This movie has a scene that happens today – November 9. I hope you will
enjoy this film and watch it tonight.
THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Dorian Gray is sitting for a portrait by Basil Hallward when he meets Lord Henry Wotton, who
says that life isn’t worth living unless its devoted to the pursuit of
pleasure. Dorian wishes the portrait could age instead of him. Dorian meets
Sybil Vane, a tavern singer and they are engaged, mush to the displeasure of
her brother. Wotton persuades Dorian to pursue a hedonistic life, so Dorian
breaks it off with Sybil. Dorian notices the picture has changed and asks Sybil
to forgive him, but she has committed suicide.
When Hallward hints he knows the portrait has changed, Dorian locks it up in
a room. Dorian goes on to live a dissolute and self-indulgent life. Twenty
years have passed and Dorian meets Hallward’s niece Gladys and they are
attracted to each other. On November 9, 1904 [1:03:24 to 1:15:41],
Dorian meets Hallward, and shows him the portrait, which has changed into a
hideous image reflecting the state of Dorian’s soul. Fearful he will tell
Gladys, Dorian kills Hallward and blackmails Alan Campbell into disposing of
the body. Dorian proposes to Gladys and she accepts. James Vane, Sybil’s brother
has been looking for Dorian, whom he knew only as “Sir Tristam”. Vane finally
learns who “Sir Tristam” really is, but is killed before he can do anything
about it. David Stone, who was
attracted to Gladys and jealous of Dorian, gets a key to the room with the
portrait. Describing it to Gladys, she realizes it is the same one her uncle
had painted of Dorian years ago. Dorian writes Gladys a letter breaking off
their engagement and stabs the picture through the heart. This causes his
repentance and death, as the portrait returns to its original state, while he
assumes the hideous look of the portrait. Gladys and David find him that way.
A scary, but in some way profound
film. Dorian’s secret sins, even though not visible to the world, still are seen
by God. There is always an effect from sin, even if it’s not visible to the
world.
Date given in film at 1:03:25-26 and in The Picture of
Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (Barnes & Noble Classics, New York, 2003) at
page 151
Producer - Pandro S. Berman
Director - Albert Lewin
Screenplay - Albert Lewin
Awards – The film won the Best Black and White
Cinematography Oscar and was
nominated for the Best Black and White Interior Art Direction and Best
Supporting Actress (Lansbury) Oscars at the 18th Academy Awards.
Narrator - Cedric Hardwicke
Runtime – 1 hour 50 minutes
Released – March 1, 1945
Starring –
George Sanders as Lord Henry Wotton
Hurd Hatfield as Dorian Gray
Donna Reed as Gladys Hallward
Angela Lansbury as Sibyl Vane
Peter Lawford as David Stone
Lowell Gilmore as Basil Hallward
Richard Fraser as James Vane
Douglas Walton as Alan Campbell
Morton Lowry as Adrian Singleton
Miles Mander as Sir Robert Bentley
Lydia Bilbrook as Mrs. Vane
Mary Forbes as Lady Agatha
Robert Greig as Sir Thomas
Moyna Macgill as Duchess
Anita Sharp-Bolster as Lady Harborough
Billy Bevan as Malvolio Jones (chairman)
Charles Coleman as
Hallward's butler
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