An Ideal Husband (1999)

Sir Robert Chiltern is a successful Government minister, well-off and with a loving wife. All this is threatened when Mrs Cheveley appears in London with damning evidence of a past misdeed.... See full summary »

Director:

Oliver Parker

Writers:

Oscar Wilde (play), Oliver Parker (screenplay)

Stars:

Peter Vaughan, Rupert Everett, Minnie Driver

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

Sir Robert Chiltern is a successful Government minister, well-off and with a loving wife. All this is threatened when Mrs Cheveley appears in London with damning evidence of a past misdeed. Sir Robert turns for help to his friend Lord Goring, an apparently idle philanderer and the despair of his father. Goring knows the lady of old, and, for him, takes the whole thing pretty seriously.

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Plot Keywords:

social satire | flirting | blackmail | husband wife relationship | high society | 

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Taglines:

He just doesn't know it yet.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief sensuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Miramax [us] Official site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 June 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un mari idéal

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$198,802 (USA) (18 June 1999)

Gross:

$18,535,191 (USA) (1 October 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arts Council of England, Canal+, Fragile Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At Lord Goring's Club, a background character says "Come now, Bunbury!" Bunbury is an imaginary sick friend invented by a character in "The Importance of Being Earnest" as an excuse to visit the country. That play is performed in the background in several scenes of the movie.

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Goofs

Gertrude asks Lord Goring to accompany Mabel to the art exhibit, and then asks Mabel if she minds. When Mabel replies, you can see the reflection of Gertrude in the mirror behind Mabel. But you shouldn't be able to see Gertrude since she is seated during the entire scene.

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Quotes

Sir Robert Chiltern: If you are suggesting, Sir Edward, that my position in society owes anything to my wife, you are utterly mistaken. It owes everything to my wife.

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Crazy Credits

The credits list Oliver Parker, the director, as playing "Bunbury", one of the gentlemen that is seen playing cards with Lord Goring in the Men's Club when Lord Chiltern arrives. Bunbury is also a never-seen character in "The Importance of Being Earnest", the play which is performed in the background of several scenes of this film.

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Connections

Remake of An Ideal Husband (2000)

User Reviews

an interesting look at Victorian sensibilities

As we prepare to enter the 21st Century, An Ideal Husband allows us to see the world, England in particular, as we enter the 20th Century, and who better to guide us than Oscar Wilde. The story is not unfamiliar --- politics, blackmail, love, and friendship. What is different however is how these are viewed thru the prism of the Victorian Era, the centerpiece of the film. The cast was superb from Jeremy Northam, Sir Robert Chiltern the title character, to Cate Blanchett, Lady Gertrud Chiltern his wife, to Minnie Driver, Mabel Chiltern his sister, to Rupert Everett, Lord Arthur Goring his friend, and Julianne Moore, Mrs. Cheveley. The minor characters of Lord Goring's father and butler were good as well. Although all were very good, Rupert Everett stole the show. His character is the one who connects all the others and does so with grace, charm, and wit. Which brings me to my final point, the film is filmed filled with witty dialogue and double-entendre a la Oscar Wilde. I went to see this movie twice. It was that good and appreciated it more the second time. I can not see how this movie could have been better. Four stars!!!