Wilde (1997) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The story of Oscar Wilde, genius, poet, playwright and the First Modern Man. The self-realization of his homosexuality caused Wilde enormous torment as he juggled marriage, fatherhood and ... See full summary » Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 44 titles created 04 Feb 2011 a list of 36 titles created 19 Nov 2011 a list of 21 titles created 28 Feb 2013 a list of 41 titles created 11 Jun 2013 a list of 38 titles created 25 Dec 2013 Search for " Wilde " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Another 4 wins & 7 nominations. See more awards » Photos Edit Storyline The story of Oscar Wilde, genius, poet, playwright and the First Modern Man. The self-realization of his homosexuality caused Wilde enormous torment as he juggled marriage, fatherhood and responsibility with his obsessive love for Lord Alfred Douglas, nicknamed Bosie. After legal action instigated by Bosie's father, the enraged Marquise of Queensberry, Wilde refused to flee the country and was sentenced to two years at hard labor by the courts of an intolerant Victorian society. Written by Peter Samuelson <petersa1@tribeca.ios.com> Taglines: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. See more » Genres: Rated R for strong sexuality and language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 1 May 1998 (USA) See more » Also Known As: $69,424 (USA) (1 May 1998) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia Jason Morell is the son of André Morell , who played Dr. Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959).

Jude Law played Watson in Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), which also featured Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes. See more » Goofs When Oscar Wilde visits his wife's grave near Genoa, the headstone states "Wife of Oscar Wilde". It originally stated only "Constance Mary, daughter of Horace Lloyd, Q.C." and "Wife of Oscar Wilde" was not added until later. See more » Quotes John Gray : I'm not good enough for him anymore. I'm just the son of a carpenter, while Bosie... Robbie Ross : Oscar's only ever been smitten before. He was smitten with me. He was smitten with you... John Gray : I wasn't smitten. [long pause] John Gray : I loved him. Robbie Ross : Well, now he's fallen in love. John Gray : I'm halfway to hellfire and I'm not joking. Robbie Ross : Someone else was a carpenter's son. [John looks at Robbie, confused] Robbie Ross : I've given in and become a Catholic. I find Confession wonderfully consoling.

[...] Ah, Leave me not to Mine Alone from "The Pirates of Penzance" Words and Music by Gilbert & Sullivan (Oslo, Norway) – See all my reviews This film portrays Oscar Wilde in a totally remarkable way. It should probably have focused more on his writing than on his personal life, but beyond that choice, the film is almost perfect. When it isn't completely perfect, it has to do with the plot, which has some rather weak points. The love between Wilde and Bosie is somewhat difficult to understand. They are completely different. Maybe opposites attract, but not when two people live in two completely different worlds, like Wilde and Bosie seem to do. Of course, one could look at it from a cynical point of view, and say that they both have what the other one want; Wilde has money and Bosie looks, but one can also look at it in a romantic way, give them the benefit of the doubt, and think that they really are in love. That makes the story nicer (for a while), and much, MUCH more interesting! Beyond that, I have only positive things to say about "Wilde".

The script is fabulous, and adding a double story by putting in one of his nursery stories, was a great move! One of the most best parts of the film, is Wilde's speech in court. Really touching! The ending could easily have become extremely sentimental, but that is cleverly avoided. Stephen Fry shines as Oscar Wilde. He is so credible, and does his job so well that if I didn't know better, I'd actually think that it really WAS Wilde I saw on the screen. Law and Redgrave also put in top notch performances. Everyone will probably not appreciate this film as much as I did (it is a matter of whether you can deal with gay sex or not, and like dramas of course), but give it a try! It deserves two hours of your time, and much much more! 16 of 20 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes Wilde [VHS] [1997]: Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave, Jennifer Ehle, Gemma Jones, Judy Parfitt, Michael Sheen, ZoÃ« Wanamaker, Tom Wilkinson, Ioan Gruffudd, Matthew Mills, Jason Morell, Brian Gilbert, Alan Howden, Alex Graham, Deborah Raffin, Marc Samuelson, Julian Mitchell, Oscar Wilde, Richard Ellmann: Amazon.co.uk: Video Wilde [VHS] [1997] Only 1 left in stock. This seller does not deliver to the United States. Learn more 4 new from Â£4.95 8 used from Â£0.99 3 collectible from Â£4.00 See all buying options Â£4.95 Only 1 left in stock. Dispatched from and sold by Discountdiscs-UK : Dispatched daily from the UK. . Product details VHS Release Date: 17 July 2000 Run Time: 112 minutes Product Description Product Description Dramatisation of the fall from grace of author Oscar Wilde.

Wilde (Stephen Fry) returns from a successful 1882 lecture tour of America to wed Constance Lloyd (Jennifer Ehle). However, he admits to himself that he is really attracted to men, and embarks on an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas (Jude Law), known as 'Bosie'. Although winning critical success with 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', Wilde's homosexuality looks set to land him in hot water with strict Victorian society. From Amazon.co.uk Wilde could easily have been nothing more than another well-dressed literary film from the British costume drama stable, but thanks to a richly textured performance from Stephen Fry in the title role, it becomes something deeper--a moving study of how the conflict between individual desires and social expectations can ruin lives. Oscar Wilde's writing may be justifiably legendary for its sly, barbed wit, but Wilde the film is far from a comedy, even though Fry relishes delivering the great man's famous quips. It takes on tragic dimensions as soon as Wilde meets Lord Alfred Douglas, known as Bosie, the strikingly beautiful but viciously selfish young aristocrat who wins Oscar's heart but loses him his reputation, marriage and freedom.

Fry is brilliant at capturing how the intensity of Wilde's love for Bosie threw him off balance, becoming an all-consuming force he was unable to resist. Jude Law expertly depicts both Bosie's allure and his spitefully destructive side, there are subtle supporting performances from Vanessa Redgrave, Jennifer Ehle and Zoe Wanamaker, and the period trappings are lavishly trowelled on. But this is Fry's show all the way: from Oscar the darling of theatrical London to Wilde the prisoner broken on the wheel of Victorian moralism, he doesn't put a foot wrong. It feels like the role he was born to play. --Andy Medhurst --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Customer Reviews Wilde by Brian Gilbert |Brian Gilbert, Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave | 43396022973 | DVD | Barnes & Noble® Menu Overview The life of renowned author Oscar Wilde is touched upon in the biopic Wilde. Columbia has done only a mediocre job on this 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. There are many instances where the image appears soft and worn while the black levels don't appear as dark as they should.

Overall, this is a very disappointing transfer by the studio. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround in English. While the mix is generally clear and free of any excessive hiss or distortion, overall this is a very flat and unimpressive soundtrack to the film. Also included on this disc are English subtitles. This "special edition" of Wilde includes a nice commentary with director Brian Gilbert, producer Marc Samuelson, writer Julian Mitchell, and actor Stephen Fry. This is a fairly engaging commentary that should please fans looking for production insight and stories. Two documentaries, "Simply Wilde" and "Still Wild About Wilde," sport interviews with the cast and crew and cover not only the history of the film's production, but also some history on author Oscar Wilde himself. Finally, there is a short photo montage, four theatrical trailers, and some filmographies on the cast and crew. Advertising Editorial Reviews All Movie Guide Instead of focusing on Oscar Wilde's career accomplishments, Brian Gilbert's Wilde largely concerns itself with the tragic relationship with Douglas, or Bosie, as he was called.

