh. And Gaughin soon realizes that it's probably best that he leave; so that Van Gogh can express his art the way he wants and without distraction. A despondent Van Gogh has one of many (torturous to watch) breakdowns. But, as always, his loving brother comes to his aid with moral & financial support. Vincent 'seem' okay again, but his innate optimism was not enough to thwart the bouts of a mental illness which would ultimately claim his life at the age of 37.
'Lust for Life' is painstaking in showing how this seemingly positive (in demeanor) yet troubled artist was wracked with deep insecurities & emotional torment. It is also completely thorough in showing his development as a great artist despite his life struggles with faith, poverty, self-doubt, tempestuousness, loneliness & not being recognized -- the poor man actually only sold one painting while he was living. Vincente Minnelli directs brilliantly. The character set-ups are well-defined. The plot moves smoothly from setting to setting. The script is intelligent & highly verbose (other than the scene where he cuts off his ear, there's not much action here, people. Lotttttts of talking); but Minnelli always keeps things engrossing, if not conventionally 'entertaining'.
Minnelli utilizes his art historians, cinematographers, production designers, & costumers to WONDERFUL effect. Not only did he shoot exteriors in the actual places where Van Gogh worked & lived, but he also compiled nearly 200 of the master's actual works & put them in scenes where we see Kirk Douglas seeming to paint them -- that is awesome. The cinematographers/set directors use different color schemes for the 4 phases of Van Gogh's career. The coal-mining scenes are gray & his drawings were in black-&-white. The Hague scenes have a blue/green quality to the mood & decor. The Parisian scenes are distinctly red. And the Southern France segment is sunny/yellow in design & palette. This is a unique concept that most directors wouldn't have used at the time. I also commend Miklos Rozsa's melodramatic musical score which aids many segments of the film; particularly the lively painting scenes - where Van Gogh felt most comfortable & pleased.
Kirk Douglas, who has a remarkable resemblance to Vincent Van Gogh, gives one of his usually intense, histrionic performances. But the actor finds restraint & digs deeper here than I've ever seen him before. Due to the nature of Van Gogh's fits, there are times when Douglas seems on the verge of overacting. But it winds up feeling authentic & devastating. Thanks to Douglas' portrayal, I wound up feeling so sorry for this man who, by all accounts (letters of correspondence btwn. him & his brother, Theo), was a positive person who just wanted to paint, to be understood, & to be appreciated. I would have given Douglas the Academy Award for Best Actor had it not been the year when Yul Brynner was wowing audiences in not 1, not 2, but 3 powerful motion pictures.
James Donald is quietly effective as Van Gogh's concerned brother, Theo. And Anthony Quinn is superb as the direct, domineering Paul Gaughin. His art reflected his personality; and vice-versa. The scenes with Quinn & Douglas in Southern France crackle with jubilance & explode with disorder. Gaughin's is a role to sink your teeth into & Quinn does so with both grandiosity & nuance. He earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role & it is well-deserved.
I just really appreciate this movie. Vincente Minnelli - a painter, himself - crafted what seems to be a very personal movie for him about creative impulses, the process of creating art, & the emotional isolation that sometimes consumes artists. You know, it's easy - when talking about Van Gogh - to talk about such things as his madness, the cutting off of his ear(!), & his suicide. But there was more to Van Gogh than those shallow incidentals. Van Gogh clearly had passion. When his inner demons didn't take-over, he had a ... "lust for life". THAT is what Minnelli was trying to convey with this movie. And I think he did so successfully.
Back in Holland, and now preoccupied with art, he leaves his parents' home with some $$ (from Theo) & finds dwelling in The Hague with a prostitute (Pamela Brown). Sometime afterwards, when Vincent joins Theo in Paris, he meets some great artists of the Impressionist movement & is befriended by the magnetic Paul Gauguin (Anthony Quinn). Vincent finds great inspiration from these artists and can't wait to get cracking on some paintings. The crux of the film takes place in warm, sunny Auvers-sur-Oise, where he 'seems' to be happy & has found a purpose in life ... art. He paints. He paints, a lot. The paintings are earthy, vibrant, colorful ... and positive. With time, he meets up again with friendly rival Paul Gauguin (Quinn); and they even decide to live together for a while.
