LUST FOR LIFE

US, 1956, 122 minutes, Colour.
Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, James Donald, Pamela Brown, Everett Sloane, Niall MacGinnis?, Noel Purcell, Henry Daniell, Jill Bennett, Lionel Jeffries, Laurence Naismith, Eric Pohlmann.
Directed by Vincente Minnelli.

Lust for Life is a celebrated biography of Vincent van Gogh. He was the subject of a number of films including Paul Cox’s docudrama with readings from van Gogh’s letters by John Hurt, Vincent; Robert Altman’s film Theo and Vincent; Maurice Pialat’s Van Gogh.

Kirk Douglas portrays van Gogh in an intense way, Oscar-nominated (losing to Yul Brynner in The King and I). Anthony Quinn won an Oscar as best supporting actor for his portrayal of artist Paul Gauguin. The other members of the family are portrayed by James Donald and Henry Daniell as the artist’s father.

The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli, best known for his range of musicals like Meet Me in St Louis, An American in Paris, The Band Wagon and the Oscar-winning Gigi. However, he also directed a number of melodramas which were quite striking including The Bad and the Beautiful, Two Weeks in Another Town.

The film is lavish in its re-creation of the world of Holland and then of Provence, the visualising of the landscapes were van Gogh painted as well as his paintings, and the friendship with Gauguin and his return from the Pacific Islands.

The film has a strong supporting cast mainly of British actors.

The film was based on the novel by Irving Stone who also wrote the novel about Michelangelo, The Agony and the Ecstasy.

1. The significance and meaning of the title? The zest for life, the greediness for life, the irony and Van Gogh's loss of life?

2. The importance of the colour, widescreen, musical accompaniment? The visualizing of Van Gogh’s life, landscapes, still-life, settings? The portrayal of his paintings? The sets? The audience being immersed in the world of Van Gogh?

3. Audience expectations of biography films? How true to life? How true to character and times? The facts? insight into a person’s life and its meaning?

4. The historical setting of the film and its importance? The nineteenth century and Europe in the nineteenth century? How interesting was the film in its portrayal of the artist in his historical time and place? The quality of the film as biography and presenting the life and meaning of the artist? The presentation of Van Gogh as an artist and what drove him? His skill? The presentation of Van Gogh as a human being? With what understanding?

5. The importance of the religious setting of the film’s beginning? Setting a mood for a film? Human nature, religion? The minister's discussion, life in the remote mining settlements? Van Gogh's sermons, people's non-apprehension, practical characteristics, the hypocrisy of the elders? The repercussions throughout Van Gogh’s life? Van Gogh in his Dutch setting? The religious background,. his father and his rigidity,. his mother and the sense of duty, his sister? Van Gogh’s compulsion to do things? His wanting to be used for a worthy purpose?

6. The portrayal of Van Gogh’s artwork? The nature of his talent? The force and drive of his talent? His capacity for poetry and beauty? The insights into landscape, colour, people, work, their sense of achievement? His achievement and feeling for his painting?

7. His reaction to his parents especially in the part of his life at home? His love for his cousin, his terrifying her? reaction of his sister? His dependence on Theo and Theo’s support of him? The device of using his letters to Theo? Theo’s actually reading them? The nature of the relationship between the two brothers? Theo’s admiration and business skill? Vincent’s need for support and interest?

9. The encounter with Christine and her child? Helping him after his suffering with the candle? Their living together? His painting her? Her anger and disillusionment? His ability to leave them?

10. Hie relationship with his cousin? His dependence on people’s money? The change in Paris? His coming alive? The visualizing of the paintings of the time? The device of having the artist explain their theories of painting?

11. The impact of Gauguin? As a painter, as a man, the independent type? His love for Gauguin, his hatred of him? His desire for his companionship? Their quarrels?

12. Provence as a setting for Van Gogh’s skill? The exuberant paintings? A part madness? A lust for life?

13. The dramatic impact of the growing unbalance? The mixture of zest and seizures? The encounter with Gauguin, the fight and the desperate emotional turmoil? The melodrama of the cutting of his ear? His wanting to be committed? His inertia in the institution? His attitude toward suicide earlier in the film? The desperation? The fact that he would shoot himself? The significance of the note?

14. Van Gogh seen in the light of the people who liked his work? the people in Provence who got him the house? Van Gogh seen in the light of the people who ridiculed him? The people outside the house after the ear incident?

15. Was this an adequate insight into the life and the passion of a tormented spirit? The happiness and unhappiness of such a life?

16. What insight into the excesses of human nature via the life of an artist? The nature of happiness and unhappiness? Success and failure? Self-confidence and security?

17. Van Gogh’s achievement in art and life?