Great pains are taken to record Wilde's downfall, catalyzed by scandalous sodomy charges brought against him by Bosie's father, the loathsome Marquess of Queensberry (Tom Wilkinson). By focusing on Wilde's trial and imprisonment, the film makes him out to be more of a gay martyr than a brilliant wit and playwright. This approach results in a somewhat incomplete portrayal, but Wilde is inarguably well served by Stephen Fry's characterization. Hulking, refined, and bearing more than a passing resemblance to the character he inhabits, Fry gives a performance marked by wit, passion, and surpassing dignity. New York Times [Stephen] Fry 's warmly sympathetic performance finds the gentleness beneath the wit. He conveys the sense of a man at the mercy of forces he cannot control, not least of them his own brittle genius.

Janet Maslin Product Details Wilde Special Edition DVD with Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave (R) +Movie Reviews James Morris | Jackson Heights, NY United States | 12/30/2005 (5 out of 5 stars) "I really am puzzled by the number of people who somehow find the sexual aspect of a story concerning one of the most celebrated gay men in history too explicit. I mean, what did they expect? First let me offer my review of Wilde - every moment of this film is brilliant. It perfectly articulates the shame behind a supreme waste of talent and the unjust imprisonment of one of the great literary geniuses of the English language. The sets, costumes and dialogue all manage to faithfully invoke the manners and attitudes of Victorian England. Stephen Frye gives a performance that is nothing less than incredible, and his physical resemblance to the real Oscar Wilde is downright spooky. The supporting cast is perfect, and the script pretty much says all that needs to be said about his trial, conviction and downfall. So what's not to like? Some have complained that the film has focused too much on Wilde's sexuality and not enough on his literary accomplishments.

But the purpose of the film is clearly to illustrate the travesty of justice that robbed the world of one of literatures greatest figures. Those who are interested in knowing what a fine writer Wilde was need only to acquire a book of his collected works or seek out a production of one of his theatre pieces. The purpose of this film is to show how Victorian morality cruelly destroyed the life of a great man. Now let's talk about the "graphic sex scenes"... I recently heard a "liberal" commentator on a radio show discussing the film Brokeback Mountain. He said, and I quote, "I am all for gay liberation. I support the right of gays to marry, and leave their property to their partners. I will sign your petitions, march in your parades, write my legislators pleading for laws to protect you, and argue with my conservative relatives on your behalf. But I cannot see Brokeback Mountain. Please don't ask me to. I just can't look at explicit gay sex. I'm sorry, but I am just not comfortable with it". For him, and those who have the same reaction to "Wilde" I have but two words - grow up! I am a 51 year old gay man.

As a movie lover, I have sat through literally thousands of cinematic heterosexual love scenes in my life. I have watched men and women "suck face" and caress each other's naked bodies until I was fairly nauseous. For the record, I do not enjoy watching heterosexuals make love. While it doesn't exactly revolt me, it certainly isn't something I find appealing, either, but I have had to put up with it as long as I can remember. After all, one cannot go to a movie or turn on the television without seeing endless examples of graphic heterosexual lovemaking. And guess what? For all the sexually explicit straight love scenes I've sat through, I've managed to get through them intact. My eyeballs haven't fallen out, my penis hasn't shriveled up and blown away, and I have not turned heterosexual from watching all that straight sex. I would suggest to those who "support gay rights" but are "uncomfortable" with explicit gay sex scenes that they purchase a DVD of a gay film with about as much sexually graphic content as they think they can stand, and then watch it over and over and over until they are no longer uncomfortable with gay sex scenes.

I think that would be fair; after all, I have been forced to acclimate myself to straight love scenes to the point where they no longer make me uncomfortable. But in renting such a film, I would NOT suggest Brokeback Mountain - I saw it last week. The "graphic" sex scenes last all of 60 seconds, and the same sex kissing scene (there is only one) takes up even less screen time than that. As for Wilde, several heterosexual reviewers on this site complained that the "sex scenes" were far too graphic for them and their friends. Some even went to far as to claim that "half the movie" contained sexual content. My initial reaction to these comments was, HUH??? Gay sex? WHAT gay sex? I have seen this film three times, and I don't remember any gay sex scenes in it. At all. So I just went back and watched it a fourth time, with a notepad and a stopwatch. Gee, it turns out there is some gay sex in it. What follows is a complete description of everything in the film that could even remotely be called a "sex scene": Fourteen minutes into the film, Oscar Wilde is seduced by the character of Robbie.

Robbie kisses Oscar, then removes his own shirt, pulls down his pants, and places Oscar's hands on his exposed buttocks. They embrace. The scene fades. No actual sex is shown, and the scene lasts a total of one minute, exactly. Two minutes later, there is a depiction of Oscar and Robbie in bed. Robbie is shirtless; Oscar has his arms around him. They kiss. There is no suggestion of actual sex. The scene fades after a total of 45 seconds. A few minutes later, Oscar meets a young man at an art exhibit. They leave together. The next scene shows the young man shirtless and sitting on a sofa. Oscar is standing above him. He pulls Oscar down to the sofa, while kissing him. The scene fades; it has lasted exactly 15 seconds, and has not shown any actual sex. Twenty-five minutes into the film, Oscar meets Bosie, played by Jude Law. Thirty-one minutes into the film, we see Bosie's naked torso, he is clearly in the throws of passion. He thrusts once, as though climaxing. The camera pans to reveal he is on top of Oscar, who appears to be nude. They kiss. The scene fades.

It has lasted 50 seconds, and is the first and only time we see Oscar undressed. Although there is the suggestion that sex has taken place between them, no sex is actually shown. Forty minutes into the film, Bosie takes Oscar to a male brothel, where Bosie puts his arms around a male prostitute; both are clothed. Their intimacy lasts about 4 seconds. There is no suggested or actual depiction of sex. At one hour and seven minutes into the film, we see Bosie in bed with another "rent boy" while Oscar sits in a chair watching, fully clothed. We see the couple in bed through a mirror; it is a long shot, but Bosie's buttocks are clearly visible, and he is thrusting his body as though in sexual coitus. This is the only scene in the entire film that I would label "sexually graphic" and it lasts exactly 6 seconds. It is also the last "sex" scene in the film, which continues for an additional 50 minutes. Of all the "sex" scenes in the film, none show genitalia, or depict contact with genitalia. In all but one scene Oscar is fully dressed.

The on-screen same-sex kisses last less than one minute, total, and, all told, the sex scenes described above - if one could really call them that - last a TOTAL of exactly three minutes; only 6 seconds of those sex scenes could be described as "graphic" - out of one hour and fifty-seven minutes of screen time. Hardly "half the movie" as one reviewer put it. After reading some of the reviews posted here, I wonder if these people saw the same film I did. Because all the "gay sex" they complain about is hardly there. The only "graphic" sex scene lasts six seconds, yet one would think from reading those reviews that this film was hardcore pornography. Can these reviewers really be that hung up on gay sex that they see graphic images where almost none exist? I have seen hundreds of "mainstream" films with far more explicit sex scenes involving heterosexuals in my day, many of which were truly gratuitous and excessive. If I were to cry and whine, "Look what me and my poor gay friends had to witness" every time I saw a tasteless straight sex scene, I'd never stop crying and whining. Just once I wish straight people could see things from my view.

