Wilde
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Wilde
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Wilde is a British biopic about Victorian poet and playwright Oscar Wilde (Stephen Fry) as he explores his sexuality, and features sex scenes and full-frontal male nudity. There is also infrequent strong language including variants of "f--k," and discriminatory slang such as "Jew queer," "wop," and "bum boy." Wilde is a positive role model, stoic, witty, and poetic in the face of persecution -- he is eventually tried and jailed for being gay, convicted of "indecent acts" (homosexuality was decriminalized in the U.K. in 1967) -- with the movie impressing that people should follow "their nature." Wilde's relationship with his lover, Bosie (Jude Law), is difficult but Wilde remains understanding toward him. Boise's bigoted father, John Douglas (Tom Wilkinson), leads the charge to have Wilde jailed. Wilde and many other characters smoke cigarettes frequently and consume alcohol. There is also mention of suicide.
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What's the Story?
In WILDE, Victorian playwright and poet Oscar Wilde (Stephen Fry) follows his feelings to explore his true identity as a gay man, but walks into a world of volatile relationships and prosecution.
Is It Any Good?
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. Fry, a gay man who himself struggled to keep his homosexuality secret, brings a depth and an honesty to Wilde that breathes life into his character. His wit soars, of course, but there is beneath it a complex sadness that in being himself, he is also condemning himself, leading to a period in prison.
Supporting Fry is Jude Law as the handsome and sometimes vicious Bosie. Law's depiction of the character carries around with him Bosie's father's prejudice and the conflict that causes. In addition, Jennifer Ehle's quiet sadness is pitch-perfect as Wilde's neglected wife. Wilde died aged 46, not long after leaving jail -- a place which broke him physically. His work still stands as insightful and witty, and this movie gives a potted history of what he, and many other men, endured at the hands of the British legal system when being gay was still illegal.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the role of sexuality in Wilde. Were you shocked at how Oscar Wilde was treated by society for being gay? How have things changed today? What more can be done to support the LGBTQ+ community?
How did Wilde demonstrate courage, integrity, and compassion? Why are these important character strengths?
How was sex portrayed in the movie? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships
Discuss the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
How did this movie compare to other biopics you may have seen? What's the appeal of movies about real people?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 1, 1998
- On DVD or streaming: March 18, 2002
- Cast: Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Jennifer Ehle
- Director: Brian Gilbert
- Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: History
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Courage, Integrity
- Run time: 118 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong sexuality and language
- Last updated: October 8, 2022
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