The Picture of Dorian Gray

The film, The Picture of Dorian Gray, tells the story of an innocent young man, Dorian Gray, and his slow but undeniable corruption. Dorian is first introduced to Lord Henry Wotton, the instigator of his eventual downfall, at Basil Hallward’s house, where Basil is painting Dorian’s portrait. Lord Wotton comments on Dorian’s striking features and youthful face, then pities him for having to lose his good looks to age. Dorian, determined to live life to the fullest, makes a, seemingly harmlessly, wish that the portrait, instead of his face, would reflect his age and decisions. Unfortunately, his wish comes true. He first realizes this when Sybil Vane, a talented beauty that he falls in love with and then refutes, kills herself, and his portrait’s face begins to change. As Dorian’s actions become increasingly immoral and shady, his portrait becomes progressively more gruesome and evil while his face remains handsome, untainted. Finally, he decides to repent, start anew, and attempts to destroy the picture with a knife. As soon as the knife enters the canvas, however, it is as if Dorian has stabbed himself, and upon his death, the portrait reverts to its original form and Dorian’s demonic soul is evident on his very own face.

The message of this movie is that beauty and youth are not worth sacrificing for one’s soul. Dorian began as such a kind, caring and sincere man. His handsome features matched his genuine interior. As he was manipulated, however, he discovered the wickedness inside him and began to act upon it. As Dorian quotes in the movie, “Each of us has Heaven and Hell in them,” and Dorian chose to utilize his inner Hell.

My favorite scene in the movie was when Dorian reveals the hideous portrait to Basil. As Dorian watches Basil’s reaction to the once majestic portrait, he picks up a knife from an old carved desk. The anticipation of murder grew, as he threw the knife deeper and deeper into the face of the wood. A pile of woodchips began to form from the force Dorian used to ram the knife into the desk and pull it out again. When Basil sits down and begins to pray for Dorian, the look in Dorian’s eye reveals pure fear and hatred for what Basil might do with the information he’d been given. Dorian lunges and drives the knife into Basil’s back, accidentally striking the light hanging above the table. As the scene continues, a camera shot to the wall, with the light bouncing shadows in and out of focus, shows the distinct outline of Dorian murdering Basil, stab by stab. I love the effect of the light in this scene, especially how it is incorporated in the same fashion later on in the film, when Dorian unintentionally takes his own life. This murder scene shows Dorian at the edge of pure evil. His obsession with youth has driven him to commit a crime so malicious, that blood appears in the portrait of his soul. The moment proves just how far he is willing to go to keep his exterior pristine, regardless of its effect on his character.