I have had heterosexual romance shoved down my throat all my life. If you are straight and are reading this, my advice is: don't be such a sissy. Straight sex scenes never harmed me, and gay sex scenes aren't going to hurt you, either. If you want to see a good dramatic film about a famous homosexual, be prepared to expect a little gay sex, and PLEASE don't get hung up about it. " The Portrait of Oscar Wilde--one of wit and compassion Daniel J. Hamlow | Narita, Japan | 12/05/2003 (4 out of 5 stars) "If anything, the value of true love and compassion, unfettered by social interdictions, and how the Victorian attitudes made only a certain kind of love a crime, is the driving force behind Wilde. The bio-movie of legendary playwright and wit Oscar Wilde begins with his trip to Leadville, Colorado in 1882, where a seam in a silver mine has been named in his honour.

Down the mine, he tells the story of The King's Dream, about how the king has dreams revealing how lesser class people have toiled and suffered so that nobles can wear finery and wield sceptres and ornaments of silver and gold.Wilde seems to have it, talent, wit, a nice wife, two children. It's at the reception for his play, Lady Windermere's Fan, that we see the beginning of the end. There, Wilde is introduced to Lord Alfred Douglas, nicknamed "Bosie", a handsome blond who finds conventional morality stifling, such as his enjoyment of other men, but whose selfishly immature, egotistic nature comes out in an ugly way later in the movie. "Bosie" admires Wilde. "You use wit like a knife, cut through all those starched shirt fronts. You draw blood. It's magnificent," he tells him.Bosie introduces Wilde to secret parlors where there are others who have homosexual leanings, but he seems proud to display himself as "Wilde's boy", wanting the whole world to know, whereas Wilde is a bit more on the cautious and side.

Yet he counsels Bosie, who is then in a petulant pique that Wilde has to work on his play instead of having fun, that "pleasure have to be earned and paid for." And yet he is patient and forgiving towards the lad.The villain of this piece is Bosie's brutish father, John Sholto Douglas, better known as the 9th marquis of Queensbury, he who invented the boxing rules such as wearing gloves, the ten second count, and rounds. He strongly disapproves of Bosie's friendship with Wilde and sets about verbally intimidating both.The attitudes of the stuffed shirts in Victorian England can be found in a lady's comment on censorship: "There must be censorship. All people would say what they meant, and then where would we be?" Wilde too gives a view of the stifled times when he says that if his son grew up, "he must do as his nature dictates, as I should have done." But couldn't, one should add.At various parts of the movie, Wilde's story of "The Selfish Giant" is narrated to match the scene or Wilde's feelings.All throughout, Wilde's wit and observations on human nature are heard.

Examples: "Give a man a mask and he'll tell you the truth." This in turn leads to a conversation about The Picture Of Dorian Gray, a novel about "the masks we wear as faces, the faces we wear as masks" that lost the Wildes their respectability for its unveiling the hypocritical veneer of Victorian gentility. But the most important is this: "In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants. The other is getting."Those who know of Wilde's life knows how it'll end, but there are some sobering narrated observations that reflect the suffering he underwent: "Life cheats us with shadows.

We ask it for pleasure, it gives it to us with bitterness and disappointment in its train." Or the way people destroy the thing they love most:Some do it with a bitter look some with a flattering word the coward with a kiss The brave man with a sword some kill their love when they are young and some when they are old some strangle with the hands of lust some with the hands of gold the kindest use a knife because the dead so soon grow coldStephen Fry, best known as Jeeves in the Jeeves and Wooster series does a top-notch job in portraying the playwright and wit. His Wilde is suave, charming, loving and understanding to his wife, children, and Bosie, and in the end, unwilling to perjure himself and his beliefs despite its meaning his fall from grace. Jude Law does good as Bosie, but Jennifer Ehle also deserves credit as the soft-spoken but loyal and beautiful Constance Wilde." Beautiful, you will want to visit Paris... Dianne Foster | USA | 02/02/2002 (5 out of 5 stars) "In WILDE, Stephen Fry (Jeeves in "Jeeves and Wooster") is the consummate Wilde.

Jude Law plays his lover Bosie Douglas. Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennett in "Pride and Predjudice") plays Wilde's long suffering wife. Vanessa Redgrave and Tom Wilkinson also have important roles. What a cast. The Belle Epoch is beautifully recreated as Wilde travels between England and France--clothes, interiors, architecture, grounds. You don't even have to understand the story to enjoy "being there" in the parks, homes, carrriages. Oscar Wilde was a writer, best remembered perhaps for "The Portrait of Dorian Grey" although modern audiences may be more familiar with his stage play "The Ideal Husband" (recently made into a film with Jeremy Northern and Cate Blanchett) or "The Importance of Being Earnest." Wilde was a homosexual in England in an age when one could and did go to prison for acting on instinct. (Nowadays in Saudia Arabia they take off your head.) Although the public became aware of his proclivities, Wilde remained one of Europe's most admired writers. Unfortunately, his term in prison for his sexual preferences may be remembered longer than his works which contain a wonderful drawing room humor many folks fail to grasp.

This is a great film, and if you're an Anglophile you must add it to your collection. -- And Paris?? That's where Oscar is buried." Both enormously entertaining and amazingly accurate biopic Robert Moore | Chicago, IL USA | 02/19/2003 (5 out of 5 stars) "For the most part, this is one of the most amazingly accurate biopics I have ever seen. The screenwriter obviously wrote it with Richard Ellman's stellar biography in one hand, and except for one small bit, stays astonishingly true to the facts of Wilde's life. The accuracy is one of the two things that makes this film so fascinating. The other is the remarkable performances by the films actors. Stephen Fry is nothing short of remarkable, acting Wilde as a real person, instead of a parody or caricature of Wilde. Jude Law, in one of his first notable screen performances, is appropriately fetching as Alfred Lord Douglas (and I do admire his courage as a heterosexual actor portraying so convincingly a homosexual siren).

Tom Wilkinson, who each year seems to distinguish himself more and more as one of the most versatile and talented actors in film, is suitably vicious and tenacious as Lord Douglas's father, the Marquess of Queensbury. He strikes perfectly the pose of evangelical fervor and philistinism that one detects in reading of the real Marquess. Jennifer Ehle is excellent in the thankless role of Wilde's wife. The movie depicts quite accurately Wilde's intention in prison to return to his wife after leaving prison, an intention that was frustrated by her death before his release. His relationship with Robbie Ross, who was in real life probably Wilde's most faithful and dedicated friend, is shown in moving detail.The lone complaint I have with the film is the omission of the past couple of years of Wilde's life. Although he was reunited with Alfred Lord Douglas briefly upon his release from prison, their attempted reconciliation was largely a failure, and they eventually went their own ways, with Lord Douglas completely turning his back on Wilde during his time of greatest need. The end of Wilde's life was heartbreakingly tragic, with Wilde often employing his considerable conversational skills in entertaining strangers for the cost of a few drinks.

