Classic Horrors Club

It seems like I’ve always known the story of Dorian Gray. I never paid it much attention, though, until I watched Penny Dreadful on Showtime and was a bit smitten by Reeve Carney. I’m certain that’s what caused me to finally watch the classic film for the first time, which I did a few years ago. I was amazed at how much I liked it and it shot up my list of favorite horrors. As eager as I was to watch it again on its 80^th anniversary, I must admit that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did the first time… and I’ve been able to pinpoint why…

Let me be clear. I still believe The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) is a great film. However, the first time I watched it was spur of the moment when my availability coincided with a TCM airing. No plugging in a blu-ray, recording it in advance, downloading it… or taking notes to write a review. I didn’t just watch it, I experienced it. When I gave it more serious thought and with a critical eye, it was too talky. I don’t mean that in the sense that it’s slow, but there’s an awful lot packed into the narration and dialogue. I wanted to catch it all, and found it nearly impossible.

I’ve never read the novel by Oscar Wilde, but my impression is that many passages are lifted directly from it and used in the screenplay by writer/director Albert Lewin. The second time I watched it, I thought perhaps it replaced any “action” from the page that could have been depicted on the screen. However, research shows that the movie is faithful to the novel and any scenes of depravity that we’re left to imagine by watching the movie, we’d also have to imagine when reading the book. 

There’s the disconnect from the character’s portrayal in Penny Dreadful where little was left to the imagination. In the movie, we assume Dorian Gray led a hedonistic lifestyle. We don’t see him using drugs, but he visits areas of London known for such activities. Neither do we see him with another man, but who exactly is Allen Campbell (Douglas Walton) to whom Dorian (Hurd Hatfield) confesses murder and then blackmails to help him cover it up? They’ve obviously been in some type of relationship and the letter Dorian threatens to send “would kill her”… perhaps Allen’s wife?

At the beginning of the movie, Dorian is young and, if not naive, at least highly susceptible to the bad influence of Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders.) It’s a discussion among the two men and Basil Hallward (Lowell Gilmore) as Basil completes a painting of Dorian that causes the latter to muse:

If only it was the picture who was to grow old, and I remain young. There’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t give for that. Yes, I would give even my soul for it.

In essence, Dorian sells his soul to remain young while his portrait, locked in a room upstairs, grows not only old, but also ugly, representing the horrendous sins he’s committed over the course of twenty years.

While Dorian doesn’t age before our eyes, the other characters do, but not in necessarily exaggerated ways. The most clever way the movie represents the passage of time is through the character of Gladys Hallward. She’s in the very first scene, played by child actress Carol Diane Keppler, demonstrating her affection for Dorian at an early age. And she’s in the very last scene played by adult actress Donna Reed, demonstrating her affection for Dorian as an adult. Gladys is Dorian’s moral compass and when it starts spinning wildly for Dorian, the story concludes in a way we knew would eventually happen, but weren’t sure exactly how.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is more Gothic fantasy thriller than it is horror. Although it’s heavy on the Gothic and light on the thrills, when they arrive, they undeniably push the film into the territory of horror. Not as smitten with Hatfield as I was with Carney, there’s definitely something androgynously beautiful about the man. However, beauty is superficial; we don’t see much going on behind those handsome eyes. We must blame the character, not the actor, and Hatfield is perfect in the role.

There’s a lot to say about the movie… I haven’t even mentioned the pivotal role of Sibyl Vane, played by relative newcomer, Angela Lansbury… but for now, I recommend you watch it. I assume you should also read the novel. I’ll let you know because I’m going to be doing that myself in the near future.