The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1945
Dorian Gray (Hurt Hatfield) is a young man whose outlook on life is impacted by two friends with opposite approaches. Basil Howard (Lowell Gilmore) is a more gentle spirit and pushes Dorian in a more moral direction. It is Basil who paints the titular, flattering portrait of Dorian. Henry Wotton (George Sanders) on the other hand endorses a more cynical, hedonistic lifestyle. And it is his musings on the fleeting nature of youth that leads Dorian to make his fateful wish--that his portrait bear the weight of age and sin. When Wotton convinces Dorian to conduct a cruel "test" on his fiance, Sybil (Angela Landsbury), it starts Dorian down a road of cruelty and violence.
I really loved this movie, on pretty much every level.
Maybe most of all I loved the style, color, and framing of it. This is a black and white film that sometimes jolts into color when Dorian's portrait is on screen. The black and white itself is gorgeous. And there are too many shots to count that were just splendid. As the weight of Dorian's guilt begins to close in on him there is a shot of Dorian framed inside the noose-like shape of a horseman's whip. Other shots of the "wrong side of town" look almost otherworldly.
From a story point of view it's also enjoyable. I have not read Wilde's original story, but the narrative progression in the film is satisfying. After what happens with Sybil, Dorian has put himself on a cycle of hurting others, all the while trying to cultivate a cold and distant personality that never quite covers up the guilt he feels and his uncertainty about what he has done. The action is frequently accompanied by a great score--a song that Sybil sings, a somber Prelude that Dorian is fond of playing, and other moody pieces.
There's something really excellent about the way that Dorian does harm. The way that he manipulates others or draws them into immoral pursuits takes a huge toll on those in his circle. Part of what is fascinating about the story is that Dorian (MODERATE SPOILERS)
WARNING: spoilers below only actually kills one person. But his actions lead to at least three suicides and one accidental death. Dorian's behavior becomes like a poison to the people around him.
only actually kills one person. But his actions lead to at least three suicides and one accidental death. Dorian's behavior becomes like a poison to the people around him.
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I watched this film as art of the Queersighted collection on the Criterion Channel. I read a few pieces of writing about why this film is considered to be in that category and it was interesting. Nothing that I'd picked up on too much on my first watch--aside from the obvious affection that Basil has for Dorian and the way that Basil tries to help Dorian be a better person, in one sequence giving him the book "The Light of Asia" about the life of the Buddha. At this point I would be interested to read the original novel and more writing about the story and its historical context. It feels reductive to say that Gilmore's gentle performance is what sells this aspect, but the character--who is distinctly single and interested in male beauty--is perhaps notable for signaling being gay in many ways and yet being the closest thing that the film has to a moral center.
My one, very minor, criticism of the film is that the ending felt a bit rushed. Like, a lot of plot happens in about 10 minutes. It's a little jarring after almost two hours of building tension and scenes that do not rush themselves.
I would highly recommend this film. It has a compelling story and great visuals.
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