The Importance of Being Earnest - Criterion Collection

Rating:
Summary: classic comedy-of-manners (or lack there of!!!)
Review: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST is one of the most beloved movies of all time. It's deserved status as a classic is not disputed with this reviewer.

The fun begins when Algernon Moncrieff (Michael Denison) discovers that his best friend Jack Worthing (Michael Redgrave) sometimes invents a fake brother named Earnest to get out of sticky situations. Algie also learns of the beautiful young Cecily Cardew (Dorothy Tutin), who is Jack's young ward at his country estate.

When the formidable Lady Bracknell (Dame Edith Evans) calls with her daughter Gwendolen (Joan Greenwood), the history of Jack (or Earnest's) parentage is discussed when it is discovered that Gwendolen has decided to marry Jack based on the desirability of his name (which she thinks is Earnest)!.

Getting confused? This is only the first half-hour!

Algie, wishing to see for himself the beauty that is Cecily, high-tails it down to Jack's estate, and disguises himself as Earnest. Of course, Cecily too is enamored with the name of Earnest and is soon engaged to him. When Jack returns home in funeral garb with the story of Earnest's death in Paris, the story is quickly blown with the appearance of Algie as the wayward 'brother'!

Also staying at the estate is the nervous Miss Prism (Margaret Rutherford) who is Cecily's tutor. Prism's shameless flirtation with the stuffy Canon Chasuble (Miles Malleson) is the prime focus of her life.

It is not until Lady Bracknell makes her way to the estate that the true story of Jack (or Earnest's) parentage is uncovered, with the 'help' of Miss Prism...

Oscar Wilde's classic witty repartee is given top-shelf treatment in Anthony Asquith's classic film version in glowing Technicolor. Truly a delightful good time.

The DVD includes the trailer, stills gallery and bio's for the cast.

Rating:
Summary: Edith Evans, I love you! Oscar's not too bad either!
Review: The problem with this DVD is the sound quality which appears to have been taken straight from a bad BVU tape version. The actual show is the definitive version, there can be no argument about this - for a start, no-one feels the need to trivialise Oscar Wilde's script by having their lover's name tattooed on their bum! Unfortunately, the actual movie is ruined by its appalling sound quality.

Rating:
Summary: One of the funniest plays ever and one of the best casts
Review: This 1952 Technicolor film classic bring together one of all-time funniest plays in the history of the English language with a dream cast featuring Michael Redgrave, Edith Evans, Joan Greenwood, Margaret Rutherford and Miles Malleson.

This film is beautifully mounted; superb direction by Anthony Asquith and terrific color photography by Desmond Dickinson.

The Oscar Wilde Victorian comedy is a laugh-a-second series of absolute silliest situations.

If you enjoy Classic British Cinema, a brilliant play or any of the above actors, this wonderful DVD MUST be part of your collection.

As usual, the quality is typically the best non-restored quality people have come to expect from Criterion.

Only the lack of a commentary track or a documentary on the making of this priceless film is lacking.

Rating:
Summary: A fundamental issue in your DVD collection !
Review: This delightful and enjoyable comedy of mistakes turns around the several twists of fate which will make you laugh in a dyonisiac way . Michael Redgrave -one of the top british actors in the century- is specially appropriate for the comedy genre and his acting is one of the finest and sublime through his career.
Dazzling direction and wonderful adapation of the Oscar Wilde work .
Consider this film , Kind hearts and coronets ,Pygmalion, Hobson choice , The lavender hill mob , The man in the white suit Captain's paradise , The ladykillers and Caesar and Cleopatra as the best comedy films per excellence in the British Cinema .

Rating:
Summary: It could have, should have...,but
Review: This is certainly a dream cast. The perfomances should have been definitive.
However, undoubtably reflecting the director's preference, the pacing of the dialogue is simple too slow.
Wilde's words are meant to dazzle, but when delivered so slowly as is the case here, the effect is often ponderous and labored.
In addition, the director's persistent use of static close ups create a clostrophobic feel that becomes more irritating with every viewing.

But don't get me wrong, this is still an "Earnest" that must be seen.

Rating:
Summary: First big screen adaptation of Oscar Wilde's hit
Review: This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

"The Importance of Being Earnest" is arguably Oscar Wilde's best known work. The plot is a classic example of mistaken identity and is well known enough to justify not mentioning it in this review.

The film, has great acting and includes an excellent performance by Margaret Rutherford, probably best know for her role as Miss Jane Marple in the 1960's "Miss Marple" films.

There are 2 special features. A theatrical trailer and a slideshow of production photos with notes by Bruce Eder.

This film is a true comedy classic film and remains popular to this day.

Rating:
Summary: The Criterion version is the best version by far.......
Review: Two film versions of Oscar Wilde's IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST are now available on DVD. If you know nothing of the play or subsequent movie versions of the play, you might wonder, which is best? Which should I buy? Should I buy both of them?

The version of EARNEST released in 1952 and listed here stars Michael Redgrave as Worthing (father of Lynn, Vanessa, and Colin Redgrave; grandfather of Miranda and Natasha Richardson, etc.), Dame Edith Evans as Aunt Augusta, Joan Greenwood as Gwendolyn, Margaret Rutherford as the woeful governess, and several other fine stage actors of 1950s England.

