"An Ideal Husband" is a film based on a story by Oscar Wilde and it is surprisingly beautiful considering that WWII and all sorts of shortages were not that long ago. It's set during Britain's gilded age...in the late Victorian era when Britain was, perhaps, the most powerful nation on Earth.
Laura Cheveley (Paulette Goddard) is a woman of great wealth and connections. However, it soon becomes obvious that much of her success is because she is incredibly amoral and quite the schemer. One of her latest schemes is about to be exposed by a well respected politician, though she's not afraid of him, as she knows his deepest and darkest secret and promises to expose him unless he comes out publicly in favor of the financial scheme. He reluctantly agrees...though his VERY prim and proper wife simply cannot believe that her husband would ever do anything wrong.
If you like films where people wear very nice clothes, say occasionally witty and droll things AND pretty much talk non-stop, then this is a movie you'll love. I found it just too talky and although the basic story idea is good, I can see why audiences stayed away from this movie in droves when it debuted.
By they way, if you quickly glance at the trivia for this film, you may get the impression that Goddard was an incredible diva during the making of this film. Perhaps, though I certainly can understand her refusing to wear a gown they made for her for the film. The movie was filmed during the heat of summer--and the dress was wool. Imagine wearing wool with all those petticoats in summer!
Laura Cheveley (Paulette Goddard) is a woman of great wealth and connections. However, it soon becomes obvious that much of her success is because she is incredibly amoral and quite the schemer. One of her latest schemes is about to be exposed by a well respected politician, though she's not afraid of him, as she knows his deepest and darkest secret and promises to expose him unless he comes out publicly in favor of the financial scheme. He reluctantly agrees...though his VERY prim and proper wife simply cannot believe that her husband would ever do anything wrong.
If you like films where people wear very nice clothes, say occasionally witty and droll things AND pretty much talk non-stop, then this is a movie you'll love. I found it just too talky and although the basic story idea is good, I can see why audiences stayed away from this movie in droves when it debuted.
By they way, if you quickly glance at the trivia for this film, you may get the impression that Goddard was an incredible diva during the making of this film. Perhaps, though I certainly can understand her refusing to wear a gown they made for her for the film. The movie was filmed during the heat of summer--and the dress was wool. Imagine wearing wool with all those petticoats in summer!