The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945 film)

==Reception==

==Reception==

Review aggregate site [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gave the film a 94% rating based on 16 reviews. <ref>{{Cite web |title=The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1016302-picture_of_dorian_gray/reviews|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901000000*/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1016302-picture_of_dorian_gray/reviews|archive-date=November 29, 2021 |access-date=July 4, 2025 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]}}</ref>

Film critic and author [[James Agee]] reviewed it in ''[[The Nation (magazine)| The Nation]]'' in 1945, "A good movie might have been made from ''The Picture of Dorian Gray''. Albert Lewin's version is respectful, earnest, and I am afraid, dead."<ref>Agee, James - ''Agee on Film Vol.1'' © 1958 by The James Agee Trust.</ref>

Film critic and author [[James Agee]] reviewed it in ''[[The Nation (magazine)| The Nation]]'' in 1945, "A good movie might have been made from ''The Picture of Dorian Gray''. Albert Lewin's version is respectful, earnest, and I am afraid, dead."<ref>Agee, James - ''Agee on Film Vol.1'' © 1958 by The James Agee Trust.</ref>

''[[Leslie Halliwell]]'' gave it three of four stars: "Elegant variation on ''Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'', presented in portentous style which suits the subject admirably."<ref>''Halliwell's Film Guide'', 13th ed. 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-00-638868-5}}.</ref> [[Pauline Kael]] wrote: "It has its ludicrous side{{nbsp}}... But the Oscar Wilde story has its compelling gimmick and its cheap thrills, and despite the failing of Albert Lewin as writer and director, he has an appetite for decadence and plushy decor. Neither Hatfield, who tries scrupulously hard, nor George Sanders{{nbsp}}... rises above Lewin's chic gothic conception{{nbsp}}... But as Dorian's victim, gullible Sibyl Vane, the young Angela Lansbury gives her scenes true depth of feeling."<ref> Kael, Pauline - ''5001 Nights at the Movies'' 1991 {{ISBN|0-8050-1366-0}}.</ref> [[Leonard Maltin]] gave the film three and a half out of four stars in his ''[[Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide|Movie Guide]]'': "Haunting Oscar Wilde story...Young Lansbury is poignant...Sanders leaves indelible impression as elegant heavy."<ref>''Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide 2011 edition'', .</ref>

''[[Leslie Halliwell]]'' gave it three of four stars: "Elegant variation on ''Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'', presented in portentous style which suits the subject admirably."<ref>''Halliwell's Film Guide'', 13th ed. 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-00-638868-5}}.</ref> [[Pauline Kael]] wrote: "It has its ludicrous side{{nbsp}}... But the Oscar Wilde story has its compelling gimmick and its cheap thrills, and despite the failing of Albert Lewin as writer and director, he has an appetite for decadence and plushy decor. Neither Hatfield, who tries scrupulously hard, nor George Sanders{{nbsp}}... rises above Lewin's chic gothic conception{{nbsp}}... But as Dorian's victim, gullible Sibyl Vane, the young Angela Lansbury gives her scenes true depth of feeling."<ref> Kael, Pauline - ''5001 Nights at the Movies'' 1991 {{ISBN|0-8050-1366-0}}.</ref> [[Leonard Maltin]] gave the film three and a half out of four stars in his ''[[Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide|Movie Guide]]'': "Haunting Oscar Wilde story...Young Lansbury is poignant...Sanders leaves indelible impression as elegant heavy."<ref>''Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide 2011 edition'', .</ref>