Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most mysterious artists in the history of art. His paintings were not just a special type of expressionism. An ordinary person who does not understand art will notice that this artist literally put his soul into works of art. What inspired him to write these masterpieces? His point of view was stated by the director of the biographical drama “The thirst for life”.
Synopsis The film tells about the creative years of the outstanding Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh. The story of his work begins in the year of his missionary work, when Vincent first learned what real life is. He put his thoughts and feelings on the canvas. However, with each new painting, Vincent plunged deeper into his state of madness, until one day he cut off his ear.
Keir Douglas is indeed a real legend of old Hollywood. This actor literally brings to life the characters he plays. So, his Van Gong is not just a sentimental artist, but a professional master who subtly feels the world around him and conveys it in the way the world really is. I liked the play of Anthony Quinn, who played Paul Gauguin, who embodied the image opposite to that of Vincent, i.e. we see Paul as strict, a bit cruel, preferring simplicity in contrast to the depth of Van Gogh.
Directorship It was very interesting to watch the collaboration of two real classics of the old American cinema. George Cukor, known for directing Gone with the Wind, and Vincent Minnelli, known for The American in Paris, tried not just to shoot a biographical drama that would tell about the artist’s creative path, but they, above all, sought to show the viewer the invisible connection between Vincent van Gogh and his paintings. To do this, throughout the film, in addition to the fact that we saw the real places of painting, the directors inserted shots with real paintings. Thus, they told the viewer not only when a particular masterpiece was created, but also explained why the artist wrote this and in this way.
The script of the film is based on the biographical novel by the American writer-publicist Irving Stone. Of course, I am not familiar with the novel, so I cannot judge how much the content of the film corresponds to the content of the novel. However, if we compare the plot of the film and the known facts about the life of Van Gogh, we can say the following. First, the film can hardly be called purely biographical, since the story here begins on the eve of Vincent’s work in the visual arts. Secondly, whether intentionally or not, known facts about his life, such as death, are omitted or altered. That is, it is difficult to say how much the plot deserves special praise, but it emphasizes the connection between the artist and his paintings.
Result The general conclusion is this. Of course, “The Thirst for Life” is too romantic, but I think Van Gogh’s nature was burning with feelings. Despite this, the film, given the fact that it is devoted to art, made really beautifully. The colors and colors in it are literally full, spiritualizing the nature captured in the film.
10 out of 10