An Ideal Husband (1999)

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:

Social Satire | Flirting | Blackmail | Husband Wife Relationship | High Society

Awards:

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

Cast

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
Denise Stephenson	...	Gwendolen
Charles Edwards	...	Jack
Nancy Carroll	...	Cecily
Andy Harrison	...	Algernon
Jill Balcon	...	Lady Bracknell
Janet Henfrey	...	Miss Prism
Toby Robertson	...	Canon Chasuble
Michael Culkin	...	Oscar Wilde
Oliver Parker	...	Bunbury
Doug Bradley	...	Brackpool (as Douglas Bradley)
Stephen May	...	Burlington
Jeroen Krabbé	...	Baron Arnheim
Susannah Wise	...	Young Mother
Peter Parker	...	First MP
Oliver Ford Davies	...	Sir Hugo Danforth
Neil Mendoza	...	Second MP
John Thompson	...	The Speaker

Directed by
Oliver Parker

Writing credits
Oscar Wilde		(play)
Oliver Parker		(screenplay)

Produced by
Nicky Kentish Barnes	....	co-producer
Andrea Calderwood	....	executive producer
Bruce Davey	....	producer
Uri Fruchtmann	....	producer
Ralph Kamp	....	executive producer
Susan B. Landau	....	executive producer
Barnaby Thompson	....	producer
Paul Tucker	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Charlie Mole

Cinematography by
David Johnson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Guy Bensley

Casting by
Celestia Fox

Production Design by
Michael Howells

Art Direction by
Rod McLean

Set Decoration by
Katie Lee

Costume Design by
Caroline Harris

Makeup Department
Tamsin Dorling	....	hair stylist
Paul Gooch	....	chief hair stylist
Peter King	....	hair designer
Peter King	....	makeup designer
Veronica McAleer	....	makeup artist (as Veronica Brebner)
Jamie Pritchard	....	hair stylist
Kirstie Stanway	....	hair stylist
Liz Tagg	....	key makeup artist (as Elizabeth Tagg)

Production Management
Jo Farr	....	unit production manager
Waldo Roeg	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Hewitt	....	assistant director
Marshall Leviten	....	crowd assistant director
Matthew Penry-Davey	....	third assistant director
Toby Sherborne	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Simon Alderton	....	stand-by rigger
Mark Brady	....	stand-by carpenter
Graham Caulfield	....	drapesmaster
Steve Fitzwater	....	assistant construction manager
Joanna Foley	....	art department assistant
Colin Gray	....	dressing props
Elli Griff	....	stand-by art director
Nick Milner	....	stand-by props
Steve Payne	....	dressing props
Julie Philpott	....	assistant art director
Graeme Purdy	....	property master
Malcolm Roberts	....	construction manager
Bob Sherwood	....	dressing props
Alfie Smith	....	chargehand stand-by prop
Jim Staines	....	storyboard artist
Lucinda Sturgis	....	property buyer
Graham Weames	....	supervising carpenter

