The Importance of Being Earnest (2002 film)

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The Importance of Being Earnest

Directed by	Oliver Parker
Produced by	David Brown Uri Fruchtmann Barnaby Thompson
Written by	Julian Fellowes
Starring	Rupert Everett Colin Firth Frances O'Connor Reese Witherspoon Judi Dench Tom Wilkinson Anna Massey Edward Fox Patrick Godfrey
Music by	Charlie Mole
Distributed by	Miramax Films
Release date(s)	May 17, 2002
Running time	97 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

The Importance of Being Earnest is a film directed by Oliver Parker, based on Oscar Wilde's classic comedy of manners of the same name. The movie, released during the spring of 2002, grossed only about 8.3 million dollars ^[1], and despite its quirky setting and sometimes esoteric humor, the movie was acclaimed by fans of the now re-emerging genre.^{[citation needed]}

1 Plot
2 Awards & Nominations
3 Cast
4 Trivia
5 Notes
6 External links

[edit] Plot

The plot revolves around two men in Victorian England, John (Jack) Worthing and Algernon (Algy) Moncrieff. Whenever Jack travels to London from his Hertfordshire estate he says he is going to see his (fictitious) wayward brother Ernest. Once in London he keeps his privacy by calling himself Ernest. This tactic is especially important as his beloved, Gwendolyn, declares that she could only love a man named Ernest. Her cousin Algy is the one person who knows Jack's secret and one day he travels down to the estate, announcing himself to Jack's attractive ward Cecily as the infamous Ernest. Cecily is enamored with him and his name, and upon Jack's return home and Gwendolen's unexpected arrival it becomes clear there are both too many and too few Ernests earnestly courting.

[edit] Awards & Nominations

The film won the 2003 Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists's Silver Ribbon award for Best Costume Design, the movie's costumes being designed by Maurizio Millenotti.

Reese Witherspoon was nominated for a Teen Choice Award (Choice Actress - Comedy) for her performance as Cecily.

[edit] Cast

Direction:

Oliver Parker - Director/Screenplay
David Brown - Co-Producer
Uri Fruchtmann - Executive Producer
Barnaby Thompson - Producer

Actors:

Rupert Everett - Algernon Moncreiff
Colin Firth - Jack Worthing/Ernest
Frances O'Connor - Gwendolyn Fairfax
Reese Witherspoon - Cecily Cardew
Judi Dench - Lady Bracknell
Tom Wilkinson - Dr. Chausble
Anna Massey - Miss Prism
Edward Fox - Lane

[edit] Trivia

Actress Finty Williams, who plays Lady Bracknell as a young dancer, is the daughter of Dame Judi Dench, who plays the older Lady Bracknell.
The scenes where Rupert Everett slaps Colin Firth on his rear end and where Everett kisses Firth's cheek were ad libbed. Director Oliver Parker thought Firth's stunned reaction was so humorous he decided to leave it in.
While Reese Witherspoon was learning her English accent for this movie, her then husband, Ryan Phillippe was learning a Scottish accent for his role in Gosford Park. However, the person who picked it up fastest was in fact their daughter Ava.
The business with 'Ernest's' bill at the Savoy, and with the money collectors coming to Jack's country home, are taken from material Wilde cut from the play prior to its publication.
Though cut from the revised version, the gardener Molton can be seen in the background of many scenes.