Thursday, March 06, 2008

Lady Windermere's Fan (a play by Oscar Wilde)



Lady Windermere's Fan. A play by Oscar Wilde, first produced in 1892. (Oscar Wilde: Lady Windermere's Fan with two other plays. London: Pan Books, 1951).

" I can resist everything except temptation" (Lord Darlington, p. 15)

"Between men and women there is no friendship possible" (Lord Darlington, p. 34)

"The youth of the present day are quite monstrous. They have absolutely no respect for dyed hair." (Dumby, p. 49)

"No, we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars" (Lord Darlington, p. 50)

"In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." (Dumby, p. 51)

"Cecil Graham: What is a cynic? Lord Darlington: A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing" (p. 52)

"A heart doesn't suit me, Windermere. Somehow it doesn't go with modern dress" (Mrs. Erlynne, p. 61)

None of this in Ernst Lubitsch's film. The characters in Oscar Wilder's play are more cynical (or try hard to be) than in the Lubitsch film. In the Lubitsch film they are more experienced and less cynical.

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