The Picture of Dorian Gray

This was originally broadcast in the early 1970s, by ABC Circle Films, I think, and it was a great drama for its time and it still holds up well today. Dan Curtis, who directed this also has a big collection of the Dark Shadows series and he has a good feel for the gothic aspects of the 19th century story. Nigel Davenport really steals the show as Dorian's older mentor/corrupting influence. Also, the homosexual aspects are handled extraordinarily well, by saying what they need to say, without saying anything, just a look, or a suggestion, nothing overt. Altho it follows the old MGM story, this one has a lot sharper edge to it and is more realistic, especially about Dorian's depravity. Davenport does really carry the show with his all-knowing, cynical observations that lead the way for Dorian's destruction and doom . . . but it is Dorian who makes the decisions, not Davenport.

This is a TV thriller based on Oscar Wilde's novel - a suspenseful plot from beginning to end about young English aristocrat Dorian Gray, whom after meeting the hedonistic Sir Harry Wotton, dives into a life of decadence and self-indulgence. The story gets even more thrilling when a self portrait of Dorian changes appearances, reflecting his sinful ways.

Great-pacing with decent acting and a good setting that captures the beauty but eeriness of the atmosphere. There is hardly any dull moment in the movie and the drama, though a little too theatrical in some ways, keeps you glued to the screen. Overall, a captivating thriller!

Grade A-

The ring on column remains the definitory image of film for me. Like the causes, more than explicit , of the transformation of picture.

A good point - the option for Shane Briant as Dorian Gray. Not impressive, not the memorable, only the credible one .

Another virtues - the atmosphere and the way to craft his Harry by Nigel Davenport, like the precision of the time period ( from the year 1891 - the apparition of novel- to 1911 ) . TV movie, it proposes not exactly revelations and the second part can not be the most tasted by the admirers of novel but it works in just reasonable manner.

An interesting part - the induced nostalgia , not only for the half of century from the birth of movie but for the theater solutions for solve some scenes.

In short, just a correct adaptation.

I like both this version of DORIAN GRAY and the MGM version. Both add a little girl early in the story who grows up to have an association with Dorian (this is not in the original book), and that is my only complaint. I especially like Angela Lansbury as Sybil Vane and George Sanders as Harry in the MGM version, but Shane Briant as Dorian in the TV-version is much better looking (I think) and far more ruthless than Hurd Hatfield in the MGM version: I think Briant is more true to the novel's Dorian. In the end, this is a very good adaptation of the novel (it even hints at Dorian's liaison's with men, as does Wylde, which could not be done in the MGM version).

Shane Briant is Dorian Gray!!! Better than 1945. Hot man as Oscar invisioned.