Movie recommendation of the week ~ The Importance of Being Earnest.
This is a bit of an older movie (2002), but it is just so funny that the story is quite timeless. It's based on a play by Oscar Wilde. Set in 1890s London, the story revolves around 4 main characters: John [Jack] Worthing, Algernon [Algy] Moncrieff, Gwendolen Fairfax, and Cecily Cardew.
Jack Worthing lives in the country where he takes care of his ward, Cecily. But he often has to go to the city to take care of problems created by his brother, Ernest. The thing about Ernest, however, is that he doesn't exist, and is just an excuse Jack uses to go to the city whenever he feels like it. On top of this, in the city he is known to all of his friends as Ernest Worthing... so, Jack in the country, Ernest in the city.
Ernest/Jack wants to marry Gwendolen (who thinks his name is Ernest), but her mother won't allow it due to the fact that Ernest/Jack's background is so sketchy (his parents are unknown, as he was found as a baby in a handbag at a train station).
Gwendolen is the cousin of Algernon, who is also a friend of Jack's. Algernon also thinks Jack's name is Ernest, but soon discovers the whole Jack/Ernest story. When he hears about Cecily, he decides he wants to meet her. Now, Algernon also has a made-up person in his life, called Bunbury ~ a very sick friend in the country, who tends to always coincidentally needs Algernon to help him at the times his aunt throws dinner parties. With this excuse, Algernon takes off to the country, but goes to Jack's house instead.
Arriving at Jack's place, he tells everyone he is Jack's troublesome brother, Ernest Worthing. Cecily ends up falling in love with Ernest/Algernon; and in the meantime, Gwendolen decides to disobey her mother, and comes to see Ernest/Jack regardless of her mother's disapproval.
I'm sure you can guess what happens... Gwendolen and Cecily discover that neither men are Ernest, and in fact, there is no Ernest at all!
Ernest/Jack and Ernest/Algy
There's a really fun wit to the whole story, which makes it ridiculous and lovable at the same time. And another bonus is that the costumes are great! (especially Cecily's dresses) It's a light-hearted, clean, funny, just plain good movie; which is why I recommend it!
Gwendolen and Cecily
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you mind my looking at you through my glasses?" - I like being looked at.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've actually seen this! We just watched The King's Speech last night with Colin Firth. He was his usual brilliant self and aside from a small rant with some colourful language, it was completely clean! It was really great.
We should watch this at my place sometime! I think you'd like it! It's just that dry random humour that we love. :)
ReplyDeleteI want to see The King's Speech so bad! It looks really good ~ and I'm glad to hear it's clean too!
I did recently watch Easy Virtue (remember you told me about it?) and it was really good, and was also totally clean! Colin Firth ~ win, win, win! lol