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The Ruling Class (1971)

Director: Peter Medak

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From Time Out Film Guide

Peter Barnes' adaptation of his own play takes as its targets British chauvinism, British institutions, the sadistic education system, and the sexual perversion and social misery it feeds off. Loosely the plot covers the death of the old Earl of Gurney (Andrews) during one of his masochistic evening rituals, and the accession to the title of his insane son (O'Toole), who believes he is God but eventually switches to Jack the Ripper. This is buried beneath a load of old jokes, song'n'dance routines, bad jokes, physical obsessions, random send-ups. A very long two and a half hours does throw up some good performances and a few memorable images; otherwise the latent and overt ideas are fleshed out all too obviously.

Author: VG 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: Peter Medak

Producer: Jules Buck, Jack Hawkins

Cast: Peter O'Toole, Alastair Sim, Arthur Lowe, Harry Andrews, Coral Browne, Michael Bryant, Nigel Green, William Mervyn, James Villiers, Hugh Burden, Carolyn Seymour, Graham Crowden, Kay Walsh full cast

Genre(s): Comedy

Duration: 155 mins


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