An Ideal Husband
Seen it?1999 | 97 min | Drama, Comedy, Romance
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (85% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. 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 romantics and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Much Ado About Nothing or Hairspray, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Funny with heart, romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 37 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Sir Robert Chiltern is a successful government minister, well-off and with a loving wife. All this is threatened when Mrs Cheveley appears in London with damning evidence of a past misdeed. Sir Robert turns for help to his friend Lord Goring, an apparently idle philanderer and the despair of his father. Goring knows the lady of old, and, for him, takes the whole thing pretty seriously.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 67 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsSolid
Nominated for 1 Golden Globe and 2 BAFTAs.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$19 million worldwide on a $14 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 59K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Oliver Parker
- Cate BlanchettLady Gertrude Chiltern
- Minnie DriverMiss Mabel Chiltern
- Rupert EverettLord Arthur Goring
- Julianne MooreMrs. Laura Cheveley
- Jeremy NorthamSir Robert Chiltern
- Peter VaughanPhipps
- Ben PullenTommy Trafford
- Marsha FitzalanCountess
- Lindsay DuncanLady Markby
- John WoodLord Caversham