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The Ruling Class (1972)

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Average Rating: 7.2/10
Reviews Counted: 11
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 2

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 3,723

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Movie Info

An institutionalized schizophrenic with a Messiah complex inherits the position of an English Earl in this cutting satire of British society, based on a play by Peter Barnes. The film's irreverent tone is established with the disturbingly hilarious death of the thirteenth Earl of Gurney during a bizarre attempt at auto-erotic asphyxiation. To the dismay of the earl's family, the title passes to his son Jack (Peter O'Toole), who has been locked away for eight years after claiming to be the second

PG, 2 hr. 34 min.

Musical & Performing Arts, Art House & International, Classics, Comedy

Directed By: Peter Medak

In Theaters: May 10, 1972 Wide

On DVD: Oct 30, 2001

Criterion Collection

Cast

Peter O'Toole
14th Earl Of Gurney
Alastair Sim
Bishop Lampton
Arthur Lowe
Tucker
Harry Andrews
13th Earl Of Gurney
Coral Browne
Lady Claire
Michael Bryant
Dr. Herder
Ronald Adam
Lord
Kenneth Benda
Lord Chancellor
Hugh Burden
Matthew Peake
Patsy Byrne
Mrs. Treadwell
Joan Cooper
Nurse Brice
Graham Crowden
Truscott
James Grout
Inspector Brockett
James Hazeldine
Detective Sgt. Fraser
Neil Kennedy
Dr. Herder's Assistant
Margaret Lacey
Midwife
Oliver MacGreevy
Inmate
William Mervyn
Sir Charles
Declan Mulholland
Poacher
Hugh Owens
Toastmaster
Llewellyn Rees
Lord
Leslie Schofield
McKyle's Assistant
Carolyn Seymour
Grace
James Villiers
Dinsdale
Kay Walsh
Mrs. Piggot-Jones
Henry Woolf
Inmate
Nigel Green
McKyle
Julian d'Albie
Lord
Griffith Davies

Critic Reviews for The Ruling Class

All Critics (16) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (2) | DVD (13)

In spots a very amusing and irreverent tongue-in-cheek satire on class that features a tour de force performance by Peter O'Toole.

June 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The plot is convoluted but director Peter Medak makes some good satirical points about the British class system and Peter O'Toole is terrific in a well-deserved Oscar-nominated performance.

July 4, 2005 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

If it's true that a people get the government they deserve, mightn't it be equally true that a people get the God they deserve?

December 1, 2002 Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

| Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

A wonderful, wild ride. Peter O'Toole is outstanding.

August 15, 2002 Comment

Bob Bloom

Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

decidedly postmodern several years before it became a buzzword

October 30, 2001 Comment

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

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Audience Reviews for The Ruling Class

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Angry, angry, dense, dark and ridiculous screed nominally aimed at English class system w/ O'Toole as J.C. Supernut. Kinda like Bunuel meets Monty Python with live ammo.

April 18, 2007

Bob Stinson

Super Reviewer

I was surprised by how thrown-together this movie seems to be. It is definitely ambitious in its biting social commentary; but, in the end, it ends up falling victim to its own outlandish charm. What starts off as a funny and searing look at British artistocracy quicky spirals into an acid-trip of a movie that is as

January 4, 2011