 Apart from multiple " made @-@ for @-@ television " versions , The Importance of Being Earnest has been adapted for the English @-@ language cinema at least three times , first in 1952 by Anthony Asquith who adapted the screenplay and directed it . Michael Denison ( Algernon ) , Michael Redgrave ( Jack ) , Edith Evans ( Lady Bracknell ) , Dorothy Tutin ( Cecily ) , Joan Greenwood ( Gwendolen ) , and Margaret Rutherford ( Miss Prism ) and Miles Malleson ( Canon Chasuble ) were among the cast . In 1992 Kurt Baker directed a version using an all @-@ black cast with Daryl Keith Roach as Jack , Wren T. Brown as Algernon , Ann Weldon as Lady Bracknell , Lanei Chapman as Cecily , Chris Calloway as Gwendolen , CCH Pounder as Miss Prism , and Brock Peters as Doctor Chasuble , set in the United States . Oliver Parker , an English director who had previously adapted An Ideal Husband by Wilde , made the 2002 film ; it stars Colin Firth ( Jack ) , Rupert Everett ( Algy ) , Judi Dench ( Lady Bracknell ) , Reese Witherspoon ( Cecily ) , Frances O 'Connor ( Gwendolen ) , Anna Massey ( Miss Prism ) , and Tom Wilkinson ( Canon Chasuble ) . Parker 's adaptation includes the dunning solicitor Mr. Gribsby who pursues Jack to Hertfordshire ( present in Wilde 's original draft , but cut at the behest of the play 's first producer ) . Algernon too is pursued by a group of creditors in the opening scene . 
 Apart from multiple " made @-@ for @-@ television " versions , The Importance of Being Earnest <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>has</mark></a> been adapted for the English @-@ language cinema at least three times , first in 1952 by Anthony Asquith <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>who</mark></a>adapted the screenplay and directed it . Michael Denison ( Algernon ) , Michael Redgrave ( Jack ) , Edith Evans ( Lady Bracknell ) , Dorothy Tutin ( Cecily ) , Joan Greenwood ( Gwendolen ) , and Margaret Rutherford ( Miss Prism ) and Miles Malleson ( Canon Chasuble ) <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> among the cast . In 1992 Kurt Baker directed a version using an all @-@ black cast with Daryl Keith Roach as Jack , Wren T. Brown as Algernon , Ann Weldon as Lady Bracknell , Lanei Chapman as Cecily , Chris Calloway as Gwendolen , CCH Pounder as Miss Prism , and Brock Peters as Doctor Chasuble , set in the United States . Oliver Parker , an English director <a href='null_relcl' title='4'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>had</mark></a> previously adapted An Ideal Husband by Wilde , made the 2002 film ; it <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>stars</mark></a> Colin Firth ( Jack ) , Rupert Everett ( Algy ) , Judi Dench ( Lady Bracknell ) , Reese Witherspoon ( Cecily ) , Frances O 'Connor ( Gwendolen ) , Anna Massey ( Miss Prism ) , and Tom Wilkinson ( Canon Chasuble ) . Parker <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>adaptation <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>includes</mark></a> the dunning solicitor Mr. Gribsby <a href='null_relcl' title='9'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='10'><mark>pursues</mark></a> Jack to Hertfordshire ( present in Wilde <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>original draft , but cut at the behest of the play <a href='null_genetive' title='12'><mark>'s</mark></a>first producer ) . Algernon too is pursued by a group of creditors in the opening scene . 
Apart from multiple " made @-@ fir @-@ television " versions , The Importance of Being Earnest done been adapted fir the English @-@ language cinema at least three times , first in 1952 by Anthony Asquith adapted da screenplay and directed it . micheal Denison ( Algernon ) , micheal Redgrave ( Jack ) , Edith Evans ( Lady Bracknell ) , Dorothy Tutin ( Cecily ) , Joan Greenwood ( Gwendolen ) , and Margaret Rutherford ( Miss Prism ) and Miles Malleson ( Canon Chasuble ) was among the cast . In 1992 Kurt Baker directed a version using an alll @-@ black cast with Daryl Keith Roach as Jack , Wren T. Brown as Algernon , Ann Weldon as Lady Bracknell , Lanei Chapman as Cecily , Chris Calloway as Gwendolen , CCH Pounder as Miss Prism , and Brock Peters as Doctor Chasuble , set in the United States . Oliver Parker , an English director done previously adapted An Ideal Husband by Wilde , made the 2002 film ; it star Colin Firth ( Jack ) , Rupert Everett ( Algy ) , Judi Dench ( Lady Bracknell ) , Reese Witherspoon ( Cecily ) , Frances O 'Connor ( Gwendolen ) , Anna Massey ( Miss Prism ) , and Tom Wilkinson ( Canon Chasuble ) . Parker  adaptation include the dunning solicitor Mr. Gribsby pursue Jack to Hertfordshire ( present in Wilde  original draft , but cut at the behest of the play  first producer ) . Algernon too is pursued by a group of creditors in tdaopening scene .