"Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" is a comedy constructed out of thin air. It is not really about anything. There are two romances at the center, but no one much cares whether the lovers find happiness together. Their purpose is to make elegant farce out of mistaken identities, the class system, mannerisms, egos, rivalries, sexual warfare and verbal playfulness." [Roger Ebert]
"The last line ('I've now realized for the first time in my life the vital importance of being earnest') takes on an interesting spin if we know that "earnest" was a vernacular term for "gay" in 1895. Thus the closing line may subvert the entire play, although not to the surprise of anyone who has been paying attention." [Roger Ebert]

Richard and I revisited Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest near the end of our first week COVID 16 social isolation. It somehow seemed appropriate. We first saw Importance as a stage production many, many years ago (neither of us can remember when or where, and Richard's famous ticket stub collection has failed us.) We both love it (I perhaps more than him). This production rewritten as a movie has most of the elegant and memorable lines of the original. But I miss the audience/actor interpay experience of real people saying the lines. Richard most likes Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell.

+3/3 Review: Roger Ebert (May 24, 2002)