Lust for Life (1956)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli
(more)

Writers:

Norman Corwin (screenplay)
Irving Stone (novel)

Release Date:

26 December 1956 (Sweden)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The best-seller comes to the screen...the drama of a man who lived with insatiable passion.

Plot:

The life of brilliant but tortured artist Vincent van Gogh.

Plot Keywords:

Painting | Artist | Obsession | Painter | Mental Illness

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Vincent Van Gogh
Anthony Quinn	...	Paul Gauguin
James Donald	...	Theo Van Gogh
Pamela Brown	...	Christine
Everett Sloane	...	Dr. Gachet
Niall MacGinnis	...	Roulin
Noel Purcell	...	Anton Mauve
Henry Daniell	...	Theodorus Van Gogh
Madge Kennedy	...	Anna Cornelia Van Gogh
Jill Bennett	...	Willemien
Lionel Jeffries	...	Dr. Peyron
Laurence Naismith	...	Dr. Bosman
Eric Pohlmann	...	Colbert
Jeanette Sterke	...	Kay
Toni Gerry	...	Johanna
Wilton Graff	...	Rev. Stricker
Isobel Elsom	...	Mrs. Stricker
David Horne	...	Rev. Peeters
Noel Howlett	...	Commissioner Van Den Berghe
Ronald Adam	...	Commissioner De Smet
John Ruddock	...	Ducrucq
Julie Robinson	...	Rachel
David Leonard	...	Camille Pissarro
William Phipps	...	Emile Bernard
David Bond	...	Seurat
Frank Perls	...	Pere Tanguy
Jay Adler	...	Waiter
Laurence Badie	...	Adeline Ravoux
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernestine Barrier	...	Jet (uncredited)
Jerry Bergen	...	Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (uncredited)
Mitzi Blake	...	Elizabeth (uncredited)
Betty Blythe	...	Dowager (uncredited)
Paul Bryar	...	Inspector (uncredited)
Henry Corden	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Germaine Delbat	...	Figuration (uncredited)
John Dodsworth	...	Handsome Man (uncredited)
Claire Du Brey	...	Housekeeper (uncredited)
Anthony Eustrel	...	Tersteeg (uncredited)
Rex Evans	...	Durand-Ruel (uncredited)
Alex Frazer	...	Con (uncredited)
Roy Gordon	...	Elderly Gentleman (uncredited)
Al Haskell	...	Concertina Player (uncredited)
Fred Johnson	...	Cordan (uncredited)
Len Lesser	...	Cartoonist (uncredited)
George J. Lewis	...	Gendarme (uncredited)
Norman MacGowran	...	Pier (uncredited)
Mickey Maga	...	Jan (uncredited)
Alec Mango	...	Dr. Rey (uncredited)
Lynn Millan	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Belle Mitchell	...	Mme. Tanguy (uncredited)
Milicent Patrick	...	Julie (uncredited)
Gordon Richards	...	Customer (uncredited)
Marion Ross	...	Sister Clothilde (uncredited)
Delia Salvi	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Aaron Saxon	...	Louis (uncredited)
Karen Scott	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Lester Sharpe	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Betty Sinclair	...	Maid (uncredited)
Ralph Smiley	...	Artist (uncredited)
Marc Snow	...	Landlord (uncredited)
Anthony Sydes	...	Cor (uncredited)
Helen Van Tuyl	...	Elderly Customer (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincente Minnelli
George Cukor		(co-director) (uncredited)

Writing credits
Norman Corwin		(screenplay)
Irving Stone		(novel)

Produced by
John Houseman	....	producer
Jud Kinberg	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa		(as Miklos Rozsa)

Cinematography by
Russell Harlan		(director of photography)
Freddie Young		(as F.A. Young)

Film Editing by
Adrienne Fazan

Art Direction by
E. Preston Ames		(as Preston Ames)
Cedric Gibbons
Hans Peters

Set Decoration by
F. Keogh Gleason		(as Keogh Gleason)
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett		(costumes)

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup creator

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Jennings	....	assistant director
Hank Moonjean	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)
Ed Haight	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Harold Humbrock	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)
John Logan	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant

