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The Importance Of Being Earnest Details

2002 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 5328 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

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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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Although Oliver Parker has already scripted and directed a successful Wilde adaptation, this second attempt is not up to the first. The additional dialogue screams out from the original, and is anachronistic and unsubtle. Judi Dench's Lady Bracknell is a brilliant tour-de-force and challenges the original glittering performance by Edith Evans in the 1952 film. This apart, everyone else disappoints. This is no mean feat when you have a cast that should have shone. I recommend going back to to the Anthony Asquith 1952 version to see Wilde at his trenchant, pithy best, performed by a superlative cast, including Margaret Rutherford as Miss Prism.

      • Lilie#1 from OULTON
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5,328 Member ratings
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544
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946
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911
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563
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247
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177
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90

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    • 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 ...