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48 out of 50 people found the following comment useful :-
An ingenious horror classic, 17 December 2004

Author: The_Void from Beverley Hills, England

Based on a story by Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of a man that sells his soul for eternal youth. After having his portrait done, Dorian Gray, under the influence of the eloquent Lord Henry Wotton, wishes for the picture to age instead of him so that he may be blessed with eternal youth. After the death of his wife-to-be, Dorian embarks on a life of pleasure and sins, which don't affect the man in the slightest, but leaves it mark on the portrait which descends into a horrid impression of the handsome young man it's portraying...

This film is fantastically well put together. The acting, directing and writing are all stellar, which make this film one pleasant viewing indeed. The real plaudits for this movie, however, go to the writer of the original novel; Oscar Wilde. The story itself is ingenious. Of course, the idea of selling one's soul had been done before (the German legend, Faust, springs to mind instantly), but never in this way. The portrait itself is a genius idea and it allows us to see the man and the sin as different things. However, through it's ending; it also allows the audience to see that the two are linked, and overall giving a good commentary on body, soul and sin. The story has obvious themes of vanity and the lust for eternal youth entwined within it, both of which are sins in themselves. The main character of Dorian Gray is a man that is a victim of influence, and we can feel for him in that way; but he's also an ugly sinner on the inside, making the audience hate him. This is a strange situation for an audience to be in, and in the end; all that's left for him is indifference.

The film moves slowly, but this is definitely to it's advantage as it allows us to get to know the characters, and if it wasn't for that the horror wouldn't be able to work as it needs our emotional impact to function. The horror in the story is rather subdued, but this is one of the most horrific tales ever told. I think most people will agree that this kind of horror - the brooding, personal kind - is much more horrifying than anything that men with knives and any amount of jumpy moments can muster.

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39 out of 40 people found the following comment useful :-
Elegance and Atmosphere, 16 January 2002

Author: davidholmesfr from Paris, France

Elegant, atmospheric and measured. I suppose anyone brought up on fin de siecle Hollywood would interpret that as `slow and boring'. But this was Hollywood tackling an intellectual piece with, well, intellect. I must confess that the thought of a 1945 Hollywood attempt at Oscar Wilde did not appeal. Memories of one or two previous efforts at English literary classics set alarm bells ringing. But this was in a class of its own. Beautifully photographed in black and white, apart from a couple shots of the painting itself, the aesthetics shimmer.

I wasn't that convinced about some of the London scenes, especially the low-life portrayal of the East End. The opium den and the `Two Turtles', where Gray first meets Sibyl Vane, look rather too genteel. Compare this view of such places with those created by David Lean, just a couple of years later, in `Oliver Twist'. And this, in a sense, detracts from the depths to which Gray descends in order to be forever youthful and live life with scant regard for others. And in many years of watching BBC Victorian costume dramas I don't recall seeing such outfits on the backs of London's society ladies! However some of the other detail is first class. In particular Sir Thomas's decision to remain at table (`never could resist Aunt Agatha's quails') in spite of Lord Henry's outrageous comments rings true through to today. As the script had it `think like a Liberal, eat like a Tory'.

The acting is excellent with Hurd Hatfield's portrayal quite remarkable in that he wears the same expression virtually throughout, in order, no doubt, to conceal his true emotions. George Sanders, as Lord Henry, steals every scene he's in thanks to a rapid delivery of Wilde's witticisms that would have Groucho Marx and Woody Allen in awe. Angela Lansbury is, perhaps, a little too demure for a theatrical singer from the East End but, no doubt, this was a result of director's orders.

Essential viewing for anyone interested in the history of film.

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35 out of 38 people found the following comment useful :-
A timeless piece -- Black and White classics with touches of color. It's about the mystery of living., 2 May 1999

Author: Ruby Liang (ruby_fff) from sf, usa

It is a mystery. Or is it mind over matter? The power of a mysterious painting depicted in this timeless tale of Oscar Wilde's imagination -- probing the depth of life's meaning.

It's costume drama, story began in London 1886. Definitely has an element of intrigue -- "a painting with a life of its own". It's eerie. It's dramatic. Its theme is scary. Such is a "deadly" wish of the main character, Dorian Gray: "If only the picture (a portrait of Dorian Gray) can change, and I can always be as I am now. I'd give my soul for that." Dorian Gray's obsession with youth became eternal youth.