The contrast between the Oscar Wilde who had multiple plays running simultaneously in London in the 1890s and the Wilde who died nearly friendless and penniless in France in 1900 is as poignant as any in literary history. In 1895, he is the toast of London; in 1900, a pariah. But perhaps this alternative version of Wilde's life would have been too bleak. Even without the fuller ending, this is a very sad and tragic film. And WILDE proves that you can have a biopic that can, at the same time, maintain an exceedingly high degree of historical advocacy while remaining dramatically engrossing." Stephen Fry's memorable performance as the tragic Oscar Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 07/13/2004 (4 out of 5 stars) "My introduction to Oscar Wilde consisted of three disparate sources. First, I read "The Importance of Being Earnest," the wittiest play ever written in the English language.

Second, there was Monty Python's Oscar Wilde sketch, where Wilde, James McNeil Whistler and George Bernard Shaw force each other to turn insults into compliments for the Prince of Wales. Third, there was the "Masterpiece Theater" mini-series "Lillie," in which Peter Egan played Wilde and where for the first time I heard the speech from Wilde's court case where he explains "the love that dare not speak its name." It is one of the most unforgettable declarations from the docket in human history and I think I just about have it memorized because it was really burned into my mind the first time I heard it. When I watched "Wilde," my knowledge and understanding of Oscar Wilde was extended in several key ways. In playing the title role actor Stephen Fry makes Wilde seem less the dandy and more the kindly man he must have been to be put in the situation that caused his down fall. In contrast, Lord Alfred Douglas (Jude Law), known as "Bosie," might be beautiful of face but it is most decidedly skin deep. He is an ugly human being and when Wilde does what he does out of the goodness of his heart, the tragedy that it is for somebody who does not deserve it.

I had not really thought much of Bosie before, but after watching "Wilde" I consider him a most despicable figure. Wilde was in prison within three months after the opening of "The Importance of Being Earnest," and the thought of what has been lost to literature and drama is rather sickening. It is only in the film's final scene that for the first time I found myself thinking of Oscar Wilde as a pathetic figure, and again it was because of Bosie.I had long appreciated the irony that despite his homosexuality Wilde truly loved his wife Constance (Jennifer Ehle), but in Julian Mitchell's screenplay, based on Richard Ellmann's noted biography, I learn an even greater irony with regards to Wilde's downfall, namely that his physical relationship with Bosie had been of short duration and that they were not lovers at the time of the libel suit involving the Marquess of Queensberry (Tom Wilkinson). In that regard this 1997 film enhances the tragic aspects of the story. Of course, the essence of the tragedy is articulated by Wilde himself, who declares: "In this life there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants.

The other is getting it."" Wilde | Film from RadioTimes Our Score by Lorien Haynes Once you've seen Stephen Fry in the title role of Oscar Wilde it's difficult to imagine anyone better suited. Playing to the myth of the giant of wit, restraint and wisdom, Fry conveys the strain of a public figure tied to a false marriage (with Jennifer Ehle) while besieged by his love for another man (a bitingly excellent Jude Law as the rich and spoilt Lord Alfred Douglas). Assertive in its graphic exploration of male love (two years prior to TV's daring Queer as Folk series), this may not suit all tastes. Nevertheless, it is beautifully written and its attention to period detail is spot-on. As a profile of one of Ireland's greatest writers, this is a thought-provoking and desperately sad film. Summary Biopic of author and acclaimed wit Oscar Wilde, focusing on his affair with Lord Alfred Douglas at a time when homosexual liaisons were illegal. Refusing to flee the country when their relationship was uncovered, he was subsequently jailed, enduring two years of hard labour. Starring Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave and Jennifer Ehle.

Cast & Crew Lord Alfred Douglas Jude Law Lady Speranza Wilde Vanessa Redgrave Constance Wilde Jennifer Ehle Nick-Davis.com: Wilde Wilde First screened and reviewed in June 1998 Director: Brian Gilbert. Cast: Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Sheen, Tom Wilkinson, Zoë Wanamaker, Vanessa Redgrave, Judy Parfitt, Gemma Jones. Screenplay: Julian Mitchell (based on the book Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellmann). Twitter Capsule: Dispiriting to see Wilde of all people locked into the cowed dimensionlessness of a standard biopic. Fry's good to no avail. VOR: ② Fry as Wilde is an idea too good not to test, as is Law as Bosie. Lots of small parts well-cast and well-played, too. Just a fatal dearth of imagination. Photo © 1997 Samuelson Productions/Dove International, © 1998 PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Even more bloodless and uninvolving than his previous Tom & Viv, director Brian Gilbert's Wilde is yet another stiff example of lit-crit cinema.

This writer, though, surely deserves a more exuberant, energetic portrait than laconic T.S. Eliot did. Oscar Wilde has endured in the world's artistic consciousness as much for his outrageous personal carriage and his relentless self-promotion as for his novels and plays (which include The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest). This film, however, which is ultimately too reverential toward its protagonist to make him particularly human, reduces Oscar Wilde to a walking aggregate of quips and badinage. Julian Mitchell's script freely doles out many of Wilde's pithy, self-conscious bon mots among its cast but never convincingly fleshes out the emotional conflicts and dramas in which the characters find themselves. The lack of human "dimension" is a frequent but basically misguided criticism of Wilde's plays, but it's much harder to explain away the absence of plausible humanity in a biographical drama than in a stylized theatrical jape. In such a thin, constraining framework, the power of performances counts for very little; a script like Wilde's does not allow for much connection between characters and audience, regardless of a particular actor's exertions.

Thus, Stephen Fry's visually perfect Wilde, Michael Sheen's compassionate friend and onetime lover Robbie Ross, and Jennifer Ehle's beaming but neglected Constance Wilde (the author's wife) are all stranded with visible talent to burn but nowhere to marshal it. Perhaps we owe thanks that the film's stifling lack of texture restrains the usual histrionics of Jude Law, so moving and effective in Gattaca but so nervy and off-putting everywhere else. The only actors who really penetrate the starchiness of Wilde are Vanessa Redgrave as the writer's mother (though that's more a tribute to her ineradicable incandescence than to anything special she does with this part) and The Full Monty 's Tom Wilkinson as the Marquess of Queensberry, eventually Wilde's fiercest adversary. Sadly, these two consummate performers are grievously wasted in a combined total of about ten or fifteen minutes of screen time.

There is a moment early in Wilde where Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglasthe Oxford student and notorious Wilde paramour played by Lawfirst expresses his attraction for the writer, complimenting his ability to puncture the "stuffed shirts" of late 19th-century English society and use his wit like a rapier, a tool "to draw blood." Unfortunately, the arteries of this film are so clogged and hardened, the blood flow so minimal, that without a lively mind like Wilde's own to energize the proceedings, anyone would be better off reading Richard Ellmann's definitive and engaging biography, the cited source for this script. It's fine to treat your protagonist with seriousness and decorum, but when it comes time for drama and emotion, Gilbert and his collaborators wildly overestimate the importance of being earnest. Grade: D+ Golden Globe Nominations: wilde GAY FILM REVIEWS BY MICHAEL D. KLEMM Wilde Julian Mitchell, based on the biography by Richard Ellmann Starring: Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Sheen, Love That Dares Not Speak Its Name by Michael D.

