The Importance Of Being Earnest cover art

The Importance Of Being Earnest Details

2002 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 5340 members

In his second adaptation of an Oscar Wilde play, writer-director Oliver Parker (AN IDEAL HUSBAND) assembles a peerless cast to engage in this witty comedy of manners and mistaken identity. In 1890s London, rakish Algernon Montcrieff (Rupert Everett, who also starred in HUSBAND) runs into his friend, Jack Worthing (Colin Firth), .. Read more

Starring Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench
Director Oliver Parker
Genres Comedy, Drama

loading loading...

The Importance Of Being Earnest

In his second adaptation of an Oscar Wilde play, writer-director Oliver Parker (AN IDEAL HUSBAND) assembles a peerless cast to engage in this witty comedy of manners and mistaken identity. In 1890s London, rakish Algernon Montcrieff (Rupert Everett, who also starred in HUSBAND) runs into his friend, Jack Worthing (Colin Firth), who is in town to propose marriage to Algy's wildly romantic cousin, Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor). When returning a cigarette case to Jack, Algy reads the inscription, and discovers his friend has two secrets. Jack has created a devilish younger brother/alter ego called "Ernest" to hide his own misdeeds, and has a beautiful young ward named Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), whom he wants to keep clear of the roguish Algy. While Jack deals with the large obstacle standing between him and Gwendolen--namely, her mother, the imposing Lady Bracknell (a wonderfully imperious Judi Dench)--Algy devises a way to meet Cecily. The confusion and hilarity come to a peak when Algy arrives at Jack's country manor posing as Ernest in order to woo Cecily, and Gwendolen runs away to the country to be with Jack--whom she knows as Ernest. The stellar cast and Wilde's clever words make for genuine entertainment.

Starring Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Anna Massey, Edward Fox
Director Oliver Parker
Studio WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 30 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 15.gif
Genres Comedy, Drama
Language English
Released DVD: 10 Mar 2003
Production year: 2002
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews of The Importance Of Being Earnest

    View all
  • You might suppose that Oscar Wilde's theatrical evergreen is indestructible. But that would be to reckon without the... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • Most helpful member's review of The Importance Of Being Earnest

    View all
  • 13 out of 13 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    NOTE: THIS FILM IS CERTIFICATE PG AND NOT 15 AS STATED IN THE LISTING!

    This is a fun and light-hearted production of Wilde's classic play. Some interesting twists and reading between Wilde's lines, but goodness... Lady Bracknell as a showgirl... well really!

    Judi Dench is magnificent as always (although she does somewhat self-conciously understate the famous "A Handbag!" line) and the rest of the cast complement each other well.

    Highly recommended!

      • A customer from SUDBURY
  • Most recent members' review of The Importance Of Being Earnest

    View all
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Oscar Wilde's wordplay is as witty and clever as it ever was. Every performance seems to show the actors enjoying themselves. A real pleasure. The only fly in the ointment is the music, which while good and full of life seems a litle at odds with the setting of the story, a little too Jeeves and Wooster maybe?

      • Ben#58 from HOVE
  • News and features

    View all
    St. Trinian's

    Girls Aloud rock up to St Trinian's premiere

    • 11 Dec 2007

    Girl-band Girls Aloud took to the pink carpet last night for the premiere of cheeky comedy St Trinian's. Joined by cast members including Russell Brand, Rupert Everett and Colin Firth, the group showed up for the party looking as glam as ever. Girls Aloud provided the theme tune for the remake and cameo as naughty students, while Brand played the role of dodgy local Flash Harry. "People ask if I was not tempted by those schoolgirls in the film," he told the press. "I told them 'th Read more

  • Image gallery

    View all
  • More like this

    View all

Rating breakdown

5,340 Member ratings
  • 100
546
  • 90
433
  • 80
949
  • 70
911
  • 60
1,027
  • 50
564
  • 40
395
  • 30
248
  • 20
177
  • 10
90

Related user collection

Best of British (25)

Average rating: 4.50   90% from 2 members

by: A customer from Exmouth

Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop


    • The Importance Of Being Earnest
    • DVD: £5.43
      Free Delivery
    • RRP £17.79 (you save: 69%)
    • In his second adaptation of an Oscar Wilde play, writer-director Oliver Parker (AN IDEAL HUSBAND) assembles a peerless cast to engage in this witty comedy of manners and mistaken identity. In 1890s ...