John Gielgud & Edith Evans: The Importance of Being Earnest

[Ilmuto94]

Wilde's humor is so tastefully dry!

[MegaGum1]

I cant believe that while i was listening to this i was drinking some juice and when she got to the line-"To lose one parent.." i actually did one of those comedy cough/sneeze/chokes/splutter reactions, and out came the shower of blackberry juice all over my laptop.

[koolinturn]

4:17 To skip to the Handbag. 

[lynnecable]

that is definitely Gielgud. Some of the verbal intonations are his, rather than the slightly lighter tone of Redgrave.

[kaiyan1995]

Dame Wendy Hiller is better, by far. But A Haaaaaaaaaaaandbaaaaaag?! is very very classic and Dame Edith Evans is better at that line.

[theissywissy]

A Haaandbag!?? D:

[ATsarIsBorn]

And that photo at 40 is NOT Dame Edith; it's Maggie Smith.

[JimmyThatcher]

@ATsarIsBorn that is correct, but she is playing Lady Bracknell. Shouldn't have had so much smack when making this vid!

[adi87tya]

it's interesting...this ancient posh accent almost sounds like an Indian accent...

[Anab10sis]

@adi87tya Welsh. : )

[jimvince2]

Odd this - Geilgud sounded as though he was just reading the part rather than acting - he sounded bored! Evans seemed to have become even more wonderfully exaggerated in the film.

[DazJam100]

I'm currently ready John G's biography and I believe this is Michael Redgrave, not John G. John G's stage version was never recorded. This an audio recording of the film.

[manuel462]

You are incorrect, Sir. I have this recording in my own collection. It is on a Victor Red Seal ten-inch 78 RPM record (on two sides) recorded about 1938. It was probably also issued on the His Master's Voice label in the U.K. It is indeed John Gielgud and Edith Evans.

[jrakg]

Edith Evans' work was better recorded and performed this later with Anthony Quale on an LP. - John Austin, Australia.

[chetgeyer]

correction: "believe"

[chetgeyer]

Yes, it's Gielgud. Actually, the Gielgud production (with Dame Edith as Lady Bracknell) was a smash and considered THE definitive production of the play. It's rather a shame that Gielgud wasn't in the Asquith film, but I beleive Redgrave, so very handsome, was considered at the time the more bankable and glamorous star.

[octimothy]

This is definitely Sir Johnny G. The voice is unmistakable. Redgrave did the film.

[TheEvilEmporerBunny]

A Haaaaaaaaaaaandbaaaaaaaaaaag?

[glancesherlock]

I'm playing Lady Bracknell in our school play and listening to this helped so much. Thank you!

[SimenonFan]

This is classic, but Plowright's version is also very good.

[indyandnorbert]

Interesting to hear this old broadcast, where Victora Station is given more emphasis than, the cloakroom. Think the phrasing is actually better than the film. Dont think anyone will ever top Dame Edith's performance, although many distinguished actresses have all put their own individual quirks to the characterisation - you may be surprised to hear that Betty Marsden was a wonderful Lady Bracknell. - using the voice of Dame Celia Molestrangler.

[SteveDurnin]

I don't see the point of showing other actresses who've played Lady Bracknell.

[ShmelevJr]

Thanks a lot! The bit is priceless!

I only think "Lady Augusta Bracknell" is incorrect, because she is a wife of a Lord, not a daughter. As far as I know, you can say "Augusta, Lady Bracknell".

[JimmyThatcher]

This clip is NOT from the film! It was a radio production and it is John Gielgud.

[nayajhen]

@JimmyThatcher Ahh ok, I was confused for a moment because I've seen the movie multiple times and Michael Redgrave does not look anything like John Gielgud.

[joelib]

NO, it's Redgrave

[GayGeisha]

Dame Edith Evans is by far the best Lady Bracknell!!

[hemmingway63]

What a wonder clip, I loved the play, oh to see it performed by such class, oh what bliss, splendid, truly splendid.

[hawkeye4ever]

"A handbag?" ... "The line is immaterial" Absolute classic! Thanks for posting that.

[TuRdSandwitch18]

listenng 2 this voices is like sucking a lemon whie having needles in ur head

[bscottb8]

It's Michael Redgrave, not John Gielgud.

[bscottb8]

Oops -- my mistake. It is Gielgud.

[santaevita1945]

Wonderful! Where did you get this?