The Happy Prince (2018 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = The Happy Prince

| image = The Happy Prince (2018 film).png

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Rupert Everett

| producer = {{ubl|Sébastien Delloye|Philipp Kreuzer|Jörg Schulze}}

| writer = Rupert Everett

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Gabriel Yared

| cinematography = John Conroy

| editing = Nicolas Gaster

| studio = {{ubl|BBC Films|Lions Gate UK|Movie Management Corporation|Daryl Prince Productions|Casa Kafka Pictures|Belgian Tax Shelter|Belfius Zielke Strat Et Go International|Raindog Films|Maze Pictures|Entre Chien et Loup|Palomar|Cine Plus Filmproduktion|Tele München Group|Proximus Films|RTBF (Television Belge)|Concorde Filmverleih|FFF Bayern|Deutscher Filmförderfonds|Eurimages|Wallimage|Wallonie-Bruxells Federation|Screen Brussels|Mibact Direzione Generale Cinema|Beta Cinema}}

| distributor = {{ubl|Concorde Filmverleih (Austria and Germany)|September Film Distribution (Belgium and Netherlands){{cite web|title=Film #77710: The Happy Prince|website=Lumiere|access-date=31 July 2021|url=http://lumiere.obs.coe.int/web/film_info/?id=77710}}|Vision Distribution (Italy)|Lions Gate UK (United Kingdom and Ireland)}}

| released = {{film date|2018|1|21|Sundance|2018|4|12|Italy|2018|6|15|United Kingdom|df=yes}}

| runtime = 105 minutes

| country = {{ubl|Germany|Belgium|Italy|United Kingdom}}

| language = English, French, Italian

| budget =

| gross = $2.2 million{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=thehappyprince.htm|title=The Happy Prince|publisher=Box Office Mojo |access-date=3 December 2018}}

}}

The Happy Prince is a 2018 biographical drama film about Oscar Wilde, written and directed by Rupert Everett in his directorial debut.{{cite news |last1=Thorpe |first1=Vanessa |title=The importance of being Oscar: how Rupert Everett found a cause |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jun/10/rupert-everett-oscar-wilde-film-the-happy-prince |access-date=10 June 2018 |publisher=Guardian News and Media|work=The Guardian |date=10 June 2018}} The film stars Everett, Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Emily Watson, Edwin Thomas and Tom Wilkinson. It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival,{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/sundance-film-festival-2018-lineup-program-1202625522/|title=Sundance Film Festival Unveils Full 2018 Features Lineup|last=Debruge|first=Peter|date=29 November 2017|work=Variety|publisher=Penske Business Media|access-date=29 November 2017}} and was shown at the 2018 BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/flare/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=D489C69B-87AE-42F3-86AE-66DAB0E4E907&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=E126F97D-0663-4533-8813-B387F80AD762|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329054607/https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/flare/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=D489C69B-87AE-42F3-86AE-66DAB0E4E907&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=E126F97D-0663-4533-8813-B387F80AD762|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 March 2018|title=The Happy Prince|work=BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2018|publisher=British Film Institute|access-date=14 June 2018}} At the 9th Magritte Awards, it received a nomination in the category of Best Foreign Film.{{cite news |last1=Roxborough |first1=Scott |title='Girl,' 'Above the Law' Lead Belgium Film Award Nominations |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/girl-law-lead-belgium-film-award-nominations-1175797 |access-date=14 January 2019 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=14 January 2019}}

The film's title alludes to the children's story by Oscar Wilde, The Happy Prince and Other Tales, which Wilde would read aloud to his children. The film was released in Italy on 12 April 2018, in the United Kingdom on 15 June 2018 and in the United States on 10 October 2018 to positive reviews from critics.{{cite web|title=The Happy Prince|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thehappyprince.htm|website=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|access-date=24 May 2018}}

Plot

1897. Oscar Wilde has just been released from prison after serving his sentence for gross indecency. Separated from his wife and children, he arrives in Dieppe, where old friends Reggie Turner and Robert Ross await him. Wilde assumes the alias of Sebastian Melmoth and tries to rebuild his life: he vainly writes to his wife Constance Lloyd to try to make peace with her. He is recognised by some young Englishmen, who taunt him and pursue him into a church; he defends himself violently, then receives severe warnings from the police.

Oscar then reunites with his old lover Bosie Douglas, angering Robbie, whose secret love for him has never been reciprocated. Oscar and Bosie flee together to Naples, where they live for some time in a house in Posillipo, leading a libertine life. Soon Bosie's mother ceases to send her son his allowance – she is willing to resume payments and give a £200 payoff to Oscar if the two lovers separate. Despite Oscar's anger, they give in and separate. Shortly afterwards Constance, who had forbidden Oscar any contact with Bosie, dies from complications following surgery, and Oscar is denied any contact with their two children.

