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 | Vincent Van Gogh | Artist | Paul Gauguin | Painter

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 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 styles
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	....	we wish to thank for cooperation
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)
Emily Rauh Pulitzer	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mrs. Joseph Pulitzer Jr.)
Joseph Pulitzer Jr.	....	we wish to thank for cooperation (as Mr. 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)
• Loew's (as 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
• 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)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 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:

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

Filming Locations:

's-Gravenhage, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Many of the locations used for filming were the actual locations Vincent van Gogh visited in his life.

Quotes:

Paul Gauguin: To say 'I love you' would break my teeth.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Interview with Chris Petit and Keith Griffiths (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

La Marseillaise

Passion for life

When I hear the name Vincente Minnelli certain scenes pop up on my inner screeningroom: A tracking shot at the fair (Some came running), the low tracking zoom towards Douglas and Turner at the pool (Bad and the Beautiful), snowmen (Meet me in St Louis) and the agony in Douglas's face in "Lust for life"; in fact as soon as his redbearded agonized face pops up, all the other movies fade away and "Lust for life" takes over my inner screening room.

But apart from being my favorite Minnelli movie, its a movie that more than any other shows his genius in use of colors; every scene is composed in breathtaking technicolor with the deepest respect for Van Gogh's own use of color, and Douglas's acting is filled with the same agony and passion as the strokes of Van Gogh's brush. As the other great movies who uses color to its fullest (Wizard of Oz, Black Narcissus, Ten Commandments), the simularities between the director and the painter is obvious. Hence, Minnelli's struggle for "painting" the scenes with the richness of technicolor becomes an echo of Van Gogh. It also reads as a textbook in composition from Steinberg's Dead Space to Eisenstein's juxtapositions. In all, Minnelli is of great skill and uses it to the fullest.

The story, which focuses on the struggle for a new way of expression, is tame at times and the acting (apart from Douglas) seems static most of the times, but the tortured face and body of Douglas and the use of color makes this one of the greatest achievements in MGM's history and one of the best movies Minnelli ever made.