Imagine that as time goes by, he will always stay the same rich attractive young man that he is -- never grow old, while the picture will take on the changes -- his soul and character. Conscience, no longer he has -- the picture took it on. The story describes how Dorian Gray spends his life henceforth and the consequences that entail.

A very young Angela Lansbury, after her debut in George Cuckor's 1944 "Gaslight", portrays the innocent young actress Sibyl Vane from the poor side of town. The bet between the characters of George Sanders and Hurd Hatfield brought to mind the cruel intentions of Neil LaBute's 1997 "In the Company of Men". George Sanders is the cynical callous Lord Henry Wotton. The events all happen in a seemingly civil manner, immersed in the society of the rich. Have and have-nots are juxtaposed.

The film is essentially in Black and White, with only the specific content of the picture of Dorian Gray in color when we see it through Dorian's eyes.

It's another B/W classics gem, well-cut and impeccably presented. It encompasses sentiments and all elements: mystery, intrigue, love lost, friendships, regrets, and fear. Dorian Gray with a tormented inside -- pining for the return of his soul. Is this the Devil's advocate? You see no hell depicted as in Vincent Ward's 1998 "What Dreams May Come", or Woody Allen's 1997 "Deconstructing Harry" or Taylor Hackford's 1998 "The Devil's Advocate". No glamorous, elaborate take on the Devil, but the atmosphere provided that suggestion. There's no special effects, yet you can feel the twistedness: a man asking for help within yet unable to help himself because he's a lost soul. The temperature of the movie seems like being in 10 degree Celsius -- cold in sentiment and tone. There was a glimmer of warmth -- it flickered and faded with the innocent Sibyl Vane character.

The subject matter is timeless even though the film was made in 1945. The story is fascinating in spite of the pace which may not be at breakneck speed as in today's action packed, sound effects filled movies.

You can say it's pseudo sci-fi -- a foreboding tale it is. By and by, Dorian Gray's unchanging mask-like face reminds me of "Mr. Sardonicus" (William Castle's 1961). His behaviors are no longer placid -- gradually turning into hideous evils. This film questions one's probity. The mystery of life is to live it not to attain immortality. How uninteresting it'd be to be changeless and ageless? (John Boorman's 1974 sci-fi "Zardoz" with Sean Connery and Charlotte Rampling came to mind). Growth and change are intrinsic elements of life. Life and death go hand in hand cyclically. A truly worthwhile effort from writer/director Albert Lewin.

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27 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent dramatization with stunning cinematography and haunting direction, 23 March 2001

Author: Arne Andersen (aandersen@landmarkcollege.org) from Putney, VT

This is one of the ten best examples of black and white cinematography to come out of Hollywood - shot after shot superbly composed and with extraordinary use of deep focus, allowing objects and people at a distance to comment visually on the mid and foreground. It is a haunting tale of morality, license and responsibility. Dorian is an innocent until prompted to experience all avenues of life, good and bad. His wish to never grow old is a vain one and vanity coupled with self-absorption prompt his downfall. Hatfield gives a quiet, self-contained performance. Sanders talks far too fast, dropping Wildisms as if he were hurrying through a list of them to get to dinner, and although his Wildean character is important to the plot, one wishes he took more time in his dialogue delivery. There are mere hints at Gray's homosexuality being the core of why he is shunned as a corruption and a corrupting influence. Although Lansbury is quite fine as his first conquest, Sibyl Vane, she is on screen for only a few scenes and in my mind, does not warrant either the Oscar nom nor the Golden Globe win as Best Supporting Actress. The stunning Art Direction (all classic and empire lines contrasting with the Victorian frou frou elsewhere) deserved its Oscar nom and the brilliant cinematography well deserved its Academy Award. The superbly atmospheric musical score never insinuates itself, it merely comments quietly on what is taking place with motif references - it too deserved Oscar recognition of some sort. This is a must-see - one of the great films - psychologically deep and both dramatically and visually sumptuous.

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21 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-
Genuine horror, 1 August 1998
Author: Matthew Ignoffo (mermatt@webtv.net) from Eatontown, NJ, USA

This wonderfully atmospheric retelling of Oscar Wilde's chilling novel is one of the best horror films ever made. It outdoes DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN because it is about a man -- not a monster. Yet the monster IS the man -- and hides within all of us. The story works even more effectively than the similar plot in Robert Louis Stevenson's STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR HYDE because here we have the dual sides of a man portrayed not as two separate characters but as two reflecting images -- like two mirrors facing each other, sending the images out to infinity. The painting itself is one of the most horrifing images ever created in films -- a surreal reflection of what each of us can become if we lose our humanity and replace it with careless egotism.

