DORIAN GRAY
UK, 2009, 113 minutes, Colour.
Ben Barnes, Colin Firth, Rachel Hurd- Wood, Rebecca Hall, Emelia Fox, Ben Chaplin, Caroline Goodall, Fiona Shaw, Maryam D' Abo, Douglas Henshall.
Directed by Oliver Parker.
At the end of the 19th century, two significant novels were published by famous authors: Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson and, five years later (1891), The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.
They both dealt with the contradictions in a man, good and evil, with self-indulgence and the attempt to avoid responsibility. For Stevenson, chemicals released the inner Dr Hyde for a life of violence and depravity, ultimately destroying Dr Jekyll, a good man who had made wrong decisions. For Wilde, the exterior of Dorian Gray does not change over the decades. He seems a respectable citizen. However, the corruption of his life gradually takes over and consumes his portrait, hidden away from anyone's gaze in his attic.
There have been many versions of Wilde's story, several in the silent era. The classic Hollywood film was made in 1945 with Hurd Hatfield and George Sanders as Lord Henry Wotton. It was filmed in black and white except for the climactic impact of the picture in colour.
Other versions for television have sometimes updated the story to the present.
Director Oliver Parker has had success with Wilde's An Ideal Husband and very mixed reactions for Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (present company not liking it at all). He also directed an update of St Trinian's and a sequel.
His Dorian Gray goes back to the 1890s, Wilde's era, and presents a rather stylised, artificial view of London affluent society. The young Dorian (Ben Barnes moving away from his performance as Prince Caspian!) fits into this world with some ease despite cruelty experienced in his past. He falls in love with Sybil Vane, an actress. However, it is Lord Henry Wotton (Colin Firth at his best) who is a charmingly malevolent mentor (using Wildean epigrams and manners) who offers Dorian a choice between good and evil. Dorian chooses evil – and discovers that his portrait painted by his devoted friend, Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), is absorbing the physical and moral consequences of his behaviour.
Dorian's life of depravity is rather posed and postured here, like some illustrations from Aubrey Beardsley and fin de siecle artists with whom Wilde was familiar. However, the film sets Dorian's long years of travel in the early 20th century, returning him at the beginning of World War I. We see much of 20th century technology, cameras, phones, gramophones, cars, the London Underground – and the coming of the suffragettes.
Commentators on the film note that Wilde saw Dorian as unrepentant. Here his conscience gets the better of him, especially when confronted by Sybil Vane's demented brother bent on revenge as well as encountering the very forthright daughter of Lord Henry, Emily (a vigorous Rebecca Hall).
The plot moves rather rapidly at the beginning, especially Dorian's settling into London and the painting of his portrait. Then it slows down to show Dorian's moral decline. Ben Barnes may appeal to many audiences though he is presented as a mixture of the strong character and the effete who would be at home with some of the Pre- Raphaelites.
Not a definitive version of the novel but an interesting interpretation for our times.
1.The reputation of Oscar Wilde, of his novel? The various film versions and interpretations?
2.Wilde’s intention with the novel, a moral fable, selling one’s soul, indulgence in pleasure, the illusions of pleasure and the missing of happiness, the inner and outer selves, indulgence and deception?
3.The film set at a later time than the novel, from the 1890s into the 20th century, a decade after Wilde’s death? The 20th century technology – cameras, gramophones, phones, cars, the London Underground? Going into World War Two, the posters, the discussion about the war? The effect of this change of time?
4.The stylised look at the 19th century, affluent society, salons, the theatres? The poses and postures of decadence and the clubs? The brothels and the drug dens? Costumes, décor? The musical score? The stylised 20th century – the contrasts in society, the wealthy and the slums?
5.The attic, the portrait, its changing – and the finale? The ordinary portrait, Dorian Gray, the changes, the eye, the worms, the corruption? The importance of the flashbacks and the effect of the flogging on Dorian – and the wounds disappearing into the picture?
6.The young Dorian Gray, at age twenty, arrival in London with high hopes, feted, welcomed by Lord Henry Wotton? By Basil Hallward? The range of friends, the women? The house and the household? His servant – the years of faithful service and his later dismissing him? Expectations of him? The meeting with Sybil Vane, her Ophelia? Talking with her, the attraction, love, the relationship? The change and the influence of Harry? Her giving herself to him, his rejection, her killing herself, her brother explaining she was pregnant? In the river? Her brother and his attack? Later, with the gun? His being taken away, interned? At the end, the cigarette case and the engraving? Shooting at Dorian behind the taxi, pursuing him to the Underground? On the tracks – and his death, Dorian comforting him at the end?
7.Dorian and his choices, the malevolent influence of Harry, leading him into temptation, urging him to give in? Harry and his relationship with his wife, his style, clothes, epigrams (in the Oscar Wilde style)? Urging Dorian on, the temptations, taking him away from Sybil, into the den, smoking the drugs, sexual depravity? How much was Dorian’s choice and Harry’s influence? His retaining the pleasant exterior – and the evil going into the portrait? The stripes on his back, the wounded hand? The eye, the blood, the worms? His hiding the picture? Locking it away?
8.Meeting with Basil, Basil as an artist, a friend, his place in society, painting Dorian’s portrait, his exhilaration with the portrait, the visits, the request that it be exhibited, Dorian’s refusal? Dorian as seductive, kissing Basil, the seduction, taking him to see the painting, killing him? Putting the body in the trunk – and the policeman helping him? Putting the body in the river? The later discovery? His presence at the funeral – reciting the poem? The irony of his keeping Basil’s bloodstained scarf and Harry discovering it at the end?
9.Harry, his character, Colin Firth’s presence? Family, wife and pregnancy? Sinister, as a mentor, his own personal restraint and Dorian’s later taunts about his being afraid? Diverting Dorian away from Sybil, to the club? The parties? Dorian leaving, the letters from Dorian and his reading them? The birth of his daughter, the divorce from his wife? Dorian returning home, his questioning him? The concern about the key? His worry about Dorian’s appearance, his attentions to Emily? His wanting to forbid any liaison, Emily defying him, publicly? His getting the key, going to the attic, going in, the portrait? The confrontation, the sword? The fire?
10.The party for the debutante, Dorian’s behaviour, his thinking the girl ugly, seducing her, the confrontation with her mother, the seduction – and the variety of other women?
11.Agatha, her place in the circle, present at the parties, her support? Her shock at Dorian’s appearance when he returned?
12.Dorian being away, the long years, the picture and its growing more corrupt? His letters to Harry?
13.The return, appearing young, people’s reactions? The encounter with Emily, strong-minded, suffragette, challenging his ideas, the picnic, the love?
14.Dorian changing (as different from Oscar Wilde’s idea)? The possibilities for change, Sybil’s brother and the threat, his death, his remorse? His going to the confessional, trying to express himself, the reaction of the priest? His final escape, going to the room? The confrontation with Harry, the portrait burning – and going back to its original form?
15.A 19th century fable, Oscar Wilde and his style, artificial, epigrammatic? The impact of the novel in its time, the film versions? This version for the 21st century?