Music Department
Miklós Rózsa	....	musical director (uncredited)
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Sylvette Baudrot	....	image coordinator (uncredited)
Christian Ferry	....	location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Diego R. Lezica Alvear	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Diego R. Lezica Alvear Esq.)
Aurier-Mahe	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Raymond Bigor	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Raymond Bigor)
Leigh B. Block	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Leigh B. Block)
Mary Block	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Leigh B. Block)
Emil Georg Bührle	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. E. Buhrle)
Stephen Carlton Clark	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Stephen C. Clark)
Betsey Maria Cushing Roosevelt	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. John Hay Whitney)
Catherine K. Dewey	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Catherine K. Dewey)
Erna Wolf Dreyfus	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Erna Wolf Dreyfus)
Otto Dubi-Muller	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Dr. Otto Dubi-Muller)
Marshall Field	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Marshall Field)
Mrs. Marshall Field	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Mrs. William Goetz	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
William Goetz	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. William Goetz)
Morris W. Haft	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Morris W. Haft)
Mrs. Morris W. Haft	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Hans Hahnloser	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Prof. Dr. Hans Hahnloser)
Franz Hanfstaengl	....	acknowledgment: inspiration
Thomas Edward Hanley	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. T. Edward Hanley)
Averell Harriman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Governor Averell Harriman)
Frederick Herman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Frederick Herman)
Max Jaffe	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Mrs. Ch. Jaggli-Hahnloser	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Mrs. H. Harris Jonas	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Mrs. A. Kessler	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Mrs. Siegfried Kramarsky	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Siegfried Kramarsky	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Siegfried Kramarsky)
Sonja Kramarsky	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Miss Sonja Kramarsky)
Mrs. Albert D. Lasker	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Robert Lehman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Robert Lehman)
David M. Levy	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. David M. Levy)
Mrs. David M. Levy	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Gladys Lloyd	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Edward G. Robinson)
Alexander Maitland	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Alexander Maitland Esq.)
Henry Plumer McIlhenny	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Henry P. McIlhenny)
Martin Nachman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Martin Nachman)
Mrs. Martin Nachman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Mrs. Charles S. Payson	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Henry Pearlman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Henry Pearlman)
Rose Pearlman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Henry Pearlman)
Theodore Pitcairn	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Rev. Theodore Pitcairn)
Joseph Pulitzer Jr.	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Joseph Pulitzer Jr.)
Emily Rauh Pulitzer	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Joseph Pulitzer Jr.)
Oskar Reinhart	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Dr. Oskar Reinhart)
John Rewald	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. John Rewald)
Edward G. Robinson	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Edward G. Robinson)
Leo M. Rogers	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Leo M. Rogers)
Mrs. Leo M. Rogers	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Mrs. Salman Schocken	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Guy Spitzer	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Peter Staechelin	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Peter Staechelin)
Charles Vidor	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Edwin C. Vogel	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Edwin C. Vogel)
Mrs. Edwin C. Vogel	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
Eduard von der Heydt	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Eduard von der Heydt)
Doris Warner	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Charles Vidor)
John Hay Whitney	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. John Hay Whitney)
Marie Whitney	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Averell Harriman)
Frederick Zimmerman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. Frederick Zimmerman)
Mrs. Frederick Zimmerman	....	we wish to thank for cooperation

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1956) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (France) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1964) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1989) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Bros. Finland (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Art Institute of Chicago, The  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
• Cleveland Museum of Art  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
• Detroit Institute of Arts, The  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
• Musée du Louvre, Paris  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
• Musée Rodin, Paris  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
• Museum of Fine Art, Boston  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
• Museum of Modern Art, The (MoMA)  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as The Museum of Modern Art, New York City)
• Rhode Island School of Design  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Rhode Island School of Design, Providence)
• Alfred Schwabacher Collection  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Arthur Jaffe  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Auguste Mayer Collection  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Baltimore Museum of Art  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Cone Collection, Baltimore Museum of Art)
• Braun - Paris  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Cercle Francais d'Art, Paris  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Chester Dale Collection, The  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Courtauld Institute of Art, The  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as The Home House Society, Courtaulds Institute of Art, London)
• Drukkerjjen v/h Ellerman Harms  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Firma de Muinck & Co.  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Ganymed Press  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
• Honolulu Academy of Arts  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
• Imprimerie Draeger  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• J.E. Wolfensberger, Wolfsbergdrucke  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• J.K. Thannhauser Collection  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• John Herron Art Museum  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Kunst im Druck Obpacher  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Kunstkreis Verlag  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Kunstmuseum  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Kunstmuseum, Basel)
• Kunstmuseum  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Kunstmuseum, Winterthur)
• Museu de Arte, Sao Paolo, Brazil  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as The Museu de Arte, Sao Paolo, Brazil)
• Musée des Beaux Arts, Palais Saint-Pierre  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Musée des Beaux Arts, Palais Saint-Pierre, Lyon)
• Nassau Galleries  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Nassau Galleries Inc., Andover)
• National Gallery of Art, Washington  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Rosenwald Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.)
• National Gallery of Scotland  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as The National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh)
• Nationalmuseum, Stockholm  we wish to thank: for cooperation (as National Museum, Stockholm)
• Nelson Gallery and Atkins Museum  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as The Nelson Gallery and Atkins Museum, Kansas City)
• New York Graphic Society  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Pallas Gallery, The  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.)
• Photo Vizzavona  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Piperdrucke Verlags, Die  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Rijksmuseum Amsterdam  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Rinascimento Prints by Robert Hoesch  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Soho Gallery  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Tate Gallery  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Trustees of the Tate Gallery, London)
• The Wertheim Collection, Fogg Art Museum  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design
• Tyson Collection  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Verlag F. Bruckman, K.G.  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• W. Weinberg Collection  we wish to thank: for cooperation
• Wildenstein Gallery, New York  we wish to thank: the museum for permission to photograph the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (as Wildenstein Gallery, New York City)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) (35 mm optical prints) (Westrex Recording System) | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | Canada:PG | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1993) | USA:Approved (PCA #17950) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

's-Gravenhage, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Parts of the film were shot in Auvers-sur-Oise, where Vincent van Gogh lived and died. Kirk Douglas had his hair cut specially in the style of the artist and had it dyed to a similar reddish tint. This was enough to make some of the older inhabitants of the town believe that Van Gogh had returned.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Camera shadow falls across Ducrucq as Van Gogh finds him dead.

