The Happy Prince

"I'm dying beyond my means" Rupert Everett wrote, directed and stars in this visit to the life and fame of Oscar Wilde. Though the film has strong moments the manner of relating this view of Wilde's latter days is somewhat jumbled by the preponderance of French dialogue, strange insertions of the story The Happy Prince as related by Wilde, and somewhat clumsy use of flash-forwards and flashbacks that take the focus of the film's message of how Wilde dealt with his sexuality.

The film suggests the untold story of the last days of brilliant writer Oscar Wilde who in the last part of the 19th century succumbed to his sexual proclivities in homophobic England, where homosexuality was punishable by imprisonment, his prison time, and the striving to find his place upon release from prison. As the synopsis states, 'In a cheap Parisian hotel room Oscar Wilde (Rupert Everett) lies on his deathbed. The past floods back, taking him to other times and places. Was he once the most famous man in London? The artist crucified by a society that once worshipped him? Under the microscope of death he reviews the failed attempt to reconcile with his long suffering wife Constance (Emily Watson), the ensuing reprisal of his fatal love affair with Lord Alfred Douglas aka Bosie (Colin Morgan), the warmth and devotion of Robbie Ross (Edwin Thomas), who tried and failed to save him from himself, and constant friend Reggie Turner (Colin Firth). Travelling through Wilde's final act and journeys through England, France and Italy, the transience of lust is laid bare and the true riches of love are revealed. It is a portrait of the dark side of a genius who lived and died for love. A touching moment takes us off guard as Father Dunne (Tom Wilkinson) offers last rites at story's end.'

Rupert Everett is impressive in his complete submersion in the character of Oscar Wilde. The supporting cast is also very strong. There seems to be a disconnect between the concept and aim of the film and its execution: it wanders a bit much but is still full of entertaining and touching moments.

A solid biopic about Oscar Wilde with a terrific Rupert Everett in the leading role. A great transformation not only physically but also his whole mechanisms as an actor are totally redefined. I would not be surprised if his performance as legendary poet and playwright Oscar Wilde will actually get him Oscar attention next year. Its definitely a performance they soak up and adore. The film itself was fine, but nothing to write home about. I had some troubles with Rupert Everett's direction actually. It could have been better set up and the narrative was a bit weird at times. Performance wise it was not only because of Everett's undoubtedly great performance good. Emily Watson shines as his estranged wife but I had hoped she would have more screen time as she really lived that character and although the screen time was limited she really shined in all of her scenes. Colin Firth was good as well and took care about some comedic relief in a at times too dry biopic. The score was good and the cinematography fine - offering a lot of beautiful sceneries. Definitely worth to check out for the performance and if you are a fan of Wilde himself as they depict him and his work and language just well.

Oscar Wilde cuts something of a forlorn tragic figure in Rupert Everett's excellent biopic, The Happy Prince.

Personal treatment that Wilde deems to have been hugely unjust has built up much resentment in the heart of this once so carefree flamboyant wordsmith.

Consequently exiled to the shores of France and then further afield, he lives out his final years begging for handouts and favours from those he knows and loves. Those, that is, that haven't turned their back on the now disgraced writer.

Everett's film focuses upon a man whose incarceration and subsequent humiliation on charges of sodomy and gross indecency - following his lewd bordering on nefarious behaviour (in the eyes of the law) - have left him near destitute; a far cry from the opulent lifestyle that once he had led.

The Happy Prince is built loosely around Wilde reciting his fairy tale of the same name to both his own biological sons - during happier married times - and latterly on his death bed to the rag tag 'family' of young urchins that he had befriended.

Wilde - under his newly acquired guise of Melmoth - has a kind of morbidly humorous fascination with both the hopelessness of the predicament in which he now finds himself, and with the plethora of men that continue to fawn over him.

A period piece The Happy Prince may essentially be, but there's a strongly contemporary feel to the film's at times bewitching cinematography, switching neatly and expertly by way of multiple rapid cross fades between Wilde's past and present in an effort to build a picture of - and emphasise the massive disparity between - 'now' and then.

Everett's stupendous performance as Wilde is both arresting and heartfelt, whilst there are meaningful contributions from Colin Firth as Wilde's good friend Reggie, and from Colin Morgan and Edwin Thomas as Bosie and Robbie, respectively, the two mainstays in Wilde's love life who continue to compete fiercely for his attentions, and between whom there is absolutely no love lost.

As for Emily Watson's portrayal of Constance, as solid as it is, one can't help but think that it remains a little peripheral to the film's narrative at times. Perhaps Everett could have made a little more of the clearly strained relationship that had existed between the two, and the impact that this had had upon their children?

It seems that Wilde was indeed harshly dealt with, and laws or no laws, would have had rightful justification to feel aggrieved at his treatment at the hands of the rather puritanical overreaching government of the time.

That said, Everett's film seems intent to paint Wilde not as some sort of saintly martyr, but as a charming but deeply flawed man with a propensity for making poor life decisions. A man who had flown too close to the sun, and who perhaps had been more than a little guilty of using and abusing those that knew and loved him so much for his own personal gain.

The Happy Prince, whilst at times cheeky and playful in its outlook, never strays too far from its melancholic roots in its elegantly crafted, poignant regaling of the final days of the late great Oscar Wilde.

Sorry to dampen your spirits. I wanted to like this film a lot but it fails to excite. Fails to ignite and in the end feels like a muddled wet blanket excuse for a movie making experience. Hey, the scenery, the camera work and attention to detail is great. Very evocative. The actual story and editing is less so. It strikes me as the type of film a real enthusiast for Oscar Wilde would make as a homage to the man and then struggle through heaps of revisions and funding cuts and criticism from various studios to get it made and then at the end - prove that the critics were right. It's not very good because the writer's vision splendid didn't really cut through or know what it sought to portray except to say - "I love Oscar Wilde!" Because in the end, we as passive viewers don't really care about Oscar at all. Towards the end of the film, I turned to my wife and whispered to her that this film despite its best impulses, actually damns Oscar Wilde as a self indulgent narcissist. A prat by sheer accident. I don't think that was the intention of the film-makers! She agreed. No real insight to the creative spirit of the man and she lost interest and went to bed. The trailer looked terrific but the movie despite it's best endeavours to immortalise the man - actually makes you lose all sympathy for him and strangely you feel unmoved by his predicament at the end.

"The Happy Prince" is an interesting, sad look at the great poet and playwright Oscar Wilde at the end of his life, when he lived in poverty, declined health and social exile in France. The film seems like a labor of love for Rupert Everett, its star and director, but the finished product looks a bit low-budget and claustrophobic. The shaky camera work was distracting at times. Anyone who loves Wilde will appreciate this film's sensitive exploration of his inner thoughts and emotions, and how he suffered after his trial, incarceration and social exclusion for his sexual relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas at a time when sex between two men was illegal in England. Although Wilde is shown here living freely in France, he is separated from his two children and his career has been destroyed, so Everett delves into these painful aspects of the writer's later life, partially through dreamily lit flashbacks. "The Happy Prince" is a touching, rather slow film for Wilde fans, but I prefer Stephen Fry's crackling portrayal in Brian Gilbert's "Wilde" (1997), and that earlier film is better overall, perhaps due to superior direction and production quality.