The Happy Prince (15)

A portrait of Oscar Wilde’s final years in exile and his despair over becoming a shadow of his former self. The film stars a host of familiar faces including Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Emily Watson (Punch-Drunk Love) and Edwin Thomas (Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain).

Literary legend, Oscar Wilde (Rupert Everett) is a well-respected poet loved by all. But he carries a secret that will destroy him…

Convicted in later life for “gross indecency” for having an affair with Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas (Colin Morgan), he is exiled to Naples and Paris and kept to hard labour for two years. After his release, he walks around with prowess despite becoming a shell of his former self.

He constantly battles with flashbacks from his greater days and spends money as quickly as he can borrow or blag it. In a desperate plee to save himself financially, he even sells an unwritten play to three separate financial backers.

Back at home, his estranged wife Constance (Emily Watson) continues to support him even though they are miles apart. Wilde constantly moans to his trio of loyal friends, long-term lover Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas (Colin Morgan), literary agent Robbie Ross (Edwin Thomas) and friend Reggie Turner (Colin Firth) in times of despair over lost opportunities and faded stardom.

The Happy Prince is a biographical portrait of Wilde’s life and final years in exile where he observes his own failure with satirical distance. Rupert Everett (Inspector Gadget) makes his directorial debut, having written and directed the drama as well as starring in it.

The film hosts a long list of familiar faces including Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Emily Watson (Punch-Drunk Love), Edwin Thomas (Churchill: 100 Days That Saved Britain) and Tom Wilkinson (The Grand Budapest Hotel). The Happy Prince went down a storm at 2018 Sundance Film Festival and BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival.

Cert: 15

Running time: 105 mins