Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3868 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-07-21
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

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

Synopsis
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.

Customer Reviews

a gem
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!!!!

A Handbag?!
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.

A wonderful story
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.