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The Happy Prince Reviews
A take on the last days of Oscar Wilde. Beautiful cinematography. Good acting.
There are other films to tell the story of Wilde's rise and fall; this wise and beautiful film with Rupert Everett's magnificent performance at its center is a moving last act. The excllent supporting cast is virtually a who's who in British film. Not to miss.
Mikey's Movie Review: The Happy Prince (2018) Writen, Directed & Starring Rupert Everett, this poignant but painfully slow Biopic gives us an image of Oscar rarely seen... and unlikely to appear again for some time. 20 years after Stephan Fry's note perfect portrayal in 'Wilde', Everett has found an even darker vain to explore. Namely the events that took place after Oscar's release from prison - his exile and early death (aged 46), destitute in Paris. Set within the frame of his celebrated, yet moral heavy children's story of the same name, The Happy Prince is laced throughout with his ironic observations and iconic wit, and quotes from various works (particularly 'De Profundis' and 'The Ballad Of Reading Gaol'). Everett is superb, if at times a touch too dour. His Oscar is less sharp and enigmatic than Fry's, more rueful and regretful. A shunned, sickly, tragic figure. However, he's also surrounded himself with a bright and perfectly cast Colin Morgan (a surprisingly solid turn as Lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas), Colin Firth, Emily Watson, Edwin Thomas and Tom Wilkinson. As an actor Everett can't be faulted. As a debut Director he has a good eye. As a storyteller he needs a little more work. It's far from essential, but if you're wild about Wilde, it's certainly worth a look... Mikey's Movie Rating: 3/5*😥
Well I’m just glad somebody’s happy.
This is a film with some nice settings, decent cinematography and of course its relatively thought-provoking. The cast do well in their roles (although I did feel that perhaps Rupert Everett was overacting at times slightly but that aside the acting is fine) and I thought the script was pretty decent, although it's not a film that's likely to stay with me for a long time (i.e. it's not especially memorable). The main character is pretty pompous at times and may not be the most easily likeable of characters - there is a pretentiousness there but at the same time, other peoples disdain for his way of life is made clear. Whether or not you feel sorry for the situation he's found himself in will vary from person to person - I thought some of the dialogue was somewhat philosophical and it's that which I felt was thought-provoking. The title is an ironic one and its the name of a tale which Oscar tells people at his bedside during the film. I should also add that there's quite a lot of French dialogue, so if you really dislike subtitles/don't understand French then this film may not be ideal for you. Overall, however, I would recommend it, yes.
This film is not the type of movie to my taste I can say; I watched it because I wanted to see Colin Morgan in action. So it was not so entertaining to me, but the acting standard was very high. The entire cast was excellent. I appreciate how Colin Morgan can transform himself like he did in becoming Bosie. The movie is worth it.
An unsparing but compassionate portrait of the ruined Wilde as he self-destructs. Beautifully set, well filmed, an excellent cast. Sometimes the abrupt changes in time and place make it hard to follow. But overall a good if melancholy movie. Everett not only produces but inhabits his flawed hero.
All good biopics pick a specific moment in time to cast a light on an individual and their societal bearing, this is no different. Fresh out of Reading Gaol, like a Victorian TuPac, Oscar escapes the British approbation for the fresh air of Dieppe before a baccalaurean tour through Leon, Naples and Paris. Nice cocaine and absinthe inspired time shifting allows unobtrusive exposition and the feel stays just the right side of sentimental with an unexpected paternal longing for his sons, projected to younger men who both soothe and abuse his position. Well pitched and insightful.
Painfully boring. Rupert Everett does not do the real-life story of Oscar Wilde justice. (First and only viewing - 7/25/2020)
...Oscar Wilde Was A Truly Great Wit...As such, there was artistically sublime subject matter to work with...Instead, Everettt chose to dwell on Wilde's homosexuality...
The last years of the great writer Oscar Wilde as his life falls apart after prison, very well acted and written with a wonderful performance by Rupert Everett.
Something of a meandering biopic of the tragic, last few months of the life of Oscar Wilde, The Happy Prince sees Rupert Everett take the lead role, writing and the directing credits. I can't help think he should maybe have stuck to one role as while his acting is good, there's little substance in the other roles. The history of Wilde means that this story was never going to be an upbeat, rousing story but I felt there was not enough exploration of his self-destructive love for Bosie or the devoted tenacity of both Constance and Robbie Ross to a man who seemed to treat them with such poor regard. Wilde's complexities and inconsistencies are just presented on screen to the viewer who is left to fill in the gaps without much to go on making him seem like an egotistical, tedious bore. It's a film about a tragic fall from grace that really needed to show more of the dizzy heights of Wilde's peak and a bit less of the shattering mess he ended.
Rupert Everett gives a great performance in this good but a bit uneven portrayal of the last days of Oscar WIlde.
It has its faults but its a colossal achievement for Rupert Everett. Wilde was flawed but it was mainly the society which was the problem in its discriminatory against gay men. The problem continues today: just look at what’s happening in Brunei. Death by stoning for being gay?
Oscar Wilde is worthy of a better movie than this was.
It seems to divide both audience and critics. Wilde is so widely, and personally, loved and admired that anything new about him will always attract intense disappointment from some. I thought this was the most believable representation of Wilde, Douglas and the other players in this great and terrible tragedy. Characters who are for all their literary power very difficult to make real however committed the performers. I suspect history will look much more kindly on this film which is very old fashioned, romantic, unpretentious and loveable.
Fantastic acting, an intimate look into the final years of a literary genius and his struggles with love, identity, and what it means to suffer for art and love.