MovieChat Forums > Wilde (1998) Discussion > A wasted opportunity

A wasted opportunity

posted 17 years ago by beebub1984
5 replies | jump to latest

I was really amazed at the film. It was well made and Fry's performance was good and it looked well but it had one major flaw.

If, as I'm sure there are many, you knew absolutely nothing about Oscar Wilde and you sat down to watch this film never having heard of him, at the end of the film if someone asked you what the film was about, you would probably say something like this:

It's about some chap who was married with kids from the mid 19th Century who was famous for being put in jail for being gay.

From memory there was one short scene wher he introduces one of his plays which demonstrates some of his wit, but other than that this film gave little or no insight into the man's genius.

There was so much more to his life than being gay it's just not true. Of all the aspects of his life to have this as the main focus of the film belittled the true reason why he is so famous and will forever remain. With such a wealth of research material that must be available from his writings to the inumerate quotes from his sharp tongue, you'd think a biopic of Wilde would find it very easy to show off the genius of the man, they hardly showed any of it.

An utter waste of time.

[–] jonashock 16 years ago

have you seen a different movie than I have?

Dorian Gray is discussed often in the film, each of his plays is mentioned, some of them jus very brief, but there are numerous scenes in the theatre where his plays are being rehearsed. One of his faritales is told throughout the film, and Salomé is mentioned and qouted often.
I personally think tha it gives quite good impression of his work, and how it affected his life

[–] owleye1 16 years ago

I also disagree with your claim. Even without being able to hear half of what was being said, due to my being hard of hearing and that the video tape I saw it from didn't have cc, I could tell that the story being told was of a man's genius, beloved by his many fans, including his wife, who has given us a wealth of bon mots that teach and inform the rest of us, including those who choose not to see beyond their homophobia.

James

[–] love_platipus 14 years ago

I haven't seen the film, but I've read that the film is fine on its own but captures none of the spirit of Wilde's writing. I find this very surprising as Stephen Fry would almost have to be directed *away* from his own stage persona in order to play the part wrong.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mixalidis 13 years ago

I think I understand you, you probably wanted the movie to be more focused on his work. Not that his work isn't mentioned often in the movie, it's just that you see him writing from time to time and that's it, it's not fully "writer's biography". It's more focused on his life, and I had no problems with it.

It's about some chap who was married with kids from the mid 19th Century who was famous for being put in jail for being gay.

Ugh, I hate it when people try to break down some movie in this manner as a way of criticizing it- you can do the same for every movie.

I didn't know much about Wilde before watching the movie- I knew that he was Irish, gay, I know like six of his works, but I only read Happy Prince in elementary school. Yeah, I don't read much

So, here is what I'd conclude from this movie: Oscar Wilde was a very witty person full of paradoxes. He was also a *beep* liar and a hypocrite.

He was attacking Marquess of Queensbury of neglecting his children (well, he abused them, but still), while at the same time he cheated on his wife and neglected his own kids. After getting out of prison, he swore never to see Alfred and he even sent him a letter, but after only few months he reunites with him. Also, while Alfred was a selfish spoiled brat who used Wilde, you can't say that Wilde wasn't using Alfred too, if not for anything else, then for his "earthly pleasures". Yeah, he didn't want to be like that, but he was. Not to mention all that lying on the court too.

Plus, it seems that most of his quotes are paradoxes. As Alfred once says in the movie: "You say you despise convention... but you're the most conventional man I know!" I think this is a good description of Oscar.

Btw, I always read facts about people after watching some biography movie, I don't expect movies to be 100% accurate because I'd probably be disappointed in 100% cases