I guess the best way to describe The Ruling Class is Jonathan Swift by way of Monty Python. It was one of 8 trips to the Best Actor Oscar that Peter O'Toole took without first prize.
Two phrases come to mind when viewing this film. One is from Philip Barry when he wrote in The Philadelphia Story about those privileged classes enjoying their privileges. The other one is how it depends how rich one is to be deemed eccentric as opposed to crazy.
The stern and righteous Earl Of Gurney Harry Andrews who is a most conservative gentleman in his public image dies one night. But what a way to go. Apparently the man had the decency to keep his vices in private. He enjoyed erotic asphyxiation wearing a tutu. But accidents will happen and the estate now devolves upon his son Peter O'Toole who is more public with his eccentricities. He thinks of himself as Jesus Christ and has a cross built there where he spends hours a day just standing against and looking and dressing like a blond Jesus.
That's got everybody concerned, we can't have this guy in the House of Lords the rest of the family will never be able to show their faces in public again. What to do and believe me this family tries a number of formulas.
O'Toole looked like he was having one great old time in this part. I'm not sure I've ever seen any player looking like they were having so much fun in a role. A few others stand out. Coral Browne plays one of the family whose promiscuity becomes more and more open as well. Alastair Sim who seems to have taken a leaf from Alex Guinness's dotty vicar in Kind Hearts And Coronets. And there's Arthur Lowe who's family butler and when he gets a few in him starts spouting all kinds of Bolshevism against these idiots he deals with and who give him a living.
It was always hard luck for O'Toole at Oscar time. In 1972 he was up against Marlon Brando for The Godfather. I doubt O'Toole would have dissed the Academy and his peers by refusing the Oscar.
Think of Edward Everett Horton hawking the virtues of Happydale in Arsenic And Old Lace, think of Cecil Kellaway ready to administer the hypo to Jimmy Stewart in Harvey. Then think of Peter O'Toole in the House Of Lords.
Frightening and funny.
Two phrases come to mind when viewing this film. One is from Philip Barry when he wrote in The Philadelphia Story about those privileged classes enjoying their privileges. The other one is how it depends how rich one is to be deemed eccentric as opposed to crazy.
The stern and righteous Earl Of Gurney Harry Andrews who is a most conservative gentleman in his public image dies one night. But what a way to go. Apparently the man had the decency to keep his vices in private. He enjoyed erotic asphyxiation wearing a tutu. But accidents will happen and the estate now devolves upon his son Peter O'Toole who is more public with his eccentricities. He thinks of himself as Jesus Christ and has a cross built there where he spends hours a day just standing against and looking and dressing like a blond Jesus.
That's got everybody concerned, we can't have this guy in the House of Lords the rest of the family will never be able to show their faces in public again. What to do and believe me this family tries a number of formulas.
O'Toole looked like he was having one great old time in this part. I'm not sure I've ever seen any player looking like they were having so much fun in a role. A few others stand out. Coral Browne plays one of the family whose promiscuity becomes more and more open as well. Alastair Sim who seems to have taken a leaf from Alex Guinness's dotty vicar in Kind Hearts And Coronets. And there's Arthur Lowe who's family butler and when he gets a few in him starts spouting all kinds of Bolshevism against these idiots he deals with and who give him a living.
It was always hard luck for O'Toole at Oscar time. In 1972 he was up against Marlon Brando for The Godfather. I doubt O'Toole would have dissed the Academy and his peers by refusing the Oscar.
Think of Edward Everett Horton hawking the virtues of Happydale in Arsenic And Old Lace, think of Cecil Kellaway ready to administer the hypo to Jimmy Stewart in Harvey. Then think of Peter O'Toole in the House Of Lords.
Frightening and funny.