The Importance of Being Earnest
Seen it?1952 | 95 min | Comedy
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (88% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 35 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1952: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Two young gentlemen living in 1890s England use the same pseudonym ('Ernest') on the sly, which is fine until they both fall in love with women using that name, which leads to a comedy of mistaken identities.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
88% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 32K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Anthony Asquith
- Michael RedgraveErnest Worthing
- Michael DenisonAlgernon Moncrieff
- Edith EvansLady Bracknell
- Joan GreenwoodGwendolen Fairfax
- Dorothy TutinCecily Cardew
- Margaret RutherfordMiss Prism
- Miles MallesonCanon Chasuble
- Richard WattisSeton
- Walter HuddLane
- Aubrey MatherMerriman