AN IDEAL HUSBAND

By David Hunter

CANNES -- The crowd-pleasing, relatively lightweight closing-night film of the dramatically uneven 52nd Cannes International Film Festival, "An Ideal Husband" is a late-19th-century romantic comedy based on an Oscar Wilde play. The upcoming Miramax release has solid boxoffice potential with adult audiences.

Cate Blanchett and Rupert Everett headline the small but fine cast allowed to pitch the material at an involvingly brisk pace under the light-handed direction of Oliver Parker ("Othello"). Lushly mounted but largely a chamber piece, "Ideal Husband" concerns the efforts of eligible bachelor Lord Arthur Goring (Everett) to preserve the marriage and career of his friend, politician Sir Robert Chiltern (Jeremy Northam).

Married to Lady Gertrude Chiltern (Blanchett), Robert is blackmailed by devious Mrs. Cheveley (Julianne Moore), who possesses knowledge of a secret in his past. She wants his support for an expensive boondoggle, knowing that Gertrude will be devastated if she learns Robert deceived her in any way.

The privileged lives of the upper crust leads are shaken by forged notes, conversations overheard by the wrong parties and shocking revelations. While Robert struggles with his conscience, Cheveley sets her sights on becoming Lady Arthur Goring. Unaware of the simmering scandal, Arthur's father (John Wood) encourages the reluctant bachelor to choose a wife.

Robert's sister Mabel (Minnie Driver) also has a crush on Arthur, but he is tempted by Cheveley's seductive final offer and wrongly assumed of betraying Robert before things get sorted out in the happy ending.

Underplaying the character but looking fabulous in formal wear, Everett stands to gain the most from such a plum role as he embodies the kind of wily but impossibly well-groomed rogue to which one's attention naturally gravitates.

The scenario's most resonant, serious emotional material is reserved for Robert and Gertrude's marital crisis when she realizes he's not the ideal husband and waits to see how he resolves the threat posed by Cheveley.

Blanchett, Driver and Moore are well-cast and look great in Caroline Harris' costumes. Filmed on location and at Leavesden Studios in Herts, England, "Ideal Husband" is an evocative re-creation of the times, thanks to the luxurious production design of Michael Howells ("Ever After").

AN IDEAL HUSBAND
Miramax Films
Icon Entertainment International presents
a Fragile Film in association with Icon Prods.,
Pathe Pictures, the Arts Council of England
Writer-director: Oliver Parker
Producers: Barnaby Thompson, Uri Fruchtmann, Bruce Davey
Executive producers: Susan B. Landau, Ralph Kamp, Andrea Calderwood
Director of photography: David Johnson
Production designer: Michael Howells
Editor: Guy Bensley
Costume designer: Caroline Harris
Music: Charlie Mole
Color/stereo
Cast:
Lady Gertrude Chiltern: Cate Blanchett
Lord Arthur Goring: Rupert Everett
Mrs. Cheveley: Julianne Moore
Sir Robert Chiltern: Jeremy Northam
Mabel Chiltern: Minnie Driver
Lord Caversham: John Wood
Running time -- 97 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13

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Aussie Cate Online © 1999 Lin, Dean, Lance
800x600 screen size recommended.