Movies About Vincent van Gogh

Vincent: A Film by Paul Cox (1987)

Describing this film is easy: it's John Hurt reading extracts from Van Gogh's letters to an unfolding sequence of images of locations and Van Gogh's paintings, drawings, and sketches.

But there's nothing simple about the film. It's extremely powerful and moving to listen to Van Gogh's own words relate his inner struggles and attempts to develop as an artist, to hear what he regarded as his artistic successes and failures.

This is the film Van Gogh might have made himself; it has the same intense visual impact as encountering Van Gogh's paintings in real life for the first time rather than in reproduction.

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Vincent van Gogh Timeline

By Beth Gersh-Nesic

Vincent and Theo: A Film by Robert Altman (1990)

Vincent and Theo is period drama transporting you back in time into the intertwined lives of the two brothers (and Theo's long-suffering wife.) It stars Tim Roth as Vincent and Paul Rhys as Theo. This isn't an analysis of Vincent's personality or works, it's the story of his life as well as the struggles of Theo to make a career as an art dealer.

Without Theo supporting him financially, Vincent would not have been able to paint. (You'll see Theo's apartment gradually becoming more and more crowded by Vincent's paintings!) As a painter, it shows how invaluable it's having an unquestioning supporter who believes in you.

Lust for Life: A Film by Vincente Minnelli (1956)

Lust for Life is based on the book by the same name by Irving Stone and stars Kirk Douglas as Vincent van Gogh and Anthony Quinn as Paul Gauguin. It's a classic that's a little overacted and overdramatic by today's standards, but that's part of the appeal. It's tremendously emotional and passionate.

The film shows more of Vincent's early struggles to find a direction in life than the others, how he sought to learn how to draw and then paint. It's worth watching just for the scenery, to get an appreciation for Van Gogh's early, dark palette and his later bright colors.

Vincent The Full Story: Documentary by Waldemar Januszczak

A three-part documentary by art critic Waldemar Januszczak, originally shown on Channel 4 in the UK, this series showcased the locations in the Netherlands, England, and France where Van Gogh lived and worked. Januszczak also surveys of the influences of other artists and locations on Van Gogh's paintings.

A handful of factual claims didn't ring true, and some are open to interpretation, but this series is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Van Gogh's paintings and want to learn more about him. It's very much the "full" story, dealing with his whole life, including the early years in London and the period where he started to teach himself to draw.