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26 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
Look at it from the Producer's viewpoint, 25 January 2004

Author: Howard Morley (luke@morleys.demon.co.uk) from London, England

With two English speaking nations, there is always a dilemma from a Hollywood producer's point of view on how to maximise the most important worldwide gross (which comes from the U.S.) when filming classic works of English and European literature, whilst attempting to stay true to the spirit of the original book.Inevitably a compromise is reached and American actors known to the U.S. public are hired in central roles to lure the punters into the movie houses, e.g. Charlton Heston in "El Cid" and "Khartoum", while the resident Hollywood British acting fraternity are hired to lend authenticity to certain key roles.We film purists must accept the facts of Hollywood life and look for our art in more parochial productions with a cast of indigenous actors produced from our own home tv networks.On the other hand in the long run does it really matter what nationality the actor is so long as their performance is credible and you enjoyed the production?In modern times we have had "Coals to Newcastle" in the shape of Gwynneth Paltrow in "Emma" and Jennifer Ehle in Pride & Prejudice.Both American ladies playing utterly convincing roles of English ladies on films produced in England!

I just had to comment on this the most popular of the filmed versions of Wilde's masterpiece which was published in 1890 and has attracted at least 14 versions alone listed on Imdb from 1910-1977.Said to be an analogy of Wilde's life, this version from 1945 espouses most of his sparkling epigrams via the rather rushed mouthpiece of Lord Henry Wooton (George Sanders).Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) portrays the unemotional, narcissistic central character who enters into the sub Faustian pact of eternal youth for his soul.In this role there seems some contraversy by the reviewers below on how effective he was but the fact is it remains his most notable role.Sir Cedric Hardwicke narrates the fill-in literary details quoted from the book and Albert Lewin gives a suitably creepy direction.As quoted in some of my other reviews I always like to spot bit part actors in some of the minor character roles and once again I espied Billy Bevan (c.f. "Cluny Brown" 1946) as Sybil Vain's father playing the m.c. at the East End music hall.

I especially liked the colour painting of the decayed Dorian Gray by Ivan Allbright.Imdb trivia informs us that this painting took one year to complete.Angela Lansbury spent a lot of her formative Hollywood years playing her native British role - (see also "Gaslight" 1944 and "Kind Lady" 1951) but as one reviewer remarked, she seems a bit too demure for someone reared in the East End of 1886.I must add a word of congratulation on the excellent indoor set of Dorian's grand Mayfair town house, although the rather quaint Hollywood idea of late 19th century East End comes over as artificial, would that David Lean had been consulted!

Wilde's great literary style shine's through nevertheless and this is an eminently watchable production.I rated it 7/10

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18 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Elegant and Timeless Classic Has Excellent Performances, 22 March 2001
Author: Neil Doyle from U.S.A.

One of my personal favorites of films of the '40s is this visually striking version raising the art of black-and-white photography to new heights. The sets and costumes and deep-focus photography combine to make even more absorbing the story Oscar Wilde tells of the man whose portrait decays as he himself remains forever youthful. Hurd Hatfield never had a better role and he makes the most of it. George Sanders, Angela Lansbury, Donna Reed, Peter Lawford, Lionel Gilmore, George Sanders, Morton Lowry and many others contribute to the overall excellence of the acting. The period atmosphere of late-Victorian London adds much to the slowly growing horror of the tale. Complaints by others on this message board that the film is too slow or too talky are foolish. If you want action and special effects, see a Clint Eastwood or Bruce Willis film--forget this. But as a compelling and psychological study of a man influenced by evil (personified by George Sanders as Lord Henry), this version is better than any of the others made since. It's chilling, the way Wilde intended, and no one could deliver his cynical yet witty observations about human nature better than George Sanders. By all means, an outstanding film. Should be required viewing as a study of the art of black-and-white cinematography.

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16 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
Surprisingly Good, 6 February 2002

Author: dcshanno from New York City

It's hard to say what it is about "The Picture of Dorian Gray" that I enjoyed so much, but I did like it. Hurd Hatfield at first seems miscast and ineffective as the titular character, but somewhere around the one hour mark, his one and only expression begins to grow on you until you feel just as unnerved by his presence as those who come in contact with him in the story. George Sanders--from what I've seen--played one character his enter career but played it so well, and his performance in this film is no exception. Angela Lansbury is surprisingly sympathetic as the sad and timid singer. The only one in the cast who really doesn't work is Donna Reed. Her character feels tacked on, and she isn't allowed to do much but look faithful and beautiful.

