The Ruling Class | | Cast : | Peter O'Toole, Alastair Sim, Arthur Lowe | | Director : | Peter Medak | | Studio : | Criterion Collection | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | January 01, 1972 | | DVD Released Date : | October 30, 2001 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 18, 2005 | | Summary | Hypnotically watchable | Content
 | This movie is certainly abnormal- the feeling it engenders is resembles bizzare synthesis of Monty Python, a Clockwork Orange, and Wooster and Jeeves, and it slides wildly from cruelty to satire to farce to oddity and back. Nonetheless, it holds together, and is immensely watchable. In the first half, O'Toole's God of Love is a comedic creation to rank with the best, a bizzare, befuddled Jesus given to outcries of "I put it in my galvanised pressure cooker! Hroom!" Nonetheless, the machinations of his aristocratic family, and the knowledge that these madmen are in power, give even this exuberantly fun part something of an edge. In the second half, his transformation into Jack the Ripper marks the movie's descent into something out of a Philip K. Dick novel, showing a world where madness and violence abound, and viciousness is the key to high society. While such an abrupt turn would be fatal to most movies, but this one carries, maintaining its sense of black humor and hatred of the upper classes.
The movie has its faults, most notably the unavoidable feeling that one is watching a play on film, and not a movie, and I can easily see myself skipping the second half when in a lighthearted mood, but it is nonetheless a great and well executed piece of cinema. Well worthy of the Criterion collection. |
| Rating | | | Date | April 05, 2005 | | Summary | Pretensions, Not Class | Content
| "The Ruling Class" is a disappointingly pretentious attempt at satire. There isn't a moment of truth, humor, or subtlety in this overlong, airless film. Nothing elicits a laugh or even a smile (not even the esteemed Alastair Sim stuttering away during the heavy-handed marriage scene). One might have expected some sense of satiric humor from the country that gave us "Kind Hearts and Coronets", "The Ladykillers", "A Shot in the Dark", and "A Hard Day's Night", but "The Ruling Class" just lays a big, self-important egg. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 29, 2005 | | Summary | The Eyes Have It | Content
| "The Ruling Class" has to be one of the most bizarre major productions that I have ever seen. It's a wonder it was ever made or who it's intended audience would have been. The film's basic premise, a titled member of the British aristocracy who believes that he is Jesus Christ or at least reincarnated thereof whose family attempts to cure him with the result being an acceptable psychopath is potentially offputting. The film also contains strange musical interludes. The film works mostly through the gusto that Peter O'Toole invests in the role of J.C. O'Toole inhabits this character completely and doesn't let go. The intensity of his performance is exhibited in his booming voice but primarily in his intense eyes. You can see it when he plays the benevolent J.C. how soft they look. When he has to go to psycho mode they are steely and unforgiving. This film is not everyone but if your not easily offended I give it a recommendation. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 27, 2004 | | Summary | very interesting, great acting. | Content
| This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
"The Ruling Class" is a most unusual film. It was originally a play of the same name by Peter Barnes and made into a movie in 1972.
A member of the House of Lords dies after accidentally killing himself during a mock self-hanging. His heir is his son Jack (Peter O'Toole). The only problem is that his son is mentally ill and belives himself to be Jesus. When he moves in to his father's mansion, the other family members, feeling cheated, attempt to take the house from him. Though Jack is eventually cured, he then regresses into thinking that he is Jack the Ripper.
The film has some good laughs and is quite tame for an R rated film by today's standards. The acting by Peter O'Toole is very good and the supporting cast does a good job too, though I am not too familiar with them.
The DVD has some great special features as well
There is full-length audio commentary by Lead Actor Peter O'Toole, Director Peter Medak, and Writer Peter Barnes.
There are also excerpts from home movies taken by Peter Medak while location scouting for the mansion, a theatrical trailer, and publicity and production photos.
This is a must-have for Peter O'Toole fans! |
| Rating | | | Date | March 20, 2004 | | Summary | A Fantastic DVD of a Fantastic Film | Content
| I will eschew the plot summary which ye will find in other reviews above . . . as well as a few spoilers! This is one of my favorite films that examines a number of issues, particularly what is "acceptable" in a religion. It is extremely well-cast, with Peter O'Toole turing in one of his best performances. It is a pleasure to watch Alister Sim--the best Scrooge ever--as a befuddled Anglican bishop. Fans of the Blackadder will enjoy seeing "Nursey" as a village busy-body who wishes to bring back flogging. The DVD is a wonderful treatment. The US release--and subsequent videos--lacked some scenes lost for length. This is a film that is based on a play, and every character had a soliloquy--until someone cut them! Here, finally is the complete film. Visually, it is beautiful. A big suprise is the "goodies." The running commentary includes the director, Peter Medak, the playwright/screen writer Peter Barnes, and even Peter O'Toole. It is an excellent addition to the movie rather than voices blathering about themselves. The insert also has a nice essay from a British film professor. Fans of the film need this DVD. A review above complained it was not "funny." How one cannot laugh at Harry Andrews in a tutu, military garb, hanging himself in order to [CENSORED--Ed.] I do not know?! However, it is NOT a comedy. It is a play that has social satire, some comedy, a fair amount of farce and darkness and tragedy. The only warning that I give is the DVD back-notes reveals some spoilers! If you have NOT seen the film or stumbl'd upon them in some reviews above, make sure you do not read the back! |
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