The Picture of Dorian Gray1945
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
The Picture of Dorian Gray Photos
Movie Info
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Cast
as Dorian Gray
as Lord Henry Wotton
as Sibyl Vane
as Gladys Hallward
as Basil Hallward
as David Stone
as James Vane
as Lord George Farmoor
as Mrs. Vane
as Adrian Singleton
as Alan Campbell
as Lady Agatha
as Sir Thomas
as Lady Henry Wotton
as Duchess
as Chairman Malvolio Jones
as Sir Robert Bentley
as Kate
as Narrator
as Mr. Erskine
as Mrs. Vandelear
as Young French Woman
as Kate
as Cabby
as Butler
as Gladys as a Child
as Parker the Nurse
as Piano Player
as Cabby
as Stage Manager
as Lord Gerald Goodbody
as Lady Alice Goodbody
as Lady Ruxton
as Gibson
as Club Member
as Club Member
as Loader
as Loader
as Butler
as Guests at Mayfair Tea
as Guests At Mayfair Tea
Critic Reviews for The Picture of Dorian Gray
All Critics (14) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (1) | DVD (3)
The Picture of Dorian Gray isn't awful, though it's certainly an instance in which an outright debacle would have made a much more interesting film.
Through actions and demeanor, Dorian is more frightening than many classic movie monsters.
A reasonably decent adaptation of Oscar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a Gotchic horror with a cautionary note.
[George] Sanders delivers Wilde's sarcastic aphorisms with a cultured purr...
Stradling demonstrates his mastery of deep-focus photography and scenic composition...
With its allusions to Baudelaire, Beardsley and Wilde himself, this motion 'Picture' was meant for an adult audience that could sense the youth-runs-Wilde wickedness perpetrated by the title character offscreen, in the spaces between the frames...
Audience Reviews for The Picture of Dorian Gray
This is the film version of Oscar Wilde's classic tale about a man whose physical appearance remains the same despite his depravity. Finally, Wilde's tale is adapted faithfully. In this film version, Dorian is not a magical superhero/villain a la The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen or a horribly corrupt murderer a la Dorian Gray. He is instead appropriately narcissistic and tortured. Within Hurd Hatfield's performance is a healthy conscience that manifests in his eyes but not the rest of his physiognomy. The real improvement comes in the performance of George Sanders who captures Wilde's Lord Henry perfectly. Dorian Gray with Colin Firth posited that depravity was the logical extension of Lord Henry's philosophy, but Sanders's performance correctly captures what Wilde might have said: that fun is the logic extension of Lord Henry's philosophy. There's a big jump between a philosophy that deifies the aesthetic and a philosophy that finds beauty in murder. This seems like an obvious point, but of the adaptations I've seen, only director Albert Lewin seems to understand it. Overall, if you really hate reading but still want to see a version of Oscar Wilde's novel, then see this one.
Super Reviewer
Oscar Wilde's famous novel is brought to life in this pretty faithful adaptation by director/writer Albert Lewin. Some of the homosexual subtext has been toned down, and Dorian's spiraling descent into depravity is alluded to so vaguely that one could ascribe just about anything to it. I wasn't a fan of the novel, mainly because I found the philosophies and witticisms to be meaningless. For example (and just to pull something off the top of my head), "it's the man who never thirsts whose cup is always full". I just made that up, it means nothing, yet could mean something if someone bothered to think about it. There is a character in the book spouting off such witticisms every third sentence, and it becomes grating after a while. Anyway, while the film was very keen on the superficial aspects of re-creating the story, I don't think it touched on the true heart of the novel, the fear of lost youth or the nihilistic approach to life that Dorian is led to by an evil mentor (all the more evil that he corrupts Dorian just for simple fun, rather than any ulterior motive). I suppose it's a lot to expect from 1940s hollywood. In any event, what we have here is a completely passable version of Dorian Gray.
Super Reviewer
A solid adaptation of the novel, a bit dated and slugish in it's pacing. Special mention to the fully colored painting the movie wisely uses as the only image of color, truly creepy stuff.
Super Reviewer
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