The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Year: 1945

Runtime: 111 mins

Language: English

Director: Albert Lewin

HorrorFantasyDramaHorror the undead and monster classicsHumanity and the world around us

Why did women talk about Dorian Gray in whispers? A corrupt young man somehow keeps his youthful beauty, but a special painting gradually reveals his inner ugliness to all.

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Timeline & Setting – The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

London, England, Gray's country estate, old schoolroom

The action unfolds across elegant London society and the intimate interiors where the fateful portrait is kept. Settings include an old schoolroom that houses the painting and a secluded country estate where Dorian's hedonistic life unfolds away from the crowds. Taverns, drawing rooms, and corridors of power mark the social rituals that drive the plot.

🌆 City 🏛️ High society 🗺️ London

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 04:05

Main Characters – The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

Meet the key characters of The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield)

A handsome aristocrat whose forever-young looks mask a growing moral rot. He pursues sensation and luxury with icy self-justification, using the portrait to deny responsibility for his actions. The painting bears the consequences of his sins while he remains outwardly unscathed.

💫 Protagonist 🪞 Vanity

Basil Hallward (Lowell Gilmore)

A gifted painter whose portrait becomes a looming conscience for Dorian. His artistic idealism collides with cruel envy and ultimately leads to his murder. He embodies the tension between beauty as virtue and beauty as peril.

🎨 Artist 🕊️ Conscience

Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders)

A charming, amoral thinker who shakes Dorian’s beliefs with aphorisms about pleasure and appearance. His influence sets the fatal course of Dorian's lifestyle and ethical decline.

🗺️ Mentor 🎭 Influencer

Sibyl Vane (Angela Lansbury)

A tavern singer whose romance with Dorian ends abruptly, catalyzing his disillusionment with love and compassion. Her rejection reveals Dorian's capacity for coldness and manipulation.

🎤 Lover 💔 Heartbreak

Gladys Hallward (Donna Reed)

Basil's niece who becomes Dorian's love interest later in the story. Her engagement exposes Dorian's fear of losing youth and his growing indifference to others.

💖 Lover 🧭 Influence

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 04:05

Major Themes – The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

Explore the central themes of The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🪞 Vanity

Dorian Gray's obsession with youth and beauty drives his actions; the portrait serves as a mirror for his corrupted soul. He wishes to escape aging while remaining unchanged, highlighting a dangerous split between appearance and morality. The tale asks whether outer beauty can shield inner rot, or merely reveal it.

💀 Corruption

Dorian's pursuit of pleasure leads to moral decay that cannot be hidden. The murder of Basil Hallward and the subsequent cover-ups show how violence and deceit escalate when consequences are deferred. The painting becomes a ledger of each transgression, worsening with every indulgence.

🎭 Influence

Lord Henry Wotton's aphorisms steer Dorian toward a cynical, image-obsessed life. The social circle reinforces his growing detachment from empathy, turning appearances into currency. The story examines how ideas and peer pressure shape identity and fate.

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 04:05

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The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary

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The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary

The Picture of Dorian Gray Timeline

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The Picture of Dorian Gray Timeline

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