Oscar Wilde first published The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1890. Dorian has youth, beauty and wealth. A lovelorn artist gives him a cursed portrait that reflects his soul. It ages and rots while Dorian remains spotless. This gives him free rein to indulge in hedonism, blackmail and murder. It also lets him experience “the love that dare not speak its name.” Most adaptations attempt to strip the queerness from the story. Female love interests are invented. Gay and bi characters are straight-washed. But this robs the work of its pulse.

The queerest film version I’ve found is a BBC production from 1976. Screenwriter John Osborne stays remarkably faithful to Wilde’s novel. Gay actors Jeremy Brett and John Gielgud play the subtext as Dorian’s besotted admirers. Peter Firth plays Dorian as a spoiled child. A chaos twink, enabled by elder gays on account of his looks. His fling with an actress is presented here as a case of diva worship. He has no interest in her when she is off stage. He shows more affection to fellow heartthrob Nicholas Clay as a tragic chemist. The 1976 film is a chilly, stagey work full of shallow characters. Brett’s passionate Basil provides the only warmth. But it distills the obsessions that fueled Wilde’s novel and ended his career.

I’ll sum up the adaptation in this spoiler filled recap.  

Act One: Art

Scene One: Artist’s Studio
BASIL (An Artist:) I’ve finished my portrait of Dorian Gray. I’m obsessed with him.
HENRY (A Hedonist): Of course you are. He’s beautiful and brainless. Quip, quip, quip.
BASIL: Quip, quip? That’s your shorthand?
HENRY: If I quote all of Wilde’s jokes this synopsis will be as long as the novel.
DORIAN (a Chaos Twink): Damn you, Basil. I’d give my soul to stay young while this portrait grew old.
PORTRAIT: Your wish is granted.

Scene Two: A Theater
DORIAN: I’m in love with an actress! She’s absolutely fabulous!
HENRY: I simply can’t wait to meet the little tramp that convinced you to try heterosexuality.
ACTRESS: Dorian my love, I’m giving up acting. I want to marry you!
DORIAN: Gross. I wanted a star. Not a housewife. Bye forever loser.

Scene Three: Dorian’s Home
BASIL: The Actress killed herself! Dorian I’m so sorry.
HENRY: Women, amirite? Don’t feel bad Dorian.
DORIAN: I feel… nothing. Let’s go clubbing.
PORTRAIT: Bwah ha ha!

Act Two: Beauty

Scene Four: Dorian’s Home. Years later.
BASIL: Rumors are spreading. Drugs? Orgies? That thing with the horse? You’ve let Henry corrupt you.
DORIAN: Maybe I was always corrupt.
BASIL: Nonsense. Beautiful people are never evil. You’ve a good soul.
DORIAN: I’ll show you my soul. (Unveils the Portrait. It is now monstrous.)
PORTRAIT: You ain’t never had a friend like me. Boo!
BASIL: MY GOD! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? PRAY WITH ME DORIAN!
DORIAN: Go to hell. (Dorian stabs Basil to death.)

Scene Five: Blackmail
HOT CHEMIST: I told you I never wanted to see you again.
(Dorian grabs him and draws close enough to kiss.)
DORIAN: There’s a body in my house. Destroy it or I’ll tell everyone… your secret. Which is probably gay.
HOT CHEMIST: Righty-o. (Hot Chemist destroys Basil’s body. Then kills himself.)

Act Three: Youth

Scene Six: Growing Up
HENRY: How have you stayed young while I’ve grown old and sick?
DORIAN: What if I told you I was a monster?
HENRY: Nonsense. Beautiful people are never evil. (Shuffles away sadly.)
DORIAN: Portrait! I’ve started doing good deeds. Like ignoring girls who want me.
PORTRAIT: That won’t undo your sins. You’re just feeding your narcissism.
DORIAN: You ruined my life.
PORTRAIT: I’m just a reflection. This is all on you.
DORIAN: Go to hell!
(Dorian stabs the Portrait. The Portrait turns back to normal. Dorian turns old and dies.)

THE END

Forever Young

“Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be- in other ages perhaps.”

Oscar Wilde

Dorian Gray precedes handsome monsters like Lestat, Patrick Bateman and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Men who wield their sexuality like a weapon. The gay community still values youth, wealth and beauty. Possessing them tells a homophobic society that you’ve “won.” In 1891 Wilde would meet Lord Alfred Douglas, who possessed all three traits. They began an affair that would land Wilde in prison. Passages from Dorian Gray were used against him in court. Queerness is not the only lens through which to view the tale. But it is there. It was what set Wilde apart from his society. It allowed him to apply an outsider’s eye to a nation’s taboos and fears. Then lay them bare for all the world to see.

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