"A Good Woman" - Movie Adaption of Oscar Wilde's play "Lady Windermere's fan" - a moral satire

The first time I read Oscar Wilde’s “The picture of Dorian gray”, as a text book in school, I must frankly admit that I understood nothing of it. The pomposity of his language, the intricate caricature of a morally decadent Victorian society seemed too much for me at that young age. Later, when literature started to making more sense to me, and I could visibly relate to what I read, the works of Wilde began to take a new meaning and perspective in my mind. It is at this juncture that I realized that ‘the picture of Dorian gray” was the only novel that Wilde ever wrote, and all his others works were Dramas or essays or epistles written at various decisive moments in his life. Speaking of his life, Wilde lived it rambunctiously. He stretched the patience and moral limits of late Eighteenth century England by poking fun at the hypocritical society that he lived in. His tour of America radically altered his views of individual liberty and freedom, and plays written during that period reflects his sarcasm of prevailing straight-jacketed attitude towards pleasure, institutionalized marriage and sexual deviations. It led him to many a controversy that constantly bogged his entire literary career. Plays like “the importance of being earnest’, “Salome”. “An ideal Husband” or “woman of no importance” were greatly criticized in public for its moral ambiguity, but that did not prevent critics and lay audience from flocking to the theatres surreptiously to see them.

“Lady Windermere’s fan” was written a short play in 1892 mocking at the fragility of ‘love’ in marital life. Wilde always had strong women in his drama, who would be the mouthpiece of his libertine beliefs. In this case, the story pitches two beautiful ladies: one young and newlywed and the other, a mature lady who lives off befriending rich men. Their paths cross when there rises a misunderstanding of each other’s intentions, and the play reaches a climax with a strong sense of Individual integrity triumphing over moral codes... The whole play can be summarized through the words Lord Darlington, a principal character, who rationalizes extramarital relationships with an immortal line “...We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars....’

I just finished watching the 2004 adaption of this play featuring the wonderfully talented Helen hunt and the gorgeous Scarlett Johansson. The movie was shot in the pristine blue shores of Italy; beautifully capturing the throbbing sensuality of its heroines, clothed in polished customs and etiquette of a bygone age. I never knew that Helen hunt can so look so stunningly good looking when she wants to. Scarlett was just about coming of age in this movie and does look a bit immature, but makes it up by her quiet innocence and well-proportioned presence on screen. The movie lights up with the witticism and sarcasm of Wilde’s epigrams sprinkled evenly across the film. Even the most mundane expression seems a self-evident truth when penned by the master…

Near One hundred and twenty five years after the play premiered on stage, the story remains fresh and contemporary. I am sure Oscar Wilde would be smiling in his grave. His incisive mockery, sarcasm and criticism of Victorian values have stood the test of time and still holds good….

God bless...