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:

Factual errors: Several MPs including Lord Caversham are shown wearing top hats in Parliament. MPs didn't (and still don't) wear hats during a session of the House, unless they are raising a Point of Order while a vote is in progress.

Quotes:

Lord Caversham:Married yet?
Lord Arthur Goring:Ask me again in half an hour.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Club (2000)

Superb filmmaking

To say that this film is a filmmaking tour de force would be a great injustice. It is far better than that. Oliver Parker's revitalizing of Oscar Wilde's classic play is filmmaking at its finest.

Every element of this film is superlative. Wilde's story as adapted to the screen by Parker is witty, intelligent and engaging from start to finish. Seldom can you find a story that attempts to be a romantic comedy, a tale of duplicity blackmail and betrayal, and a drama of political intrigue, and succeeds so well on all counts.

The intricate weave of deception, manipulation and double entendre along with comic misperception, irony and rapier witted dialogue are delicious and classic Wilde. This is a film you will want to see again and again, just to discover all the lines within the lines.

I cannot say enough about the brilliance of Oliver Parker's direction in this film. He has captured late 19th Century aristocratic England with vivid and rich images that put the viewer right into the period. David Johnson's cinematography is fantastic, with every scene working well as to lighting and color. The beautiful blend of colors in the costumes and the set always looked like they belonged together. Parker also provides numerous interesting camera angles that help dramatize the scenes. It serves to remind us that glorious films can still be made relying on the creative eye of the director rather than special effects.

The acting was delightful. Rupert Everett, as the self absorbed Lord Arthur Goring, delivers an exquisite performance as the unscrupulous rogue upon whom the mantle of truth and honor is laid.

Julianne Moore was delightful as the evil and cunning Mrs. Cheveley. As cold, manipulative and heartless as she is with Chiltern and Lady Chiltern, she is that vulnerable and helpless with Lord Goring, for whom she has long held a flame. Moore handles this emotional juggling act with great skill and you find yourself simultaneously loving her ingeniousness and hating her treachery.

Cate Blanchett turns in another wonderful performance as the oh-so-perfect, Lady Gertrud Chiltern. Jeremy Northam is also excellent as Robert Chiltern, the man of untouchable character with a scandalous secret in his past. Even Minnie Driver is charming as Robert's sister.

This is a terrific film for the refined viewer who appreciates all aspects of filmmaking. Even for those not into the art of filmmaking, it is simply great entertainment. I can think of no negative criticism of it. It is well written, directed, photographed and acted. It is filmmaking the way it was meant to be. A perfect 10.