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The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
3 March 1945 (USA)
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Tagline:
His life was a muddy morass into which he dragged all who knew him! Such was Dorian Gray, the man who wanted eternal youth, and bartered his soul to get it!
Plot:
A corrupt young man somehow keeps his youthful beauty, but a special painting gradually reveals his inner ugliness to all. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar.
Another 2 wins
&
2 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(23 articles)
Stone, Van Houten have 'Satisfaction'
(From Monsters and Critics. 14 October 2009, 10:11 AM, PDT)
Sharon Stone and Carice Van Houten Seek ‘Satisfaction’
(From FilmSchoolRejects. 13 October 2009, 11:19 AM, PDT)
(From Monsters and Critics. 14 October 2009, 10:11 AM, PDT)
Sharon Stone and Carice Van Houten Seek ‘Satisfaction’
(From FilmSchoolRejects. 13 October 2009, 11:19 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Look at it from the Producer's viewpoint
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US TV Schedule:
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | George Sanders | ... | Lord Henry Wotton |
| Hurd Hatfield | ... | Dorian Gray |
 | Donna Reed | ... | Gladys Hallward |
 | Angela Lansbury | ... | Sibyl Vane |
| Peter Lawford | ... | David Stone |
| Lowell Gilmore | ... | Basil Hallward |
| Richard Fraser | ... | James Vane |
| Douglas Walton | ... | Allen Campbell |
| Morton Lowry | ... | Adrian Singleton |
| Miles Mander | ... | Sir Robert Bentley |
| Lydia Bilbrook | ... | Mrs. Vane |
| Mary Forbes | ... | Lady Agatha |
| Robert Greig | ... | Sir Thomas |
| Moyna MacGill | ... | Duchess |
| Billy Bevan | ... | Malvolio Jones (chairman) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
110 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Black and White |
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Angela Lansbury's portrayal of innocent Sibyl Vane lost the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress to Anne Revere, who played Miss Lansbury's stalwart mother in the cherished family adventure, National Velvet (1944), a film in which Miss Lansbury was assigned what she long considered a secondary role.
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Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Dorian is riding the train early on, the scenery of the rear projection outside the train window changes from passing trees to open fields.
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Quotes:
Basil Hallward:
[having seen Dorian's corrupted portrait] But this is monstrous. It's beyond nature, beyond reason. What does it mean?
Dorian Gray: On the day you finished this painting, I made a wish. Perhaps you would call it a prayer. My wish was granted.
Basil Hallward: But you told me you had destroyed my painting.
Dorian Gray: I was wrong. It has destroyed me.
Basil Hallward: It has the eyes of the Devil!
Dorian Gray: Each of us has heaven and hell in him.
Basil Hallward: If this is true... if this is what you've done with your life, it is far worse than anything that's being said of you. Do you know how to pray, Dorian?
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Dorian Gray: On the day you finished this painting, I made a wish. Perhaps you would call it a prayer. My wish was granted.
Basil Hallward: But you told me you had destroyed my painting.
Dorian Gray: I was wrong. It has destroyed me.
Basil Hallward: It has the eyes of the Devil!
Dorian Gray: Each of us has heaven and hell in him.
Basil Hallward: If this is true... if this is what you've done with your life, it is far worse than anything that's being said of you. Do you know how to pray, Dorian?
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Seven Year Itch (1955)
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Soundtrack:
La Ci Darem La Mano
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FAQ
When and where does this story take place?Who is the artist who paints Dorian Gray's picture?
What does Dorian's picture eventually come to look like?
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more (80 total)
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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