Klemm Reprinted from Outcome , May, 1999 "A wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attractiveness of others." -Oscar Wilde The renowned playwright/poet/novelist Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) has long been the subject of serious studies in books, dramas and films. His literary stature is unquestioned, as is his fame for his often caustic wit. Josephine Hogan, muse of Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre, once told me in an interview that Wilde "could say in a sentence what most of us would take three pages to say." Collections of his sayings adorn many an admirer's bookshelves and coffeetables. Much of Wilde's notoriety, unfortunately, also stems from his conviction and subsequent prison sentence for buggery. For many gay men, he is one of the great martyrs to the cause. The past years have seen a resurgence in all things Oscar, and Buffalo United Artists is currently producing the Buffalo premiere of Moises Kauffman's Off-Broadway hit, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde.

For those who are interested in more about the author's life, and do not have the time to read Richard Ellmann's lengthy critical biography, there are three film versions available to choose from. Two films about Wilde were made almost simultaneously in 1959/1960. The first, Oscar Wilde, starred Robert Morley in an exuberant and flamboyant performance that certainly captured my vision of the man when I first saw the film 15 years ago. Movies were not as free as they are now to depict gay love, and so at least half of the film was devoted to the writer's trials for "gross indecency." The same, reportedly, is true of The Trials of Oscar Wilde, which starred Peter Finch. I was unable to rent this film, but Images in the Dark: An Encyclopedia of Gay and Lesbian Film and Video states that "the film amazingly tones down considerably the gay implications and offers instead an elaborate and intriguing courtroom drama." The new film, Wilde, directed by Brian Gilbert, is a revelation. Based on the Ellmann biography, Julian Mitchell ( Another Country ) has fashioned a witty and well-researched script that is the first to thoroughly document Oscar's personal life on screen.

Sumptuously photographed, and filled with many of the writer's greatest witticisms, Wilde refuses to shy away from the more controversial aspects of Oscar's life and confronts all of them head on. His genius, as well as his faults, are all presented in both a dramatic and an intelligent manner. Oscar Wilde was, of course, the author of The Picture of Dorian Gray, as well as numerous plays, including The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Windemere's Fan and An Ideal Husband. Wilde was married ("I do need an audience") and fathered two boys. He was both a devoted husband and father, but he also enjoyed many gay affairs on the side. Wilde worshipped youth and beauty and he was often surrounded by young men. It was what Wilde called the "noblest sort of love," harking back to the Greeks when the younger man was often nurtured and educated by an older man. Wilde's biggest mistake was falling in love with Lord Alfred (Boise) Douglas, a spoiled young aristocrat who both loved and manipulated his mentor. Boise's father was the Marquess of Queensberry, a nasty and threatening man who disapproved of Wilde's influence on his son.

When the Marquess left a card with the words "Oscar Wilde, posing as a somdomite [sic]" at Wilde's hotel, Boise talked Wilde into suing his father for libel. During the course of the trial, Wilde's affairs were revealed in detail, and the writer was sentenced to two years in prison at hard labor. He died a few years after his release. The emphasis in Wilde is not the trial, but his personal life, particularly his stormy relationship with Boise. One of its greatest strengths is that it does not present Wilde as the usual bitchy stereotype. Instead, we see Wilde as a man of great passion and warmth - egotistical yes - and deeply complex. To Wilde, his life was also his art, and he pursued it with gusto. Yet despite his predilection for young men, he is also seen as both a devoted husband and father. Mitchell's script is remarkable in that it manages to tell the story without being one-sided. Wilde was by no means, perfect. While he indulges his pleasures, his wife and children are seen home alone and abandoned.

Scenes of high society are contrasted with Wilde's forays into cheap hotels where he is enchanted by an assortment of "rent boys." His first homosexual seduction is preceded by a scene in which he passionately kisses his wife and proclaims his love. Using Wilde's own prose, the screenwriter comes very close to summing up the artist through a recurring narrative device. His masterstroke was to have Wilde recite his charming children's story, The Selfish Giant, on the soundtrack during key moments of the film. He is first seen telling this story to his children. Then, his wife is reading it aloud to the children from a published book while he is living in the West End. We next hear the tale when Boise spends a holiday abroad; Oscar has returned to his family, and the giant's selfishness, along with his new redemption, is recited on the soundtrack. Later, as Wilde labors in prison, the fable has reached the end where the giant is old and dying. Wilde was definitely a giant, and he was often selfish. But, like the giant in his tale, he could also be warm and loving, and was also quite capable of redemption.

The children's tale both comments on, and sums up, Wilde's character while giving the audience a taste of the artist's elegant prose. There is much to admire in this film. Sexual scenes are presented frankly without any attempt to be "shocking." Wilde is not portrayed as a flaming queen. He is also not viewed as a lecher, nor is he seen as a complete angel. He flaunts unconventionality in the face of a stuffy and uptight Victorian society. An early scene shows Wilde stylishly dressed, and boldly walking through a small crowd of identically dressed Lords wearing black robes and wigs. His wit and his intelligence, combined with his arrogance, eventually does him in. Pursuing the lawsuit against Boise's father, especially in Victorian England, was an act of insane stupidity. As a result, he throws his life away, all for his love of Boise, a young and undeserving viper. Boise, as he appears throughout the film, is beautiful, charming, yet sometimes icy and cold. I was reminded of Wilde's description of the first change in Dorian Gray's portrait: the face remains splendidly handsome but with a touch of cruelty in the eyes and the mouth.

Dramatic licenses are surely taken, but this version certainly depicts Boise as being the catalyst of Wilde's downfall. During Boise's absence, Wilde returns to his family and writes two of his finest plays. As soon as Boise returns, he neglects both and returns to a life of wild abandon. The public outrage over Wilde's activities had as much to do with class as it did with sex. The gasps heard in the courtroom make it clear that it wasn't just that Wilde had sex with men, he had sex with valets and stable boys! Gasp! Wilde is seen as a threat to society, corrupting its youth with dangerous ideas. The same society which gave him a standing ovation on the opening night of his play now curses and spits on him as he leaves the courtroom. Much less time is spent on his trial than in the previous films and the final scenes of Oscar's ruin are painful to watch. Openly gay actor Stephen Fry is superb in the title role. His portrait of the artist is one of the richest characterizations I have seen on the screen in years. He captures Wilde's flamboyance without overdoing it.

Robert Morley's "larger-than-life" portrayal in Oscar Wilde was also wonderful, but Fry's performance is more subtle and more suited to the film medium. The acting by all is exemplary, and Wilde boasts terrific performances from Jude Law as Boise, Venessa Redgrave as Wilde's bohemian mother, and Tom Wilkinson was the Marquess of Queensberry. Previous works about Oscar Wilde made him too foppish, this one seems much more human. As for the film's accuracy, I leave that to scholars to debate. But Wilde is a very entertaining and intelligent movie that may change many preconceived notions about the man. Wilde was screened in Buffalo for only one week last year, but at least it can now be rented on video. Because there is no mention whatsoever on the video tape box of Wilde's sexuality, you can find it for rent at your local Blockbuster Video. Reviewer's note, 2007: Interjecting a bit of autobiography and historical context here. In many of my older reviews there are references to these films being unavailable at Blockbuster Video. Times have changed, but in the 90s, that was the case.

