Whitech It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Catherina If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

TheLittleSongbird Like 'The Importance of Being Earnest', Oscar Wilde's only novel 'The Picture of Dorian Grey' is one of his most famous works for very good reason. It is philosophical essentially in nature, but also very chilling, dripping in atmosphere and full of Wilde's sparkling wit.This 1945 film adaptation had so much going for it, with the involvement of great actors like George Sanders and Angela Lansbury for one thing. 72 years on, it's still one of the best overall versions of 'The Picture of Dorian Grey' there is/. Surprisingly, for film adaptations of classic literature made in the "classic era" it's pretty faithful, but 'The Picture of Dorian Grey' (1945) is actually even more successful on its own terms.It may not be flawless, but it comes close. Donna Reed's character feels very tacked on and Reed, despite looking radiant, looks, sounds and acts out of place. Peter Lawford, in an admittedly limited role, spends his entire screen time looking bewildered and like he had little idea what to do with what he had.Don't on the other hand let the pacing put you off. It is deliberate and measured, but to me it was never dull or too slow. The atmosphere, the performances and Wilde's dialogue were instrumental in making the film compelling and they shine brilliantly.Visually, 'The Picture of Dorian Grey' (1945) is notably striking. As elegant as the costumes are, how classy and moodily atmospheric the lighting is and how sumptuous the Gothic set design is, it's the outstanding cinematography (that enhances everything so much) that's the star. The music score is resolutely haunting, also with inspired use of Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin, and the direction has immense sophisticated style.Wilde's writing shines firmly to the fore as one would expect, some great lines that have full impact. Even with more measured pacing, the storytelling is rich in chilling atmosphere and class with the impact of the portrait having a truly startling effect.All the acting is very strong and one of 'The Picture of Dorian Grey's' best elements. Sanders has the best lines (classic Wilde witticisms and cynical but witty observations) and the most interesting character (like a human Mephistopheles Oscar Wilde-style), and Sanders' performance is very like his Oscar-winning performance in 'All About Eve' five years later, a once in a lifetime role that he was born to play and it is difficult to imagine anybody else deliver those lines the way Sanders did so effortlessly. Lansbury is both chirpy and touching, plus she has rarely looked so young or more beautiful, her rendition of "Good Bye Little Yellow Bird" wrenches the heart also.Hurd Hartfield's muted performance may be unimpressive or controversial, and it is easy to overlook him in favour of the juicier supporting roles. To me though, the mute inexpressive quality of his acting added quite vastly to the deceptively chilling nature of the role itself. Lowell Gilmore also stands out.Overall, a near classic and one of the better film adaptations of Wilde's work, if one is looking for elegance, atmosphere and great production values, writing and performances look no further. 9/10 Bethany Cox

calvinnme ... as he was directed to play the part of Dorian Gray stiff and cold. I was motivated to write this review after watching last week's episode of TCM's "The Essentials" and hearing co-host Sally Field say that Hatfield was so dull, and that perhaps Peter Lawford should have played the part! Right studio, wrong actor. They were not making a musical comedy here! Some people on the Turner Classic Movies message board were suggesting Tyrone Power. The point is, these folks are not getting it at all.Hatfield plays Dorian Gray, an extremely handsome man of inherited wealth in Victorian England, who at age 22 has his portrait painted by his friend Basil Harwood. After the painting is finished Dorian wishes that he could remain forever young and the painting grow old. He does this in the presence of a replica of an Egyptian idol (a cat) that by legend has the ability to grant such wishes. Dorian gets his wish, although he doesn't realize it at first. The point is, the painting takes on the "life force" of Dorian. That is why the shots of it are the only ones taken in Technicolor in this black and white film. Dorian, in turn, "becomes" the painting. His expression is dull, lifeless, yet he is forever young. Likewise, the painting does more than age. The painting reflects the sins of Dorian to the point that, by the end of the film, the portrait looks like that of a demonic debauched horrible creature with smaller demons surrounding him.If somebody who leaps off the screen with charisma such as Tyrone Power had played Dorian Gray the way Power normally played most of his roles, the film would come out entirely wrong. I guess the things that do not ring true is how the women in Dorian's life are always saying that anybody that looks at Dorian can see that there is nothing but good in him. Wrong. There is nothing but nothing in him - he is like a handsome corpse in a coffin. Others have criticized the film because we do not see the great evils that Dorian does in his pursuit of pleasure. Thank not only the production code for that, but Oscar Wilde himself, who never enumerated Dorian's sins because he thought it would be better if the reader (in this case viewer) projected their own ideas about what Dorian had done to cause the portrait to transform so horribly.As for the other players, kudos to a young Angela Lansbury as Sybil Vane, the tavern singer who captures Dorian's heart after he has already become his portrait. Also, George Sanders, who convinces Dorian that only a life dedicated to pleasure is worth living, is always convincing and even witty as a devil in human form. It does beg the question, if Sanders is living the same kind of life as Dorian, since basically Dorian is a "disciple of his, why does he age normally through the 20 years or so that the film spans? This one is very much worth your time.

utgard14 Fantasy-horror film cited by many as being the last hurrah of Hollywood's Golden Age of horror films. It's an atmospheric picture with all of the polish one expects from an MGM production. It's adapted from the Oscar Wilde story about a young man named Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) who wishes that he could stay young forever and a portrait of him painted by a friend would age instead. He gets his wish but something changes about him. Dorian becomes morally corrupt and finds that, while he stays young and handsome, his portrait ages and becomes more ugly with each evil deed he commits.Hurd Hatfield is excellent. This is his only big role. I'm not sure why exactly but I read somewhere Hatfield said he was typecast after this part and no one could see him in other types of roles. Strange. He certainly gives an enigmatic and distinct performance here. Also good is the legendary George Sanders as the wicked Lord Henry Wotton, who is essentially Oscar Wilde in everything but name. A large part of his dialogue consists of pithy Oscar Wilde quotes. A character like this, cynical in the extreme, could easily grate on the nerves were it not for Sanders' charming presence. The leading ladies in this film couldn't be any lovelier -- a cherubic Angela Lansbury and the always stunning Donna Reed. Both play virtuous innocents in danger of being corrupted by Gray and both are perfectly cast.Some complain that there is more tell than show in this film, specifically with regard to Dorian Gray's evil deeds. This was never something that stood out to me, as the picture kept me interested and I accepted through Hatfield's performance that Dorian was, in fact, evil. I didn't need to see him committing acts of depravity to get the point across. But I suppose people sometimes bring expectations with them to adapted works. So just know going in that this is a classy old MGM pic. Use your intelligence and imagination where need be and keep expectations reasonable for the period the movie was made.

AaronCapenBanner Based on the famous novel by Oscar Wilde, this adaptation, set in Victorian London, stars Hurd Hatfield as Dorian Gray, an initially pure but shallow young man who was corrupted by the sinful Lord Henry Wotten(played by George Sanders). Dorian, who has recently had his portrait painted, proclaims upon his soul that he wishes that the picture would show all his aging and inner ugliness, so that he will be forever youthful. This would come at a high price, as indeed it is true that the portrait does become more hideous over time, which requires that it be hidden from view. Dorian must eventually come up with excuses and stories to explain why he doesn't age, while his contemporaries all do, leading to suspicions which must be dealt with... Effective filming of this clever story with a good cast and direction, and memorable unveiling of the portrait itself, which is quite scary(and seen in color). Angela Lansbury has a key supporting role here as an early victim of Dorian's wickedness. Not really a horror film as such, and quite talky, yet also fascinating.