The Importance of Being Earnest

Michael Redgrave & Michael Denison.

It's surprising that Oscar Wilde's most beloved stage play, The Importance of Being Earnest, has only been adapted for the screen  twice. The reason is likely due to the quality of those productions, especially Anthony Asquith's 1952 production starring a sublime British cast.

Set in the 1890s, the plot follows two charming young Englishmen, Jack Worthing and Algy Moncrieff, who each adopt the alias “Ernest” to escape social obligations and pursue romance. Jack woos the idealistic Gwendolen while Algernon courts Jack’s ward, the innocent Cecily. Both women oddly insist they can only love a man named Ernest. Hence, Jack and Algy must scramble to maintain their fabricated personas, resulting in a humorous unraveling of secrets, family ties, and the true meaning of “earnestness.”

I'll leave it to the intellectual critics to comment on Wilde's social commentary. Let's just say that he skewers the British upper class--but with a light touch. In the guise of a comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest exposes the aristocracy’s self‑importance, moral posturing, and obsession with appearances.

My personal assessment is that The Importance of Being Earnest is one of the funniest film comedies of the 1950s and a sadly underappreciated one. It's a classic example of an absurd situational comedy with brilliant dialogue. One of my favorite scenes is when Jack is being interviewed by his potential mother-in-law Lady Bracknell. Here's one of their exchanges:

Lady Bracknell: Do you smoke?

Jack Worthing: Well yes, I must admit I smoke.

Lady Bracknell: I'm glad to hear it. A man should have an occupation of some kind.

Joan Greenwood.

Of course, even Wilde's wittiest lines require the the right delivery and The Importance of Being Earnest benefits from an impeccable cast. It's stacked with familiar faces in British cinema, such as Michael Redgrave (Jack), Edith Evans (Lady Bracknell), Joan Greenwood (Gwendolen ), and Margaret Rutherford. However, the standout may be Michael Denison as Algy, who plays the charming cad to perfection. Surprisingly, Denison, who performed extensively in the British theatre, never played Algy on the stage. (Some sources claim he appeared in the 1947 TV play, but that is not true.)

For the record, the 2002 adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest is an enjoyable affair, though not as sharp of the 1952 version. It starred Colin Firth as Jack, Rupert Everett as Algy, and Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell.

The Cross and the Switchblade

Boone as David Wilkerson.

Based on the 1963 autobiography, The Cross and the Switchblade (1970) tells the true story of David Wilkerson (Pat Boone), a small-town Pennsylvania pastor who moves to New York City to minister to gang members and drug addicts amidst the violent, crime-ridden streets of the late 1960s. Facing intense hostility, Wilkerson attempts to bring a message of hope to rival gangs, specifically targeting the "Mau Maus" and their ruthless warlord, Nicky Cruz (Erik Estrada). Despite death threats and repeated rejections, the pastor's persistence and faith eventually lead to dramatic results. 

I first heard of The Cross and the Switchblade when the movie was shown for free at my junior high school. It wasn't a school-wide event, but rather the film was shown in the evening. I didn't go, but remember seeing the dramatic posters on bulletin boards throughout the school. It's taken me several decades to finally watch The Cross and the Switchblade, but I'm glad I did.

It's a flawed film, to be sure. It suffers from Pat Boone's too-perfect protagonist, whose only shortcoming is a lack of support for his pregnant wife—a plot point that is ultimately left dangling. Furthermore, the movie is hindered by bland, distracting, and dated songs. Actor Don Murray, in his directorial debut, lets the rumbles between the gangs go on for too long. And the screenplay could have been tighter had it focused on David or Nicky, instead of trying to tell both their stories.

Erik Estrada as Nicky.

Still, despite these weaknesses, The Cross and the Switchblade benefits from a fascinating true story, on-location filming in and around Harlem, and a handful of powerful scenes. The most impactful one has a young woman, who has recently gotten clean from her heroin addition, visiting a drug dealer at the first sign of stress. When she explains she has no money, her dealer assures her that the first fix is always on the house. He gleefully prepares her fix, shown in great detail, as she waits in emotional agony.

Pat Boone brings sincerity to his performance as Wilkinson, but I've got to think that the real pastor was more dynamic and more effective at delivering his message. In his first acting role, Erik Estrada, seven years before CHiPs, does a good job showing Nicky's inner struggles--although his climatic transformation still feels underdeveloped.

These days, The Cross and the Switchblade would be classified as a faith-based film. It fits that mold, but it's important to remember that these kinds of movies were rare in the early 1970s. No studio wanted to produce The Cross and the Switchblade, so it was financed independently. While not the ideal star, Pat Boone's enthusiasm for the project and his name recognition were undoubtedly key in getting the film made. On his website, Erik Estrada claims that "The Cross and the Switchblade...is still shown every week at about 500 youth centers across the country because of it’s powerful anti-drug message."