'Kind Hearts and Coronets' meets 'If...'.
Peter O'Toole gives a masterclass as a well-depicted paranoid schizophrenic who thinks he's God, inherits an Earldom and is 'cured' by the superb Michael Bryant's psychiatrist, only to become Jack the Ripper in the House of Lords.
The anti-establishment message is battered home with a 15lb sledgehammer, but the cast of English (and most of the Scottish) movie stalwarts at least have a good time. Partly stagey, partly like avant-garde television of the time, and partly 'Gosford Park', TRC is not to be watched for anything other than to see actors having a terrific romp.
No story, no meaningful social/religious/moral comment, just great actors (and crew) doing a great job with a somewhat ropey playscript. Special mentions for Carolyn Seymour, Michael Bryant, Arthur Lowe, Nigel Green and of course Alastair Sim wiping the floor with the lot of them. Oh, and the quintessential James Villiers idiotic toff performance.
Peter O'Toole gives a masterclass as a well-depicted paranoid schizophrenic who thinks he's God, inherits an Earldom and is 'cured' by the superb Michael Bryant's psychiatrist, only to become Jack the Ripper in the House of Lords.
The anti-establishment message is battered home with a 15lb sledgehammer, but the cast of English (and most of the Scottish) movie stalwarts at least have a good time. Partly stagey, partly like avant-garde television of the time, and partly 'Gosford Park', TRC is not to be watched for anything other than to see actors having a terrific romp.
No story, no meaningful social/religious/moral comment, just great actors (and crew) doing a great job with a somewhat ropey playscript. Special mentions for Carolyn Seymour, Michael Bryant, Arthur Lowe, Nigel Green and of course Alastair Sim wiping the floor with the lot of them. Oh, and the quintessential James Villiers idiotic toff performance.