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Lust for Life

Lust for Life

Drama · History · 1956

An intense and imaginative artist, revered Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh possesses undeniable talent, but he is plagued by mental problems and frustrations with failure. Supported by his brother, Theo, the tormented Van Gogh eventually leaves Holland for France, where he meets volatile fellow painter Paul Gauguin and struggles to find greater inspiration.

Movie details

Lust for Life

“He had a lust for life. Sometimes he was brutal, sometimes delicate – always he lived with insatiable passion!”

1956 Drama · History 2h 2m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.2 / 10

Community rating

An intense and imaginative artist, revered Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh possesses undeniable talent, but he is plagued by mental problems and frustrations with failure. Supported by his brother, Theo, the tormented Van Gogh eventually leaves Holland for France, where he meets volatile fellow painter Paul Gauguin and struggles to find greater inspiration.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Lust for Life?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Vincente Minnelli

Written by

Norman Corwin

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas

Vincent van Gogh

Anthony Quinn

Anthony Quinn

Paul Gauguin

James Donald

James Donald

Theo van Gogh

Pamela Brown

Pamela Brown

Christine

Everett Sloane

Everett Sloane

Dr. Gachet

Niall MacGinnis

Niall MacGinnis

Roulin

Noel Purcell

Noel Purcell

Anton Mauve

Court is in session

Put Lust for Life on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.