Amazon.co.uk: The Importance Of Being Earnest [2002]: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O'Connor (II), Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Anna Massey, Edward Fox, Patrick Godfrey, Charles Kay, Cyril Shaps, Marsha Fitzalan, Finty Williams, Guy Bensley, Christina Robert, Oliver Parker: DVD

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Reviews

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Audio commentary with Director Oliver Parker
The making of The Importance of Being Earnest
Behind the Scenes

DVD Technical Information:

Closed captioned
Running time: 90 minutes

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.

From the studio
Audio Commentary with Director

The Making of Importance of Being Earnest

Behind the Scenes

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
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39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

a gem, 17 Oct 2005

By	Klaus Meyer "kmcva" (Berlin, Germany) - See all my reviews

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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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent adaptation, 5 Jul 2006

By	Catfish "Ania" (Cambridge, UK) - See all my reviews

This is a brilliant, witty satire of the superficiality of Victorian society, presented with a great deal of irony and humour. I bought the film with some hesitation, wondering what Reese Witherspoon is doing in a film the essence of which is Englishness - but she is perfect for the role of Cecily. Her accent is faultless, her mannerisms immaculate, and I can't imagine anyone else playing her obsession with pre-Raphaelite daydreams and diary entries with so much grace and innocence. The Rupert Everett - Colin Firth duet Lady Come Down is unforgettable (they actually DO sing it!), while Judi Dench as formidable Aunt Augusta delivers a stunning performance. I watched this film because of my interest in Oscar Wilde, but have made all my friends watch it since, and everyone loves it, so I am sure that even if you are not a big fan of adaptations of classics you will still thoroughly enjoy this one.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

A Handbag?!, 10 Jan 2005

By	Azlak (Scotland) - See all my reviews

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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