Van Gogh (1991)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Maurice Pialat

Writer:

Maurice Pialat (writer)

Release Date:

30 October 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

The final 67 days of Van Gogh's life is examined.

Plot Keywords:

Inn | Prostitute | Brothel | Painting | Doctor

Awards:

2 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Jacques Dutronc	...	Van Gogh
Alexandra London	...	Marguerite (Gachet)
Bernard Le Coq	...	Théo
Gérard Séty	...	Gachet
Corinne Bourdon	...	Jo
Elsa Zylberstein	...	Cathy
Leslie Azzoulai	...	Adeline (as Leslie Azoulai)
Jacques Vidal	...	Ravoux
Chantal Barbarit	...	Madame Chevalier
Claudine Ducret	...	Professeur de Piano
Frédéric Bonpart	...	La Mouche
Maurice Coussonneau	...	Chaponval
Didier Barbier	...	L'Idiot
Gilbert Pignol	...	Gilbert
André Bernot	...	La Butte Rouge
Lise Lamétrie	...	Madame Ravoux

Directed by
Maurice Pialat

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Maurice Pialat		writer

Original Music by
André Bernot		(as A. Bernot)
J.M. Bourget
Jacques Dutronc		(as J. Dutronc)
P. Revedy

Cinematography by
Gilles Henry
Emmanuel Machuel

Film Editing by
Yann Dedet
Nathalie Hubert
Hélène Viard

Production Design by
Philippe Pallut
Katia Wyszkop		(as Katia Vischkof)

Costume Design by
Edith Vesperini

Production Management
Patrick Lancelot	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fabrice Grange	....	assistant director
Alain Olivieri	....	first assistant director
Marie-Jeanne Pascal	....	first assistant director
Christophe Vassort	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Jean-Pierre Duret	....	sound engineer
François Groult	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Xavier Cholet	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thierry Delettre	....	costume supervisor
Naima Lagrange	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Pierre Molin	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Charles Dutoit	....	conductor: Honegger excerpts

Production Companies

• Canal+
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)
• Club des Investissments
• Cofimage 2
• Erato Films
• Films A2
• Investimage 2
• Investimage 3
• Les Films du Livradois
• Sofiarp

Distributors

• Gaumont (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• Gaumont DVD (2003) (France) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Classics (1992) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Alberto Bitelli Intl. Films (1993) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Artificial Eye (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Prodimag (2007) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (Spain)

Runtime:

158 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Argentina:13 | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | USA:R

Company:

Canal+

Nice Try, but...

The strength of this film hinges on the plausibility of the account- if this is indeed an accurate portrayal of Van Gogh's last days then it at least has some innate value in that regard. Although the pain of V.G.'s suffering was excruciatingly heightened by the real-life pace, the film suffered overall from being too slow. I was left feeling depressed about Van Gogh and got the feeling that maybe some aspects of a person's life are better left undramatized. The character of "Van Gogh" ultimately comes across as a hopeless case--crazy, depressed, bitter, irresponsible and ill-tempered, hopelessly dependent on his brother and resentful to the point of suicide because of it. But is that the whole story? There must be more and this movie doesn't leave the viewer with the impression that any stones have been left unturned. Too much of this man's earlier life is unknown to us(assumed) and his actions and relationship with his brother, Theo have no real context for the viewer to truly sympathize or understand Van Gogh. And the relations he has with the love interests in the film are in many ways stilted and hard to believe. Van Gogh was a stormy, complex, singular type of human being whose story resists just this type of retelling. Nice try but I think this film missed.