Robert Morley

[boilerboy]

I think Robert Morley's effort in "Oscar Wilde" was brave and honest. The film had a great supporting cast. I always remember him telling me his favourite dish was curry, because every mouthfull tasted different.

[Moor Larkin]

I think Robert Morley's effort in "Oscar Wilde" was brave and honest. The film had a great supporting cast. I always remember him telling me his favourite dish was curry, because every mouthfull tasted different.

I used to *love* Robert Morley. His Oscar inspired me to take a literary interest and I soon had the collected works....... only three volumes so it fitted my attention span nicely. Oscar is certainly proof that it's quality rather than quantity that matters. Robert is proof that acting talent can convince one of anything.

Imagine my shock when I first saw pictures of the real Oscar and realised he wasn't slightly portly,with a kindly face after all.......

Oscar Wilde


Robert Morley

[Windthrop]

Morley first played the part hen he was in his late twenties and a slightly slimmer. By the time he played the part he was too old and his film version of the trial is obviously made on a low budget.



In terms of cast the two versions are evenly matched -



Robert Morley vs Peter Finch

John Neville vs John Fraser

Ralph Richardson vs James Mason

Dennis Price vs Emyrs Jones

Phyliss Calvert vs Yvonne Mitchell

Edward Chapman vs Lionel Jeffries

Alexander Knox vs Nigel Patrick



Bur Morley despite his ag is much more affecting in the courtroom sequences. Finch is heavily made up and obviously acting whereas Morley (a dramatist and wit like Wilde) lives the part much more convincingly. The Finch movie has a bigger budget and covers more of the action involved before the case but the budgetary restrictions help make the Morley version - they make it a much more intimate and emotionally affecting film. The Finch version is all dressed up but dramatically goes nowhere.

[Steve Crook]

That picture shows why Stephen Fry was the person born to play Wilde





Although Morley is very good in his version and an actor I like a lot



Steve

[batman]

This one confirms what Steve said and also what good casting Jude Law was as Bosie.







Bats.

[Moor Larkin]

This one confirms what Steve said and also what good casting Jude Law was as Bosie.

Leaves me with the concern that this modern desire for a 'physical realism' would have meant Robert Morley would never have played Wilde and my mother would never have let me watch a film about a pederast, at the age I was; I would never have read Wilde in my earliest teens and by the time I found out about him it would have all been too late because my mates would have said, "You can't like him....."

[boilerboy]

There is something tragic in Morely. With Margaret Rutherford he was absolutely brilliant. He is the fat fool, a coniving stumbler, and we'd love to have him over for dinner.