An Ideal Husband 1999 starring Rupert Everett

An Ideal Husband 1999

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." 

Rupert Everett was made for Oscar Wilde. And of course, he plays the Wilde type character of Lord Goring in An Ideal Husband with such relish that you almost think you are seeing Oscar Wilde himself on the screen. Bravo!!!

Cate Blanchett struts her stuff in An Ideal Husband

I won't give the plot away in case you haven't seen this film or the play on which it is based. Suffice it to say that Jeremy Northam and Cate Blanchett play the "ideal couple" Sir Robert and Lady Gertrude Chiltern in this story who of course find things a bit rocky for a while. Everett plays the confirmed bachelor Lord Goring and Minnie Driver plays the naughty but nice Miss Mabel who is interested in him. Julianne Moore plays the just plain nasty Mrs. Cheveley who stirs things up quite handily for all.

Rupert Everett and Cate Blanchett having a serious conversation

 
"All I know, Gertrude, is that it takes great courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still to love it. And even more courage to see it in the one you love. Gertrude, you have more courage than any woman I have ever known. Do not be afraid now to use it." 

You'll hate Julianne Moore and love Jeremy Northam as you should!

 "A rather charming little idea has come into my head, and now that I consider it, I find it to be a rather charming big idea."

Minnie Driver has a riot with this role as usual

"My dear father, if we men married the women we deserved... we should have a very bad time of it."


Well, I will leave you with Oscar Wilde's wise words and my hearty recommendation of this film. Oh, and the play is pretty darn good too if you are lucky enough to see it live!

**************************************************************************************

P.S. If any of you have seen the lower budget but perhaps "closer to the play" version from 2000 with Jonathan Firth, James Wilbey and Sadie Frost, please let me know what you think. I love the above version very much, but I am always open, especially to a brother of Colin Firth!

The Importance of Being Earnest 2002-Oscar Wilde and Colin Firth!

The Importance of Being Earnest 2002

Well, as I continue my happy journey through the favorites of my DVD collection, The Importance of Being Earnest jumped into my hands. There are times when you need something funny, light, gorgeous to look at and with just a hint of biting satire for tang and this one really fits the bill.

Frances O'Connor, Colin Firth, Rupert Everett and Reese Witherspoon in The Importance of Being Earnest

Arguably Oscar Wilde's greatest play, The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is mostly romping farce but has, of course, some social commentary at it's core. This makes it perfect for the screen and director Oliver Parker does a wonderful job adapting it. Visually stunning and with a musical score which helps the romping pace of this film, you will laugh and totally lose yourself. The story centres on the two couples above, Frances O'Connor is luminous and Colin Firth even gets to sing in this. He has a rather funny reedy little voice, which you have likely heard in Mama Mia but here he gets to accompany himself on a ukulele which again adds some comedy (or was it a guitar?-oh, goody, I have to watch it again!).

Rupert Everett and Colin Firth in The Importance of Being Earnest

Rupert Everett and Colin Firth have worked together before, very early in their careers in  Another Country from 1984 and you can tell that they enjoy each other's company. As friends (or are they brothers?) the banter is as wonderful as those suits they are wearing.

Reese Witherspoon and Rupert Everett in The Importance of Being Earnest

Reese Witherspoon shows that she is not just another pretty face by holding her own amongst these greats of the British screen. She is refreshing and sweet and really gets the joke.

Rupert Everett, Judi Dench and Reese Witherspoon in The Importance of Being Earnest

Judi Dench is just the icing on the cake as Lady Bracknell, whipping off the wonderful lines like the pro she is.

Lady Bracknell: To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness. ***********************************************************************************

Jack: I don't actually know who I am by birth. I was... well, I was found.
Lady Bracknell: Found?
Jack: Yes. The late Mr. Thomas Cardew, an old gentlemen of a kindly disposition found me and gave me the name of Worthing because he happened to have a first class ticket to Worthing at the time. Worthing is a place in Sussex. It's a seaside resort.
Lady Bracknell: And where did this charitable gentlemen with the first class ticket to the seaside resort find you?
Jack: In a handbag.
Lady Bracknell: [closes eyes briefly] A handbag?
Jack: Yes, Lady Bracknell, I was in a hand bag. A somewhat large... black... leather handbag with handles... to it.
[pause]
Lady Bracknell: An ordinary handbag.
Lady Bracknell: And where did this Mr. James... or, Thomas Cardew come across this ordinary handbag?
Jack: The cloak room at Victoria Station. It was given to him in mistake for his own...
Lady Bracknell: [Shocked] The cloak room at Victoria Station?
Jack: Yes. The Brighton line.
Lady Bracknell: The line is immaterial.
[begins tearing up notes]
Lady Bracknell: Mr. Worthing. I must confess that I feel somewhat bewildered by what you have just told me. To be born, or at any rate bred in a handbag, whether it have handles or not, seems to me to display a contempt for the ordinary decencies of family life which reminds one of the worst excesses of the French revolution, and I presume you know what that unfortunate movement led to?

***********************************************************************************

So again, if you haven't seen this one, it is an easy recommendation for me to make. If you have seen it, then you may want to pull it out for another viewing as I have done quite happily.

Enjoy the weekend my friends and I hope this made you smile!!!