I don't know what everybody here is complaining about. It's the first adaptation of the play that I watched and I laughed a lot and rewatched it many times. I love Dench in her role. I think Lady Bracknell is the centrepiece of this play. Her wonderful monologues don't need overdone and bumptious acting to be light and funny.
I think this is an excellent alternative version of the play. When underplayed like this, the laughs come in different places, and it almost sounds like realistic dialogue but it´s still delightful. An extremely effective device was to move much of it outside into the streets and risqué clubs which Jack and Algy would undoubtedly have frequented. This made it much more than just a filmed stage play. They also reinstated a delicious scene (the bailiffs) which Wilde cut from the first night. Nothing can rival the great high camp version with Edith Evans, but both are worthy interpretations.
For a play that is supposed to be sprightly and light, this segment weighs down like a ton of bricks! I jsut watched David Suchet as Lady Bracknell, now that worked.
Really? I think the opposite: while I LOVE David Suchet, his version was a little over the top. This is my favourite adaptation because everything seems more realist, and the actors (with the exception of Witherspoon) are all excellent
@@msinvincible2000 It was written as a Comedy! A farce! Not a serious and realistic portrayal! The lines do not make sense delivered with a straight face and with all seriousness! "She's not come legally at age until she's 35." "He subsequently stayed for tea and devoured every... single... muffin." Those lines and every other line DO NOT WORK!
@@Pbdave1092 But that's exactly what makes it so funny: all those funny and absurd lines being said so seriously make them even more funny. In this film they don't overact, they are subtle, and it makes it hilarious. I've always thought that deadpan delivered jokes are the funniest
Very true. The play depends on its effect for over-declamation. Film tends to soften the enunciation of text because it is so close up and the voices don't need to be projected energetically into the large space of a theatre. This is one of the main reasons why the BBC's attempt to film all of Shakespeare's plays in the 1980s in studio settings bombed so badly. It's also why many of those live productions from the new Globe Theatre work so well.
It depends upon how this play is executed by the actors the wit is biting and must be played out that way this is bland and unfortunately doesnt work .
Of the four or five versions available on UA-cam of the play, this is clearly the worst. Although Dench is an actress I admire very much, she is completely wrong in the role. Compare with Plowright (1986) and Suchet (in drag) (2015). I suspect it's the director's fault, not the actors.
I have looked at all the various presentations and still believe that the best Lady Bracknell is Edith Evans. Although Firth is good at Worthy he can not come close to Redgrave.
People complain about how straight it’s played, but that’s what I find hilarious! There’s a Gilbert and Sullivan quality here in which the topic is patently ridiculous, but treated with the utmost seriousness. And of course, it all works out in the end and everyone gets married.
Although this clip contains my favourite funny witty line in the play (the one about women of 35) I didn't laugh here. They are all SO SERIOUS... As if some impending drama was happening. Dear silly Oscar meant this as a total satire of flamboyant language, style, morals, etc. The situations are so ridiculous that they can't possibly be taken seriously. Worst thing you can do to this wonderful play is to take it seriously.
What's with the dumb comments... this is one of the best adaptations of this play imho... are you all used to slapstick comedy only ? Or ONLY overacting ? Also - Not every adaptation should be the same. THAT would be truly "ghastly". This adaptation is probably my favorite. At leadt definitely most memoriable for me. I need to check out the others once more I guess. But you are all hilarious...
To know how these lines can be delivered you should see the 1952 version with Edith Evans (try to get the original B/W and not the gaudy colorized version that is around everywhere)
Eddie Buenaventure i know I have seen it. But my point is - the lines can be delivered many ways. This is absolutely different from many other versions. Doesnt mean it's bad. Imho.
Couldn't agree more. What was supposed to be a lively farce was dragged-down by slow flat line readings, dull pacing, and poor casting. An excellent audio adaptation is this one: www.amazon.com/The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest/dp/B00JHK0ZRC It must be obscure, because although it was a great performance by the late Lynn Redgrave, it's not on her Wiki Bio. However, the director of this version got the performances down perfectly. This audio version has been out of print for some time too.
1997: Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown 1998: Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love 2002: Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest Best Roles for Dame Judi Dench
Exista o versiune radiofonica excelenta în ro pe UA-cam: "Ce înseamnă să fii Onest". Dacă vrei sa înțelegi piesa per ansamblu. Cat despre traducerea filmulețului acestuia... nu strica sa-l folosești pentru a-ți aprofunda cunoștințele de engleza. Cheers! 😘
Comedy, especially arch comedy, cannot be presented without camp. A spectacularly talented cast utterly misdirected. Every comedic lines falls flat. Didn't these skilled actors realized during production that they were continually missing the mark? I'd like to see Maggie Smith as Lady Bracknell. She'd know how to deliver the lines. Love Judy. But not here.
