I Watch Films: Dorian Gray (2009)

 

Dorian Gray (2009)

Dorian Gray (Ben Barnes) is a good looking promising young man who arrives in London in 1890 to take over his grandfather’s big house. His relatives have died and he has a vast fortune; he’s introduced into society. Rakish Lord Harry Wotton (Colin Firth) introduces him to the pleasures; drink, seducing women at parties, orgies etc. Artist Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), struck by Gray’s beauty, paints a picture. Seeing it Gray says that he would give his soul to look like that forever.

Gray falls in love with Sibyl Vane (Rachel Hurd-Wood), an actress. Lord Harry encourages him to break it off and he does; Sibyl drowns herself. Her brother confronts Gray, informing him that she was pregnant and they fight. To distract him Harry leads him to ever more hedonistic adventures, distancing him from more conventional friends including Basil.

Gray discovers that the injuries he took fighting Jim Vane, and the marks of his dissolute lifestyle, appear on the painting, but his body is unaffected. He hides the painting in his attic. Basil asks if he can have it for an exhibition in Paris as he considers it his masterpiece. Dorian initially refuses, then shows it to him (it’s starting to look quite horrid) and kills Basil, dumping his body in the Thames.

Dorian invites Harry to travel the world with him. However Harry’s wife is pregnant and he stays behind. For a while Dorian writes; then his letters stop.

Twenty five years later Gray returns and to everyone’s surprise he’s still youthful. To Harry’s concern, his daughter Emily (Rebecca Hall), a photographer, is fascinated by Gray, initially taking pictures. Reminded of Sibyl, Gray tries to push her away, and then is confronted by Jim Vane, and kills him. Emily and Gray become lovers, intend to leave together.

Harry recalls the strange events around Basil and the portrait, enters Gray’s attic and discovers Basil’s distinctive, blood-stained scarf. Gray returns for the final confrontation with Harry, the portrait, and Emily (also Gray’s loyal valet).

So what does this adaption have to offer compared to some others? It looks lovely, uses the 25 year gap well. That Gray has mellowed on his travels is certainly interesting. On the other hand, the “looks lovely” has something of the tendency to flatten the story in TV and film adaptions. What does Gray do with his eternal youth? Drink, take drugs and have sex; ephemeral pleasures. Why not other, longer lasting concerns; in the novel he spends some time on music, on perfume, on jewels, on embroidery – in many cases seeking out the rarest of these to appreciate. These it seems do not fit with the aura of horror the film wants to flavour it’s drama.

Watch This: Good looking, well cast adaption of Dorian Gray
Don’t Watch This: Murder, seduction, etc