They were a "family store." Blockbuster's policy back then (since changed) of not carrying NC-17 or unrated films forced many filmmakers to emasculate their films to get an R rating so Blockbuster "the family store" would carry it. .I usually reported if the films were available for rent at Buffalo's two funkiest video stores - Mondo Video, which was owned by the film critic from Artvoice Magazine , M. Faust, and was the place to go to get the hard to find titles - and Rainbow Pride, a gay gift shop run by Frank Ball; he also rented videos. For years, his store was the front room in a popular gay bar, Buddies. Anyway, when I wrote this review you could not find titles like these at Blockbuster. And I often ranted about it. I've left them in these reviews as I put them online because they are a kind of time capsule. Because early in the millennium there was a changing of the guard at Blockbuster. You could rent Queer as Folk there now! Their old policy of no gay films and no unrated films was gone, finished. And that was good news for filmmakers and film lovers everywhere.

I even ended one of my columns with a public service announcement that Blockbuster changed its policies and now carried gay films. I'm not being coerced into writing this, I'm just being fair because that was a big turnaround. Of course it was also around the time I discovered netflix.com and saw that I could rent almost anything from them. Foreign films, independents and of course queer cinema. This note is just to explain how times have changed (for the better) and it is much easier to find queer titles now, whether for rent or for sale. The internet of course got us out of the dark ages too. Amazon.com: Wilde: Tom Wilkinson, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Jones: Amazon Digital Services LLC HALL OF FAME on December 5, 2003 Format: VHS Tape If anything, the value of true love and compassion, unfettered by social interdictions, and how the Victorian attitudes made only a certain kind of love a crime, is the driving force behind Wilde. The bio-movie of legendary playwright and wit Oscar Wilde begins with his trip to Leadville, Colorado in 1882, where a seam in a silver mine has been named in his honour.

Down the mine, he tells the story of The King's Dream, about how the king has dreams revealing how lesser class people have toiled and suffered so that nobles can wear finery and wield sceptres and ornaments of silver and gold. Wilde seems to have it, talent, wit, a nice wife, two children. It's at the reception for his play, Lady Windermere's Fan, that we see the beginning of the end. There, Wilde is introduced to Lord Alfred Douglas, nicknamed "Bosie", a handsome blond who finds conventional morality stifling, such as his enjoyment of other men, but whose selfishly immature, egotistic nature comes out in an ugly way later in the movie. "Bosie" admires Wilde. "You use wit like a knife, cut through all those starched shirt fronts. You draw blood. It's magnificent," he tells him. Bosie introduces Wilde to secret parlors where there are others who have homosexual leanings, but he seems proud to display himself as "Wilde's boy", wanting the whole world to know, whereas Wilde is a bit more on the cautious and side.

Yet he counsels Bosie, who is then in a petulant pique that Wilde has to work on his play instead of having fun, that "pleasure have to be earned and paid for." And yet he is patient and forgiving towards the lad. Read more › By Dianne Foster HALL OF FAME on February 2, 2002 Format: DVD In WILDE, Stephen Fry (Jeeves in "Jeeves and Wooster") is the consummate Wilde. Jude Law plays his lover Bosie Douglas. Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennett in "Pride and Predjudice") plays Wilde's long suffering wife. Vanessa Redgrave and Tom Wilkinson also have important roles. What a cast. The Belle Epoch is beautifully recreated as Wilde travels between England and France--clothes, interiors, architecture, grounds. You don't even have to understand the story to enjoy "being there" in the parks, homes, carrriages.

Oscar Wilde was a writer, best remembered perhaps for "The Portrait of Dorian Grey" although modern audiences may be more familiar with his stage play "The Ideal Husband" (recently made into a film with Jeremy Northern and Cate Blanchett) or "The Importance of Being Earnest." Wilde was a homosexual in England in an age when one could and did go to prison for acting on instinct. (Nowadays in Saudia Arabia they take off your head.) Although the public became aware of his proclivities, Wilde remained one of Europe's most admired writers. Unfortunately, his term in prison for his sexual preferences may be remembered longer than his works which contain a wonderful drawing room humor many folks fail to grasp. This is a great film, and if you're an Anglophile you must add it to your collection. -- And Paris?? That's where Oscar is buried. 1 Comment 85 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote.

Please try again By James Morris on December 29, 2005 Format: DVD I really am puzzled by the number of people who somehow find the sexual aspect of a story concerning one of the most celebrated gay men in history too explicit. I mean, what did they expect? First let me offer my review of Wilde - every moment of this film is brilliant. It perfectly articulates the shame behind a supreme waste of talent and the unjust imprisonment of one of the great literary geniuses of the English language. The sets, costumes and dialogue all manage to faithfully invoke the manners and attitudes of Victorian England. Stephen Frye gives a performance that is nothing less than incredible, and his physical resemblance to the real Oscar Wilde is downright spooky. The supporting cast is perfect, and the script pretty much says all that needs to be said about his trial, conviction and downfall. So what's not to like? Some have complained that the film has focused too much on Wilde's sexuality and not enough on his literary accomplishments. But the purpose of the film is clearly to illustrate the travesty of justice that robbed the world of one of literatures greatest figures.

Those who are interested in knowing what a fine writer Wilde was need only to acquire a book of his collected works or seek out a production of one of his theatre pieces. The purpose of this film is to show how Victorian morality cruelly destroyed the life of a great man. Now let's talk about the "graphic sex scenes"... I recently heard a "liberal" commentator on a radio show discussing the film Brokeback Mountain. He said, and I quote, "I am all for gay liberation. I support the right of gays to marry, and leave their property to their partners. Read more › 27 Comments 255 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again By Robert Moore HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE VOICE on February 19, 2003 Format: DVD For the most part, this is one of the most amazingly accurate biopics I have ever seen. The screenwriter obviously wrote it with Richard Ellman's stellar biography in one hand, and except for one small bit, stays astonishingly true to the facts of Wilde's life.

The accuracy is one of the two things that makes this film so fascinating. The other is the remarkable performances by the films actors. Stephen Fry is nothing short of remarkable, acting Wilde as a real person, instead of a parody or caricature of Wilde. Jude Law, in one of his first notable screen performances, is appropriately fetching as Alfred Lord Douglas (and I do admire his courage as a heterosexual actor portraying so convincingly a homosexual siren). Tom Wilkinson, who each year seems to distinguish himself more and more as one of the most versatile and talented actors in film, is suitably vicious and tenacious as Lord Douglas's father, the Marquess of Queensbury. He strikes perfectly the pose of evangelical fervor and philistinism that one detects in reading of the real Marquess. Jennifer Ehle is excellent in the thankless role of Wilde's wife. The movie depicts quite accurately Wilde's intention in prison to return to his wife after leaving prison, an intention that was frustrated by her death before his release. His relationship with Robbie Ross, who was in real life probably Wilde's most faithful and dedicated friend, is shown in moving detail.

