From the first time I saw the film on it's initial cinema run it has remained one of my "desert island" films.O'Toole and Sim at their truly wackiest best.The great problem these days appears being able to view an intact version of the film.Contrary to various published version's running times I seem to be in possession of a 153mins videotape version lifted from a TV print in 1981.(This beggars the question just what was the original running time).The chequered path of Avco-Embassy product falling virtually into the public domain and the ready availability of the original negative hasn't helped anybody issuing a definitive print.But if ever a film cried out for the Criterion Collection treatment and a cinema re-release in a remastered print it is this.I hope somebody does something before O'Toole & director Peter Medak are not around to contribute.(Most of the remaining cast have unfortunately left us in the intervening years).
Review of The Ruling Class
