The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

Albert Lewin does a masterful job of writing and directing the famous novel by Oscar Wilde, but forgets to direct the film's main star.

Basil (Lowell Gilmore) paints a life-size portrait of his twenty-something friend, Dorian (Hurd Hatfield). Their mutual cad, Henry (George Sanders), is always around to say something pithy and urbane, and much talk is bandied about around the essence of the soul. Everyone wants to remain young forever, including Dorian, who realizes this wish and much more. Dorian becomes semi-engaged to dance hall performer Sibyl (Angela Lansbury) but at Henry's suggestion Dorian treats her cruelly and dumps her to test their relationship. Dorian feels no remorse, deciding to let nothing affect him. He also notices Basil's portrait changes. The painting is aging as Dorian keeps his youthful appearance, and it takes on the pain of conscience that Dorian lacks. Dorian is staying eternally young as those around him age, and finds love again with Basil's niece Gladys (Donna Reed). Unfortunately, living a life without a soul begins to get to Dorian.

Lewin's direction is masterful. He uses shadow to crank up tension and atmosphere, without ever going over the top into out-and-out horror. The set design is brilliant, Dorian's childhood school room, where he hides the painting, is wonderful. Lewin shot the film in black and white, save for a couple of Technicolor shots of the portrait. The portrait's original beauty, when it is simply a painting of Dorian, and the later incarnation, as it takes on all of Dorian's faults and turns the figure into a monster, are breathtaking. The supporting cast is wonderful, Sanders steals every scene he is in, rattling off Wilde's rich and wry observations without stopping to breathe. Lansbury is luminous, and Reed makes a great love interest. The script moves along, full of rich characters, although it stumbles a bit when trying to explain the source of the portrait's supernatural abilities.

The glaring mistake is Hatfield in the title role. He is not good, and I am afraid this may be due to the direction instead of Hatfield's ability as an actor. When we see that Dorian is devoid of feeling and emotion, Hatfield unfortunately plays him as bland. His face is a blank, not registering ANYTHING. He takes indifferent and unemotional and turns it into wooden and bored, with a hint of ignorance. As death begins swirling around Dorian, Hatfield looks oblivious, not unfeeling or menacing. I do not know whose decision this was, but it does not work for me.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" is a wonderful film that needed a strong core performance to put it in the "classic" genre. It did not get it, but what is here is still worthy.

Stats:
(1945) 110 min. (8/10)
-Directed by Albert Lewin
-Written by Albert Lewin based on the novel by Oscar Wilde
-Cast: George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed, Angela Lansbury, Lowell Gilmore, Peter Lawford, Richard Fraser, Douglas Walton, Morton Lowry, Miles Mander, Lydia Bilbrook, Mary Forbes, Robert Greig
(Not Rated)
Media Viewed: Home Video
*Academy Awards*
-Best Supporting Actress- Angela Lansbury (lost to Anne Revere- "National Velvet")
-Best Cinematography- Black & White (won)
-Best Art Direction/Set Decoration- Black & White (lost to "Blood on the Sun")