Plot summary for
An Ideal Husband (1999) More at IMDbPro »

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. Written by Jeremy Perkins {jwp@aber.ac.uk}

Another of Wilde's social satires, 'An Ideal Husband' revolves around the lives of two men, successful political figure Sir Robert Chiltern (Northam) and his friend the uninspired but utterly charming Lord Arthur Goring. Chiltern's life is perfect thanks to the help of his loving and brilliant wife Gerturde (Blanchett) and the support of his quick witted sister Mabel. Goring's life is one of lounging, flirting with Mabel, and avoiding his father's instance that he should marry. The world of these men is turned upside down by the arrival of old acquaintance Mrs. Laura Cheveley (Moore) who has come with blackmail in mind. Chiltern could lose everything including Gertrude. It is up to his wife and Goring to confront this dilemma, but it could risk Goring's chances to finally win over Mabel. As the comments and lies begin to fly about, it's revealed that the man thought to be perfect is flawed, the man with all the flaws must do something right, and the question remains: what makes an ideal husband? Written by Max Vaughn

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