My honest reaction (based on this clip): the ladies are fine, the men are flat & wooden. Lady B. doesnt have to be a caricature--only a self-important high society schemer.
A completely unfunny version of this play. These actors are good in Shakespeare but they completely fail in a farce style. Before taking this role, Dench whose lack of comedian appeal helps her in roles of the queens, should have taken lessons from Joan Plowright how to wear your chin high and speak with that Mayfair stiffness of the upper lip.
Dench is such a useless actress particularly in comic roles. She didn’t need to ape Edith Evans but she might have had the humility to try to learn something from her.
I don't know what everybody here is complaining about. It's the first adaptation of the play that I watched and I laughed a lot and rewatched it many times. I love Dench in her role. I think Lady Bracknell is the centrepiece of this play. Her wonderful monologues don't need overdone and bumptious acting to be light and funny.
Probably because overdone and bumptious is exactly how these characters are supposed to be portrayed.
Watching this side by side with the full text is wild. They really just decided to take out all the funny stuff.
I think this is an excellent alternative version of the play. When underplayed like this, the laughs come in different places, and it almost sounds like realistic dialogue but it´s still delightful. An extremely effective device was to move much of it outside into the streets and risqué clubs which Jack and Algy would undoubtedly have frequented. This made it much more than just a filmed stage play. They also reinstated a delicious scene (the bailiffs) which Wilde cut from the first night. Nothing can rival the great high camp version with Edith Evans, but both are worthy interpretations.
For a play that is supposed to be sprightly and light, this segment weighs down like a ton of bricks! I jsut watched David Suchet as Lady Bracknell, now that worked.
Really? I think the opposite: while I LOVE David Suchet, his version was a little over the top. This is my favourite adaptation because everything seems more realist, and the actors (with the exception of Witherspoon) are all excellent
@@msinvincible2000 I'll have to give it a go. I don't remember If I saw it in 2002, when it came out.
@@msinvincible2000 It was written as a Comedy! A farce! Not a serious and realistic portrayal! The lines do not make sense delivered with a straight face and with all seriousness!
"She's not come legally at age until she's 35."
"He subsequently stayed for tea and devoured every... single... muffin."
Those lines and every other line DO NOT WORK!
@@Pbdave1092 But that's exactly what makes it so funny: all those funny and absurd lines being said so seriously make them even more funny. In this film they don't overact, they are subtle, and it makes it hilarious. I've always thought that deadpan delivered jokes are the funniest
Very true. The play depends on its effect for over-declamation. Film tends to soften the enunciation of text because it is so close up and the voices don't need to be projected energetically into the large space of a theatre. This is one of the main reasons why the BBC's attempt to film all of Shakespeare's plays in the 1980s in studio settings bombed so badly. It's also why many of those live productions from the new Globe Theatre work so well.
Why do they make Lady Bracknell a dancer? Did they not understand her lines?
What's funny is that Judi Dench's daughter, Finty Williams, is playing that role.
It is an excellant movie and the acting is top notch!
Algie's face when Lady Bracknell reveals her past😂
It just needs a good tuning up...The witticisms need more sparkle....it needs to crack..bite...Mr Suchet has the right spirit....He makes it crack.
Judi Dench's daughter, Finty Williams, gets to play young Lady Bracknell in this scene.
SUPERB!!
I lke David Suchet as Lady Bracknell more than Dame Judy
They understand this is a comedy right?
It depends upon how this play is executed by the actors the wit is biting and must be played out that way this is bland and unfortunately doesnt work .
A Handbag ?!
Oh, dear! What happened to the comedy element, Judi?
harveys company hahaha
Of the four or five versions available on UA-cam of the play, this is clearly the worst. Although Dench is an actress I admire very much, she is completely wrong in the role. Compare with Plowright (1986) and Suchet (in drag) (2015). I suspect it's the director's fault, not the actors.
Did you get a chance to view Edith Evans as Lady Bracknell and Michael Redgrave as Worthy?. It is by far the best version.
I have looked at all the various presentations and still believe that the best Lady Bracknell is Edith Evans. Although Firth is good at Worthy he can not come close to Redgrave.