The lone complaint I have with the film is the omission of the past couple of years of Wilde's life. Although he was reunited with Alfred Lord Douglas briefly upon his release from prison, their attempted reconciliation was largely a failure, and they eventually went their own ways, with Lord Douglas completely turning his back on Wilde during his time of greatest need. Read more › 1 Comment 38 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again Amazon.com: Wilde (Special Edition): Gemma Jones, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave, Tom Wilkinson, Jennifer Ehle, Stephen Fry, Brian Gilbert, Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, Samuelson Productions: Movies & TV Movies & TV Free Shipping for Prime Members | Fast, FREE Shipping with Amazon Prime Only 1 left in stock. Sold by amazingwildcat and Fulfilled by Amazon . Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and .

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you increase your sales. We invite you to learn more about Fulfillment by Amazon . Wilde (Special Edition) has been added to your Cart Add to Cart Want it tomorrow, Jan. 21? Order within and choose Saturday Delivery at checkout. Details Ship to: Please enter a valid US zip code. Please enter a valid US zip code. Shipping to a APO/FPO/DPO? Please add the address to your address book. Make sure you include the unit and box numbers (if assigned). or Fulfilled by Amazon Condition: Used: Good Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and . If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you increase your sales. We invite you to learn more about Fulfillment by Amazon . Add to Cart Sorry, there was a problem. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again. Sorry, there was a problem. List unavailable.

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Ad feedback Special Offers and Product Promotions Save Big On Open-Box & Pre-owned: Buy "Wilde (Special Edition)â from Amazon Warehouse Deals and save 54% off the $22.99 list price. Product is eligible for Amazon's 30-day returns policy and Prime or FREE Shipping. See all Open-Box & Pre-owned offers from Amazon Warehouse Deals. Your cost could be $0.00 instead of $13.10! Get a $50 Amazon.com Gift Card instantly upon approval for the Amazon Rewards Visa Card Apply now Editorial Reviews Brilliant, egocentric and completely unique, Oscar Wilde (Stephen Fry) defied convention on almost every level. While coming to terms with his newfound sexual identity, he also experienced his most creative period, resulting in some of his best-known works. As his literary career flourished, the self-realization of his homosexuality caused Wilde enormous torment as he juggled marriage, fatherhoodand responsibility with his obsessive love for Lord Alfred Douglas (Jude Law). It is this passionate and stormy relationship which consumed and ultimately destroyed him.

Featuring a brilliant supporting cast including Jennifer Ehle, Academy Award(r)-Winner Vanessa Redgrave and Tom Wilkinson as Wilde's chief adversary, the Marquis of Queensbury. Special Features Audio Commentary with Cast and Crew Original Featurette: "Simply Wilde" New Exclusive to DVD Featurette: "Still Wild About Wilde" DVD-ROM - the Complete Content of the Official "Wilde" Website Photo Montage Format: Multiple Formats, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) Subtitles: English Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only) PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click . Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: January 1, 2002 Run Time: 117 minutes Page 1 of 1 Start over Sponsored Products are advertisements for products sold by merchants on Amazon.com.

When you click on a Sponsored Product ad, you will be taken to an Amazon detail page where you can learn more about the product and purchase it. To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Products, click here . By Daniel J. Hamlow HALL OF FAME on December 5, 2003 Format: VHS Tape If anything, the value of true love and compassion, unfettered by social interdictions, and how the Victorian attitudes made only a certain kind of love a crime, is the driving force behind Wilde. The bio-movie of legendary playwright and wit Oscar Wilde begins with his trip to Leadville, Colorado in 1882, where a seam in a silver mine has been named in his honour. Down the mine, he tells the story of The King's Dream, about how the king has dreams revealing how lesser class people have toiled and suffered so that nobles can wear finery and wield sceptres and ornaments of silver and gold. Wilde seems to have it, talent, wit, a nice wife, two children. It's at the reception for his play, Lady Windermere's Fan, that we see the beginning of the end.

There, Wilde is introduced to Lord Alfred Douglas, nicknamed "Bosie", a handsome blond who finds conventional morality stifling, such as his enjoyment of other men, but whose selfishly immature, egotistic nature comes out in an ugly way later in the movie. "Bosie" admires Wilde. "You use wit like a knife, cut through all those starched shirt fronts. You draw blood. It's magnificent," he tells him. Bosie introduces Wilde to secret parlors where there are others who have homosexual leanings, but he seems proud to display himself as "Wilde's boy", wanting the whole world to know, whereas Wilde is a bit more on the cautious and side. Yet he counsels Bosie, who is then in a petulant pique that Wilde has to work on his play instead of having fun, that "pleasure have to be earned and paid for." And yet he is patient and forgiving towards the lad. The villain of this piece is Bosie's brutish father, John Sholto Douglas, better known as the 9th marquis of Queensbury, he who invented the boxing rules such as wearing gloves, the ten second count, and rounds.

He strongly disapproves of Bosie's friendship with Wilde and sets about verbally intimidating both. The attitudes of the stuffed shirts in Victorian England can be found in a lady's comment on censorship: "There must be censorship. All people would say what they meant, and then where would we be?" Wilde too gives a view of the stifled times when he says that if his son grew up, "he must do as his nature dictates, as I should have done." But couldn't, one should add. At various parts of the movie, Wilde's story of "The Selfish Giant" is narrated to match the scene or Wilde's feelings. All throughout, Wilde's wit and observations on human nature are heard. Examples: "Give a man a mask and he'll tell you the truth." This in turn leads to a conversation about The Picture Of Dorian Gray, a novel about "the masks we wear as faces, the faces we wear as masks" that lost the Wildes their respectability for its unveiling the hypocritical veneer of Victorian gentility. But the most important is this: "In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants.

The other is getting." Those who know of Wilde's life knows how it'll end, but there are some sobering narrated observations that reflect the suffering he underwent: "Life cheats us with shadows. We ask it for pleasure, it gives it to us with bitterness and disappointment in its train." Or the way people destroy the thing they love most: Some do it with a bitter look some with a flattering word the coward with a kiss The brave man with a sword some kill their love when they are young and some when they are old some strangle with the hands of lust some with the hands of gold the kindest use a knife because the dead so soon grow cold Stephen Fry, best known as Jeeves in the Jeeves and Wooster series does a top-notch job in portraying the playwright and wit. His Wilde is suave, charming, loving and understanding to his wife, children, and Bosie, and in the end, unwilling to perjure himself and his beliefs despite its meaning his fall from grace. Jude Law does good as Bosie, but Jennifer Ehle also deserves credit as the soft-spoken but loyal and beautiful Constance Wilde.

By Dianne Foster HALL OF FAME on February 2, 2002 Format: DVD In WILDE, Stephen Fry (Jeeves in "Jeeves and Wooster") is the consummate Wilde. Jude Law plays his lover Bosie Douglas. Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennett in "Pride and Predjudice") plays Wilde's long suffering wife. Vanessa Redgrave and Tom Wilkinson also have important roles. What a cast. The Belle Epoch is beautifully recreated as Wilde travels between England and France--clothes, interiors, architecture, grounds. You don't even have to understand the story to enjoy "being there" in the parks, homes, carrriages. Oscar Wilde was a writer, best remembered perhaps for "The Portrait of Dorian Grey" although modern audiences may be more familiar with his stage play "The Ideal Husband" (recently made into a film with Jeremy Northern and Cate Blanchett) or "The Importance of Being Earnest." Wilde was a homosexual in England in an age when one could and did go to prison for acting on instinct.

