Excerpts from "The Ruling Class"

[TheStarman68]

The pub scene is done in Shere, Surrey, about 20 minutes outside Guildford...its hardly changed.

[Dtchmastrkilla7]

don't know what's worse: English food or English humor.

[spider46531]

odd



[garysaddleback]

Well, folks . . . I thought this film was a Work-Of-Art when I first saw it 30 years ago, and time has NOT changed my mind . . .

Do you realize that the Vicar is portrayed by the gifted Alistair Sim, who played the greatest cinema "Scrooge" ever, in the 1950 "Christmas Carol"?

Cheers to my buddy Vic Hewitt--fighting for his life in hospital.

Gary in Arizona

[mrdammvan]

Mrs Pigott-Jones and Mrs Treadwell are hilarious. Both musical sequences they are in are fantastic! ;)

[RoninAvenger]

Does anyone know where I can get the soundtrack?

[Archangel3583]

Who is that actress at 5:41? She's so familiar.

[Archangel3583]

@Archangel3583 Patsy Byrne! Nursie!

On another note, I can't get over this clip. Shows you what a magnificent Peter O'Toole is.

[RoninAvenger]

I really like the song they sing (blue heaven) cuz its all ragtime sounding

[antipyrene]

Brilliant movie

[coronerchic]

one of the best actors of all time!

[RoninAvenger]

I didn't enjoy the jesus part as much as the jack the ripper part. but my favorite was when he was hunting and that kid got stuck in the bushes "oh my please im stuck in the brambles!" lmao

[Asdrubalmao]

Oh my God, Peter O'Toole is so brilliant!

The best actor ever.

God bless him.

[slash4689]

Peter O'toole is one of my favorite actors they just don't make'em like they used to

[MrCaptainA]

I find it ironic and also a little silly that even when Jack the Earl of Gurney has switched from thinking he is God to thinking he is Jack the Ripper (and has become very dangerous as a result) he still can't refrain from going into spontaneous musical numbers.

[BarnabasFrid]

AND the V E R Y underrated James Villiers!

[Vort317545]

"When did I realize I was God? Well, I was praying and I suddenly realized I was talking to myself. "

Peter O'Toole . The Ruling Class

[Jcolinsol]

This is one of the most relentless movies I've ever seen. It starts you out, and you are unprepared for the slog you are in for. And in there is no reprieve. It's an evaluation of human nature as bare and incisive as Kafka and Orwell.

[UnrealHel]

Omigod! The woman at 5:45 is the poison lady from I Claudius. :P

[rerite2]

@UnrealHel OMG--you're right! Awesome! Long live I,Claudius!

[coronerchic]

@UnrealHel

Livia or Julia? PLayed by Sian Phillips and Frances White. Neither is in the Ruling Class.

[UnrealHel]

@coronerchic .........Martina

[bea142]

Blue Heaven is PERFECTION. The way they break into the song, the way it clashes with the rest of the film. The way he previously seduces her making bird sounds. I love that part. I love EVERY PART, though.

[SNL0907]

Great movie. extreme characters from good to evil.

[AbbeyYoYo]

Could you post the duel between the 2 messiahs? I love the Ruling Class.

[dnbbmnbn123]

At exactly 7:30 I believe he is talking about what we should do to Bernie Madoff. Lol

[Neweddy24]

Jesus Christ! Have you blown your brains out yet?

[DemonKiIler]

I fucking love this movie.

[sucazza]

Peter Medak hahah fantastic

Irreverent like this episode of "Masters of Horror"

(1 episode, 2007)

The Washingtonians

[bloodonthefrets]

What the hell is this movie about?

[Nullifidian]

It's a little difficult to describe, but Jack, played by Peter O'Toole, inherits the estate and title of 14th Earl of Gurney when his father kills himself in an autoerotic asphyxiation accident. Jack thinks he's Jesus, and is in love with Marguerite Gautier, from "The Lady of the Camelias".

Charles, his relative, fixes him up with a woman whom Jack is convinced is his love, in a complicated plot to get his hands on her estate.

Meanwhile, this woman really falls in love with him...

