The Importance of Being Earnest main backdrop
The Importance of Being Earnest main poster

The Importance of Being Earnest

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7.2/10 • 111

1952-06-021h 35m

Comedy

They don't come any wilder than Oscar Wilde's classic comedy of manners, morals and morality!

Two young gentlemen living in 1890s England use the same pseudonym ('Ernest') on the sly, which is fine until they both fall in love with women using that name, which leads to a comedy of mistaken identities.

Directors
Anthony Asquith
Editors
John D. Guthridge

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Michael Redgrave

    Michael Redgrave

    Ernest Worthing

  2. Michael Denison

    Michael Denison

    Algernon Moncrieff

  3. Edith Evans

    Edith Evans

    Lady Bracknell

  4. Joan Greenwood

    Joan Greenwood

    Gwendolen Fairfax

  5. Dorothy Tutin

    Dorothy Tutin

    Cecily Cardew

  6. Margaret Rutherford

    Margaret Rutherford

    Miss Prism

  7. Miles Malleson

    Miles Malleson

    Canon Chasuble

  8. Richard Wattis

    Richard Wattis

    Seton

  9. Walter Hudd

    Walter Hudd

    Lane

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Sep 9, 2022

7/10

There's little point in outlining the plot here - it's not what the film is about. It is the combination of characterisations and the wonderfully witty writing of Oscar Wilde that make this a thoroughly enjoyable film to watch. It makes no bones about it's theatrical origins - even featuring a curtain at the start and the finish, and that sets us up for a cracker of a comedy that swipes at snobbery, pomposity, crass stupidity, deception and offers us a tour de force effort from the inimitable Dame Edith Evans ("Lady Bracknell"). Anthony Asquith has created a delightfully honest interpretation of the play - the dialogue is pithy and quickly paced, few lines are wasted and the talents of Michael Redgrave, Michael Denison, Dorothy Tutin, the perfectly cast Joan Greenwood as "Gwendoline" and Margaret Rutherford as the prim "Miss Prism" combine to give us a genuinely laugh-out-loud series of scenarios that are a joy to behold. It's colourfully set, the costumes a delight (though, I felt seriously gaudy at times!) and the comically timed mannerisms, gestures and charisma of the performers is great, too. It is rare for a piece of theatrical comedy to transfer so effortlessly to the big screen, but here it all looks so very natural...

Media

  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster
  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster
  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster
  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster
  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster
  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster
  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster
  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster
  • The Importance of Being Earnest poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
love trianglemarriagemistaken identityetiquettebased on play or musical