The Picture of Dorian Gray (1973)

In Victorian London, a beautiful young man is given a portrait of himself by an admiring artist. Soon after this, he treats a young woman cruelly and then notices that his portrait seems to... See full summary »

Director:

Glenn Jordan

Writers:

John Tomerlin, Oscar Wilde (novel)

Stars:

Charles Aidman, William Beckley, Shane Briant

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Aidman	...	Basil Hallward
William Beckley	...	Syme
Shane Briant	...	Dorian Gray
Nigel Davenport	...	Sir Harry Wotton
Brendan Dillon	...	Victor
Fionnula Flanagan	...	Felicia (as Fionnuala Flanagan)
Vanessa Howard	...	Sybil Vane
John Karlen	...	Alan Campbell
Linda Kelsey	...	Beatrice Hallward
Dixie Marquis	...	Madame de Ferrol
Hedley Mattingly	...	Parker
Tom McCorrey	...	James Vane (as Tom McCorry)
Kim Richards	...	Beatrice as a Child
Patricia Tidy	...	Charwoman
Ben Wrigley	...	Driver

Storyline

In Victorian London, a beautiful young man is given a portrait of himself by an admiring artist. Soon after this, he treats a young woman cruelly and then notices that his portrait seems to look meaner than it used to. Eventually, he cannot endure the portrait and hides it in the attic. As the years pass, he becomes ever more unscrupulous and dissolute. His friends remark how he is as handsome as ever and never seems to age. But up in the attic, his picture becomes uglier with his sinful ways.

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Plot Keywords:

victorian era | eternal youth | deal with the devil | immorality | immortality | 

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 April 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Bildnis des Dorian Gray

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dan Curtis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Dorian Gray: [as he observes his portrait] How sad...
Lord Harry Wotton: What? What do you mean?
Dorian Gray: How sad it is... That I shall grow old, but this picture will remain always young. My hair will turn gray, my skin will wrinkle, and my teeth will rot. While my picture remains exactly as it is now. If only it were the other way...
Lord Harry Wotton: Dorian...
Dorian Gray: If it were I who would remain always young and the picture would grow old. For that, I would give everything...
Lord Harry Wotton: Dorian...
Dorian Gray: Yes, everything! For that... I would even give my soul.
Basil Hallward: [...]

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Connections

Version of Az élet királya (1918)

User Reviews

I'm betting Dorian Gray was a passing street twink

Young Shane Briant was the prettiest Dorian Gray ever on screen. In this version of The Picture Of Dorian Gray I got the distinct feeling that this is how Oscar Wilde probably saw his character in real life. His inspiration probably was some pretty twink he met in passing in the London underground gay scene.

Although Briant narrates this story of his life which dates from 1891 to 1911 which was after Wilde himself was gone, the story is seen from two pairs of eyes. One is that of Nigel Davenport the freewheeling hedonist who takes Gray under his wing. He's the witty Wilde and full of aphorisms which he tosses off to express his attitudes about life and love. The other is the artist Charles Aidman who paints that infamous portrait showing Gray in the full bloom of youth and attractiveness. This was Wilde the closeted gay man so hopelessly in love with the pretty Mr. Gray.

Of course Briant is taken with the portrait and wishes a strange wish that the opposite of life comes true, that he remain young and attractive and the portrait age like we humans do. But not all of us lead a life of total debauchery. It's that which the portrait shows as his pleasures age him rapidly on canvas. And his sins which includes the deaths of several people either by accident or very much design.

This is a nice television production of the Oscar Wilde classic, Briant is the quintessential Dorian Gray. If they do it again I could see Robert Pattinson playing the part.