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The Trials of Oscar Wilde

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The Trials of Oscar Wilde
Directed byKen Hughes
Screenplay byMontgomery Hyde
Ken Hughes
Based onThe Stringed Lute
by John Furnell
Produced byIrving Allen
Albert R. Broccoli
Harold Huth
StarringPeter Finch
Yvonne Mitchell
James Mason
Nigel Patrick
Lionel Jeffries
John Fraser
CinematographyTed Moore
Edited byGeoffrey Foot
Music byRon Goodwin
Production
company
Distributed byEros Films[1]
Release date
  • 28 May 1960(1960-05-28)(London)
[1]
Running time
123 minutes[2]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£270,000[3][4]or £296,500[5]

The Trials of Oscar Wilde,also known asThe Man with the Green CarnationandThe Green Carnation,is a 1960 Britishdramafilm based on thelibeland subsequent criminal cases involvingOscar Wildeand theMarquess of Queensberry.It was written by Allen andKen Hughes,directed by Hughes, and co-produced byIrving Allen,Albert R. BroccoliandHarold Huth.The screenplay was by Ken Hughes andMontgomery Hyde,based on an unperformed playThe Stringed Luteby John Furnell (the pseudonym of Phyllis Macqueen).[6]The film was made byWarwick Filmsand released byEros Films.

It starsPeter Finchas Wilde,Lionel Jeffriesas Queensberry, andJohn Fraseras Bosie (Lord Alfred Douglas) withJames Mason,Nigel Patrick,Yvonne Mitchell,Maxine Audley,Paul RogersandJames Booth.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

In November 1959, Ken Hughes said he hoped forLaurence OlivierorAlec Guinnessto play the title role. "I know American actors who would run a mile rather than play a part like this, but the film will be a flop unless Wilde is played by someone of stature," said Hughes. "We are going to have some stiff legal problems. We shall approach the Queensberry family. The Marquis will be shown as the villain and I don't know how his family will like that. As for Wilde, the film will show him deserving pity, a genius living in a superficial fantasy world."[7]

Vyvyan Holland(Wilde's son) said "the film company has not approached me. I should be very glad to act as advisor although I cannot say I would approve until I have seen the script.”[7]

In February 1960, it was announced Peter Finch would play the role for a fee of £25,000. "I'm scared stiff," said Finch. "Mind you the fact it's such a challenge is one reason I'm so keen. It's exciting to do something everybody says you can't."[8]

It was one of two films about Wilde released in 1960, the other being20th Century Fox'Oscar Wildestarring Robert Morley. According to production designerKen Adam,producerIrving Allenset up four editing rooms for the production, working in parallel during principal photography; this meant that the film could be screened in theWest Endseven weeks after the start of filming.[9][1]The production was filmed inTechnirama.[1]

Release[edit]

The film was released at midnight on Saturday, 28 May 1960 at Studio One in London before its general release on 30 May 1960.[1]It was released a week afterOscar Wilde.[1]Producers of both films originally refused to change their movie titles. Eventually, after confusion at various cinemas, Warwick announced they would releaseThe Trials of Oscar WildeasThe Green Carnation.[10]

Reception[edit]

Critical[edit]

In his review of the film,Bosley Crowtherwrote: "Mr. Wilde himself could not have expected his rare personality or his unfortunate encounters with British justice on a morals charge to have been more sympathetically or affectingly dramatized. In comparison to thatother British picture about the same subjectthat opened [in New York City] last week, this one is more impressive in every respect, save one. "[11]Crowther concludes the review saying "The only thing is you wonder if this is a fairly true account, if Mr. Wilde was as noble and heroic as he is made to appear. And if he was, what was he doing with those cheap and shady young men? It looks to us as if they are trying to whitewash a most unpleasant case, which is one of the more notorious and less ennobling in literary history."[11]

John SimondescribedThe Trials of Oscar Wildeas "an unjustly neglected movie".[12]