Sound Department
Christopher Ackland	....	sound effects editor (as Chris Ackland)
Peter Burgis	....	foley artist
Andie Derrick	....	foley artist
Mark DeSimone	....	adr engineer
Steve Finn	....	sound assistant (as Stephen Finn)
Susan French	....	assistant sound editor (as Sue French)
Max Hoskins	....	supervising sound editor
Peter Lindsay	....	sound
Miriam Ludbrook	....	foley editor
Mike Prestwood Smith	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Adrian Rhodes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Malcolm Rose	....	sound maintenance
Steve Hancock	....	sound technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Angus Cameron	....	digital effects supervisor
Antony Hunt	....	visual effects supervisor
Daniel Pettipher	....	digital artist
Andy Stevens	....	visual effects camera assistant: Millfilm
Max Dennison	....	digital matte artist (uncredited)
Rick Mietkowski	....	visual effects supervision/photography (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	key grip
Alex Bailey	....	still photographer
Robert Binnall	....	focus puller
Kevin Brookner	....	video assist
Matthew Butler	....	electrician
Peter Chester	....	best boy
Martin Kenzie	....	camera operator
Robert Palmer	....	clapper loader
Aaron Walters	....	electrician
Gavin Walters	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Alex Johnson	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Emily Bradbury	....	assistant costume designer
Katherine Burchill	....	costume assistant
Lee Clayton	....	tailor
Ali Goss	....	costume supervisor
Joe Hobbs	....	wardrobe master
Melissa Layton	....	costume assistant
Marcus Love-McGuirk	....	costume master
Georgina Napier	....	costume assistant
Marnie Ormiston	....	costume assistant
Rupert Steggle	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Tania Blunden	....	post-production (as Tania Windsor Blunden)
Mike Fraser	....	negative cutter
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant
Steve Mercer	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Geoff Alexander	....	conductor
Geoff Alexander	....	orchestrator
John Bell	....	additional orchestrator
James Seymour Brett	....	music co-producer
Matt Dunkley	....	music preparation
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Michael Higham	....	music editor
Nick Ingman	....	conductor
Nick Ingman	....	orchestrator
Michael Lustig	....	music consultant
Eliza Thompson	....	music supervisor
Mike Townend	....	additional orchestrator
Gavyn Wright	....	orchestra leader
Bjorn Ole Schroeder	....	music editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Ahrens	....	assistant to executive producer
Jean Bourne	....	script supervisor
Derek Boyes	....	production runner
Phil Clarke	....	production liaison
Simon Crawford Collins	....	location manager
Teresa Darby	....	location scout (as Teresa Hidalgo)
Mike Fraser	....	rushes transfer
Lisa Grimes	....	location assistant
Rachelle Gryn	....	assistant: Oliver Parker
Muriel Gérard	....	unit publicist
Erol Hunt	....	production runner
John Kearney	....	horse wrangler
Sarah Lee	....	location supervisor
Sarah Lucraft	....	production accountant
Judith Nora	....	production assistant
Roger Phillips	....	title designer
Asha Radwan	....	assistant production coordinator
Mari Roberts	....	floor runner
Jo Rogers	....	assistant to producer (as Joanna Rogers)
Jo Rogers	....	head of development
Bevan Walsh	....	production runner

Production Companies

• Arts Council of England (presents) (in assocation with) (as The Arts Council of England)
• Canal+
• Fragile Films
• Icon Entertainment International (presents)
• Icon Productions (in association with) (as Icon Pictures)
• Miramax Films (in association with)
• Pathé Pictures International (presents) (as Pathé Pictures)

Distributors

• Pathé (1999) (UK) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Pyramide Distribution (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Lauren Films (2000) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Crest International (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Yorin (2004) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Filmes Lusomundo (200?) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• Aquarius TV (2008) (Greece) (TV)
• Gativideo (200?) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Anvil Post Production  sound re-recording
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Mike Fraser  telecine rushes transfers
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services

Also Known As:

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:

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) | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #36196) | Australia:PG | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Arts Council of England

Trivia:

The green carnation that Arthur selects for his buttonhole is a subtle homage to Oscar Wilde. Wilde and his "inner circle" of gay friends used to wear green carnations as a way of discreetly displaying their sexuality.

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:

Laura:Wonderful woman, Lady Markby, isn't she? Talks more and says less than anybody I ever met.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: 2005 College Championship Quarterfinal 5 (#22.45)" (2005)

Wit, depth and beauty - Will Wilde follow Shakespeare to Hollywood?

As I left this movie, someone said "How nice to see an intelligent movie!"

The risk going in was that it would be ONLY an intelligent - or at least clever - piece, all period manners and costumes. In fact, with all the Oscar Wilde wit which sounds wonderfully fresh here, there are also rich moments of emotional depth throughout this amusing but also quite moving film.

One theme here - touching in hindsight - is how little it can take to destroy a reputation - Wilde was later to have some of the most painful possible firsthand experience of this. But the central question here, which anchors the humor and beauty that decorate it, is the cost of rigorous, even rigid, honesty. And the growth of the central characters on this point shines through, even through the dance of wit and farce.

Underpinning this is a surprising faith in human nobility, quite in contrast to the ironic persona Wilde maintained. It struck me while watching it both that Wilde had very French characteristics - a continental finesse, the love of repartee - and yet was profoundly an English writer by virtue of his faith in fair play and the bonds of (platonic) male friendship.

In fact, Lord Goring, whose world-weary ways make him something of a surrogate for Wilde, is a distant cousin to Sidney Carton in coming to the defense of a 'nobler' friend even at great (possible) sacrifice to himself. His very lack of seriousness is what makes his efforts on behalf of his friends so moving.

With this, the pure visual beauty of actors like Cate Blanchett and Rupert Everett, matched by sumptuous costumes and sets, adds a sensuous element which, in a lesser film, might have dominated the movie. They, with Minnie Driver in cheeky comic form and Julianne Moore sweetly evil and superbly English, make it a delight both to watch and to savor later as tart food for thought.