"Wilde"
Stephen Fry gives a memorable performance in the title role of the movie "Wilde" (1997), a biopic about Oscar Wilde, one of the towering figures of late 19th-century English letters. Now Columbia TriStar is releasing a special edition DVD version of "Wilde" on March 19, 2002, which I thoroughly enjoyed watching recently at home. Well acted and beautifully shot with lush production values, "Wilde" chronicles the writer's marriage, the birth of his sons, and his later recognition of his sexual attraction to younger men. Eventually, Wilde's infatuation with Bosie (Jude Law) leads to a sensational criminal trial that results in the deterioration of the writer's reputation and health. The dialogue often sparkles with the sharp wit of Wilde's words, but the screenplay is choppy and piles on expository historical detail. I would have preferred something more psychological/literary that delved into Wilde, the man, and the prices he paid for the choices he made. In the end, the film feels more like a biopic than a character study, but I still recommend it highly.