Playwright Oscar Wilde's homosexuality is exposed when he brings a libel action against his lover's father, leading to his own prosecution.Playwright Oscar Wilde's homosexuality is exposed when he brings a libel action against his lover's father, leading to his own prosecution.Playwright Oscar Wilde's homosexuality is exposed when he brings a libel action against his lover's father, leading to his own prosecution.
Martin Boddey
- Inspector Richards
- (as Martin Boddy)
Joe Beckett
- Jury Member
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis was the more modest of the two biopics of Oscar Wilde which opened in Britain, where both were made, in 1960. The two films were announced by rival companies within a few days of each other, began filming almost simultaneously, and were released in cinemas only a few days apart. This black-and-white, low-budget version made it onto the screen first, but was dismissed by most critics, and failed at the box-office. The other movie, "The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960)," was lavishly produced in Technicolor and Technirama and featured a star-studded cast led by Peter Finch as Wilde. It got rave reviews, but it, too, failed financially.
- GoofsWhen the Marquis of Queensberry writes his insulting note - "To Oscar Wilde, posing as a Sodomite" - the club desk clerk to whom he has given it consults a dictionary for the meaning of the word. The definition is clearly cut and pasted from another source, and in addition, it has been cut and pasted, perhaps deliberately, into the middle of the dictionary's definition for "sentimental."
- Quotes
Oscar Wilde: [to Lord Alfred] Shall I tell you of the great drama of my life? It is that I put my genius into my life, but only my talent into my work. Writing *bores* me so.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits are shown over the background of Wilde's tomb, specifically over his name on the side of the structure.
Featured review
Correction
The other comment describes Sir Edward Carson as the prosecutor of Oscar Wilde. That's incorrect.
What happened was that, in a fit of madness, Oscar Wilde sued the Marquis of Queensbury (the father of his lover, Sir Alfred Douglas and the author of the rules of modern boxing) for slander, based on an accusation by Queensbury that Wilde was a 'somdomite' (sic). All of Wilde's friends tried to talk him out of it - Victorian England worked on a 'don't ask, don't tell' basis, and Wilde was quite safe had he done nothing. But his success as a playwright emboldened him, and he filed suit.
Carson was retained by the Marquis to defend him. The famous cross-examination occurred during the trial of Wilde's slander complaint. He was destroyed on cross examination, in such a way that the nature of his lifestyle became too public to be ignored. Carson, after he had won the slander case, actually tried to dissuade the Crown from prosecuting, but to no avail. A criminal prosecution did follow, in which Carson was not involved, ending in Wilde's conviction, and a 2 year prison sentence that effectively ended his career and life.
Carson, an Irish Protestant, earned my own condemnation for his role in opposing Irish independence. But in the Wilde case, he was responding for the defense, and he took active steps thereafter to prevent a prosecution. Wilde was the principal cause of his own legal destruction.
What happened was that, in a fit of madness, Oscar Wilde sued the Marquis of Queensbury (the father of his lover, Sir Alfred Douglas and the author of the rules of modern boxing) for slander, based on an accusation by Queensbury that Wilde was a 'somdomite' (sic). All of Wilde's friends tried to talk him out of it - Victorian England worked on a 'don't ask, don't tell' basis, and Wilde was quite safe had he done nothing. But his success as a playwright emboldened him, and he filed suit.
Carson was retained by the Marquis to defend him. The famous cross-examination occurred during the trial of Wilde's slander complaint. He was destroyed on cross examination, in such a way that the nature of his lifestyle became too public to be ignored. Carson, after he had won the slander case, actually tried to dissuade the Crown from prosecuting, but to no avail. A criminal prosecution did follow, in which Carson was not involved, ending in Wilde's conviction, and a 2 year prison sentence that effectively ended his career and life.
Carson, an Irish Protestant, earned my own condemnation for his role in opposing Irish independence. But in the Wilde case, he was responding for the defense, and he took active steps thereafter to prevent a prosecution. Wilde was the principal cause of his own legal destruction.
helpful•225
- fdbjr
- Jun 20, 2009
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Ancora una domanda, Oscar Wilde!
- Filming locations
- Père-Lachaise cemetery, Paris, France(Oscar Wilde's grave site)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 36 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content