Vincent & Theo

Tim Roth portrayed Vincent van Gogh and Paul Rhys played his brother Theo in Vincent & Theo. Both performances were noted for capturing the intensity and emotional complexity of the brothers' relationship. The film was a co-production that originally aired as a longer BBC miniseries before being edited for theatrical release.

Vincent & Theo was released in 1990, timed to coincide with the centenary of Vincent van Gogh's death in 1890. The film received generally positive reviews for its unromanticized, gritty portrayal of the painter's difficult life and his dependency on Theo. Robert Altman directed the project, which originally aired as a four-hour BBC miniseries before being cut to roughly 140 minutes for theatrical distribution.

Robert Altman drew heavily from the extensive surviving correspondence between Vincent and Theo van Gogh, which is one of the best-documented artist relationships in history. The film emphasizes the financial dependency, emotional volatility, and deep bond detailed in those letters, while inevitably taking dramatic liberties for narrative purposes. Many scenes reflect actual events described in the letters, including Theo's struggles as a Paris-based art dealer.

Vincent & Theo received critical acclaim, particularly for Tim Roth's performance, but it was not a major award winner at ceremonies like the Academy Awards or BAFTAs. The film is often remembered as one of Altman's more thoughtful later-career works, appreciated for its refusal to romanticize Van Gogh's mental health struggles or artistic genius. Its reception was stronger among critics than at the box office.