Customer Reviews

Ideal Husband [VHS]

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Have you ever looked at a person who seems to be perfect in every way, and thought to yourself, "No one is perfect. They must have done something wrong, sometime."

And the dark secrets of a seemingly perfect man are at the heart of "An Ideal Husband," a powerful and witty adaptation of Oscar Wilde's classic play. It's not entirely faithful to the play, but it rests on Wilde's brilliant writing and a quartet of formidable actors (although Minnie Driver's character seems... almost unnecessary).

Sir Robert Chiltern (Jeremy Northam) seems to have it all -- a flourishing career in Parliament, his beautiful and perfect wife Lady Gertrude (Cate Blanchett), and the universal respect given to a man with a perfect reputation. He has a vivacious sister (Minnie Driver) and is pals with a charming, womanizing, ironic and very bored playboy, Lord Goring (Rupert Everett).

But when a certain Mrs. Cheveley (Julianne Moore) arrives from Vienna, things take a sudden turn for the worst. She has Robert's dirty little secret, a financial scam from years ago. She'll give him the proof of his misdeed, but only if he sacrifices his principles and supports the Suez Canal motion. Otherwise, she'll make the letter public and wreck his marriage and his career. It's up to Lord Goring to get his pal out of trouble...

"An Ideal Husband" is an enjoyable and witty play, with a plot that twists right up to the final scenes and a genuinely romantic subplot -- the only downside is the exclusion of one subplot from the original play The study of morality, payback for one's sins, the power of words and the need for forgiveness is much more interesting than the typical period-dress drama.

And the movie flows along well, with a brisk pace and plenty of emotionally charged scenes, although one early scene where Everett strings together and rattles off a bunch of Wildean witticisms feels like they were informing us "See? This is a witty, ironic movie!" But the rough spots are soon smoothed out in an elegant barrage of exquisite costumes, sleek dialogue, and some clever in-jokes (Robert and Gertrude go to watch "The Importance of Being Earnest").

But the strongest part of the movie is the central quartet of actors: Northam gives a powerful performance as a man torn between self-preservation and honesty, while Blanchett is enchanting as a woman whose love for her husband is disrupted by her excessively high standards. Moore is brilliantly slimy, charming and sexual, and she has great chemistry with Everett's lazy, witty playboy-with-a-heart-of-gold.

The one downside is Minnie Driver, who gives a strangely twitchy performance. Her character is meant to be a love interest for Everett, but since he has zero chemistry with her (and plenty with Northam and Moore), she feels... unnecessary.

"An Ideal Husband" is a cool, elegant little period piece, with a powerful underlying message about facing up to your past sins. And the best part is the four lead actors.

No person is perfect, and the movie isn't either. But Blanchett, Moore and Northam are excellent and the movie is a visual feast. A pleasant diversion.

One may wish to watch this movie many times, for there are witticisms galore, so much so that one can hardly keep up with them. While laughing at one, another takes place, and so on. The dialogue is glittering.

This is the greatest production of an Oscar Wilde play I have ever seen, and leaves me on pins and needles waiting for the release later this year of The Importance of Being Earnest because it also stars an actor who seems born to perform in Wilde's plays/movies: Rupert Everett.

The performances: wonderful all. Rupert Everett's work nears the genius level. Jeremy Northam as a not-so-perfect parliamentarian is great. John Wood as his father stands out. And there are the ever-so-essential ladies: Cate Blanchett as Northam's wife (would you believe she is Australian?), who believes she has a perfect husband. Julianne Moore as one of the most charmingly wicked women ever to grace the screen (would you believe she is from North Carolina?), and the very strong presence of Minnie Driver (yes, she actually is from England). All together, they create an effervescent champagne of a film.

The perfect find out they are not so perfect. The expecters of perfection find out they themselves are also not so perfect. Love finally lowers its standards to include the imperfection of the beloved. Even the loser at evildoing turns out to have an unexpected side to her. This is the film's theme. The actors and the director of this film, however, ironically bring this film close to, if not at, the peak of perfection.