(Continued)

[Nullifidian]

...and tries to see him cured by the local psychiatrist to the upper classes. The psychiatrist confronts him with another patient, a raging Scot who believes that he's "the electric messiah"--a vengeful, angry god. This causes Jack's worldview of peace, love, and wisdom to break down and he emerges thinking he's Jack the Ripper.

As Jack the Ripper, his worldview conforms perfectly with the British upper class, and he's welcomed back into society. The scene on the death penalty is part of that.

[essanay45]

Oh man,that plots been done a million times!

[bface4life]

@essanay45 I'm going to guess you haven't actually seen this movie

[essanay45]

@bface4life You do realize that was a joke.It was in response to a comment that went into a detailed account of the story,and of course it's one the most offbeat films ever.

[essanay45]

@essanay45 Sorry,I left out the word "of".

[Jcolinsol]

@Nullifidian

The whole 'dem bones thing reminded me of the ending of The Prisoner.

[ThingsWeSaidToday]

'talk of the devil'!

[cheeseygoodness]

this movie is so beyond brilliant.

[candr]

They don't make actors like Peter anymore. Thats a crying shame.

[AllenbysEyes]

Yeah, thank God he is still alive and working though.

[whiffleninny]

Quite delightfully mad!

[badlydrawngirl2008]

Thanks for posting.  One of my favorite films; Peter O'Toole was nominated for best actor for this film correct?

[AllenbysEyes]

Yes. He lost to Marlon Brando if memory serves.

[Polyphemus]

I love the whole flick,but seeing the "Varsity Drag" segment really makes me wax nostalgic. Thanks!

[AllenbysEyes]

I love how the musical numbers pop up at the most bizarre and impromptu moments.

[harry1552]

this is bonkers!

[bijeto]

He is the Electric Messiah; the AC/DC God!

[TheElectricMessiah]

I am the High Voltage Messiah! I am the Electric Christ!

[KellyGreen5555]

I love O'Toole & this film is a personal fave. Thanks for posting.

[whielden]

And don't forget the wonderful portrayal of the bolshie butler played by Arthur Lowe, or the cameo by one of my favourites, Nigel Green.

[OnYouthfulCynicism]

This film is far more original and important than nearly anything made within the past twenty years. Sadly, a movie this quirky would have a tough time getting distributed today.

[Neshilo]

almost as good as charlie mansons vids

[fringefries]

Who are you? and for that matter who are all these wonderfull people that share the same love for this film? I feel a special romance with this obscure film that I previously thought was loved by none but myself. WHO ARE YOU?

[fringefries]

Of course, I just read your interests and hobbies and it's obvious that you're an aesthete. Do you enjoy brazillian jazz music at all? If not, your ecclectic musical tastes are quite impressive as they stand. We have very similiar tastes. You're an original.

[JJ77TTUU3]

what else did Peter O Toole do...this film was my first Peter O Toole film. I never saw him in anything else...but if he did something better than this....lets watch that, ok??

[opulent7]

Some of my other Peter O'Toole favourites include "Lawrence Of Arabia"; "Becket"; "What's New, Pussycat"; "The Lion In Winter"; "The Stunt Man"; "The Last Emperor" and "Venus".

[JJ77TTUU3]

Do you think Ruling Class is his best or atleast close to it?

[opulent7]

Personally, I'd place his performance in "The Ruling Class" second only to his legendary performance in "Lawrence Of Arabia".

[AllenbysEyes]

You should add My Favorite Year to that list.

[ender36]

@JJ77TTUU3 "my favorite year" is great also

[pastaplanet5]

yessssssssssss

[JJ77TTUU3]

oh yea I LIKE this

[rtguitarfreak]

Definitely one of my all-time favourite films too. O'Toole is unbelievably funny in the role of Jack the 14th Earl of Gurney who thinks he's Jesus Christ one minute and then Jack the Ripper the next! A brilliant satire on the British upper class and those whose power and prestige demand that appearances should be kept up at all times. Bravo!

[GwennieGail]

Couldn't have said it better. Although a bit dated by 37+ years, it is still brilliant. Peter should have won the Oscar for this performance.