The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) Oscar Wilde

The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) Oscar Wilde

SAMPLE file included

with English subtitles SRT file

Cast: Michael Redgrave (Ernest Worthing); Edith Evans (Lady Augusta Bracknell); Michael Denison (Algernon Moncrieff); Joan Greenwood (Gwendolen Fairfax); Dorothy Tutin (Cecily Cardew)

The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) is a British film adaptation of the play by Oscar Wilde. It was directed by Anthony Asquith, who also adapted the screenplay, and was produced by Teddy Baird.

This 1952 Anthony Asquith faithful film adaptation is considered to be the "best known version of Oscar Wilde's perennial classic." (Variety) This is a Victorian screwball comedy about mistaken identity. It is about rivalries and the class system with no moral message, just unmatched witty dialogue and one-liners in the true Wilde style. The stage origins of this story are evident in Asquith's adaptation.

Anthony Asquith's adaptation of Oscar Wilde's witty play of mistaken identities stars Michael Redgrave as rich bachelor Jack Worthing. Jack's friend is Algernon Moncrieft (Michael Denison), a poor bloke living on credit. Jack refers mysteriously to Algernon about his country retreat, which drives Algernon to distraction, trying to figure out where Jack goes on the weekends. Jack is also in love with Algernon's attractive cousin Gwendolen (Joan Greenwood). He also has a ward, Cecily Cardew (Dorothy Tutin), who lives at the country estate and studies with local spinster Miss Prism (Margaret Rutherford). When Algernon learns of Cecily, he arrives at the country home claiming to be Jack's brother Earnest, knowing Jack had previously regaled Cecily with tales of having to bail the fictitious Earnest out of scrapes so he could sneak out to the city.

Having set her eyes on "Earnest" in the flesh after having heard countless tales of his intrigues, Cecily immediately falls in love with Earnest. Meanwhile, Jack comes back to the country dressed in black, determined to announce to the group the demise of the fictional Earnest. As a result, Jack is stupefied when he sees Earnest standing in front of him. Meanwhile, Algernon's aunt, Lady Bracknell (Edith Evans) refuses to grant permission for Jack and Gwendolen's engagement. However, when Lady Bracknell finds out that Algernon is in love with Cecily, she asks Jack for his blessing on their marriage. Of course, Jack won't give his blessing until Lady Bracknell gives her blessing to his proposed marriage to Gwendolen. All is at a standstill until Lady Bracknell recognizes Miss Prism as a governess from the past who holds secrets concerning both Jack and Algernon.

Anthony Asquith directs the first screen adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy. Algernon Moncrieff (Michael Denison) has discovered that he has a secret in common with his friend Jack Worthing (Michael Redgrave) - they both use alter-egos when in a tight spot. However, when Algernon decides to pose as Jack's alter-ego - a brother from London - for a weekend in the country, he finds that Jack's cousin Cicely (Dorothy Tutin) has developed an infatuation with the mysterious brother; and now she can meet him. Meanwhile, Algernon's cousin Gwendolyne (Joan Greenwood) is also staying for the weekend and knows Jack as his alter-ego. Confused?

If you're looking for the definitive example of dry wit, look no further than this 1952 version of The Importance of Being Earnest. Of course, it helps to have Oscar Wilde's beloved play as source material, but this exquisite adaptation has a charmed life of its own, with a perfectly matched director and a once-in-a-lifetime cast. Mix these ingredients with Wilde's inimitable repartee, and you've got a comedic soufflé that's cooked to perfection. Opening with a proscenium nod to its theatrical origins, the film turns Wilde's comedy of clever deception and mixed identities into a cinematic treat, and while the 10-member cast is uniformly superb, special credit must be given to Dame Edith Evans, reprising her stage role as the imperiously stuffy Lady Bracknell. To hear her Wilde-ly hilarious inflections and elongated syllables is to witness British comedy in its purest form.

The most recent version of The Importance of Being Ernest changed the script! Whoever thought that they could write better than Wilde was sorely mistaken. This version, however, is superb! Not only is the full text in tact, but Sir Michael Redgrave, known for his serious Shakespeare stage performances, shows how farce is best done when done "seriously". I love this version, and am ecstatic that it is now available on DVD.

film:

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ebooks:

Oscar Wilde Complete Works 350p.pdf
Oscar Wilde Short Stories 97p.pdf
Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) 76p.pdf
Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest 54p.pdf
Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest 64p.pdf
Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest 177p.pdf

tags: Oscar Wilde, plays, literature, film, ebooks, comedy, Victorian, England, 19th century