Customer Reviews
Hollywood style gets in the way - By: Mr. Derek R. Osbourne, 16 Mar 2008 
First of alll - this is a very good film. Certainly four star. For those who have only seen him in Spartacus Kirk Douglas' performance is exceptional & I am not sure that he deserved to lose out to Yul Brynner in "The King & I". Anthony Quinn was also nomianted for Best Supprting Actor playing Gaugain. Great performances, beautiful cinematography of the countryside that inspired van Gogh's pictures juxtaposed brilliantly with the pictures themselves.
So why not five stars? Why, oh why did they have to go to studio for some of the outdoor pieces like Vincent's declaration of love to Kay? The brilliant cinematography cuts to obvious studio grass in a jarring way. The score by Miklos Rozsa captures Vincent's stress & increasing madness but is intrusive elsewhere. Typical 50s overblowing. And, of course, the Hays Code made sure we thought Vincent cut off his ear because of an argument with Gaugain rather than because he had been rejected in his obsession for a prostitute. Little things reallly & very typical of 1956 but enough to drop a star for me.
Kirk van Gogh - By: Geoff Bunn ART PRINTS, 18 Dec 2007 I like to keep my reviews brief, so here goes: a little known fact is that Vincent & Theo had a brother named Kirk. Kirk moved to the USA. Where he also had a son named Kirk & that Kirk changed his surname to Douglas. So it is that - in the film - Kirk Douglas plays his grandfather.
At least, it must, surely, be so. For how else can Kirk Douglas portray, so magnificently, Vincent van Gogh?
Criticisms: One only. Perhaps the film is a little short. Too much time is given to Holland & not enough to Van Gogh's later life. Shame they didnt make an extra 20 mins or so.
Summary: Well worth having if you like Art. Or Van Gogh. Or life. Or Kirk Douglas. Or France. Or if you are just a little insane.
Great classic - By: M. Jones, 20 Aug 2007 
I agree with the other guys comments :) this is a great classic! Kirk Douglas is brilliant as ever. If your into the work of Van Gogh? & never seen this film? you have to buy it, you won't be disappointed :)
Inspiring - By: William J. Bale, 08 Dec 2006 This film about Van Gogh's life is excellent. You do not have to an art lover or conniseur to enjoy this story. Kirk Douglas deserved to win an Oscar for his performance of the troubled artist. But he didn't. Isn't it funny that the best artists are often overlooked?
Classic film that deserves a Special Edition! - By: websurfer, 22 Apr 2006 In 1956 Director Vincent Minnelli took in his hands the first film biopic of the famous impressionist painter Vincent Van Gog.Adapted from the Irwin Stone novel it was MGM's prestigue film of the year gathering several Oscar nominations.
The task of bringuing to the screen the passionate & dramatic life of a true revolutionary artist couldn't be easy but Minnelli did a wonderful job recreating the life & times of Van Gog. Lust for Life is undoubtly a 1950ths classic with a brilliant cinemathography by Freddy Young, great score by Miklos Rosza, beautiful Art Direction by Cedric Gibbons & of course wonderful acting by Kirk Douglas as Van Gog & Anthony Quinn as Paul Gauguin(winner of the Oscar for best suporting actor of 1956)! This being said its just a shame that such a wonderful film didn't guet the Special Edition treatment! Even so....buy it!!!
