The Importance of Being Oscar
Oscar Wilde's bright and controversial career before his prosecution for gay offenses and sad fall from grace is depicted in this star-studded BBC film. Highlights from Oscar-winning comedies like The Importance of Being Earnest, as well as classics like The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Canterville Ghost, are adapted and sung by Freddie Fox, Claire Skinner, Anna Chancellor, and James Fleet. Wilde fans and specialists, including Stephen Fry, Wilde's grandson Merlin Holland, and his most recent biographers, offer fascinating insights into how his own life influenced his writing. His Irish ancestry, early profession, marriage, and the role of women and men in his life all combine to create a nuanced and fascinating characterization and celebration that fleshes out the bones of a man who is all too frequently caricatured.