Now incapable of writing, Oscar takes refuge in Paris, where he lives off his wits and the charity of his old supporters. He meets Reggie and Robbie again and shortly thereafter he finds Bosie, who recently received a large inheritance on the death of his father; Bosie angrily refuses to help him. Meanwhile, the writer begins to show strange symptoms that he attributes to mussel poisoning, suspecting however that it may be syphilis. He meets two poor brothers with whom he shares misery: the elder becomes his favourite, while the younger wants to hear the fairy tale The Happy Prince, which the writer always told his children.

Oscar's illness worsens and he receives a painful surgical operation to treat an abscess in his ear. His precarious physical state causes post-operative infections. With his last strength Oscar asks for an extreme Catholic unction, only to die surrounded by the few friends he has left. At the funeral Robbie complains to Bosie that he was a hypocrite, because he mourns the death of the man who had always loved him and whom he had abandoned without showing any gratitude. Bosie replies that these words are dictated by jealousy, and that only he will be remembered alongside Oscar Wilde, while Robbie will be forgotten.

The film's closing headlines state that Bosie died alone and penniless in 1945, while Robbie, who died in 1918, was buried in Oscar's own grave. Oscar was pardoned in 2017 together with other people convicted of homosexual offences.

Cast

Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde
Colin Firth as Reggie Turner
Emily Watson as Constance Lloyd
Colin Morgan as Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas{{Cite web|url=http://www.unitedagents.co.uk/colin-morgan|title=Colin Morgan |publisher=United Agents|access-date=29 November 2017}}
Edwin Thomas as Robbie Ross
Tom Wilkinson as Fr Dunne
Anna Chancellor as Mrs Arbuthnot
Béatrice Dalle as Café Manager
Julian Wadham as Mr Arbuthnot
John Standing as Dr Tucker
André Penvern as Mr Dupoirier
Tom Colley as Maurice Gilbert
Stephen M. Gilbert as Paine
Alister Cameron as Mr Howard
Benjamin Voisin as Jean

Production

Principal photography on the film began in mid-September 2016 in Bavaria, Germany. Filming was also done in France, Belgium and Italy.{{cite news|last1=Grater|first1=Tom|title=Rupert Everett, Colin Firth begin filming Oscar Wilde biopic|url=http://www.screendaily.com/news/rupert-everett-colin-firth-begin-filming-oscar-wilde-biopic/5109716.article?blocktitle=Most-popular&contentID=-1|access-date=4 October 2016|work=Screen Daily|publisher=Screen International|date=22 September 2016}} BBC Films and Lionsgate UK were some of the co-producers of the film, with the latter also handling UK distribution.{{cite news|last1=Barraclough|first1=Leo|title=CANNES: BBC Films, Lionsgate U.K. Board Rupert Everett's 'The Happy Prince'|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/global/cannes-bbc-films-lionsgate-u-k-boards-rupert-everetts-the-happy-prince-1201184942/|access-date=4 October 2016|work=Variety|publisher=Penske Business Media|date=18 May 2014}}

Everett's third autobiographical book To the End of the World - Travels with Oscar Wilde (2020) consists in large part of reflections on the preparation and production of this film, recounting many difficulties which occurred.{{Cite web |last=Steele |first=Colin |date=2020-11-21 |title=On the secrets of stardom and fandom |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7017172/on-the-secrets-of-stardom-and-fandom/ |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=The Canberra Times |language=en-AU}} Due to budgetary problems, Firth agreed to forego his fee.

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, and an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critical consensus reads, "A passion project for writer, director, and star Rupert Everett, The Happy Prince pays effective tribute to Oscar Wilde with a poignant look at his tragic final days."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_happy_prince_2018|title=The Happy Prince (2018)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date|df=dmy}}}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-happy-prince |title=The Happy Prince Reviews |work=Metacritic |access-date=31 October 2018}}

The BBC's Alan Yentob produced a TV documentary of the story of Everett's long journey in obtaining funding and support for the film.{{cite web |title=Imagine… Rupert Everett: Born To Be Wilde |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2018/21/imagine |website=BBC |access-date=5 September 2023}} The documentary took some five years to make, and was completed in 2018, after the film's premiere.

