The Ruling Class (1972)
Country: GB
Technical: col 154m
Director: Peter Medak
Cast: Peter O'Toole, William Mervyn, Harry Andrews, Coral Browne, Arthur Lowe, James Villiers, Michael Bryant, Nigel Green
Synopsis:
The Earl of Gurney dies in a bout of auto-erotic asphyxiation and his son and heir thinks he is God Almighty. The family gather round to plot a solution to the problem of succession, while the Butler, enriched by the deceased's will, totters about muttering inebriated curses on the ruling class.
Review:
Over-indulgent, over-inflated revue that makes its none too subtle points at the expense of the aristocracy at great length and with a signal failure to raise but a titter from its restive audience. In-breeding, abuse of power, old boy network, decadence - the old Jack the Ripper hypothesis - all get a visit, with a few musical numbers thrown in and a good deal of ranting from all concerned. O'Toole by his own account found it sidesplittingly funny, which just goes to show that it all depends which direction you are looking from. Monty Python had already done most of the jokes around the same time, and to far better effect. Medak's direction is sluggish and as uninspiring as filmed theatre.
Country: GB
Technical: col 154m
Director: Peter Medak
Cast: Peter O'Toole, William Mervyn, Harry Andrews, Coral Browne, Arthur Lowe, James Villiers, Michael Bryant, Nigel Green
Synopsis:
The Earl of Gurney dies in a bout of auto-erotic asphyxiation and his son and heir thinks he is God Almighty. The family gather round to plot a solution to the problem of succession, while the Butler, enriched by the deceased's will, totters about muttering inebriated curses on the ruling class.
Review:
Over-indulgent, over-inflated revue that makes its none too subtle points at the expense of the aristocracy at great length and with a signal failure to raise but a titter from its restive audience. In-breeding, abuse of power, old boy network, decadence - the old Jack the Ripper hypothesis - all get a visit, with a few musical numbers thrown in and a good deal of ranting from all concerned. O'Toole by his own account found it sidesplittingly funny, which just goes to show that it all depends which direction you are looking from. Monty Python had already done most of the jokes around the same time, and to far better effect. Medak's direction is sluggish and as uninspiring as filmed theatre.
Country: GB
Technical: col 154m
Director: Peter Medak
Cast: Peter O'Toole, William Mervyn, Harry Andrews, Coral Browne, Arthur Lowe, James Villiers, Michael Bryant, Nigel Green
Synopsis:
The Earl of Gurney dies in a bout of auto-erotic asphyxiation and his son and heir thinks he is God Almighty. The family gather round to plot a solution to the problem of succession, while the Butler, enriched by the deceased's will, totters about muttering inebriated curses on the ruling class.
Review:
Over-indulgent, over-inflated revue that makes its none too subtle points at the expense of the aristocracy at great length and with a signal failure to raise but a titter from its restive audience. In-breeding, abuse of power, old boy network, decadence - the old Jack the Ripper hypothesis - all get a visit, with a few musical numbers thrown in and a good deal of ranting from all concerned. O'Toole by his own account found it sidesplittingly funny, which just goes to show that it all depends which direction you are looking from. Monty Python had already done most of the jokes around the same time, and to far better effect. Medak's direction is sluggish and as uninspiring as filmed theatre.