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Comedy

The Importance of Being Earnest (1952): Cast & Plot

The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) movie poster

The Importance of Being Earnest is a 1952 comedy directed by Anthony Asquith, starring Michael Redgrave as Ernest Worthing, Michael Denison and Joan Greenwood. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes.

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The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 35m (95 min)
Director
Anthony Asquith
Genre
Comedy
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Importance of Being Earnest About?

The premise of The Importance of Being Earnest without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of manners follows two young gentlemen in 1890s England who both adopt the alias ‘Ernest.’ Their deception works until each falls for a woman who believes she’s courting the real Ernest, sparking a tangled series of mistaken identities and witty repartee.

The Importance of Being Earnest Themes & Keywords

· 26 tags
  • lost handbag
  • marriage proposal
  • class differences
  • victorian morality
  • male in a bathtub
  • identity crisis
  • brother brother relationship
  • ward and guardian
  • aunt niece relationship
  • aunt nephew relationship
  • period drama
  • london england
+14 more
  • bare chested man
  • love
  • actor recreates his stage role
  • actress recreates her stage role
  • based on a stage play
  • escape
  • european comedy
  • satire comedy
  • british comedy
  • farce comedy
  • social satire
  • costume drama
  • europe
  • mistaken identity
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Cast & crew

The Importance of Being Earnest Cast & Characters

Michael Redgrave leads the cast as Ernest Worthing, with Michael Denison as Algernon Moncrieff and Joan Greenwood as Gwendolen Fairfax. Directed by Anthony Asquith; 11 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Importance of Being Earnest

· 7 more
From the director

More from Anthony Asquith

More films directed by Anthony Asquith, best-rated first: The V.I.P.s, The Yellow Rolls-Royce, Guns of Darkness and The Millionairess.

Full filmography
Plot

The Importance of Being Earnest Plot Summary

What happens in The Importance of Being Earnest from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 11 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

John Worthing, a charming and carefree young man, leads a double life that revolves around his fabricated brother named Ernest. In the countryside, John appears as a respectable gentleman, but whenever he visits London, he adopts the persona of his mischievous alter ego, Ernest, which allows him to indulge in adventures and social freedoms he’s otherwise restricted from. His close friend, Algernon Moncrieff https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/actor/michael-denison], shares his playful spirit and also enjoys bending the rules of society, often engaging in witty schemes.

Full summary

The whole story of The Importance of Being Earnest, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

The Importance of Being Earnest Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Importance of Being Earnest.

The Importance of Being Earnest (1952) trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Importance of Being Earnest?

9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 9

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered

What is the pseudonym that John Worthing creates for himself?

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FAQ

The Importance of Being Earnest FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Importance of Being Earnest, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Importance of Being Earnest?

The Importance of Being Earnest runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).

When was The Importance of Being Earnest released?

The Importance of Being Earnest was released on June 2, 1952.

Who directed The Importance of Being Earnest?

The Importance of Being Earnest was directed by Anthony Asquith.

More films by Anthony Asquith

Who is in the cast of The Importance of Being Earnest?

The Importance of Being Earnest stars Michael Redgrave as Ernest Worthing, Michael Denison as Algernon Moncrieff and Joan Greenwood as Gwendolen Fairfax, among 11 credited actors.

Does The Importance of Being Earnest have a post-credit scene?

No. The Importance of Being Earnest has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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