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%;" width="100%"
Year ! Award ! Category ! Recipient ! Result !{{Abbreviation\|Ref.\|References}}
rowspan=8\| 2018 \| Bavarian Film Awards \| Best Production \| Jörg Schulze, Philipp Kreuzer \| {{won}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|last=Roxborough \|first=Scott \|date=2018-01-21 \|title=Diane Kruger, Fatih Akin Win Bavarian Film Awards for 'In the Fade' \|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/diane-kruger-fatih-akin-win-bavarian-film-awards-fade-1076856/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=The Hollywood Reporter \|language=en-US}}
Berlin International Film Festival \| Best Feature Film \| rowspan="4" \| Rupert Everett \| {{Nom}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|title=The Happy Prince - Berlinale Special Gala 2018 \|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/2018/programme/201816067.html \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=www.berlinale.de \|language=en}}
British Independent Film Awards \| Best Actor \| {{Nom}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|date=2018-10-29 \|title=Winners & Nominations 2018 \|url=https://www.bifa.film/awards/2018/winners-nominations/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=British Independent Film Awards \|language=en-GB}}
Camerimage \| Best Directorial Debut \| {{Nom}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|title=Directors' Debuts Competition 2018 Line-Up! – EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2023 \|url=https://camerimage.pl/en/sklad-konkursu-debiutow-rezyserskich-2018/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=camerimage.pl}}
European Film Awards \| European Actor \| {{Nom}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|last=Tartaglione \|first=Nancy \|date=2018-11-10 \|title=European Film Awards Nominations: 'Cold War', 'Dogman', 'Border' Lead – Full List \|url=https://deadline.com/2018/11/european-film-awards-nominations-2018-full-list-cold-war-border-dogman-1202499586/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=Deadline \|language=en-US}}
German Film Awards \| Best Costume Design \| rowspan="2" \| Maurizio Millenotti, Giovanni Casalnuovo \| {{Nom}} \|
Premio Berenice \| Best Costumes in Film \| {{Won}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|title=LA CHIOMA DI BERENICE 2018 - Le nomination \|url=https://www.cinemaitaliano.info/news/49375/la-chioma-di-berenice-2018-le-nomination.html \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=CinemaItaliano.info \|language=it}}
Seville European Film Festival \| Actor \| Rupert Everett \| {{Nom}} \|
rowspan=9\|2019 \| Dorian Awards \| Unsung Film of the Year \| The Happy Prince \| {{Nom}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|last=Kilday \|first=Gregg \|date=2019-01-08 \|title=Dorian Awards: 'The Favourite' Named Film of the Year \|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2019-gay-lesbian-entertainment-critics-dorian-award-winners-1174679/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=The Hollywood Reporter \|language=en-US}}
Magritte Awards \| Best Foreign Film in Co-Production \| Sébastien Delloye, Entre Chien et Loup \| {{Nom}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|last=Roxborough \|first=Scott \|date=2019-01-14 \|title='Girl,' 'Above the Law' Lead Belgium Film Award Nominations \|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/girl-law-lead-belgium-film-award-nominations-1175797/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=The Hollywood Reporter \|language=en-US}}
Motion Picture Sound Editors Awards \| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing \| François Dumont, Jérémy Hassid, Antony Gray, Gervaise Demeure, Jeroen Truijens, Vincent Maloumian \| {{Nom}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|last=Pedersen \|first=Erik \|date=2019-01-18 \|title=Motion Picture Sound Editors Reveal 2019 Golden Reel Nominations \|url=https://deadline.com/2019/01/golden-reel-nominations-2019-list-motion-picture-sound-editors-1202266360-1202537608/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=Deadline \|language=en-US}}
Satellite Awards \| Best First Feature \| rowspan="2" \| Rupert Everett \| {{Won}} \|align="center" \|{{Cite web \|title=2018 Winners \|url=https://www.pressacademy.com/2018-winners/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=International Press Academy \|language=en-US}}
rowspan="5"\| London Critics Circle Film Awards \| British/Irish Actor of the Year \| {{Won}} \|align="center" rowspan="5" \|{{Cite web \|last=Cline \|first=Rich \|date=2019-01-20 \|title=London Critics Name Roma as Film of the Year \|url=https://criticscircle.org.uk/london-critics-name-roma-as-film-of-the-year/ \|access-date=2023-09-05 \|website=The Critics' Circle \|language=en-GB}}
Film of the Year \| The Happy Prince \| {{Nom}}
Actor of the Year \| Rupert Everett \| {{Nom}}
British/Irish Film of the Year \| The Happy Prince \| {{Nom}}
Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker of the Year \| Rupert Everett \| {{Nom}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%;" width="100%"

Year

! Award

! Category

! Recipient

! Result

!{{Abbreviation|Ref.|References}}

rowspan=8| 2018

| Bavarian Film Awards

| Best Production

| Jörg Schulze, Philipp Kreuzer

| {{won}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |last=Roxborough |first=Scott |date=2018-01-21 |title=Diane Kruger, Fatih Akin Win Bavarian Film Awards for 'In the Fade' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/diane-kruger-fatih-akin-win-bavarian-film-awards-fade-1076856/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

