The mid-life years of (now genteel) decadent behavior by one of late Victorian England's celebrities, the Irish-born novelist-poet-playwright Oscar Wills Wilde (1854–1900). Director Brian Gilbert doesn't bandy about giving us the childhood torments of a literary genius; instead, he and screenwriter Julian Mitchell delve right into the more prominent chapters of Wilde's life, his marriage to a woman--producing two children--before realizing his homosexual desires, leading to some promiscuous indiscretions before finding love with churlish, childish poet Lord Alfred Douglas. Stephen Fry gives a masterful performance as Wilde, and the portrait allows for many shadings (this isn't a plea for the misunderstood gay artist, as Wilde himself is shown to be occasionally fickle, lusting, and selfish). Jude Law is equally good as ornery, demanding lover 'Bosie', whose tyrannical father brought about a court-case and two-year jail term for Wilde (covered previously in 1960's "The Man with the Green Carnation"),contributing to his early demise. A provoking, insightful, eloquent film--not at all stuffy or coy--which is due in large part to Gilbert's dexterous way with his actors and a keen sense of pacing and audience-involvement. *** from ****

I was really looking forward to seeing this film, as I am very fond of Oscar Wilde's work. The Importance of Being Earnest is absolutely delightful, and The Selfish Giant I fell in love with on first hearing at primary school and still have affection for it. So what did I think of Wilde? Seriously, I think this film is wonderful. It is the sort of film that is very thought-provoking, intelligent and desperately sad. The exploration of male love is quite graphic and it mayn't be to everyone's tastes, but I thought it was done with real sensitively and care.

Wilde certainly looks beautiful- the scenery is striking, the cinematography is breathtaking and the costumes are wondrous. Another asset I loved was the music score, it was absolutely gorgeous, almost reminiscent of a John Barry score. I also feel it is underrated too, very touching and really gives the film the emotional punch it has. Wilde is also beautifully written, the references to The Selfish Giant are very moving, and Wilde's witticisms are superbly expressed. The direction is very good, the pacing was fine and there is a great story as well.

The acting is superb, one or two of the actors are underused in my opinion but there is no bad performance as far as I could see. Stephen Fry(who I consider a sheer delight in Black Adder) is mesmerising in the title role, elegant, witty, sympathetic and charming, while Jude Law is every bit as good as a character that is volatile, passionate and irritated. Vanessa Redgrave, Judy Parfitt, Michael Sheen and Zoe Wannamaker are all note-perfect, and I liked Jennifer Ehle as well, she was heartbreakingly sympathetic but she was underused I felt. The best supporting performance though came from Tom Wilkinson, who was absolutely brilliant as the nasty, brutal and bitter Marquess of Queensberry.

Overall, this is a very moving and intelligent biopic that is beautifully written and faultlessly performed. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox

Two very fine films about Oscar Wilde came out roughly at the same time during the sixties and they starred Peter Finch and Robert Morley respectively as the great literary icon. But those were in the days before Stonewall and you couldn't be all that explicit. I'm not just talking about sex scenes though there are some here. As far as films were concerned homosexuality was the love that really dare not even breathe let alone speak its name.

One reason I liked this film Wilde that starred Stephen Fry in the title role is that the others began with Wilde's involvement with Lord Alfred Douglas, played here by a sexy Jude Law. Here we get a bit of background and we discover that Wilde was a latent case for years because society dictated gay was an abomination. He married and fathered two sons whom he no doubt loved. Just some of the beautiful children's stories he did write attest to that.

But as the film opens with Wilde in America and touring a mining camp and giving a lecture to miners below the earth's surface, you can see the look of love in his eyes as he beholds some of those hunky miners with their shirts off. Since you know who Wilde was and his story already, you're looking yourself for signs.

Wilde was a latent case until he was seduced by Robbie Ross an actor in one of his plays portrayed by Michael Sheen. I can certainly attest to the fact that if gay is your orientation and you've been with women before, when you do it the first time, you KNOW it's right for you. Later on Ioan Gruffud who apparently is his inspiration for Dorian Gray actually falls in love with Wilde.

But Wilde's like a kid in a candy store and when he meets the incredibly handsome Lord Alfred Douglas. Unlike the other two Wilde pictures I mentioned this version fleshes a bit more out of 'Bosy's' character and Jude Law may be pretty to look at, but he's a vain, shallow, selfish, and spoiled young aristocrat. Among other things Law introduces Fry to is the availability of rent boys on the street and at certain posh establishments frequented by closeted Victorians.

But it all comes to an end when Bosy's dad played by Tom Wilkinson leaves a calling card accusing Wilde of being a sodomite. In the other two Wilde films, it's Oscar who just arrogantly think he can squash this thing in court with his fabled wit. Here it's Bosy who pushes Wilde into it.

The other films concentrated on the trials, civil and criminal. In Wilde the emphasis is on Oscar's character and relationships. The women in Wilde's life are wife Jennifer Ehle and mother Vanessa Redgrave. In watching the two women how they interact it's like watching the families of Ennis and Jack from Brokeback Mountain and how they react to their husband's strange behavior.

Also in the film very briefly is Orlando Bloom playing a rent boy. I'm surprised that the film received no Oscar nominations, no pun intended. Though it was honored in the United Kingdom.

Some 40 years after Stonewall, the tragedy of Oscar Wilde not being true to his nature as he says he wished he had done from the beginning is still being played out in many areas, in many walks of life. Just look at the number of outings there have been of various political figures on the right and you know it is so.

Wilde is a great film which speaks to this generation of GLBT people with current players to tell sadly an often repeated story.