An Ideal Husband (1999)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Oliver Parker

Writers:

Oscar Wilde (play)
Oliver Parker (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

He just doesn't know it yet.

Plot:

Sir Robert Chiltern is a successful Government minister, well-off and with a loving wife. All this is...

Plot Keywords:

Blackmail | Social Satire | Oscar Wilde | Remake | Upper Class

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 4 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Cate Blanchett	...	Lady Gertrude Chiltern
Minnie Driver	...	Miss Mabel Chiltern
Rupert Everett	...	Lord Arthur Goring
Julianne Moore	...	Mrs. Laura Cheveley
Jeremy Northam	...	Sir Robert Chiltern
John Wood	...	Lord Caversham
Peter Vaughan	...	Phipps
Ben Pullen	...	Tommy Trafford
Marsha Fitzalan	...	Countess
Lindsay Duncan	...	Lady Markby
Neville Phillips	...	Mason
Nickolas Grace	...	Vicomte de Nanjac
Simon Russell Beale	...	Sir Edward
Anna Patrick	...	Miss Danvers
Delia Lindsay	...	Lady Basildon

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief sensuality/nudity.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #36196) | Australia:PG | UK:PG | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | New Zealand:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Arts Council of England

Trivia:

The play attended by the characters in the movie is Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." The tall, older man that addresses the audience from the stage at the end of the play represents Wilde who did in reality address the audience when his play first debuted.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: At the reception at the Chiltern's home, Sir Robert is requested to meet the Indian Ambassador. In 1895 India was a British possession and there could not be such an Ambassador who represents only independent states.

Quotes:

Gertrude: Lord Goring, you are talking quite seriously.
Lord Arthur Goring: You must forgive me, Lady Chiltern. It won't occur again.
Gertrude: No, I like you to be serious.
[Enter Mabel]
Mabel: Gertrude, please don't say such a dreadful thing to Lord Goring. Seriousness would be very unbecoming to him. Good morning, Lord Goring. Pray be as trivial as you can.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (2005-11-11)" (2005)

Another 'modernisation' goes wrong.

One of the principal sources of humour in Wilde's plays comes from pricking at the inflated egos, pious humbug and ignorance of the upper classes. There is always a Wildean character to reverse a clicheed expression or invert conventional 'wisdom.' Unfortunately, by stripping most of his characters of their stiff formality and rigid social code, the writer and director have removed the butt of the joke and Wilde's comments on absurdity are left without a punchline. The attempt to work in anachronistic social relevance leaves us with a set of feeble characters who fall in love with each other for no obvious reason. Because Wilde's language has been sterilised the actors have to use mugging to express the personalities Wilde created. Result, a charmless and dated 'political' drama as credible as a Jeffery Archer novel. Gertrude is insecure and fretful where she should be smug and priggish- Mabel is arch where she should be caustic- Poor Oscar - gets no 'Oscar'!