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Wonderful character development!

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

It was hard to hear people talking in the movie and the ending was not all that great. The ending was when the main character kicked the picture and did not have the curse anymore he did not even know that would work he was just mad and kicking the picture.

Copyright 6 March 1945 by Loew's Inc. Presented by Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer. New York release at the Capitol: 1 March 1945. U.S. release: June 1945. U.K. release: 11 June 1945. Australian release: 6 September 1945. Sydney release at the Liberty: 2 August 1945. 11 reels. 9,886 feet. 110 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Portrait grows old and vicious, while subject remains young and innocent.NOTES: Stradling won the year's most prestigious prize for Best Cinematography (black-and-white). Lansbury was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but voters preferred Anne Revere in "National Velvet". The art directors were also nominated, but passed over in favor of the sets designed by A. Roland Fields for "Blood on the Sun". (That was actually fortunate because Cedric Gibbons, although nominated, had absolutely nothing to do with the movie. The supervising art director was actually Gordon Wiles). Moyna Macgill, who plays the Duchess of Harley in our film, was Angela Lansbury's mother. Negative cost: $1,800,000. Initial world- wide rental gross: Exceeding $3,000,000.COMMENT: Most literary classics and near-classics translate rather stodgily to the screen, no matter how faithful the adaptation. Oscar Wilde's famed and fancy morality legend, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is an exception. Its epigrams speak even more sharply than they read, and its dramatic emphasis is vividly visual. So no-one was more suited to bring Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray to the screen than Albert Lewin. For whether by coincidence or design, Lewin's technique is in complete sympathy with Wilde's.Wilde's novel might be described as an exercise in highly wrought, sensuous description — therein lies its chief interest. When these printed descriptions are realized in visual terms on the screen, however, they cannot in themselves continually hold the interest of an audience. The screenplay of its very nature must throw the emphasis, not only on the sets, but on the characters and plot.To portray his screen characters, Lewin has assembled a well- nigh perfect cast: As Lord Henry Wotton, George Sanders luxuriates in the cadenced measures of Oscar Wilde's prose. His diction is cut to the pattern of the part, and if he speaks the words too hurriedly at times it is only because Wilde's tempo is not keyed to a motion picture timetable. Hurd Hatfield succeeds in the almost impossible task of conveying the twisted character of Dorian Gray, without actually being able to show on his face the ravages of his soul. Lowell Gilmore brings the wooden virtues of the portraitist, Basil Hallward, to life, and Angela Lansbury gives touching reality to the part of the innocent young actress (who is a songstress for the purposes of the film), Sibyl Vane.As a director, Lewin is extremely sophisticated. His highly individual style makes no concessions to either popular or critical expectations.Another element that proves Lewin's complete control is his fantastic editing. Say George Sanders is speaking. We will see him first in long shot, with his back to the camera. Suddenly we see his face in close-up. Cutting from long shot to close-up in this way is certainly unusual, but it's a device which engenders dramatic force. Cutting from a person's back to his face produces a similar effect. The combination of these two devices is startling, to say the least. And Lewin does this all the time. To achieve suspense, Lewin cleverly forestalls a view of the painting, while continually reminding us of its horrible significance. When at last, after careful and scrupulous preparation, the portrait is brought into view, Lewin ensures that an anti-climax is not effected, by photographing the portrait in Technicolor, whereas the rest of the film is in black-and-white.Lewin's "Dorian Gray" is the perfect adaptation. Not only does Lewin infuse Wilde's characters with cinematic life, he faithfully (and successfully) re-creates the elaborate setting against which they move. Backgrounds vary from the extravagantly spacious, lavishly decorated halls of the rich to the evil slums of Blue Gate Fields — note that marvelous establishing shot which we critics all congratulate ourselves is just a painting until, in a later scene, a character runs clear across it! Note also the significant role that objects d'art and curios play in the pictorial composition, with unusual props like the oculist's sign on the sandwich board and a whole host of small details (Dorian briefly examining a book of Beardsley etchings at the beginning of one scene) which are cleverly controlled to produce an overwhelmingly suffocating atmosphere of Yellow Book decadence. Symbolism also plays a key part in the pictorial composition. The film is laced through with captive butterflies, sinister knives, suggestive toys, and a handsome Egyptian bronze cat that serves as a kind of evil leit-motif."The Picture of Dorian Gray" is literally crammed with unforgettable images:— the cool, calculating serene face of Hurd Hatfield allied with his scrupulously clear speaking voice; the painting; George Sanders ribbing a member of parliament; the looming squalor of Blue Gate Hill; above all, Angela Lansbury — wistful, pitiful — bravely singing "Goodbye Little Yellow Bird" in a shower of paper snow.