Quotes:

Vincent Van Gogh:If I'm to be anything as a painter I've got to break through that iron wall between what I feel and what I express. my best chance of doing it is here, where my roots are... the people I know, the earth I know.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dutch Girls (1985) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Polka des poulettes

A great film by a great Director - but not a true biography

Irving Stone wrote his book 'Lust for Life' in 1934 and MGM obtained the film rights to it in 1946, long before there was any intention to create this film. Biographical films about the lives of artists were not regarded as likely to be financially viable, and at the time Van Gogh, who had only sold one painting in his lifetime, was not really well known to the public or regarded as the most promising subject for such a film. This changed following a very successful exhibition of his works in 1955 and MGM decided to commission Minnelli to direct the film for them, but they had little time left to create it as their film rights to the book expired at the end of 1955. This greatly complicated the production. For example, rights to create still reproductions of almost 200 of Van Gogh's works for this film had to be negotiated with all the museums, galleries and private collectors world-wide who owned them, the pictures then had to be copied by special still cameras requiring only low illumination levels, and printed as large transparencies that could be back-lit for filming in any scenes where they were visible. Minnelli was a good choice as Director - previously a stage designer he was known for artistic sensibilities and an eye for colour. In his memoirs Minnelli reports two major battles with the studio moguls, one he won - the other he lost. Minnelli knew the Metrocolor process used at MGM generated saturated colours which would be too garish for this film. He had recently finished filming Brigadoon using Anscocolor stock and insisted this was what was needed, but Anscocolor cine stock had just been discontinued. MGM eventually agreed to buy up the last 300,000 feet of unused Anscocolor stock available, and to set up a laboratory in which it could be processed. Minnelli also bitterly opposed working in CinemaScope format, claiming the large aspect ratio was incompatible with most paintings, and would also spoil the intimacy of many of the scenes to be filmed; but he was over-ruled on this.

Half a century later we are in a position to appreciate how right he was over both these issues. Like most viewers my first reactions to a film I am watching usually relate to the quality of the film-script, the direction and the acting. If these are acceptable I know I am likely to feel that I have seen a very good film. But film stock remains very important - as a still photographer myself I am well aware of the need to evaluate whether a particular shot should be made on, for example, Fuji's Sensia, Astia or Velvia emulsions - the wrong choice usually destroys the effect the photographer is striving for. It is the same with movies - I can recall just four films ('The Riddle of the Sands',' Laura, les Ombres de l'Ete', 'Black Narcissus' and 'Lust for Life') where one of my first reactions has been admiration for the atmospheric qualities and colour rendering of the photography. There may have been others but such films are certainly not very numerous. Although the opening credits of L4L still attribute the colour to Metrocolor, this film could not have succeeded as it did if MGM had been unable to obtain the Ansco stock that was actually used. As for aspect ratio, we have only to compare the VHS version with the new widescreen DVD to confirm that Minnelli's vision was correct (and this is of course after he did everything possible to utilise sequences which take maximum advantage of the widescreen presentation that he was forced to adopt.)

The film-script has been criticised for inaccuracies in Van Gogh's life as shown (unfairly as it is based on Irving Stone's book, which is normally classed as a novel rather than a biography. MGM might have done better to write an independent film-script and present their film as a biography- not as a film of a novel. What probably prevented this was recognition that they would then be responsible for any errors.) As written it is a very powerful depiction of the gradually increasing intensity of Van Gogh's commitment to his art, which increasingly became the only significant driving force in everything he did. The two hour overall running time is just about right - the emotional impact of watching the gradual disintegration of Van Gogh's personality might have become quite distressing for some viewers if the film has been a great deal longer.

The acting is exceptional. Kirk Douglas, a remarkable look-alike to extant pictures of Van Gogh, put everything into his effort to create a believable picture of a man with an increasingly fanatical drive which eventually overwhelmed him. It earned him an Oscar nomination, but not an award. This, I feel, was not his fault - Van Gogh was too insecure to interact normally with others and this would have showed in his whole bearing, something an individual as secure and stable as Kirk could not easily emulate. An actor is by nature an extreme extrovert and trying to take the part of an introvert is very difficult - when the introvert is both fanatical and unbalanced it probably becomes impossible. This makes it hard to become involved with Kirk's portrayal of the role in the same way that one would have done with Van Gogh himself. Anthony Quinn's Best Supporting Actor Oscar award for his role as Paul Gauguin was well deserved. There were also memorable performances by James Donald as Theo and Pamela Brown as Christine. Theo's anguish in the deathbed sequence came over very effectively. The direction and camera work, although not faultless, were both of an extremely high standard. All in all, anyone interested either in modern painting or in the lives of modern painters will find this a most rewarding film to watch.