Rating: 
Summary: Decent, and very British
Review: I wasn't sure what to expect of this movie. The concept is brilliant: an aristocrat who believes himself to be Jesus, and is "cured" of this mania only to become Jack the Ripper--with musical numbers interspersed throughout. Genius idea. The movie is ripe for a modern re-make.Unfortunately, a lot of the British-isms and dated style of humor can make the movie seem awfully corny in places. And I agree with the reviewer who mentioned a dragging pace at many points. The musical numbers aren't quite as funny as they could/should be, I thought. The funniest moment for me was when we see Peter O'Toole as Jesus for the first time, absurdly made up, commanding the people on his estate to bow down before him while he delivers a pompous monologue to the Heavens. And there are a few classic, great lines here and there. (Society Lady: "When did you first realize you were God?" Jack/Jesus: "When I realized that every time I was praying I was really talking to myself.") The movie seems dated, I have to admit. In all, I have mixed feelings about it. I found myself wishing the whole ariistocrat-as-Jesus angle could have been played up more. The movie is definitely worth seeing, but don't let all the ecstatic, glowing reviews by the hardcore cult fans prepare you for some unbelievably, otherworldishly hilarious comedy. It's best to go into it with low expectations and be pleasantly surprised by what does work. Like I said, a re-make of this in the right directors' hands would be marvelous. The concept is brilliant. The execution could have been better. That said, rent it before you buy it and see if it's for you.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fantastic DVD of a Fantastic Film
Review: I will eschew the plot summary which ye will find in other reviews above . . . as well as a few spoilers! This is one of my favorite films that examines a number of issues, particularly what is "acceptable" in a religion. It is extremely well-cast, with Peter O'Toole turing in one of his best performances. It is a pleasure to watch Alister Sim--the best Scrooge ever--as a befuddled Anglican bishop. Fans of the Blackadder will enjoy seeing "Nursey" as a village busy-body who wishes to bring back flogging. The DVD is a wonderful treatment. The US release--and subsequent videos--lacked some scenes lost for length. This is a film that is based on a play, and every character had a soliloquy--until someone cut them! Here, finally is the complete film. Visually, it is beautiful. A big suprise is the "goodies." The running commentary includes the director, Peter Medak, the playwright/screen writer Peter Barnes, and even Peter O'Toole. It is an excellent addition to the movie rather than voices blathering about themselves. The insert also has a nice essay from a British film professor. Fans of the film need this DVD. A review above complained it was not "funny." How one cannot laugh at Harry Andrews in a tutu, military garb, hanging himself in order to [CENSORED--Ed.] I do not know?! However, it is NOT a comedy. It is a play that has social satire, some comedy, a fair amount of farce and darkness and tragedy. The only warning that I give is the DVD back-notes reveals some spoilers! If you have NOT seen the film or stumbl'd upon them in some reviews above, make sure you do not read the back!
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic DVD of a Fantastic Film
Review: I will eschew the plot summary which ye will find in other reviews above . . . as well as a few spoilers! This is one of my favorite films that examines a number of issues, particularly what is "acceptable" in a religion. It is extremely well-cast, with Peter O'Toole turing in one of his best performances. It is a pleasure to watch Alister Sim--the best Scrooge ever--as a befuddled Anglican bishop. Fans of the Blackadder will enjoy seeing "Nursey" as a village busy-body who wishes to bring back flogging. The DVD is a wonderful treatment. The US release--and subsequent videos--lacked some scenes lost for length. This is a film that is based on a play, and every character had a soliloquy--until someone cut them! Here, finally is the complete film. Visually, it is beautiful. A big suprise is the "goodies." The running commentary includes the director, Peter Medak, the playwright/screen writer Peter Barnes, and even Peter O'Toole. It is an excellent addition to the movie rather than voices blathering about themselves. The insert also has a nice essay from a British film professor. Fans of the film need this DVD. A review above complained it was not "funny." How one cannot laugh at Harry Andrews in a tutu, military garb, hanging himself in order to [CENSORED--Ed.] I do not know?! However, it is NOT a comedy. It is a play that has social satire, some comedy, a fair amount of farce and darkness and tragedy. The only warning that I give is the DVD back-notes reveals some spoilers! If you have NOT seen the film or stumbl'd upon them in some reviews above, make sure you do not read the back!
Rating: 
Summary: Epic satire that misses all its targets. Hardly Bunuel.
