Search - The Picture of Dorian Gray on DVD

Karen D. (Katie27) from MAHOMET, IL
Reviewed on 3/12/2011...

Awesome movie! Foreshadowing and symbolism are rampant. Worth owning.

1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Hitchcockesque

05/14/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film belies itself in that it's presence seems very innocent and moral on the outside, afterall it's a vintage MGM movie set in the aristocratic culture of Victorian England. However, take these layers away and you have a very creepy and horrific movie. This reminded me of Hitchcock film due to the light atmosphere and surroundings with the deep undertones of the dark side of human nature. Hurd Hatfield gives a fine and creepy performance as the indifferent and evil Dorian Gray. I found his face very mask-like and cold as I would imagine a person without a conscience to be. He harms and destroys people with the grace of the finest Victorian gentleman. He has sold his soul to the devil to remain eternally young and beautiful, as his painted portrait takes on what he has truly become. I have seen the actual demonic portrait of Dorian Gray at the Art Institute of Chicago where it resides. It's even more horrific in person and it adds dimension to this movie, and truly shows the destortion of pure evil. This is exemplary in the fact that even though this movie is in black and white, when the painting is in the film frame, it is in technicolor. I think that even though Oscar Wilde has produced a wonderful literary piece, some credit needs to go to the artist, Ivan Albright, for producing such a stark visual reminder of how horrible the dark side of human nature can be."

An Exceptional Film Adaptation of the Classic Novel

C. Middleton | Australia | 09/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1945 film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic novella is more that likely the best adaptation one will ever see. This may seem to be a big statement, but Albert Lewin's direction along with Harry Stradling Sr.'s Oscar winning Cinematography for 1946, appears almost flawless when comparing the classic novel with the film.

George Sanders as Lord Henry Wotton should have won the Oscar that year for best supporting actor because his performance is faultless, brimming with style and wit. To my mind, he is Oscar Wilde, snobbish, intelligent and uses his tongue as a sword, cutting anyone down to size who cares to challenge him. Some of his lines from the screenplay are pure gems that Wilde is so famous for:

"I like persons better than principles and persons with no principles better than anything at all."

"Forgive me for the intelligence of my argument; I'd forgotten you were a Member of Parliament."

Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) is a slightly effeminent aristocrat who makes a Faustian pact to gain eternal youth. Gray's portrait, however, reveals Gray's soul, as he plunges himself into the dark and criminal world of 19th century London. Gray is selfish, uncaring, and arrogant and portrays the true 19th century hedonist; a Wildean character in the truest sense, as the then infamous novel, during the famous Wilde trials, was partly responsible for his four year imprisonment. This was the time when homosexuality was illegal, and Oscar Wilde became a scapegoat for the English's notorious hypocrisy.

Angela Lansbury as Sibyl Vane won her the Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. She is beautiful in this role, touching and almost pitiful as her innocence is corrupted by the cruel Dorian Gray.

What is curious about this film is that it is black and white; however, the actual portrait of Dorian is shown four times through the film in colour.

This was the only novel Oscar Wilde ever wrote, as he was predominantly a playwright and poet. The book also is a comment on the "Art for Art's Sake" sensibility and a philosophical commentary on the Aesthetic movement. The film also touches on these points, albeit on a superficial level.

This is a wonderful film and one hopes that in the near future it will be available on DVD.

Absolutely excellent.



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A wonderful film that needs a DVD version

S. P. Oconnell | Brookline, NH United States | 10/26/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a wonderful film, filled with atmosphere and wonderful actors. George Sanders is outstanding as Lord Henry Wotton. Never have I heard someone make evil sound so appealing. You can just feel the blackness going into Dorian's heart as he listens to him speak his honeyed words. Hurd Hatfield as Dorian Gray was the perfect choice. He has the look of someone who has been sheltered from the world. He looked untouched as he committed the evil the sealed his fate. Sanders and Hatfield were perfect together.Angela Lansbury as Sibyl Vane has a short put very important role, you can hear her heart break when Dorian leaves her. It is a slow and somber ride down the path to evil but that makes it so much more real. Wonderful sets, great lighting, perfect casting, this film calls out for a DVD version stuffed with extras.It should be done now while we still have some of the actors and crew from the film still alive.Great film for a lonely night when the shadows are long and dark."