Rent The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
3.9 of 5 from 86 ratings
1h 35min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Two eligible bachelors, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff (Michael Denison), are in trouble. Jack's unworthy habit of representing himself as his imaginary brother Ernest (Michael Redgrave) and Algernon's adoption of an equally fictitious - and perpetually sickly -friend has allowed them both a latitude in their personal lives that they would otherwise have not enjoyed. Their respective deceptions start to unravel, however, when both chaps become mortally wounded by Cupid's arrow -setting up a series of events which will change their lives forever!
- Actors:
- Michael Redgrave, Richard Wattis, Michael Denison, Walter Hudd, Edith Evans, Joan Greenwood, Dorothy Tutin, Margaret Rutherford, Miles Malleson, Aubrey Mather, Ivor Barnard
- Directors:
- Anthony Asquith
- Producers:
- Teddy Baird
- Writers:
- Anthony Asquith, Oscar Wilde
- Studio:
- Carlton Video
- Genres:
- Classics, Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Collections:
- A World of Difference: A History of Gay Cinema, All the Twos: 1902-62, Drama Films & TV, Introducing the EGOT Crowd, A Brief History of Film...
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 05/09/2016
- Run Time:
- 95 minutes
- Languages:
- English Dolby Digital 1.0
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.37:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Booklet by Professor Neil Sinyard
- A Profile of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' Featurette
- Extensive Image Galleries
- Promotional Material PDF's
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Reviews (3) of The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest - The Importance of Being Earnest review by HS
It's lovely to see this old film again after goodness knows how many years ... a great cast, just a pity about the very poor soundtrack.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Great film - The Importance of Being Earnest review by KG
They don't make 'em like this any more. Super film, but sadly the sound quality is not very good now.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Social Comedy. - The Importance of Being Earnest review by Steve
Definitive film version of Oscar Wilde's immortal play, which brilliantly capitalises on all of its dazzling virtues, without ever overcoming the flaws. Anthony Asquith presents the scenes as if on a stage, and is extremely faithful to the text. And his ideal cast delivers Wilde's polished epigrams with aplomb, as the drollery of the ingenious plot unspools.
Michael Redgrave and Michael Denison are frivolous bachelors of the privileged class who adopt alternative identities to free themselves of their minor responsibilities. Joan Greenwood and Dorothy Tutin are pretty debutantes who fall in love with these alter-egos. But Margaret Rutherford and Edith Evans steal the film as their elderly chaperones.
As with the play, characters are mere cyphers, a means of moving the plot around while delivering sparkling bon mots. The men are charming, disingenuous fops. The older women are monsters, which makes them more interesting. But it's impossible to invest any care in them. It's all surface. Which is fine, because the scenes fizz with incredible lines.
A few witticisms inevitably fail to launch, and without anyone to care about, the film quickly stalls. The ironic inflection becomes irritating. But these are moments. The period costumes and Victorian habitat are richly reproduced in gaudy Technicolor. The stars perform the hilariously absurd frou-frou with expertise. And Asquith has genuine rapport with Oscar's unique depiction of the upper class.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.