Wilde (1998)
78%RT Audience Score: 73%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 4 nominations
Wilde can’t hope to communicate the entirety of its subject’s fascinating life or outsize talent, but Stephen Fry’s stellar performance offers abundant compensation
If you’re looking for a movie that’s both witty and moving, then Wilde is the perfect choice. Stephen Fry is a natural fit for the role of Oscar Wilde, and he brings a depth and gentleness to the character that’s both funny and touching. The film manages to balance an upfront portrayal of Wilde’s gayness with an examination of his broader emotions and artistic ideals, making it a must-see for anyone who loves a good biopic. Plus, Jude Law is absolutely brilliant as Bosie, Wilde’s legendary bad boyfriend. Overall, Wilde is a funny, gifted, and idealistic film that’s sure to leave you feeling inspired.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group Heyday Films,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park – 1200 S. Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne, Florida, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong sexuality, nudity, language and some violence
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby SDDS DTS
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Aspect ratio:2.40 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Mar 19, 2002
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Vanessa Redgrave, Jennifer Ehle, Gemma Jones, Judy Parfitt, Tom Wilkinson, directed by Brian Gilbert, written by Julian Mitchell, Richard Ellmann, Biography, LGBTQ+, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Derek Elley, Stephen Garrett, Kevin Thomas, Roger Ebert, Mick LaSalle, William Gallagher, Stefan Pape, Jeffrey M Anderson, Cole Smithey, Michael Szymanski, Emanuel Levy, Rebecca Murray, produced by Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson, MPAA rating R, Oscar Wilde, Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas, Lady Speranza Wilde, Constance Lloyd Wilde, Lady Queensberry, Lady Mount-Temple
Worldwide gross: $30,166,293
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $55,359,401
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,282
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,037,012
US/Canada gross: $30,147,739
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $55,325,352
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,023
US/Canada opening weekend: $9,622,444
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,658,542
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 717
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $20,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36,702,820
Production budget ranking: 1,020
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,764,469
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$1,107,887
ROI to date (est.): -2%
ROI ranking: 1,406
Jude Law – Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas
Vanessa Redgrave – Lady Speranza Wilde
Jennifer Ehle – Constance Lloyd Wilde
Gemma Jones – Lady Queensberry
Judy Parfitt – Lady Mount-Temple
Director(s)
Brian Gilbert
Writer(s)
Julian Mitchell, Richard Ellmann
Producer(s)
Marc Samuelson, Peter Samuelson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (50) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (14)
A tony biopic that manages to combine an upfront portrayal of the scribe’s gayness with an often moving examination of his broader emotions and artistic ideals.
March 26, 2009
Derek Elley
Variety
TOP CRITIC
If anybody was born to play Oscar Wilde, it must have been Stephen Fry: not only does he look like the Green Carnation Man, but he himself is often portrayed as being too clever, too complex for his own good.
January 26, 2006
Stephen Garrett
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Likely to remain the definitive screen treatment of Oscar Wilde for years to come.
February 14, 2001 | Rating: 4/5
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Stephen Fry brings a depth and gentleness to the role that says what can be said about Oscar Wilde: that he was a funny and gifted idealist in a society that valued hypocrisy above honesty.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Bosie is one of history’s legendary bad boyfriends, and Jude Law plays him to the hilt. He’s spoiled and angry, flies into bug-eyed rages and seems bent on destroying Wilde and his work.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Fry never appears to be acting at all, so perfect is his performance in the central role.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/5
William Gallagher
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
British actor Fry is such a natural fit as the intelligent, witty dandy, Wilde, that when his casting was secured, the makers of this biopic must have known their work was pretty much done.
December 8, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Stefan Pape
Common Sense Media
Stephen Fry is extraordinary as Oscar Wilde, but the movie lacks balance and finesse and comes across as a TV movie of the week.
May 26, 2006 | Rating: 1.5/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
October 10, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
September 23, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Michael Szymanski
Zap2it.com
June 19, 2005 | Rating: 2/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
February 24, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
Rebecca Murray
About.com…
Plot
Having recently been named educator of the year, Sam Lombardo is the well-liked guidance counselor and sailing instructor at Blue Bay High School on the Florida coast just outside Miami. The student body of the school is largely comprised of the offspring of the country club set, and while he helps any student he can, he especially tries to mentor those who are disadvantaged, such as Jimmy Leach who would not have been able to afford being in the sailing program otherwise, and tough Suzie Toller, a proverbial swamp girl who he’s helped through a few scrapes with the law in the absence of any parents, Suzie living with her streetwise grandmother Ruby at an alligator sideshow zoo. Although not socioeconomically part of that country club set himself, he nonetheless has ingratiated himself within it, he having slept with a good number of the country club maidens, he currently settled into a relationship with Barbara Baxter, the well-off daughter of high powered lawyer Tom Baxter. Sam’s world comes crashing down around him when student Kelly Van Ryan, who has made it quite clear to her classmates she is sexually attracted to him and who is the daughter of one of his former bed mates, sexually provocative widow and socially powerful Sandra Van Ryan, accuses him of raping her. Already in trouble in that no one can fight and win against the Van Ryans in Blue Bay, Sam, whose career is ruined regardless of his guilt or innocence in never being able to recover from such accusations, gets into even more problems when Suzie quickly thereafter comes forward also accusing him of previously raping her, her story similar to Kelly’s. The likelihood of Kelly and Suzie colluding together to manufacture similar stories is remote as it is well known that they have always detested each other. Having now become persona non grata among that country club set, Sam is forced to hire sleazy storefront lawyer Ken Bowden to defend him. Blue Bay Police Detective Ray Duquette of the Sex Crimes Division, he investigating with his partner Gloria Perez, goes against her advice and that of DA Bryce Hunter by delving into sensitive areas in believing that not all associated with the case are as they appear on the surface.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Stephen Fry’s performance as Oscar Wilde is described as “stellar” by Fresh Kernels critics.
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