The final scene is an ode to joy. Watch it and have fun!

If you're as tired as I am with the Action/Special effects explosion in Hollywood, An Ideal Husband will prove to boost your low opinion of the film industry. Beautifully cast, written, and directed, it's no wonder why it's been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards. The first of course, going to the actor, Rupert Everett. He delivers his lines with such an aire and grace of an English gentleman and takes such care to wrap each word in a delightful sarcastic tone-- which fits his character perfectly. Although he is, in some ways, considered a nasty man of arrogance, Everett's charm shines through and draws the viewer into his oh so romantic embrace. The rest of the cast is equally entertaining--mostly because they mesh so well together. The period costumes and cinematography are also important to note. The movement from scene to scene, the juxtaposition of the placement of the characters in the scenes are particularly amusing to watch. Enough is enough already. If you don't mind watching "period" films, this is a breath of fresh air to the genre.

An Ideal Husband is a serene feast of exquisite language and subtle intrigues. This comedy of manners by Oscar Wilde has been given its just due in the production starring Rupert Everett, Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Minnie Driver, and Jeremy Northam. All of these actors are excellent in their parts, but Moore and Everett stand out in their roles of the evil blackmailer with the heart of gold and the shallow ne'er-do-well whose crafty brilliance saves the day. It would also be an injustice to write about the film without mentioning John Wood who plays Everett's exasperated father. One might say that his performance is "over the top," but that is exactly what is needed for the part. The film starts very slowly, so you must have patience in order to be rewarded. I do not normally suggest that the special features be viewed before watching the film, but some might be helped in their appreciation of the film by viewing the featurette included on the DVD for it serves as a worthy preface for the film. It is an irony of history that, at the time of writing this play, Wilde was on his way to his trial for being a homosexual and offending some of the "manners" he so expertly barbed. Wilde understood our need to comply with the "rules" of society, and his insights are just as applicable in today's times. Enjoy the film as a look at history and as a reminder that social attitudes continue to exert considerable influence upon human behavior.

I saw this film first in the theater, and I chuckled to myself at intervals for days afterward. The witty dialogue and subtle thrusts in this film make it a joy for anyone who is frankly sick to death of slapstick humor and drawn-out car chases.

The most delightful aspect of the movie is its timelessness. It was written in 1899, but the plot of political intrigue, power-grubbing, and a rare, conscientious politician is just as apt today as it was when it was penned. The light-hearted love story that's intertwined is just a bonus.

Don't let the aristocratic costumes deceive you, this is not a story of stifling high-teas consumed in opulent drawing rooms! It's a deliriously enjoyable comedy with colorful dashes of shady plots and mischievous romances.

While a good deal of the wickedly whimsical adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play derives from antics that're suited to stage farces -- switched letters, mistaken identities, farcical blackmailing & ensuing intrigue -- it is ultimately a very, very witty and fast-paced comedy that you'll see more than once, quite likely back to back.

Rupert Everett is the heart and soul of the film, the screen positively crackles when he is on screen delivering his spate of one-liners. Julianne Moore is equally vibrant, if only in a more ascerbic skin. Cate Blanchett, Minnie Driver and Jeremy Northam round out the splendid cast that'll have you hooked.

Despite its maniacal exterior, the movie couches a virtuous message and a beautiful heart. An ingenious gem that your collection is incomplete without.

