Dorian Gray is a young and handsome man who has a secure place in high society. The movie opens with the scene of artist Basil Hallward painting Dorian’s portrait and introducing him to Lord Henry Wotton. Wotton certainly has his own ideas about the world and life and in their first interaction he starts sharing these ideas. The beauty of Gray’s face and the enthrallment of the artist with that face lead Wotton to state that the only things of worth in the world are ageless beauty and self-fulfillment. Gray, upon realizing that his beauty will fade and dull over time, makes a fervent plea that his visage remain unchanged and the painting instead will age and take on the characteristics of his person.
This is the key issue and controversial point. A man is willing to trade his soul for earthly splendor and fulfillment. That strikes the question of how far people are willing to go to get ahead in this world. I think that both the author of the novel and in turn the director of the film, were attempting to make people want to re-examine their motives and actions in life and see if the result in the end, whether sacrificing your soul or destroying another’s life was worth it.
The movie continues with Dorian Gray’s life. At first all is well and normal. He finds love in a young actress named Sybil Vane and asks for her hand in marriage. But, again he falls victim to Lord Henry Wotton and his ideas. Wotton asks Gray to conduct a small experiment where he asks Sybil to stay the night and when she says no, as is expected, act disappointed to see if society’s standards and expectations would be upheld. He does so and she reacts conventionally, but then she returns and Dorian’s disappointment in her action results in the rash decision to break off their engagement. Her sorrow is tangible, but to no avail with Gray. Then he looks at his portrait and sees that the face has become cruel. This immediately spurs him to action and he writes a letter to Sybil begging her forgiveness and asks that the marriage be planned again. This comes to late though. Sybil kills herself and from that point on Dorian lives his life exclusively for himself.
He hides his portrait, but visits the locked room where it is kept so as to look upon his own tarnished soul. His acts, though vague and not elaborated on, are atrocious. He has been responsible for the fall from grace of many in the upper class. It even comes to the point where murder is committed. Each and every one of his acts are visited upon the face in the painting. His likeness becomes almost unrecognizable as his soul becomes more and more contorted and tainted.
There is a scene in the film, towards the end and just before the climax of the plot, which foreshadows Dorian’s end. It is just after Sybil’s brother confronts him in the alley and then lets him go because of his ageless face. Then another man comes and tells the brother that Dorian Gray has looked that age for the last twenty years and it was in fact the man for whom he had been looking. The man then draws a hangman’s noose and Gray’s name on a wall. The lighting of the scene spotlights the noose and the name, while leaving the men in the shadows. The drama and context of the scene make the viewer realize that Gray is in no way destined for a happy ending.
And it proves to be true. Dorian commits one good act and that is to free his new fiancé, Gladys, from his cycle of despair. He returns one last time to see if the painting displays this one good and final act before he destroys the portrait. It is there if barely perceptible. Dorian Gray then attempts to wipe away the receipt of his deeds and vows to live a live of humble repentance, but as the knife in his had pierces the painting, he too is killed. The portrait contained his soul and in destroying the painting he also destroys himself. The sin is washed from the portrait and finally visited upon the visage of the doer.
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