Watching with Fingers Crossed

Summer TV is a wasteland.

Therefore, to stave off network boredom (and between reading books and crossword puzzles) Katie and I have been watching lot movies on Turner Classic Movies this summer.

Last week we decided to watch a movie that, while I had heard of it before, I had never seen it. Armed with a large bowl of popcorn we sat down to watch "The Picture of Dorian Gray" - based on the Oscar Wilde novel of the same name.

Our interest in this film was threefold:

• It starred George Sanders, whom we had just watched in "Foreign Correspondent" and we really enjoyed his work.
• It also starred Angela Lansbury who, at 18 years old, would earn her 2nd Oscar nod for her role in this film
• Finally, it was described as a "moody, innovative thriller; far ahead of it's time"

Sounded perfect to us.

The story is this: A nineteenth century aristocrat named Dorian Gray strikes a strange bargain with the artist who paints his portrait. While Dorian remains eternally youthful and angelic in appearance, his portrait reflects his true character, one where his decadent lifestyle and acts of debauchery show up in hideous physical detail.

And what detail it is.

This movie is perfect. Absolutely marvelous. I will not ruin ANY aspect of this film by describing the "thrills" or "shocks". For those, you must sit and watch the movie for yourself.

But I will say this.

Do you remember when you were a kid and you were watching a scary movie and even though you covered your eyes to avoid the "scary part" you kept your fingers open so you could peek at the screen? I haven't had the impulse to do that in over 25 years. But I did during Dorian Gray.

Stop laughing, you weasels!

I did NOT cover my eyes.

But I had the impulse to do so.

Damn spooky movie.

But I loved it.