El retrato de Dorian Gray

One of inspired versions of the novel by Oscar Wilde. For the fair portraits of Dorian, Harry and Basil, Richard Todd offering the perfect tones for his character. For the portrait itself and its last form of degradation. For the revelation of soul to Basil and scene of murder. For the hunting scenes and for the way to reflect his character proposed by Helmut Berger.

Not the last , for the images of sin and the more realistic and profound exploration of the relation with Sybill ( not the last, for wise solution of her last gesture ).

In short, provocative, no doubts, but well integrated in the frame of 1970 sexual revolution One of fundamental good points - the manner to craft his Henry Wotton of brilliant Herbert Lom.

Much like other sexploitation films of this period, looking back on them can be quaint. They have plenty of nudity, but it's not as if they ever get into hardcore sex. This adaptation of Dorian Gray promises tons of sex and depravity, but its fairly chaste when all is said and done. What's most surprising about it is that it's not a half bad adaptation of the Oscar Wilde story from which it's based.

Helmut Berger plays Dorian Gray, an impossibly beautiful young man who falls for an actress named Sybil, but as he starts to make it way up through the London society crowd, he no longer has much use for Sybil and after he discards her, she kills herself. This leads Dorian to harden and only rely on his looks until people begin to get suspicious as to why he never seems to age after many years. Perhaps the secret involves a painting hidden away in his attic.

Despite adding in some sex and nudity to spice things up, this version of Dorian Gray plays out, more or less, like the original story. It might dwell in the sexual depravity a bit more than most adaptations, but at least it works for the story it's telling. It's a bit slow at times, but at least it's trying to tell a somewhat interesting story.

Massimo Dallamano's Dorian Gray is a REALLY kitsch version of Oscar Wilde's classic tale, set in 'swinging' London, with funky music, gaudy fashion, and decadent sexually-liberated characters of all persuasions. Helmut Berger is the beautiful young Gray, who sells his soul so that his portrait will age and decay while he himself stays eternally youthful; Richard Todd is artist Basil, who captures the likeness of Gray so perfectly that his subject becomes obsessed with his own attractiveness; and Herbert Lom is influential art dealer Henry Watton, who leads Gray astray by telling him to make the most of his youth and yield to temptation. Marie Liljedahl plays stage actress Sybil, who falls for Dorian, but finds herself abandoned once Gray gets a taste of the high life.

Dallamano keeps the film moving at a decent pace, and his cast all put in entertaining performances, with Lom being particularly fun as the corruptor of youth, providing the film's funniest moment (unintentionally so) when he pops up in Dorian's shower, bar of soap in hand. Isa Miranda is also a hoot as ageing millionairess Mrs. Ruxton, who Dorian reluctantly treats to a spot of back-door sex in a stable. Perhaps the best thing about the film is the hideous '70s clothing, especially Berger's wardrobe: his blue velvet shirt and shorts two piece is quite the fashion statement, but it pales in comparison to the zebra stripe coat, brown flares, foppish hat and cravat ensemble that he opts for in the final act. Talking of zebra stripes, they must have been popular back then - Dorian's apartment is adorned with zebra pattern curtains, and not one, but two zebra skin rugs. Other animal-based decorations include a lion skin rug (you can never have too many dead animal skins to lounge on) and an elephant tusk picture frame. How tasteful!

7.5/10, rounded up to 8 for Liljedahl, who is gorgeous (and not averse to taking her clothes off), and for the hilarious pair of mincing queens outside the Black Cock nightclub (I kid you not!).

Massimo Dallamano's film of Oscar Wilde's work places the story to the London of the 1960s. Even though many reviews obviously didn't like this and wrote rather negative about the film, I think the story works surprisingly well.

Helmut Berger is excellent and undeniably gorgeous as the (in the end tragic) title character, but also the other actors deliver their best. Especially Herbert Lom as Henry Wotton acts absolutely great, and most of the women are not only very pretty, but also deliver convincing performances.

All in all, "Dorian Gray" surely is the most unusual film version of the writing, it is rather drama than horror, but that's what Oscar Wilde's work is too, isn't it? I guess that Oscar Wilde would have liked this.

Once you see DORIAN GRAY you can't forget it. It's an updated version of the famous story, updated for the swinging 60s/70s which today is now outdated, which only adds to its many memorable aspects.

There's no point of giving a brief synopsis of the story as we all know it's about a man who remains perpetually young while a painting of himself ages in the attic. But what's really "new" or different here is the tone. It's trashy or should I say Eurotrashy. Helmut Berger plays Dorian Gray as a bisexual jet-setter who likes to mingle with beautiful young women but also with men on the side. The moral of the story is that Dorian has no morals and Helmut is perfectly cast as Dorian.

The one big problem with this version is that it was made a bit too early in the 70s. Had this been made in the mid to late 70s, there would have been a bit more sex or violence. It was sorta ahead of its times with the lurid update of the Dorian Gray story but it could have used a bit more explicitness to make it more true to its intentions. As it is, it hints at things it almost never shows and it's just a big tease of sorts. With a bit more sex it could have enjoyed a wider success like the Emmanuelle films.

But the main reason to watch DORIAN GRAY is for Helmut. It's one of his few starring roles and he shines here as the decadent title character.

Trashy fun!