The Importance of Being Earnest [VHS] [2002]: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O'Connor, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Anna Massey, Edward Fox, Patrick Godfrey, Charles Kay, Cyril Shaps, Marsha Fitzalan, Tony Pierce-Roberts, Oliver Parker, Guy Bensley, Barnaby Thompson, David Brown, Uri Fruchtmann, Oscar Wilde: Amazon.co.uk: Video

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Product Description

Video Description

The Importance of Being Earnest is a comedy masterpiece set during the Victorian era. The film concerns a pair of flamboyant bachelors called Algy (Rupert Everett) and Jack (Colin Firth) who secretly lead double lives. Using aliases and false alibis, the pair woo respectable ladies by day and cavort in music halls at night. Through countless blunders and haphazard tomfoolery, it is only a matter of time before they are caught out by their own lies. Sparkling dialogue, razor-sharp wit and electric performances make The Importance of Being Earnest unforgettably funny, whilst the grandiose sets and fabulous period costumes add romance and charm. Reese Witherspoon is radiant as Cecily, an alluring English rose, and Judi Dench puts in a fantastic performance as Lady Bracknell.

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Customer Reviews

18 Reviews

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (18 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a gem, 17 Oct 2005

By	Klaus van Amelrode "kmcva" - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Importance Of Being Earnest [DVD] [2002] (DVD)

For me "The Importance of Being Earnest" is properly one of the greatest plays ever written. The comedy is a full blown satire of Victorian society. Ocar Wilde had the very great pleasure of flattering and making fun of the audience while being applauded for doing so. So the question is not whether the play is excellent but whether this movie is.

And I have no doubts in stating yes it is.

The cast, in particular, is inspired. Rupert Everett and Dame Jude Dench are clearly born to deliver this kind of aristocratic banter. Judi Dench - one of my favorite or better just my favorite actress - as Lady Bracknell is the real star, and when she enters a scene, she steals it. I just loved every second of the audience Lady Bracknell gave to the "first fake Ernest". Hillarious!

All in all we enjoyed every minute of the movie and can greatly recommend it. 5 stars!!!!

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Handbag?!, 9 Jan 2005

By	Azlak (Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Importance Of Being Earnest [DVD] [2002] (DVD)

Wilde's fantastic play could have not asked for a better adaptation than this. The characters have a fantastic chemisty on screen and fit into their own personal roles wonderfully. Firth and Everett are the perfect orphan boy and playboy turned earnest. I don't image many will be unfamiliar with the plot but here's a quick summary:

Firth plays Jack, who lives in the country and heads to the city under the name of Earnst. Everett plays Algernon who lives in the town but heads out to the country under the name of earnst. Why? Well, Jack is in love with Lady bracknell's daughter who dreams of marrying a man named earnest. Algernon inteneds to marry Jack's ward, Cecily, by going to Jack's house (while Jack is in town) posing as Jack's fictitious brother Earnst. (Jack say's to his country folk he's off to town to visit his brother earnst) Cecily also wants to marry a man named earnst. Confused yet...I am!!

Annnyyyway, Jack comes back from town only to find Algernon flirting with Cecily and pretending to be jack's fake brother. Jack is astonished but doesn't blow his cover because Algie knows he's pretending his name is also earnst so he can marry Gwendoline Bracknell (algie's cousin). And so ensues a hilarious tale of thse two men attempting to explain who they really are and what they're up to to their adoring fiances.

As is expected of Wilde, this story is full of quirky one liners;

"Are your parents living?"

"My parents are both dead."

"To lose one parent in unfortunate. To lose two could be considered careless."

The cast are excellent so I honestly can't say who my favourite is. Jst know that this adaptation is first class and a bargain at the price being offered. Enjoy.

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful story, 10 Dec 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Importance Of Being Earnest [DVD] [2002] (DVD)

This is one film that I would love to keep on DVD to watch over and over. It has such a feel good factor I can't imagine anyone not liking it. The casting i feel could not have been better, with Colin Firth having a real 'wow' factor. But you really feel that they all belong, to the time , to each other. I rarely watch a film and feel completely enveloped even when at the cinema. I was oblivious to my surroundings at the time and I so wished to be there. A must as a Christmas present I want everyone to see this film.