The Happy Prince

Sorry to dampen your spirits. I wanted to like this film a lot but it fails to excite. Fails to ignite and in the end feels like a muddled wet blanket excuse for a movie making experience. Hey, the scenery, the camera work and attention to detail is great. Very evocative. The actual story and editing is less so. It strikes me as the type of film a real enthusiast for Oscar Wilde would make as a homage to the man and then struggle through heaps of revisions and funding cuts and criticism from various studios to get it made and then at the end - prove that the critics were right. It's not very good because the writer's vision splendid didn't really cut through or know what it sought to portray except to say - "I love Oscar Wilde!" Because in the end, we as passive viewers don't really care about Oscar at all. Towards the end of the film, I turned to my wife and whispered to her that this film despite its best impulses, actually damns Oscar Wilde as a self indulgent narcissist. A prat by sheer accident. I don't think that was the intention of the film-makers! She agreed. No real insight to the creative spirit of the man and she lost interest and went to bed. The trailer looked terrific but the movie despite it's best endeavours to immortalise the man - actually makes you lose all sympathy for him and strangely you feel unmoved by his predicament at the end.

All credit to Rupert Everett for bringing to life his story of Wilde's final years following his exile from England after his release from prison.

The film is never less than interesting and often fascinates but it suffers because Everett cannot fully live up to his decision to play the lead, write the script and helm the picture. He's best when acting but even this falters in some scenes with Bosie that are distinctly undercooked. The script in parts needed a tighter edit and there's only so much reflected light in the camera that you can put down to cinematic meaning making and artistic licence. Sorry Rupert - just too little butter over too much bread I'm afraid.

However, the film is never less than distracting and Everett successfully makes Wilde the man that he was: At once irritating, outrageous but always to be loved. His performance of Wilde incited many emotions in me but I always returned to compassion.

Worth a look!

This was an absorbing tale largely because I hadn't a clue about Wilde's last days. The acting was excellent, each actor delivering a completely believable naturalistic turn. Despite the great support acting if the lead, Rupert Everett ( almost unrecognisable) hadn't been so completely absorbing it could have been dire. He was remarkable, managing the multiple tones and moods Wilde goes through. A tale of sadness and joy and redemption. Such an interesting movie.

"The Happy Prince" is an interesting, sad look at the great poet and playwright Oscar Wilde at the end of his life, when he lived in poverty, declined health and social exile in France. The film seems like a labor of love for Rupert Everett, its star and director, but the finished product looks a bit low-budget and claustrophobic. The shaky camera work was distracting at times. Anyone who loves Wilde will appreciate this film's sensitive exploration of his inner thoughts and emotions, and how he suffered after his trial, incarceration and social exclusion for his sexual relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas at a time when sex between two men was illegal in England. Although Wilde is shown here living freely in France, he is separated from his two children and his career has been destroyed, so Everett delves into these painful aspects of the writer's later life, partially through dreamily lit flashbacks. "The Happy Prince" is a touching, rather slow film for Wilde fans, but I prefer Stephen Fry's crackling portrayal in Brian Gilbert's "Wilde" (1997), and that earlier film is better overall, perhaps due to superior direction and production quality.

A solid biopic about Oscar Wilde with a terrific Rupert Everett in the leading role. A great transformation not only physically but also his whole mechanisms as an actor are totally redefined. I would not be surprised if his performance as legendary poet and playwright Oscar Wilde will actually get him Oscar attention next year. Its definitely a performance they soak up and adore. The film itself was fine, but nothing to write home about. I had some troubles with Rupert Everett's direction actually. It could have been better set up and the narrative was a bit weird at times. Performance wise it was not only because of Everett's undoubtedly great performance good. Emily Watson shines as his estranged wife but I had hoped she would have more screen time as she really lived that character and although the screen time was limited she really shined in all of her scenes. Colin Firth was good as well and took care about some comedic relief in a at times too dry biopic. The score was good and the cinematography fine - offering a lot of beautiful sceneries. Definitely worth to check out for the performance and if you are a fan of Wilde himself as they depict him and his work and language just well.