The Importance of Being Earnest

Michael Redgrave & Michael Denison.It's surprising that Oscar Wilde's most beloved stage play, The Importance of Being Earnest, has only been adapted for the screen twice. The reason is likely due to the quality of those productions, especially Anthony Asquith's 1952 production starring a sublime British cast.Set in the 1890s, the plot follows two charming young Englishmen, Jack Worthing and Algy Moncrieff, who each adopt the alias “Ernest” to escape social obligations and pursue romance. Jack woos the idealistic Gwendolen while Algernon courts Jack’s ward, the innocent Cecily. Both women oddly insist they can only love a man named Ernest. Hence, Jack and Algy must scramble to maintain their fabricated personas, resulting in a humorous unraveling of secrets, family ties, and the true meaning of “earnestness.”I'll leave it to the intellectual critics to comment on Wilde's social commentary. Let's just say that he skewers the British upper class--but with a light touch. In the guise of…