Penny Dreadful. creator John Logan looks back on Dorian Gray's 'provocative' portrait. Penny Dreadful wore its horrific influences on its lacy, blood-soaked sleeve. Showtime’s dearly departed Oscar Wilde's only novel, Picture of Dorian Gray, is a chilling melodrama, which scandalized polite society when first published in 1890. Dorian Gray is a wealthy English gentleman who gradually sinks into a life of dissipation and crime. Enthralled with his own physical beauty, Dorian purchases eternal youth at the expense of his soul. Summary. Dorian is awoken by Victor, his servant, after having slept until 1:15 in the afternoon. He sees that he has received a letter from Lord Henry, but leaves it unopened. He feels refreshed and eats breakfast happily, the previous night feeling like nothing more than a dream. His pleasant afternoon is interrupted, however, when he sees Nevertheless, this version of “Dorian Gray” seemed to completely omit any element of redemption, even altering the storyline somewhat. If only the film had shown redemption, instead of reveling in the sins of its protagonist, the film might have captured Wilde’s soul on a picture of its own; the Picture of Oscar Wilde. The Faustian Bargain of Dorian Gray. One of the full-color paintings used in the production of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1945) by the artist Ivan Le Lorraine Albright/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In his 1891 novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde writes, “The aim of life is self-development. To realise one’s nature perfectly—that is Lionsgate has launched development of a movie based on Oscar Wilde’s 1890 novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” Variety has learned exclusively. The studio is putting a twist on the classic Throughout The Picture of Dorian Gray, beauty reigns. It is a means to revitalize the wearied senses, as indicated by the effect that Basil’s painting has on the cynical Lord Henry. It is also a means of escaping the brutalities of the world: Dorian distances himself, not to mention his consciousness, from the horrors of his actions by The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) Not Rated | 110 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror. 7.5. Rate. A corrupt young man somehow keeps his youthful beauty, but a special painting gradually reveals his inner ugliness to all. Director: Albert Lewin | Stars: George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed, Angela Lansbury. RcRA.