The classic Oscar Wilde story of a man whose portrait disfigures from all of his sins while he remains a glorious youth was made into this classic film. George Sanders plays another cad, but it’s Hurd Hatfield who is the real star.
Well almost, the rotting portrait of Gray painted by Ivan Le Lorraine Albright might be the real star.
London, 1886, Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders) pays a visit to his friend, artist Basil Hallward (Lowell Gilmore). With his customary cynicism, Henry praises the youth and beauty of Hallward’s latest portrait subject, Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield).
Dorian idly says that he would sell his soul if he could remain young and the portrait that Basil is painting of him would age instead. Later Dorian, inspired by Wotton’s cynicism, seduces, proposes to, and then abandons a pretty and innocent young singer named Sybil Vane (Angela Lansbury) who afterwards kills herself – unknown to Dorian.
Dorian then decides that he’ll give up his hedonistic quest and return to Sybil only to discover that she’s dead. When Dorian looks at the portrait, he finds that the lines around the mouth have become crueler. He locks it away in his upstairs room and henceforth commits himself to a life of sin and wickedness.
People are amazed at his agelessness, but in polite company many turn away as his vile deeds are well known and whispered about. Hallward’s niece Gladys (Donna Reed) has always been obsessed with Dorian, but she doesn’t know that his dark side is housed in a foreboding room at the top of the stairs.
The Portrait of Dorian Gray is based on the 1891 novel by Oscar Wilde. Albert Lewin directed the 1945 film and though promoted as a horror film it is truly more of a work of literature than what we’d consider a horror film although there are definitely horrific elements.
Lewin never really shows the atrocities that Dorian commits, when asked what they were supposed to have been he only commented that whatever terrors you can imagine is what Dorian is up to.
The film would go on to win an Oscar for Harry Stradling’s cinematography and a nomination for Angela Lansbury. Lewin also kept a tight reign on Hatfield’s performance giving the hedonistic aristocrat a distant quality; something that would play on Hatfield but his performance is excellent. This adaptation wouldn’t be the last of Wilde’s novel but it is perhaps the greatest.
Some glorious Technicolor inserts only add to the film, especially of the diseased portrait of Gray. Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, who specialized in painting the macabre and rotten, painted the fetid image. This devilish portrait perhaps should’ve also been nominated for an Oscar since in it we can see all the sins of mankind if ever a portrait was to represent them.
The Portrait of Dorian Gray is presented in fullscreen. Special features include a commentary with film historian Steve Haberman and Angela Lansbury. It’s well worth the price of admission as the bubbly Lansbury relates some excellent information. Next is the 10-minute Oscar winning short “Stairway to Light” as well as the 7-minute Oscar winning Tom and Jerry cartoon “Quiet Please!” Finally, you get the film’s 2-minute theatrical trailer.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the classic telling of Wilde’s novel and still today stands as the definitive version of the classic book. The film looks fantastic and it makes you wonder if Warner Brothers has another print in the vault that is rotting in its stead. The addition of Angela Lansbury’s commentary makes this the perfect treat for classic film lovers this Halloween.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for this version of the DVD in the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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