The Picture of Dorian Gray

Albert Lewin's 1945 MGM production of The Picture of Dorian Gray lacks the intellectual malice and sense of emotional dread that permeates Oscar Wilde's novel about the titular young man (Hurd Hatfield) whose portrait ages while he does not. But to its considerable credit, the film version is a visually stunning achievement that richly deserves its Best Cinematography Oscar (the dreaded portrait is offered in brief but stunning Technicolor shots that dramatically interrupt the rich black-and-white visuals). Another plus lies in the casting of George Sanders as the acidic Lord Henry, a droll aristocrat who turns up to lead Gray astray while also dropping Wilde's toxic bon mots and wicked aphorisms with casual grace. For those paying close attention, the film subversively skirts the suffocating Production Code censorship of its era with unmistakable references to the then-taboo subjects of narcotic usage and homosexuality. On the minus side, plastic pretty boy Hurd Hatfield never quite finds Gray's emotional menace or existential angst, while the usually reliable Donna Reed and Angela Lansbury barely register as the women who vainly try to win Gray's heart (Lansbury's Oscar nomination notwithstanding). A well-made costume drama occasionally punctuated with moments of offbeat terror, The Picture of Dorian Gray arrives on DVD with bonus features including audio commentary by Lansbury and film historian Steve Haberman, as well as the Tom and Jerry cartoon “Quiet Please,” and a vintage short. Recommended. (P. Hall)