Berlin International Film Festival

| Best Feature Film

| rowspan="4" | Rupert Everett

| {{Nom}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |title=The Happy Prince - Berlinale Special Gala 2018 |url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/2018/programme/201816067.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=www.berlinale.de |language=en}}

British Independent Film Awards

| Best Actor

| {{Nom}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |date=2018-10-29 |title=Winners & Nominations 2018 |url=https://www.bifa.film/awards/2018/winners-nominations/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=British Independent Film Awards |language=en-GB}}

Camerimage

| Best Directorial Debut

| {{Nom}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |title=Directors' Debuts Competition 2018 Line-Up! – EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2023 |url=https://camerimage.pl/en/sklad-konkursu-debiutow-rezyserskich-2018/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=camerimage.pl}}

European Film Awards

| European Actor

| {{Nom}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |last=Tartaglione |first=Nancy |date=2018-11-10 |title=European Film Awards Nominations: 'Cold War', 'Dogman', 'Border' Lead – Full List |url=https://deadline.com/2018/11/european-film-awards-nominations-2018-full-list-cold-war-border-dogman-1202499586/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

German Film Awards

| Best Costume Design

| rowspan="2" | Maurizio Millenotti, Giovanni Casalnuovo

| {{Nom}}

Premio Berenice

| Best Costumes in Film

| {{Won}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |title=LA CHIOMA DI BERENICE 2018 - Le nomination |url=https://www.cinemaitaliano.info/news/49375/la-chioma-di-berenice-2018-le-nomination.html |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=CinemaItaliano.info |language=it}}

Seville European Film Festival

| Actor

| Rupert Everett

| {{Nom}}

rowspan=9|2019

| Dorian Awards

| Unsung Film of the Year

| The Happy Prince

| {{Nom}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |last=Kilday |first=Gregg |date=2019-01-08 |title=Dorian Awards: 'The Favourite' Named Film of the Year |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2019-gay-lesbian-entertainment-critics-dorian-award-winners-1174679/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

Magritte Awards

| Best Foreign Film in Co-Production

| Sébastien Delloye, Entre Chien et Loup

| {{Nom}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |last=Roxborough |first=Scott |date=2019-01-14 |title='Girl,' 'Above the Law' Lead Belgium Film Award Nominations |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/girl-law-lead-belgium-film-award-nominations-1175797/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

Motion Picture Sound Editors Awards

| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing

| François Dumont, Jérémy Hassid, Antony Gray, Gervaise Demeure, Jeroen Truijens, Vincent Maloumian

| {{Nom}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |last=Pedersen |first=Erik |date=2019-01-18 |title=Motion Picture Sound Editors Reveal 2019 Golden Reel Nominations |url=https://deadline.com/2019/01/golden-reel-nominations-2019-list-motion-picture-sound-editors-1202266360-1202537608/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

Satellite Awards

| Best First Feature

| rowspan="2" | Rupert Everett

| {{Won}}

|align="center" |{{Cite web |title=2018 Winners |url=https://www.pressacademy.com/2018-winners/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=International Press Academy |language=en-US}}

rowspan="5"| London Critics Circle Film Awards

| British/Irish Actor of the Year

| {{Won}}

|align="center" rowspan="5" |{{Cite web |last=Cline |first=Rich |date=2019-01-20 |title=London Critics Name Roma as Film of the Year |url=https://criticscircle.org.uk/london-critics-name-roma-as-film-of-the-year/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=The Critics' Circle |language=en-GB}}

Film of the Year

| The Happy Prince

| {{Nom}}

Actor of the Year

| Rupert Everett

| {{Nom}}

British/Irish Film of the Year

| The Happy Prince

| {{Nom}}

Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker of the Year

| Rupert Everett

| {{Nom}}

References

External links

{{IMDb title|2404639}}
[https://oscarwildeinamerica.blog/2018/10/13/the-happy-prince-2018/ The Happy Prince—(2018)] Non-commercial review and in-depth analysis.
{{YouTube|id=spcNTwErdHo|title=Wilde (film) – The Selfish Giant}}

Category:2018 films

Category:2010s Belgian films

Category:2010s British films

Category:2010s English-language films

Category:2010s historical drama films

Category:2010s LGBTQ-related drama films

Category:2018 biographical drama films

Category:2018 directorial debut films

Category:2018 independent films

Category:2018 LGBTQ-related films

Category:BBC Film films

Category:British biographical drama films