Review: If the devil has the best tunes, the right have the best jokes. What is it about 'committed', liberal satire that sees it hurling wild pot-shots that continually miss the funny bone? 'The Ruling Class' charts the plot of the aristocratic Gurney family to get the current Earl to marry, propagate an heir and be declared a lunatic. He has just been released from an asylum on the death of his tutu-wearing father, whose bedtime ritual of mock-suicide went fatally wrong. Jack prefers to be called J.C., and is convinced he is God, attempting to preach love to narrow-minded, money-grabbing relatives who don't know what it means. Whenever negative insinuations of reality and conspiracy infiltrate his serene divinity, he retreats to a giant crucifix looming near the hall. 'the Ruling Class' is one of those bloated allegories about the decline, decadence, corruption blah blah of Britain and its impreialist past, like 'Oh What a Lovely War' and Lindsay Anderson's films. its structure is that of a revue, in which chunks of theatrical, dialogue-heavy 'wit' (the film is based on a play) is punctuated by fantasy and musical routines, just as J.C.'s 'madness' destabilises the narrow reality of his relatives' secure world. the problem with these epic satires is that they're not believable. Whereas, say, Evelyn Waugh, Anthony Powell or Nancy Mitford knew their worlds intimately, knew the people and the crucial details that would reveal or pinpoint crisis and decline; leftist satirists either don't know the world they attack, and so their broad gestures and caricatures lack force; or they are so burdened by the chip on their shoulders, they can't see the crucial Achilles' heel that would finally finish off their target. None of this would matter if the film, like 'Oh What a lovely war' or Lindsay Anderson, was actually funny. Comedy here is replaced by heavy-handed irony, noise, 'significant' set-pieces and over-emphasis. The target is also irrelevant: the aristocracy haven't been a ruling class in Britain for decades, merely marginal eccentrics for the tourists this film is aimed at (apparently, it is much admired in America, where it was shot - so much for authenticity!). If the film has a saving grace, it is the priceless ensemble acting - William Mervyn as the heartless, phlegmatic uncle; Coral Browne his icy, lubricious wife; Arthur Lowe as a long-suffering butler suddenly released from politeness by a large inheritance; and, especially, the great Alistair Sim as a barmy Bishop. But Peter O'Toole as a batty aristocrat who thinks he's God? He shouldn't be encouraged.
Rating:
Summary: BETTER JESUS THAN JACK - WWJD?
Review: Jack may be an English Lord, but he's clearly nuts: he thinks he's Jesus Christ. And then he's "cured" and comes to believe that he is in fact Jack the Ripper. Peter Medak directs and Peter O'Toole stars in "THE RULING CLASS," an irreverent and hysterical black comedy from 1972 based on the notorious play by Peter Barnes. A truly outrageous film of ideas both caustic and urbane. The three brilliant Peters share the incredibly funny and insightful commentary track. This is the 154 minute director's cut. Cool extras include Medak's home movies shot during production. An esteemed cult classic that still delivers.
Rating:
Summary: BETTER JESUS THAN JACK - WWJD?
Review: Jack may be an English Lord, but he's clearly nuts: he thinks he's Jesus Christ. And then he's "cured" and comes to believe that he is in fact Jack the Ripper. Peter Medak directs and Peter O'Toole stars in "THE RULING CLASS," an irreverent and hysterical black comedy from 1972 based on the notorious play by Peter Barnes. A truly outrageous film of ideas both caustic and urbane. The three brilliant Peters share the incredibly funny and insightful commentary track. This is the 154 minute director's cut. Cool extras include Medak's home movies shot during production. An esteemed cult classic that still delivers.
Rating:
Summary: An All-Time Favorite
Review: Loved it when it came out. Dying to see if it stands the test of time. If you liked this, check out "Greaser's Palace" by Robert Downey, Sr.
Rating:
Summary: What A Wimpy Peter O'Toole Performance!
Review: My local video store cut out the entire "Jack the Ripper" skit and made it so the credits would appear superimposed over a frozen picture of Jesus saying, "My name is Jack..." Peter O'Toole did a rather wimpy performance as Jesus Christ, the 14th Earl of Gurney (if I'm allowed to put it that way).
Rating:
Summary: One of the most underrated films ever made
Review: One MUST view the full version, as an earlier reviwer has said, but this film is a work of genius and ranks as O'Toole's greatest performance.
Rating:
Summary: Upper Crust with a dash of Ergot
Review: Only the Brits seem to be able to spoof their classist divisions with such style and irony. Peter O'Toole is the manic depressive son of an Earl whose untimely death promotes Jack (O'Toole) to center stage. The family, concerned with appearances and control, are at wits end, and so devise a plan to dupe Jack - who thinks he's God, BTW, into marrying his uncle's mistress so an heir can be produced who is suitably malleable to the family's machinations. The family is divided, and a race to get Jack "well" before the heir is born results in Jack's metamorphosis to Jack the Ripper...which in true ironic flair - is far more acceptable in their high society than Jack the loving God. Many layers of humor, a thinking person's comedy.
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