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ERA
Did you know
Released 24 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Importance of Being Earnest
"Everybody Loves Ernest... But Nobody's Quite Sure Who He Really Is."
2002 1h 37m EN
👍
6.8
SOLID
🥫
57%
ROTTEN
👌
60
METACRITIC
⭐
6.8
IMDB
★6.8TMDB · 520🥫57%Rotten Tomatoes●60Metacritic★6.8IMDB · 25,047
ComedyDramaHistoryRomance
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
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.
“Everybody Loves Ernest... But Nobody's Quite Sure Who He Really Is.”
Cast
Rupert Everett
Algernon “Algy” Moncrieff
Colin Firth
John “Jack” Worthing
Reese Witherspoon
Cecily Cardew
Judi Dench
Lady Bracknell
Tom Wilkinson
Dr. Chasuble
Frances O'Connor
Gwendolen Fairfax
Anna Massey
Miss Laetitia Prism
Edward Fox
Lane
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Oliver Parker
- Writers
- Oliver Parker
- Languages
- German, English
- Countries
- France, United Kingdom, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 3 countries: France, United Kingdom, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Oliver Parker, shot by Tony Pierce-Roberts. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Charlie Mole. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Guy Bensley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Rupert Everett and Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Everybody Loves Ernest... But Nobody's Quite Sure Who He Really Is.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Oliver Parker directs. Tony Pierce-Roberts behind the camera. Charlie Mole scores. Guy Bensley cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in France, United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in German, English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Released 24 years ago.
- 2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.
- 3International production across 3 countries: France, United Kingdom, United States of America.
- 4Directed by Oliver Parker, shot by Tony Pierce-Roberts. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Charlie Mole. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Guy Bensley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Rupert Everett and Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "Everybody Loves Ernest... But Nobody's Quite Sure Who He Really Is.".
- 9IMDB entry: tt0278500 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 8 themes, including "new love", "beguilement", "country house", "country estate".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Tony Pierce-Roberts
- Original score
- Charlie Mole
- Editing
- Guy Bensley
- Production design
- Luciana Arrighi
- Costume design
- Maurizio Millenotti
- Makeup / hair
- Paula Price
- Sound
- Adrian Rhodes
- Runtime
- 97 min · 1h 37m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $15,000,000
- Box office
- $17,300,000
- Return
- 115% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- PG
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 57% 🥫 Rotten
- Metacritic
- 60/100
- IMDB rating
- 6.8/10 · 25,047 votes
- MPAA
- PG
Awards
2 wins & 2 nominations
Also by
Oliver Parker
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Ealing Studios
GB
Miramax
US
Fragile Films
GB
Key crew
- Executive ProducerUri Fruchtmann
- ProducerBarnaby Thompson
- Theatre PlayOscar Wilde
- EditorGuy Bensley
- HairstylistPaula Price
- Makeup & HairRenata Gilbert
- ADR MixerMark DeSimone
- Set DecorationIan Whittaker
- Makeup & HairDianne Millar
- HairstylistJamie Pritchard
- Art DirectionPaul Ghirardani
- Makeup & HairSusan Parkinson
- Costume DesignMaurizio Millenotti
- Co-ProducerDavid Brown
- Foley EditorBen Barker
- Sound Re-Recording MixerAdrian Rhodes
- ADR RecordistColin Cooper
- Makeup ArtistJoe Hopker
- Makeup & HairBarbara Taylor
- CastingCelestia Fox
- HairstylistCharmaine Fuller
- Makeup & HairPeter Swords King
- Makeup ArtistPat Hay
- Production DesignLuciana Arrighi
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- new love
- beguilement
- country house
- country estate
- fake identity
- relatives
- victorian england
- pleasure
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical2002-05-17PG
Also known as
International titles
- Tärkeintä on olla aitoFI
- 不可儿戏CN
- Η Σημασία του να Είναι Κανείς ΣοβαρόςGR
- Mister ErnestSE
