DramaComedyRomance

An Ideal Husband

- He just doesn't know it yet.

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.

Release Date : 1999-04-15

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Fragile FilmsIcon ProductionsPathéArts Council of England

Production Country : FranceUnited KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Lady Gertrude Chiltern

Original Name : Cate Blanchett

Gender : Female

Character Name : Miss Mabel Chiltern

Original Name : Minnie Driver

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lord Arthur Goring

Original Name : Rupert Everett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Laura Cheveley

Original Name : Julianne Moore

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sir Robert Chiltern

Original Name : Jeremy Northam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Phipps

Original Name : Peter Vaughan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tommy Trafford

Original Name : Ben Pullen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Countess

Original Name : Marsha Fitzalan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lady Markby

Original Name : Lindsay Duncan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lord Caversham

Original Name : John Wood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sir Edward

Original Name : Simon Russell Beale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jack

Original Name : Charles Edwards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sir Hugo Danforth

Original Name : Oliver Ford Davies

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Mother

Original Name : Susannah Wise

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Speaker

Original Name : John Thompson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Danvers

Original Name : Anna Patrick

Gender : Female

Character Name : Miss Basilton

Original Name : Delia Lindsay

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gwendolen

Original Name : Denise Stephenson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Baron Arnheim

Original Name : Jeroen Krabbé

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oscar Wilde

Original Name : Michael Culkin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vicounte de Nanjac

Original Name : Nickolas Grace

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-02-15

"Sir Robert Chiltern" (Jeremy Northam) is a British cabinet minister with a secret! He is determined that it remain exactly that - from his wife (Cate Blanchett) and from his political masters. Perhaps not too shrewdly, he turns to his rather underwhelming pal "Lord Goring" (Rupert Everett) whom he knows is well acquainted with his new found nemesis "Mrs. Cheveley" (Julianne Moore). With a parliamentary debate fast looming, and "Sir Robert" - in his role as a junior minister having a crucial role in a substantial government investment in Argentina - having to endorse or not, he finds himself in quite a quandary. Meantime, of course, "Goring" must try to help his friend whilst dealing with issues of his own with a disapproving father (John Wood) and poor old "Mabel" (Minnie Driver). What ensues here now is a lovely piece of Oscar Wilde satire that shines a light on a flawed political establishment with which he was probably quite well acquainted, and in which Rupert Everett shines. Though featuring only sparingly, he deftly portrays this outwardly lazy and spoilt gent with quite an engaging skill as we discover he is nowhere near as much of the hapless rake as he would have folks believe. His night of the visitors - when he must jig from room to room adopting a differing persona each time is really quite good fun to watch - and quite plausible too. The problem here is the rest of the ensemble. It's one of these sum of the parts scenarios. The big names are there, but the characters aren't. Moore really doesn't exude the Machiavellian nastiness I wanted from her and there's only so many times I can watch Blanchett do that thing with her eyes that is meant to suggest a myriad of emotions. Northam was only ever really adequate and here he fares no better, despite having a strong character to work with. I still think Wilde works best on the stage - there's a spontaneity there that makes his works sing. Here, it really only sort of murmurs with the odd potent spluttering of humour now and again. Looks splendid, though.