This movie would've been perfect if the filmmaker hadn't left out the very important and hugely delicious "bracelet scene" from Wilde's original play. If you've read the play, you'll know which scene I mean. The point and beauty of Wilde's play is that the blackmailer (Mrs Cheveley, who thinks she's too clever for everyone) gets blackmailed in return (in the scene where the bracelet plays a major part). The tagline of Wilde's play (in the backcover of the Penguin Books edition I own) reads: "In order to be a successful blackmailer, one's own reputation must be beyond reproach". In Wilde's play, the "bracelet scene" involves the cool Lord Goring and the scheming Mrs Cheveley. Why, why was the scene omitted from the movie?! Did the filmmaker find it difficult to produce the special-clasp bracelet? As a result, the movie fails to capture the most important point of the play and becomes only an average fare with a plot that fizzles out in the end. Instead of an embarrassed and defeated Mrs Cheveley who unexpectedly gets a taste of her own medicine (as in Wilde's play), the movie gives us a rather smug, victorious (and heaven forbid, almost "virtuous") Mrs Cheveley in the end. This is totally different from what Wilde intended in his play and I find the omission of the "bracelet scene" to be a bad and unforgivable mistake on the filmmaker's part. Ugh! Hugely dissapointing!

Watch the movie if you must, for its fine cast, beautiful costumes and witty lines (many taken verbatim from the play, of course). Just don't expect to experience the 'true spirit' of Wilde's play. The omission of the "bracelet scene" certainly took away all my enjoyment of this adaptation.

And "An Ideal Husband" is no exception. This comedic morality play takes on courtship, blackmail and mistaken identities like only Oscar Wilde can. The film features an all-star cast who can deliver on the roles assigned to them. There was only one major divergence from the original play--but overall, the film is true to Wilde's script and humor.

"An Ideal Husband" is well worth watching more than once. If you are an Oscar Wilde fan, this lesser-known play is a worthwhile addition to your DVD collection.

I actually enjoyed this more on DVD than on its original release in the theatre. The making of featurette is watchable without giving away too much of the plot, although you might want to save it until afterwards.

The cast is highly watchable and all well up to their jobs. The only exception I might make is Minnie Driver. Although I like her, I couldn't help but feel she was miscast in what was meant to be an alternate take on the classic ingenue part. It didn't help that there was little chemistry between her and Lord Goring. Or that her strong red and black costumes emphasized the modern, while everyone else was dressed in standard period clothing and colors. This is a fairly minor quibble, though.

I enjoyed Rupert Everett as the well-born, razor tongued society wastrel...clearly a stand-in for Wilde himself. Julianne Moore is stunning as the predator who sets everything in motion. And Cate Blanchett and Jeremy Northam were of course wonderful as the perfect couple. I could have used a few more scenes showing both them and their marriage, instead of just having to accept what everyone says about their happiness. Jeremy Northam was excellently cast. He is absolutely believable as the kind of man you can still believe is honest and good, even when he's caught cheating. That's important. The story doesn't really work unless you believe he is a good man.

As for the "question of nudity" discussed by an earlier reviewer: I watched the opening scene closely to see if what he posted was true. Is the woman leaving Lord Goring's bed really Gertrude (Blanchett)? I don't think so. The woman's hair is curly, yes, but it is bright red. Blanchett's hair in this is a medium blonde. It seems more likely to be Julianne Moore's scheming character than Gertrude.

I love LOVE this movie! I am sure I have seen it more than eight times since it's initial release...So, beware of it's addictive qualities! This is one of those movies I tell people at the local video store about. As soon as I spot a couple looking for a great flick, I ask if they have seen "An Ideal Husband". It's that good.

Minnie Driver, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, and my new favorite guy, Rupert Everett are the main players in this scrumptious, scandalous tale set in London. It's a period film filled with fabulous homes and costumes.

This movie has everything...love, scandal, letter-chasing, intrigue, politics, affairs, and of course lies. Everybody is involved in gossip. Who was with who?, Who did what?...and the fabulous threads of lies and manipualtion that trickle through the ever twisting and changing plot.

The acting and cast are fabulous. I couldn't have asked for better. Julianne Moore plays a bewitching role as the scandalous visitor from Vienna who loves to start trouble.
The man caught in the middle of the whole mess is Aurthur (Everett), basically the main character that stands amidst of all tradgedies and intrigue that revolve around him and his friends and lovers. He keeps himself busy surrounded by so many catastrophies of the heart, while searching his own.

This movie is a must-own. Charming and fun, it's like a great game of Clue. Who did What, Where, and with Whom.