Based on the novel by Oscar Wilde, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" tells the story of a handsome young man corrupted by the opinions of an eloquent elderly gentleman (brilliantly played by George Sanders), who induces the former into seeking only pleasure in life. To achieve this purpose, the young man sells his soul through some sort of black magic, in order to remain youthful his whole life. Contrarily to his face as seen by the aging people around him, Dorian's hidden painted picture instead becomes rotten, dreadful and horrid, changing every time his soul descends more and more into darkness. The source of his misery is never revealed, but some crimes on the way are. Eventually, Dorian becomes sick of his world of lies and deceit, and stabs his portrait, actually stabbing his own chest, later being found dead and disfigured by the evilness of his deeds.Classic books are extremely hard to adapt into movies or television series. Filmmakers must thus avoid many common mistakes. One of the major mistakes is reducing the complexity of the plot. That is not the case of this film, whose screenplay could wittily uphold the lyricism of the book. There are some wonderful dialogs, where the style of Oscar Wilde was preserved, showing the audience how literature and movies share similar possibilities of artistic expressions.Oscar Wilde is one of the few writers who enjoy a well-deserved reputation for mastering the art of putting into words the misery of the soul. Deprived from the personal freedom required to develop even the most recondite corner of his spirit, the Englishwriter suffered from the moralism that pervaded in Britain during the Victorian era. Of course, a modern reader should not replicate at that time the contemporary way of approaching morals. The evolution of social values and behavioral patterns is a complex and long-lasting process. Sexual tolerance, for instance, could only be achieved in the Western world after a pile of many other prejudices was demolished, and occasionally demanded bloodshed of those who later became martyrs of the cause.Literature, however, does not consist of simply writing about themes the author cherishes himself. It also comprises the technique, that is, the method of exposing a particular point of view. Wilde had definitely a sensitive soul, which he managed to translate into beautifully accomplished passages of the book. The story of Dorian Gray–obviously one of Wilde's alter egos–has a relatively linear plot. In spite of that, literary historians still dispute, amid bafflement, over the reasons underlying the enormous success of the book when it was first published.According to the most supported stance, in addition to the controversy over the background theme of the book, Wilde's masterpiece reached stardom for its prose displays an incredible lyricism–a trait more usually found in poetry. Since it was written in form of prose, this lyricism emerges most sharply from the metaphors chosen to express the dramatic situation of Mr. Gray and the symbolism of objects surrounding the characters: the picture itself, obscure poems, and the sculpture of a cat, along with other artistic pieces–the latter were imported from the overseas colonies as elements of orientalism, some sort of philosophy that became a trend during the age of imperial England.Although it was to the knowledge of everybody, the theme of homosexuality remains implied both in the book and in the film. On the one hand, the audience is offered just hints of what secrets Dorian Gray might have with other characters–clearly lovers in disguise. On the other hand, since the subject is not overtly discussed, readers and viewers may find Dorian's reaction to the moralism of his society dubious. Thus, the story sends us mixed messages about his thesis: either homosexuality, as correctly condemned by society and religion, is something spurious and shameful, no wonder why it is the doorway that leads our character into committing atrocities–such as homicide and blackmail; or moral judgment of society is solely responsible for the isolation and transformation of Dorian(and his picture) into a monster, and not his feelings and inclinations.

In 1886, in the Victorian London, the corrupt Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders) meets the pure Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) posing for talented painter Basil Hallward (Lowell Gilmoure). Basil paints Dorian's portrait and gives the beautiful painting and an Egyptian sculpture of a cat to him while Henry corrupts his mind and soul telling that Dorian should seek pleasure in life. Dorian wishes that his portrait could age instead of him.Dorian goes to a side show in the Two Turtles in the poor neighborhood of London and he falls in love with the singer Sibyl Vane (Angela Lansbury). Dorian decides to get married with her and tells to Lord Henry that convinces him to test the honor of Sibyl. Dorian Gray leaves Sibyl and travels abroad, and when he returns to London, Lord Henry tells him that Sibyl committed suicide for love. Along the years, Dorian's friends age while he is still the same, but his picture discloses his evilness and corruptive life. Can he still have salvation or is his soul trapped in the doomed painting?"The Picture of Dorian Gray" is a wonderful and timeless adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel. The film has magnificent cinematography in black and white and art direction, great acting and a good screenplay. My vote is eight. Title (Brazil): "O Retrato de Dorian Gray" ("The Picture of Dorian Gray")