Wild (1997)

Directed by: Brian Gilbert | 118 minutes | drama, biography, history | Actors: Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave, Tom Wilkinson, Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Fitzgerald, Michael Sheen, Zoë Wanamaker, Orlando Bloom, Jennifer Ehle, Gemma Jones, Judy Parfitt

Everything used to be better? Well not so nice! At least if you know the tragic story of author/poet Oscar Wilde, you won’t be tempted to quote the, oh so, well-known proverb about the good life in times long gone. The history of Wilde is a bitter tragedy, which unfortunately really happened. This 1997 film adaptation highlights the fatal love between Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas.

‘Wilde’ begins with the introduction of Oscar Wilde (Fry). The 36-year-old Irishman is happily married with two beautiful children. Yet something is gnawing at him. Wilde knows that he is ‘different’ than the average man and he discovers that when he discovers the gentleman’s love. Oscar is gay and despite the love he feels for his wife, he is only really happy when he is with a man. And that man is Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas (Law). Handsome Bosie’s narcissistic personality drives a wedge between Wilde and his family. The respected author of famous plays is increasingly becoming a pariah in the Victorian community, who denounced him for his sexual orientation. The demanding Bosie swallows Wilde’s full attention and his work as a poet and author continues to dwindle. When Bosie’s bigoted father, Marquis of Queensberry, threatens to expose Wilde and Bosie’s relationship, Wilde makes a fateful mistake: he decides to challenge the charges in court. But can he deny his homosexuality without committing perjury?

Astute readers will have noticed that Wilde’s life is very similar to the present day. People with deviant lifestyles are unfortunately still viewed with suspicion by our society. Fortunately, someone won’t be brought to court because of their homosexuality so soon, but the tolerance we love to talk about is still hard to find. Who can think of an example of famous people suing to ‘prove’ that they are not homosexual? Tom Cruise, for example, sued a tabloid that claimed the famous actor was gay. In the Netherlands, footballer Marc Overmars fought a boulevard magazine that ‘accused’ him of homosexuality. Apparently it’s a shame if you have a different lifestyle than the average person. Anyway, back to the movie. No matter how poignant Wilde’s life story may be, it did make for a beautiful film.

What is immediately noticeable about the film ‘Wilde’ is the incredibly strong acting of the British Stephen Fry. The Englishman portrays Oscar Wilde in an unparalleled way. Fry gives his character something intangible, a certain mystique. Despite some very dark character traits, Fry’s Wilde remains an enigmatic and sympathetic character. And that’s great, because Wilde didn’t say anything for years to his wife and children, who are slowly becoming more and more estranged from him. Yet as a viewer you agree in no time thanks to Fry’s infectious rendition. You tend to forgive Wilde for all his missteps and you can’t help but feel deeply sorry for the brutal character assassination that was perpetrated on him just because of his “forbidden” love. The portrayal of a man maligned and broken by society is also played in an inimitable way by the British actor.

The then completely unknown Jude Law plays Wilde’s lover. In that difficult role, Law can showcase all of his talents. Bosie is portrayed as a narcissistic young man plagued by inner demons and a profound lack of self-confidence. It soon becomes clear to the viewer that the affair between Oscar Wilde and Alfred Douglas cannot go well: Wilde is too forgiving and too dependent and Douglas too demanding and affectionate. The men slowly drag each other into the abyss. Wilde is completely taken over by Bosie, who genuinely loves him but can’t show it. Law is fantastic. Despite the many unsympathetic qualities of Bosie, you can still find yourself in what attracted Wilde to him. Beneath the surface lurks a hurt boy who needs attention and love, but can’t give it himself. Law perfectly captures the essence of his character.

Besides Fry and Law, who are the pivot of the film, ‘Wilde’ also has good supporting actors in the form of Redgrave and Ehle. But it is in particular Tom Wilkinson who shines in the most beautiful supporting role. Wilkinson plays Bosie’s abusive father. The bitterness and resentment towards his son’s views on life makes Wilkinson almost tangible with his strong interpretation. The acting in the film is top notch. This film is also very enjoyable in terms of camera work. Especially the scene in which Wilde in his grey/pink costume walks through a crowd of men with black coats will forever be burned into your retina. The symbolism is clear: Wilde goes against the grain and transcends the gray matter. Because of Wilde’s sexual orientation, the film has to show some homosexual scenes. And it must be said that director Brian Gilbert has done that in a beautiful, respectful way. The film is never explicit and even the biggest homophobes cannot take offense at the way Gilbert has portrayed the sex scenes. Apart from a naked ass and some suggestive movements, there is nothing to see. Contrary to many of his colleagues, the director has not incorporated provocative erotic moments in his print to ‘spice things up’, but purely to give strength to the story.

What is unfortunate about this film is that some events are exposed too briefly. Wilde’s neglect of his wife and children, in particular, could have been a bit stronger. Now Gilbert touches on that subject slightly and further concentrates only on the romance between Wilde and Bosie. The end of the film is also a bit too simplistic, ‘Wilde’ could have been a bit longer in order to portray a more satisfying ending. Now you have to make do with a few text bars that tell you about the further end of Wilde’s life. That’s a little too cheesy. In addition, it is a pity that the film did not make much more use of Oscar Wilde’s work. A single quote from the Irish author: “You’ll have to deal with that.” And it is precisely because of the magnificence of those words that you will be eager to learn much more about the works of this man. But that’s what you actually have libraries for.

As a biopic ‘Wilde’ is a successful film. It is still distressing that people who deviate from the norm feel themselves limited in their lifestyle. The story of Oscar Wilde is unfortunately still very topical. The continued flood of reports of violence against gays confirms that not much has changed in the world we call so civilized.