WOLF AT THE DOOR (OVIRI)
Denmark, 1986, 90 minutes, Colour.
Donald Sutherland, Max Von Sydow, Jean Yanne, Ghita Noerby.
Directed by Henning Carlsen.
Wolf at the Door is a French Danish co-production about the artist Paul Gauguin. Gauguin had been portrayed by David Carradine in the 1980 telemovie, Gauguin the Savage. Anthony Quinn won his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar for portraying Gauguin in Vincent Minnelli’s Lust for Life. In this film Donal Sutherland portrays Gauguin, more seriously and in a more subdued style.
The film focuses on the artist after his return from Tahiti, his hopes for selling his paintings - and negative critical reaction to them. He has his memories of Van Gogh. The artist Degas comes to the gallery and buys one of his paintings, supporting him. The film shows Gauguin as a tormented artist, unsteady in his relationships, relating to a number of women passionately and artistically. In the background are his Danish wife and daughter, and his mercenary brother-in-law.
The film is a period drama, portrait of an era in an artist's life, a background to his personal, financial and artistic struggles. The direction is by Danish director Henning Carlsen. (Max Von Sydow has a guest appearance as Swedish playwright, August Strindberg - mouthing 19th century patriarchal philosophy, clashing with Gauguin in his perspective, especially on women.)
1. Interesting and entertaining portrait of Gauguin? In his midlife period?
2. The Parisian settings, the 19th century? The homes, salons, galleries? The streets? The contrast with rural Denmark? The recreations of Gauguin paintings? The musical score?
3. The title, Gauguin and his needs, poverty? The savagery within Gaugin himself?
4. Donal Sutherland as Gaugin? His age, screen presence? Audiences able to believe in his experiences in Tahiti, his exile, his relationships, the Tahitian women? His paintings? His return to Paris and his hopes? Hs friends, their meetings in the taverns, their discussions on art and philosophy? Their support? His memories of Van Gogh and their friendship? The encounter with Strindberg; attentive to him, listening to his ideas, the clash of patriarchal ideas?
5. Gaugin and women, the flashbacks to his life in Denmark, his marriage, the relationship with his wife, his hard work and his reaction against it? Walking out on his family? His love for his daughter, his memories of her? His dealings with his brother-in-law? The purchase of the paintings, hoarding their? The question of the inheritance, his wife making demands? His spending the money? Responsibility and irresponsibility? His relationship with his hostess, her composer husband? Their daughter, attracted, flirting, seduction? Her posing for the paintings? The reaction of her family? Gaugin and his relationship with his mistress, his dependence on her? The other women, the models?
6. Gaugin and his art, his beliefs? His painting style, techniques? The exhibition critics, the public? The commentators And their reactions - and his response? The buyer and his wife? The contracts, the purchases? Degas and his buying a painting?
7. The details of Gauguin’s life, in Paris, struggling for survival? The dream of going back to Tahiti with his friends? The enthusiastic discussions, their change of heart, financial difficulties? His being stranded in Europe? The pursuit of his creditors, the family? His relationships and responsibilities?
8. The film arousing audience interest in the artist, his skills, his life?