Varietymagazine, commenting on the performances, said "Peter Finch gives a moving and subtle performance as the ill-starred playwright. Before his downfall he gives the man the charm that he undoubtedly had....John Fraser as handsome young Lord Alfred Douglas is suitably vain, selfish, vindictive and petulant and the relationship between the two is more understandable. WhereTrialssuffers in comparison withthe B&W filmis in the remarkable impact of the libel case court sequence. James Mason never provides the strength and bitter logic necessary for the dramatic cut-and-thrust when Wilde is in the witness box. "[13]

The film has been called "Hughes' one undeniable classic."[14]

Box office[edit]

Kine Weeklycalled it a "money maker" at the British box office in 1960.[15]

Accolades[edit]

Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
British Academy Film Awards Best Film from any Source Ken Hughes Nominated [16]
Best British Film Nominated
Best British Actor Peter Finch Won
John Fraser Nominated
Best British Screenplay Ken Hughes Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best English-Language Foreign Film Won [17]
Moscow International Film Festival Grand Prix Ken Hughes Nominated [18]
Best Actor Peter Finch Won
Best Decorator Bill Constable Won
Best Costume Designer Terence Morgan Won

Influence[edit]

The film was the inspiration for a promotional film made for theRolling Stonessong "We Love You";the 1967 film, directed byPeter Whitehead,featuredMick Jaggeras Wilde,Keith Richardsas the judge in the Wilde trial, andMarianne FaithfullasBosie.[19]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefgMyers, Harold (1 June 1960)."A Queer Rivalry: 2 'Oscar Wildes'".Variety.p. 7.Retrieved2 February2021– viaArchive.org.
  2. ^Release informationfrom theBFI National ArchiveFilm & TV Database
  3. ^Alexander Walker,Hollywood, England,Stein and Day, 1974 p138
  4. ^Film Makers’ ‘Rusty Swords’ Date: Saturday, May 14, 1960 Publication: The Daily Telegraph p13
  5. ^Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 360
  6. ^John Furnell (pseud. Phyllis Macqueen)
  7. ^abGoring, Edward (17 November 1959). "Oscar Wilde's life story to be filmed".Daily Mail.p. 1.
  8. ^Tanfield, Paul (16 February 1960). "Mr Finch signs for Oscar Wilde and £25,000".Daily Mail.p. 12.
  9. ^A Kubrick Masterclass with Sir Ken Adam, Hosted by Sir Christopher FraylingArchived2 September 2010 at theWayback Machine,fromThe Script Factory
  10. ^"Warwick Gives in on 'Wilde' Title Change".Variety.31 August 1960. p. 20 – viaArchive.org.
  11. ^abCrowther, Bosley(28 June 1960)."Wilde Absolved: Writer's 'Trials' Get New Examination".The New York Times.
  12. ^Simon, John (1983).John Simon: Something to Declare Twelve Years Of Films From Abroad.Clarkson N. Potter Inc. p. 19.
  13. ^Rich. (1 June 1960)."Film Reviews: The Trials of Oscar Wilde".Variety.p. 6.Retrieved2 February2021– viaArchive.org.
  14. ^Vagg, Stephen (14 November 2020)."Ken Hughes Forgotten Auteur".Filmink.
  15. ^Billings, Josh (15 December 1960)."It's Britain 1, 2, 3 again in the 1960 box office stakes".Kine Weekly.p. 9.
  16. ^"BAFTA Awards (1961)".British Academy of Film and Television Arts.Retrieved23 November2013.
  17. ^"The Trials of Oscar Wilde – Golden Globes".HFPA.Retrieved5 July2021.
  18. ^"2nd Moscow International Film Festival (1961)".MIFF.Archived fromthe originalon 16 January 2013.Retrieved11 November2012.
  19. ^Oscar in Popular Culture[permanent dead link],from Issue no 45 (July 2008) of The Oscholars

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Trials_of_Oscar_Wilde&oldid=1199447725"