I think David Suchet was the best one to be honest
People complain about how straight it’s played, but that’s what I find hilarious! There’s a Gilbert and Sullivan quality here in which the topic is patently ridiculous, but treated with the utmost seriousness. And of course, it all works out in the end and everyone gets married.
I bet she hides food in her hat.
Although this clip contains my favourite funny witty line in the play (the one about women of 35) I didn't laugh here. They are all SO SERIOUS... As if some impending drama was happening. Dear silly Oscar meant this as a total satire of flamboyant language, style, morals, etc. The situations are so ridiculous that they can't possibly be taken seriously. Worst thing you can do to this wonderful play is to take it seriously.
What's with the dumb comments... this is one of the best adaptations of this play imho... are you all used to slapstick comedy only ? Or ONLY overacting ? Also - Not every adaptation should be the same. THAT would be truly "ghastly". This adaptation is probably my favorite. At leadt definitely most memoriable for me. I need to check out the others once more I guess. But you are all hilarious...
To know how these lines can be delivered you should see the 1952 version with Edith Evans (try to get the original B/W and not the gaudy colorized version that is around everywhere)
Eddie Buenaventure i know I have seen it. But my point is - the lines can be delivered many ways. This is absolutely different from many other versions. Doesnt mean it's bad. Imho.
@@eddiebuenaventure3666 I just saw it. Overacted it.
You said it yourself: OPINION. Then why condemn others for theirs? Really, why even care what others think?
What a plodding & boring production! It doesn’t capture Wilde’s witty writing at all. Maybe it’s been badly cast.
because we, obviously, needed a cutout of Lady Bracknell's young life. no, this is bad.
Too bad. I can't find Lady Bracknell's holler for "Prism!" anywhere.
Ghastly adaptation. They totally missed the point of this play.
Couldn't agree more. What was supposed to be a lively farce was dragged-down by slow flat line readings, dull pacing, and poor casting. An excellent audio adaptation is this one: www.amazon.com/The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest/dp/B00JHK0ZRC
It must be obscure, because although it was a great performance by the late Lynn Redgrave, it's not on her Wiki Bio. However, the director of this version got the performances down perfectly. This audio version has been out of print for some time too.
@James Dowds I think Polish Viking was joking, dear James 😄
I don't know if they missed the point, but they certainly missed the tone...This performance is utterly, determinably, unfunny...
@PolishViking Now your comment displayed just what this version totally lacked...humor!
@@bonzodog67lizardking15 the casting is fine those are great actors and actresses it is the adaptation that sucks butter nuts.
..... You must ALL have Excellent hearing!!!?
Yeah I know
1997: Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown
1998: Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love
2002: Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest
Best Roles for Dame Judi Dench
Queen Elizabeth 2000 Parent Trap 2012
G H A S T L Y !
Fhive Chounties? Oh I should Hate That!
Fucking hate that word.
Not another movie with frigging dame Judy
This just doesn't work. It's supposed to be a zany comedy with lovable characters, not a rather staid drama.
O traducere in romana se poate ?
Exista o versiune radiofonica excelenta în ro pe UA-cam: "Ce înseamnă să fii Onest". Dacă vrei sa înțelegi piesa per ansamblu. Cat despre traducerea filmulețului acestuia... nu strica sa-l folosești pentru a-ți aprofunda cunoștințele de engleza. Cheers! 😘
the original had a better effect...i don't know
Absolutely dreadful! All the actors seem as if they've just emerged from a coma.
Comedy, especially arch comedy, cannot be presented without camp. A spectacularly talented cast utterly misdirected. Every comedic lines falls flat. Didn't these skilled actors realized during production that they were continually missing the mark? I'd like to see Maggie Smith as Lady Bracknell. She'd know how to deliver the lines. Love Judy. But not here.
es una falta de respeto modificar el original de Wilde
Huh...mycroft was right, that could have went differently.
My honest reaction (based on this clip): the ladies are fine, the men are flat & wooden. Lady B. doesnt have to be a caricature--only a self-important high society schemer.
This is awful. 'Nuff said.
Disappointing.
A completely unfunny version of this play. These actors are good in Shakespeare but they completely fail in a farce style. Before taking this role, Dench whose lack of comedian appeal helps her in roles of the queens, should have taken lessons from Joan Plowright how to wear your chin high and speak with that Mayfair stiffness of the upper lip.
Dull
Soz but hated this version x
This is a terrible version. Fantastic actors, wrong tone and delivery for the material.
The worst adaptation I ever seen
Dench is such a useless actress particularly in comic roles. She didn’t need to ape Edith Evans but she might have had the humility to try to learn something from her.