The 1952 version is 95 minutes long and presented as a stage play with a few outdoors settings. If you want to see the play as Wilde probably meant it to be seen, this version is the one to buy. The dialogue is snappy and smart, the humor dry and witty, the actors are filled with zest. Not only that, but the 1952 version is a Criterion DVD with `digital transfer' and historical notes.

The second version of EARNEST, released in theaters a year or two ago, stars Colin Firth as Worthing, Rupert Everett as Algeron, Frances O'Conner as Gwendolyn, Dame Judi Dench as Aunt Augusta, Anna Massey in the Margaret Rutherford role, Reese Witherspoon as Cecily, and Edward Fox as Algeron's underpaid manservant. If Wilde knows about this version, he is probably spinning in his grave in Pere Lachaise.

The dialogue (Wilde wrote) is virtually the same in both films, and the actors for the most part are great actors, but something has gone missing from the newer release. I love Colin Firth, but he is dismal as Worthing. I am ambivalent about Everett but he is the best thing in the newer film. Anna Massey is fine, I loved her as George Sand's mother in IMPROMPTU, but after seeing Margaret Rutherford play the role of the wayward nanny-turned-tutor in the Criterion version--forget it.

The second EARNEST (newer version) plays like an old record on warped speed. The witty dialogue moves so slowly, the repartee is as flat as fallen souffle. On top of that, what is a knight in armor doing in this play? Did the screen play call for this bit of nonsense? Or did the director decide to borrow elements from a few other films! For example, in several scenes, Firth (Worthing) gives an almost repeat performance of scenes from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I could forgive the ripoff of P&P in BRIDGET JONES because that film is a satire on P&P, but in EARNEST it simply doesn't work.

The action in the newer version is V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W compared with the Criterion version. Did the director slow the action because he thought "monolingual" Americans would understand the words better?? How stupid, GOSFORD PARK did just fine. Those of us who patronize British films and the BBC understand British accents --
and many of us can identify accents by class and locale. Gee whiz, if you can follow the dialogue in East Enders you can follow anything.

If you're a drama student and can afford both versions, buy both versions. In this case actions do speak louder than words and you can discover for yourself that great script and actors aren't the only ingredients in a good film-the director matters.

Rating:
Summary: The Criterion version is the best version by far.......
Review: Two film versions of Oscar Wilde's IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST are now available on DVD. If you know nothing of the play or subsequent movie versions of the play, you might wonder, which is best? Which should I buy? Should I buy both of them?

The version of EARNEST released in 1952 and listed here stars Michael Redgrave as Worthing (father of Lynn, Vanessa, and Colin Redgrave; grandfather of Miranda and Natasha Richardson, etc.), Dame Edith Evans as Aunt Augusta, Joan Greenwood as Gwendolyn, Margaret Rutherford as the woeful governess, and several other fine stage actors of 1950s England.

The 1952 version is 95 minutes long and presented as a stage play with a few outdoors settings. If you want to see the play as Wilde probably meant it to be seen, this version is the one to buy. The dialogue is snappy and smart, the humor dry and witty, the actors are filled with zest. Not only that, but the 1952 version is a Criterion DVD with 'digital transfer' and historical notes.

The second version of EARNEST, released in theaters a year or two ago, stars Colin Firth as Worthing, Rupert Everett as Algeron, Frances O'Conner as Gwendolyn, Dame Judi Dench as Aunt Augusta, Anna Massey in the Margaret Rutherford role, Reese Witherspoon as Cecily, and Edward Fox as Algeron's underpaid manservant. If Wilde knows about this version, he is probably spinning in his grave in Pere Lachaise.

The dialogue (Wilde wrote) is virtually the same in both films, and the actors for the most part are great actors, but something has gone missing from the newer release. I love Colin Firth, but he is dismal as Worthing. I am ambivalent about Everett but he is the best thing in the newer film. Anna Massey is fine, I loved her as George Sand's mother in IMPROMPTU, but after seeing Margaret Rutherford play the role of the wayward nanny-turned-tutor in the Criterion version--forget it.

The second EARNEST (newer version) plays like an old record on warped speed. The witty dialogue moves so slowly, the repartee is as flat as fallen souffle. On top of that, what is a knight in armor doing in this play? Did the screen play call for this bit of nonsense? Or did the director decide to borrow elements from a few other films! For example, in several scenes, Firth (Worthing) gives an almost repeat performance of scenes from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I could forgive the ripoff of P&P in BRIDGET JONES because that film is a satire on P&P, but in EARNEST it simply doesn't work.

The action in the newer version is V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W compared with the Criterion version. Did the director slow the action because he thought "monolingual" Americans would understand the words better?? How stupid, GOSFORD PARK did just fine. Those of us who patronize British films and the BBC understand British accents --
and many of us can identify accents by class and locale. Gee whiz, if you can follow the dialogue in East Enders you can follow anything.

If you're a drama student and can afford both versions, buy both versions. In this case actions do speak louder than words and you can discover for yourself that great script and actors aren't the only ingredients in a good film-the director matters.