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

Colour:

Colour (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:

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.

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:

Lord Arthur Goring: Excuse me a moment. I'm in the middle of my performance of the attentive son.

Movie Connections:

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

Witty, fresh but lacking substance for those looking for it

Sir Robert Chiltern is a member of parliament, a member of rich society and in a loving relationship with his beautiful wife. All this comes under threat when Mrs Cheveley arrives to blackmail him with a letter from his past unless he change his stance on a motion passing through parliament. Chiltern turns to his friend, the idle and self obsessed Lord Goring for help, drawing him into a game of deception and love.

The audience for this film is pretty easy to define. I quite often see Wilde's plays as matters of you either like them or you don't. If you are looking for something with a very engaging plot, deep characters and plenty of substance then this is not going to be the film to come to. Instead the focus is on witty word play, confused love interests in a battle of the sexes and deception that spins away from the truth. This works well as long as you know what to expect. The film opens out the play and includes a few in-jokes for Wilde fans and it is effective in making for a slick product even if it takes the edge of the actual characters.

The witty dialogue is good and it won't disappoint fans of the play. The direction uses the locations and sets really well, giving the film a sense of period that it really needs. I am a reverse snob (I know I shouldn't be!) and the spoilt romances of the well educated and privileged upper classes is of no interest to me - but in this setting it works!

The cast is impressively heavy weight but the honours are stolen by two main actors. Everett was born for this sort of whimsy and he does it exceedingly well, making his character playful and fun. Driver is also great as his love interest and her scenes with Everett are the best of the film. The rest of the cast are all excellent even if they don't have quite as much fun as these two. Moore does well while Blanchett and Northam are both good despite not having a fair share of the wit. Wood and Vaughan both have small roles but get laughs every time!

Overall this is a sparky little movie that will appeal to those who love the cut and thrust of well written, witty dialogue and playful to's and fro's between the characters. I need say no more - the audience for this film already know who they are and vice versa.