Waiting for Dafoe (…as Van Gogh)

Star power comes to Saint-Rémy!

All last week, a film crew buzzed around Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, the psychiatric hospital where the post-Impressionist painter, Vincent van Gogh, lived from 1889 to 1890. Here, American actor Willem Dafoe was filming, “At Eternity’s Gate,” a new flick about the great artist.

The Saturday before Thanksgiving, Ralph and I popped by to witness the action. We found a dozen huge, spiffy trailers, a gigantic crane, a mammoth camera and other film equipment but not a single actor.  That changed come Monday.  Well, sort of. Though we had no tête-à-tête with Mr. Dafoe, during the week, we did become best buddies with a make-up guy who enjoyed catching some rays while not transforming actors.

We also chatted with the friendly movie set chef. Each day, Ralph and I would stroll by, and I’d stop to ask the chef what he had planned for the plat du jour. Magret de canard was on tap for Thanksgiving lunch–not that he knew much about the special day for Americans. I felt compelled to fill him in on the basics. Today is the day, I told him, when Americans eat lots of turkey, watch lots of American football, and give lots of thanks. He scrunched up his nose, tilted his head to one side and said, “That’s what Americans do the day before Black Friday?”

Yep, that’s what we do “the day before Black Friday,” aka, Thanksgiving–we eat turkey, watch TV and give thanks. Especially, we give thanks.

On location at Saint Paul de Mausole, Vincent van Gogh’s former residence, Saint Rémy de Provence.

Film equipment is poised for action in the the peaceful interior courtyard at Saint Paul de Mausole.

Van Gogh’s backyard at Saint Paul de Mausole is lavenderless in November, but imagine summer when blossoms will abound.

An actor graciously poses before hitting the lunch tent.

Inside a make-up trailor for “At Eternity’s Gate”–maybe where Dafoe became van Gogh.

The film crew’s lunch wagon. The week’s plats du jour included porc aux olives, boeuf bourguignon and magret de canard–pas mal!