The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) on Netflix
PG20021h 37mComedyDramaRomance
Jack Worthing invents a wayward brother named Ernest to slip away from his Hertfordshire estate to London, where Gwendolen believes his name is Ernest. His friend Algy knows the truth.
- Netflix3.6/5
- IMDb6.8/1026,166 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes57%
Trailer
Plot summary
In 1890s England, Jack Worthing keeps a country estate in Hertfordshire and a fictitious brother named Ernest, whose scandals give him leave to travel to London. There he presents himself as Ernest, and Gwendolen, the cousin of his friend Algy, declares she could love only a man with that name. Jack decides to propose, but Gwendolen's mother, Lady Bracknell, demands to know his family, and Jack's origins amount to a handbag at Victoria Station. At the estate, Algy turns up unannounced and introduces himself to Jack's ward Cecily as the brother Ernest. Cecily, who has heard tales of the wicked Ernest, is charmed by both the visitor and the name.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Judi Dench played Lady Bracknell for the third time here, after the 1982 National Theatre revival and the 1995 BBC Radio 4 adaptation; her daughter, actress Finty Williams, also appears in the film, playing a younger version of Lady Bracknell as a dancer.
- An unscripted moment made the final cut: when Algernon slaps Jack on the rear end and kisses his cheek, it surprised Colin Firth, who plays Jack, and director Oliver Parker found his stunned reaction so humorous that he chose to keep the scene in the film.
- The film also includes material that had originally been written by Oscar Wilde but was later cut from the published play, involving 'Ernest's' bill at the Savoy Hotel and the debt collectors arriving at Jack's country home.
- Filming took place in several picturesque locations, including West Wycombe Park, where Jack's country home was depicted, with the filmmakers paying 50,000 pounds to use the stately property.
