Jude Lawmay currently be facing off against the children of At Attin inStar Wars: Skeleton Crew, but longtime fans of the actor’s career knowLaw’s characters have thrown plenty of tantrums themselves, and one of Law’s earliest films might just have featured his most immature role of all.Wilde, the 1997 historical drama directed byBrian Gilbert, is a poignant adaptation of the life of poet and playwrightOscar Wilde(Stephen Fry) that featuresone of Law’s most underrated movie performancesas Wilde’s infamous lover, Lord Alfred Douglas.A film critically acclaimedfor both its unapologetic queerness and the strength of its lead performances, Gilbert’s movie providesa unique perspective on Law’s early career and remains an important cultural artifact, making it the perfect fit for viewers looking to see the more childish side of the galaxy’s latest rogue.
What Is ‘Wilde’ About?
Beginning withOscar Wilde’s notorious tour of Americain the early 1880s and culminating with the poet’s bitter fall from public grace,Wildeoperates as muchas an ambitious biography of the playwright’s later life as it does a tragic romance. Following the literary celebrity’s return to England, Gilbert’s film retraces Wilde’s rapid ascent as the middle-aged creative juggles his growing family, demanding professional life, and desires that exist along the fringes ofWilde’s late Victorian society. Soon, all three come to a head with the successful premiere ofWilde’s latest play,Lady Windermere’s Fan, after which Wilde is introduced tothe young aristocrat who will be both the reason and ruin of his life: Bosie Douglas.
Gilbert’s film renders both the subsequent relationship between the two men and its consequences beautifully, offering general audiences, history buffs, and literary fans alike a glimpse at the pair’s fiery connection from the opulent splendor ofWilde’s lavish set design.Wilde’s costumes are often a constant source of delight, with Fry’s flamboyant outfits paying homage to Wilde’s colorful reputation during his own time, and Gilbert’s film is likewise rounded out by stellar supporting performances. A youngMichael Sheenis heartwarming as Wilde’s short-lived love interest, Robbie Ross, and the lateTom Wilkinsonis rightfully unbearable as the antagonistic Marquess of Queensberry, Bosie’s abusive father.
Jude Law Balances Arrogance and Tenderness as ‘Wilde’s Volatile Lord Alfred Douglas
The two most celebrated aspects ofWildeare rightfully the film’s tender sex scenes — which are especially impressive considering the film premiered in the late 1990s —and Fry’s career-defining performance as Wilde,which remainsone of the actor’s greatest rolesto this day. Yet, Law also deserves praise for his contributions toWilde’s enduring legacy, as his performance accurately portrays the nuances ofthe Bosie Douglas recorded in history. On the surface, Law’s Bosie embodies the same pompous, condescending haughtinesshe later perfected inThe Talented Mr. Ripley, butLaw imbues great vulnerability into his portrayal as well.
In scenes of Bosie and Oscar going out on the town, interacting at Oxford, and going on walks together,Law lends his aristocrat a degree of affection that feels surprising for the otherwise rigid noble. The character’s genuine pining for his love is most evident when Bosie visits Oscar in prison towards the end of the film’s final trial, with Bosie’s childish whining about the proceedings’ unfairness actually playing directly intoWilde’smessage of love. As Oscar himself says inWilde’s heartbreaking recreation of the poet’s courtroom remarks, the love that he and Bosie share revolves arounda more experienced man guiding a young man with all the promise of youth. In this regard, Law’s tender moments as Bosie illustrate how Wilde allows him to inhabit his most vulnerable emotions, assuming the role of a symbolic guardian after Bosie’s real one abuses him.
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Not only does this performance illustrate Law’s versatility as an actor, but it also highlights an important message about adulthood. While Law may have spent the last few weeks babysittinga group of adventuring Star Wars kids, inWilde, the actordemonstrates that sometimes adults also act childishly in their attempts to be loved. In a film that depicts the horrifying cost of legalized homophobia and the lethal consequences of suffering from social stigma, Law’s turn as Douglas therefore contributes toWilde’s most tender moments,propping up the film’s romantic view of Wilde and Bosie’s ill-fated relationshipin time for an ending sure to leave you heartbroken.
Wildeis available to watch on Prime Video in the U.S.
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