Before I say anything else, I would like to make a confession. I am in love with. No. No. I adore Oscar Wilde. He is epitome of everything I love when it comes to wit, charm and words. I even wrote a note to him and left it at his grave in Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise. His tomb is covered with lipstick kisses. I am not surprised. He is a man every woman would adore. Among his many plays stands one book, The Picture of Dorian Gray. I read this book first when I was 14 years old. I remember it making quiet an impression on me. So the other day I was browsing online movies when I spotted a 2009 version of Dorain Gray.
Being me, I had to watch it. It is quiet dark. Dorian Gray is obviously gorgeous as he is meant to be. I liked the portrayal of Lord Henry by Colin Firth. I wasn’t sure about the story line though. It seemed as if the screen play had taken some liberties with the story. Going back 16 years, I cannot recall Dorian falling in love with Lord Henry’s daughter. I remember him destroying the portrait himself. I do not recall anyone forcing him to do it. Also I do not recall the actress Sybil. I do not remember him killing the painter who painted him. I do remember however everyone being in love with him for his beauty. Men and women.
I suppose I need to reread the novel to see if my memory is as great as I would like to think it is at times. Even if the movie took liberties with the original story, I would recommend every Oscar Wilde fan to watch the movie. It is very well made. However, I would not recommend this movie instead of the book for a book report on The Picture of Dorian Gray.
I am sure Oscar Wilde would have enjoyed the movie as much as I enjoyed it. Maybe even more. For in the words of my beloved Oscey, “there is only one thing worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about."
