Kirk Douglas gives one of his finest, most sympathetic performances as tortured artist Vincent Van Gogh in this glossy, occasionally lumbering biographical drama. Director Vincente Minnelli (never a filmmaker known to delve too deeply into either lust or obsessions) manages to slip in shots of the real Vincent Van Gogh's paintings throughout, but the on-screen relationship between Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin is sadly under-developed (despite Anthony Quinn winning a Supporting Actor Oscar). Handsomely-produced package is worth-seeing mainly for Douglas' sterling work, but the weak final act fails to leave behind good will for the film, despite its obvious merits. **1/2 from ****