(Nowadays in Saudia Arabia they take off your head.) Although the public became aware of his proclivities, Wilde remained one of Europe's most admired writers. Unfortunately, his term in prison for his sexual preferences may be remembered longer than his works which contain a wonderful drawing room humor many folks fail to grasp. This is a great film, and if you're an Anglophile you must add it to your collection. -- And Paris?? That's where Oscar is buried. By James Morris on December 29, 2005 Format: DVD I really am puzzled by the number of people who somehow find the sexual aspect of a story concerning one of the most celebrated gay men in history too explicit. I mean, what did they expect? First let me offer my review of Wilde - every moment of this film is brilliant. It perfectly articulates the shame behind a supreme waste of talent and the unjust imprisonment of one of the great literary geniuses of the English language. The sets, costumes and dialogue all manage to faithfully invoke the manners and attitudes of Victorian England. Stephen Frye gives a performance that is nothing less than incredible, and his physical resemblance to the real Oscar Wilde is downright spooky.

The supporting cast is perfect, and the script pretty much says all that needs to be said about his trial, conviction and downfall. So what's not to like? Some have complained that the film has focused too much on Wilde's sexuality and not enough on his literary accomplishments. But the purpose of the film is clearly to illustrate the travesty of justice that robbed the world of one of literatures greatest figures. Those who are interested in knowing what a fine writer Wilde was need only to acquire a book of his collected works or seek out a production of one of his theatre pieces. The purpose of this film is to show how Victorian morality cruelly destroyed the life of a great man. Now let's talk about the "graphic sex scenes"... I recently heard a "liberal" commentator on a radio show discussing the film Brokeback Mountain. He said, and I quote, "I am all for gay liberation. I support the right of gays to marry, and leave their property to their partners. I will sign your petitions, march in your parades, write my legislators pleading for laws to protect you, and argue with my conservative relatives on your behalf. But I cannot see Brokeback Mountain. Please don't ask me to.

I just can't look at explicit gay sex. I'm sorry, but I am just not comfortable with it". For him, and those who have the same reaction to "Wilde" I have but two words - grow up! I am a 51 year old gay man. As a movie lover, I have sat through literally thousands of cinematic heterosexual love scenes in my life. I have watched men and women "suck face" and caress each other's naked bodies until I was fairly nauseous. For the record, I do not enjoy watching heterosexuals make love. While it doesn't exactly revolt me, it certainly isn't something I find appealing, either, but I have had to put up with it as long as I can remember. After all, one cannot go to a movie or turn on the television without seeing endless examples of graphic heterosexual lovemaking. And guess what? For all the sexually explicit straight love scenes I've sat through, I've managed to get through them intact. My eyeballs haven't fallen out, my penis hasn't shriveled up and blown away, and I have not turned heterosexual from watching all that straight sex.

I would suggest to those who "support gay rights" but are "uncomfortable" with explicit gay sex scenes that they purchase a DVD of a gay film with about as much sexually graphic content as they think they can stand, and then watch it over and over and over until they are no longer uncomfortable with gay sex scenes. I think that would be fair; after all, I have been forced to acclimate myself to straight love scenes to the point where they no longer make me uncomfortable. But in renting such a film, I would NOT suggest Brokeback Mountain - I saw it last week. The "graphic" sex scenes last all of 60 seconds, and the same sex kissing scene (there is only one) takes up even less screen time than that. As for Wilde, several heterosexual reviewers on this site complained that the "sex scenes" were far too graphic for them and their friends. Some even went to far as to claim that "half the movie" contained sexual content. My initial reaction to these comments was, HUH??? Gay sex? WHAT gay sex? I have seen this film three times, and I don't remember any gay sex scenes in it. At all.

So I just went back and watched it a fourth time, with a notepad and a stopwatch. Gee, it turns out there is some gay sex in it. What follows is a complete description of everything in the film that could even remotely be called a "sex scene": Fourteen minutes into the film, Oscar Wilde is seduced by the character of Robbie. Robbie kisses Oscar, then removes his own shirt, pulls down his pants, and places Oscar's hands on his exposed buttocks. They embrace. The scene fades. No actual sex is shown, and the scene lasts a total of one minute, exactly. Two minutes later, there is a depiction of Oscar and Robbie in bed. Robbie is shirtless; Oscar has his arms around him. They kiss. There is no suggestion of actual sex. The scene fades after a total of 45 seconds. A few minutes later, Oscar meets a young man at an art exhibit. They leave together. The next scene shows the young man shirtless and sitting on a sofa. Oscar is standing above him. He pulls Oscar down to the sofa, while kissing him. The scene fades; it has lasted exactly 15 seconds, and has not shown any actual sex.

Twenty-five minutes into the film, Oscar meets Bosie, played by Jude Law. Thirty-one minutes into the film, we see Bosie's naked torso, he is clearly in the throws of passion. He thrusts once, as though climaxing. The camera pans to reveal he is on top of Oscar, who appears to be nude. They kiss. The scene fades. It has lasted 50 seconds, and is the first and only time we see Oscar undressed. Although there is the suggestion that sex has taken place between them, no sex is actually shown. Forty minutes into the film, Bosie takes Oscar to a male brothel, where Bosie puts his arms around a male prostitute; both are clothed. Their intimacy lasts about 4 seconds. There is no suggested or actual depiction of sex. At one hour and seven minutes into the film, we see Bosie in bed with another "rent boy" while Oscar sits in a chair watching, fully clothed. We see the couple in bed through a mirror; it is a long shot, but Bosie's buttocks are clearly visible, and he is thrusting his body as though in sexual coitus.

This is the only scene in the entire film that I would label "sexually graphic" and it lasts exactly 6 seconds. It is also the last "sex" scene in the film, which continues for an additional 50 minutes. Of all the "sex" scenes in the film, none show genitalia, or depict contact with genitalia. In all but one scene Oscar is fully dressed. The on-screen same-sex kisses last less than one minute, total, and, all told, the sex scenes described above - if one could really call them that - last a TOTAL of exactly three minutes; only 6 seconds of those sex scenes could be described as "graphic" - out of one hour and fifty-seven minutes of screen time. Hardly "half the movie" as one reviewer put it. After reading some of the reviews posted here, I wonder if these people saw the same film I did. Because all the "gay sex" they complain about is hardly there. The only "graphic" sex scene lasts six seconds, yet one would think from reading those reviews that this film was hardcore pornography. Can these reviewers really be that hung up on gay sex that they see graphic images where almost none exist?

I have seen hundreds of "mainstream" films with far more explicit sex scenes involving heterosexuals in my day, many of which were truly gratuitous and excessive. If I were to cry and whine, "Look what me and my poor gay friends had to witness" every time I saw a tasteless straight sex scene, I'd never stop crying and whining. Just once I wish straight people could see things from my view. I have had heterosexual romance shoved down my throat all my life. If you are straight and are reading this, my advice is: don't be such a sissy. Straight sex scenes never harmed me, and gay sex scenes aren't going to hurt you, either. If you want to see a good dramatic film about a famous homosexual, be prepared to expect a little gay sex, and PLEASE don't get hung up about it.

Question: Which 1997 film starred Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave and Jennifer Ehle?
Answer: Wilde