But Van Gogh's mental weakness creeps in from time to time; resulting in some disastrous incidents. Though they get along, Van Gogh & Gaughin's boisterous chats about love, life, & art sometimes lead to a negative outcome. Their methods for painting are quite different from each other. Gaughin overpowers Van Gogh. And Gaughin soon realizes that it's probably best that he leave; so that Van Gogh can express his art the way he wants and without distraction. A despondent Van Gogh has one of many (torturous to watch) breakdowns. But, as always, his loving brother comes to his aid with moral & financial support. Vincent 'seem' okay again, but his innate optimism was not enough to thwart the bouts of a mental illness which would ultimately claim his life at the age of 37.
'Lust for Life' is painstaking in showing how this seemingly positive (in demeanor) yet troubled artist was wracked with deep insecurities & emotional torment. It is also completely thorough in showing his development as a great artist despite his life struggles with faith, poverty, self-doubt, tempestuousness, loneliness & not being recognized -- the poor man actually only sold one painting while he was living. Vincente Minnelli directs brilliantly. The character set-ups are well-defined. The plot moves smoothly from setting to setting. The script is intelligent & highly verbose (other than the scene where he cuts off his ear, there's not much action here, people. Lotttttts of talking); but Minnelli always keeps things engrossing, if not conventionally 'entertaining'.
Minnelli utilizes his art historians, cinematographers, production designers, & costumers to WONDERFUL effect. Not only did he shoot exteriors in the actual places where Van Gogh worked & lived, but he also compiled nearly 200 of the master's actual works & put them in scenes where we see Kirk Douglas seeming to paint them -- that is awesome. The cinematographers/set directors use different color schemes for the 4 phases of Van Gogh's career. The coal-mining scenes are gray & his drawings were in black-&-white. The Hague scenes have a blue/green quality to the mood & decor. The Parisian scenes are distinctly red. And the Southern France segment is sunny/yellow in design & palette. This is a unique concept that most directors wouldn't have used at the time. I also commend Miklos Rozsa's melodramatic musical score which aids many segments of the film; particularly the lively painting scenes - where Van Gogh felt most comfortable & pleased.
Kirk Douglas, who has a remarkable resemblance to Vincent Van Gogh, gives one of his usually intense, histrionic performances. But the actor finds restraint & digs deeper here than I've ever seen him before. Due to the nature of Van Gogh's fits, there are times when Douglas seems on the verge of overacting. But it winds up feeling authentic & devastating. Thanks to Douglas' portrayal, I wound up feeling so sorry for this man who, by all accounts (letters of correspondence btwn. him & his brother, Theo), was a positive person who just wanted to paint, to be understood, & to be appreciated. I would have given Douglas the Academy Award for Best Actor had it not been the year when Yul Brynner was wowing audiences in not 1, not 2, but 3 powerful motion pictures.
James Donald is quietly effective as Van Gogh's concerned brother, Theo. And Anthony Quinn is superb as the direct, domineering Paul Gaughin. His art reflected his personality; and vice-versa. The scenes with Quinn & Douglas in Southern France crackle with jubilance & explode with disorder. Gaughin's is a role to sink your teeth into & Quinn does so with both grandiosity & nuance. He earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role & it is well-deserved.
I just really appreciate this movie. Vincente Minnelli - a painter, himself - crafted what seems to be a very personal movie for him about creative impulses, the process of creating art, & the emotional isolation that sometimes consumes artists. You know, it's easy - when talking about Van Gogh - to talk about such things as his madness, the cutting off of his ear(!), & his suicide. But there was more to Van Gogh than those shallow incidentals. Van Gogh clearly had passion. When his inner demons didn't take-over, he had a ... "lust for life". THAT is what Minnelli was trying to convey with this movie. And I think he did so successfully.