NET Playhouse Biography; Vincent the Dutchman
- Series
- NET Playhouse Biography
- Episode
- Vincent the Dutchman
- Producing Organization
- Richard Price Television Associates
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip/516-n58cf9k78z
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- Description
- Episode Description
- British actor Michael Gough portrays Vincent Van Gogh, the great 19th century painter, in Swedish director Mai Zetterlings unusual film biography. Gough said that, as he prepared for the role, he abandoned his own outgoing personality to re-emerge as the lonely, misunderstood artist who only sold one painting in his lifetime and whose eccentricity often provoked cruelty. The program focuses on the brief, intensely creative period in Van Gogh's life when he painted most of his best-known canvases--depictions of sunflowers and other blossoming plants, fruit trees, views of the French town of Arles, portraits of his postman-friend Roulin and of Roulin's family, and self-portraits. This period spans about two years, from March 1888, until April 1890. He spent the beginning of these years in Arles, where he wrote voluminously of his feelings in letters to his brother, Theo, who was helping to support him. For a short time another great painter, Gauguin, came to stay with him at Arles, but the two artists were not compatible. Gauguin's visit was climaxed with the famous incident in which Van Gogh broke under emotional strain, cut off part of his left ear and brought it to a local prostitute he knew. Not long afterward, fearing the total loss of his mind, he had himself confined to the asylum at St. Remy de Provence, where he stayed from April 1889 until April of the following year. But he continued to paint. Three months after leaving the asylum he committed suicide at the age of 37.?Miss Zetterling, the Swedish actress turned director, explained that her film is adapted completely from Van Gogh's letters to Theo. "Every word, every sentence is taken from the letters and used in various ways as narrative." Miss Zetterling made the film in collaboration with her husband, novelist and literary commentator David Hughes.?One of the unique aspects of this portrayal of Van Gogh is the manner in which viewers see Gough gradually transformed into his subject. He begins with a biographical narrative on Van Goghcomparing aspects of Van Gogh's life with his own. Then he starts quoting the artist, trying to envision things as Van Gogh did. At the same time his appearance begins to change into a sunburnt, weather-beaten, unattractive manwith "badly cut, stubbly red beard; gloomy, nervous, fanatic; an incorrigible smoker." Finally, he is Van Gogh. Another unusual feature of this film is the use of four contemporary artists whose thoughts on creativity are carefully juxtaposed into the narrative, and who also play small roles in the film. They are Angela Conner, Fred Mason, Elisabeth Frink, and Antony Daniells. "Vincent the Dutchman" is a presentation of the National Programming Division of WNET/13, produced for WNET/13 and the British Broadcasting Corporation by Richard Price Associates. NOTE: This program contains a scene that may be considered adult in nature by some stations. This scene occurs between 35:00 and 45:00. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche)
- Episode Description
- 90 minute piece produced by Richard Price Associates and initially distributed by NET in 1972. It was originally shot on film in color. Aired as NET Playhouse Biography #16 in 1972 and reaired as Playhouse New York Biography #212 in 1973.
- Broadcast Date
- 1972-05-04
- Broadcast Date
- 1973-08-23
- Asset type
- Episode
- Genres
- Drama
- Media type
- other
- Credits
-
-
Actor: Gough, Michael
Actor: Frink, Elisabeth
Actor: Daniells, Anthony
Actor: Conner, Angela
Actor: Mason, Fred
Camera Operator: Bulmer, John
Director: Zetterling, Mai, 1925-1994
Executive Producer: Venza, Jac
Producer: Zetterling, Mai, 1925-1994
Producing Organization: Richard Price Television Associates
Writer: Hughes, David
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
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- Citations
- Chicago: “NET Playhouse Biography; Vincent the Dutchman,” 1972-05-04, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed May 22, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-516-n58cf9k78z.
- MLA: “NET Playhouse Biography; Vincent the Dutchman.” 1972-05-04. American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. May 22, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-516-n58cf9k78z>.
- APA: NET Playhouse Biography; Vincent the Dutchman. Boston, MA: American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-516-n58cf9k78z