THE SINS OF DORIAN GRAY

US, 1982, 95 minutes, Colour.
Belinda Bauer, Joseph Bottoms, Anthony Perkins.
Directed by Tony Maylam.

The Sins of Dorian Gray is an updating of Oscar Wilde's story. It has been transferred to the United States. Dorian is a woman. Her portrait is on a screen test which ages in performance over the decades.

Belinda Bauer has beauty as Dorian Gray but it is hard to be persuaded that she is as evil as she is described. Anthony Perkins presides over the film as her patron, Henry Lord. Joseph Bottoms is the masculine version of Sybil Vane, Stuart Vane.

The film is set in the fashion world, advertising, film.

There is a theme song highlighting themes of image and reality, the basic ingredients of Oscar Wilde's fable about good and evil. Direction is by Tony Maylan (Riddle of the Sands).

1. The popularity of Oscar Wilde's story, film versions? A fable of good and evil? The quality of the adaptation, modernising, Americanising?

2. The American world of film, fashion, advertising, society? Affluent glamour?

3. The title and the focus on Dorian's sins? The feminising of Dorian? The song about images and reality?

4. The American atmosphere of the '50s to the '80s, Henry Lord as patron, the world of advertising, Sophia and the film world. Stuart Vane and television, motor bikes? The screen test? Its gradual portrayal of corruption?

5. Henry Lord, his age, memory, his voice?over? His patronage of Dorian, Sophia and the film, her choices? The world of advertising of Mystique? His free attitudes, hold over Dorian, the apartment? His dislike of Stuart? The arrangement for the television test? The news of his death? His work over the years? Grief at his wife's death? His coming again after 30 years? The difference in appearance between the two? Dorian's death?

6. Sophia, the film world, her jealousy, trying to help Dorian, possess her? Seeing the screen test? Her death?

7. Stuart as a genial young man, weak, love for Dorian, playing in the nightclub. his plans. Angela and her pregnancy. the divorce, his nervousness for the TV audition. failing. Dorlan rejecting him, killing himself? Angela's later reproaching her?

8. Campbell and the photography, his being used to remove Sophia's corpse, the clash at the party? Tracey and her help, friendship. advice? The clash? her being sacked? Rejecting Dorian's phone call?

9. The portrait of Dorian Gray: the screen test. her birthday and Henry coming and inviting her, the Mystique campaign, her wish about the test growing older, her continually looking at the test, her choices, selfishness, heartlessness, love for Stuart, wanting to help him, rejecting him, his death? Henry and his patronage, the passing of time, her petulance, Sophia's death, using Campbell, sacking Tracey,
the parties? Her charitable work as reparation? The final confrontation, the accusation from the portrait of murderer? Her stabbing the portrait anc dying?

11. Themes of evil and the price of evil, a psychological and moral fable?