The film is shot wonderfully, and Harry Stradling's cinematography gives the East End scenes a dark, atmospheric counter balance to the rather plain and flat interiors of Dorian's home. The swinging lamp was a nice touch and reminded me of "Psycho"'s finale.

I suppose my only criticism is toward the end, the story introduced one or two characters without giving them proper context or background (I'm thinking of the Allen Campbell character). I'm assuming Dorian "convinces" him to take part in his plans because of some sort past homosexual tryst, but it seemed unfair to bring him in they way he was, have him serve the role he does, and then disappear so quickly without explanation. And speaking of suggested themes: Is it just me, or could you make an argument that Dorian is Jack the Ripper? Maybe it's actually pretty obvious or maybe I'm just interpreting too much into the story, but that's what I got out of it.

P.S. I had the opportunity to see the actual painting from the film during an Ivan Albright exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1997. It's even more gruesome in person.

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14 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
Chilling, 31 July 2005

Author: PWNYCNY from United States

A man sells his soul and the results are tragic, not only for the man but for everyone around him. Yet no one knows that he sold his soul, because on the surface he is quiet, urbane and seemingly respectable, which is what makes this movie so chilling. For who can say what's going on INSIDE a person, below the veneer of civility and social formality? "The Picture of Dorian Gray" deals directly with this question and presents to the viewer a situation involving a man who is emotionally torn apart, and a profound hypocrite as well, but on the surface seems completely intact. It is only through the picture noted in the title that the viewer finally perceives the depth of Gray's moral corruption, and by then it's too late. The cynical commentary of Lord Henry Wotton adds to the dark and foreboding mood of the movie, as the Wotton character explains what is happening to Dorian as Dorian sinks lower and lower into the abyss from which there is no return.

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17 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
A Gray Dorian, 11 December 2002

Author: telegonus from brighton, ma

The Picture Of Dorian Gray is an adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel, and captures the tone of the story nicely but misses something in translation, namely Wilde's remarkable prose. It's a strange tale, about morality and art, with touches of diabolism and the supernatural, exquisitely rendered in language that is both breathtakingly poetic and strangely concrete. I see the story as a kind of fragmented autobiography, with Wilde as both Dorian and his portrait, as well as Basil Hallward, the man who made the painting. He is also, as author of the story, Lord Henry Wotton. Wilde is everywhere in this tale, which is fitting, as vanity is its major theme. The movie misses these delicate subtleties, so crucial to understanding the book, and the result is a genteel horror picture for the carriage trade.

As a horror movie, Dorian Gray has its virtues. The use of a handsome man as the monster, rather than some hideous creature, is in itself a virtue and a novelty. That Dorian's picture grows old as he does not, in conveyed gradually, first through barely noticeable changes in the picture's expressions, then by increased ugliness. I wish that director Albert Lewin had chosen a better painter for these later pictures, which are over the top in their weirdness, and out of keeping with the movie's refined tone. As to Dorian's journeying through the dives and dens of iniquity of late night Victorian London, I wish that these aspects of the story had been either a lot better presented and fleshed out or merely suggested by dialogue. If a movie is going to deal with degeneracy it should either show it or describe it vividly. The film succeeds when dealing with well-bred, upper class types in their fancy homes, but fails to deliver when dealing with the poor and the uneducated.

Hurd Hatfield as Dorian gives a good, cool performance. One is scarcely aware that the actor is American. He is a handsome man, but not so beautiful as the Dorian of the book, and he fails to light up the screen. Peter Lawford, who has a small part in the film, would have been much better, at least physically. George Sanders comes across as even more bored than usual as Lord Henry, and delivers his epigrams and asides with surprisingly little panache, especially given that he had shown himself to be master of this sort of thing on other occasions. Angela Lansbury's performance as the pathetic little cockney singer Dorian goes for, is very fine, though he part seems underwritten.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that director Lewin bungled his job, but the film overall succeeds only with Wilde's mood, not his ideas. This was a wonderful opportunity for Hollywood to take on a classic and give it a spin uniquely its own, as happened with the Sherlock Holmes pictures, the MGM Pride and Prejudice and the Cukor-Selznick David Copperfield. Dorian Gray succeeds well as light entertainment, with a few thrills along the way, but it never really soars or comes to life or catches the audience by surprise.

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