Picture of Dorian Gray (The)
- Director: Albert Lewin
- Writer: Oscar Wilde; Albert Lewin
- Producer: Pandro S. Berman
CGiii Comment
Oscar for Cinematography...which it deserved.
Hollywood takes on Wilde's intellect - a potential disaster - the bizarre use of accents aside, the disaster was, thankfully, averted.
Gray's homosexuality is only hinted at - remember when it was made.
Sanders delivers his lines at full speed and devoid of any wit - a failing of the director.
Watch it aware of the imposed constraints - the censors - then, read between the lines - it really is a sinister piece of atmospheric work.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
In 1886, in the Victorian London, the corrupt Lord Henry Wotton meets the pure Dorian Gray posing for talented painter Basil Hallward. Basil paints Dorian's portrait and gives the beautiful painting and an Egyptian sculpture of a cat to him while Henry corrupts his mind and soul telling that Dorian should seek pleasure in life. Dorian wishes that his portrait could age instead of him. Dorian goes to a side show in the Two Turtles in the poor neighborhood of London and he falls in love with the singer Sibyl Vane. Dorian decides to get married with her and tells to Lord Henry that convinces him to test the honor of Sibyl. Dorian Gray leaves Sibyl and travels abroad and when he returns to London, Lord Henry tells him that Sibyl committed suicide for love. Along the years, Dorian's friends age while he is still the same, but his picture discloses his evilness and corruptive life. Can he still have salvation or is his soul trapped in the doomed painting?
Cast & Characters
George Sanders as Lord Henry Wotton;
Hurd Hatfield as Dorian Gray;
Donna Reed as Gladys Hallward;
Angela Lansbury as Sibyl Vane;
Peter Lawford as David Stone;
Lowell Gilmore as Basil Hallward;
Richard Fraser as James Vane;
Douglas Walton as Allen Campbell;
Morton Lowry as Adrian Singleton;
Miles Mander as Sir Robert Bentley;
Lydia Bilbrook as Mrs. Vane;
Mary Forbes as Lady Agatha;
Robert Greig as Sir Thomas;
Moyna MacGill as Duchess;
Billy Bevan as Malvolio Jones