The Ruling Class (1972)
William Mervyn: Sir Charles Gurney
Photos
Quotes
-
Dr. Herder : He can't forget being rejected by his mother and father at the age of 11. They sent him away, alone, into a primitive community of licensed bullies and pederasts.
Sir Charles : You mean he went to public school.
Dr. Herder : Exactly.
-
Sir Charles : Are you sure you can handle the situation? Marrying a man who thinks he is god?
Grace : Happens all the time.
-
Sir Charles : We're just talking about you and the subject of marriage. We think you should take a wife.
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : Who from?
-
Dr. Herder : His lordship is a paranoid schizophrenic.
Sir Charles : Paranoid schizophrenic? But he's a Gurney!
Dr. Herder : Then he's a paranoid schizophrenic Gurney who believes he's God.
Sir Charles : But we've always been Church of England!
-
Sir Charles : Come, doctor, you said he needed a harsh dose of reality. Well, you can't get a harder dose of the stuff than marriage.
-
Sir Charles : What about Jack?
Dr. Herder : Remember he's suffering from delusions of grandeur. In reality he's an earl, an English aristocrat, a member of the ruling class. Naturally, he's come to believe there's only one person grander than that: the Lord God Almighty Himself.
Sir Charles : Are you English?
Dr. Herder : No.
Sir Charles : [slowly] Ah.
-
Sir Charles : [exasperated, after meeting Jack] Oh, my God!
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : [ducking back into the room after hearing Charles] Yes?
-
Lady Claire Gurney : How dare you bring that woman here!
Sir Charles : You should be very grateful to Miss Shelley.
Lady Claire Gurney : Grace Shelley is your mistress.
Sir Charles : Miss Shelley is just a hard working girl.
Lady Claire Gurney : On her back!
-
Sir Charles : There are certain matters to do with the estate that need clearing up. Nothing important. Just need your signature. Gives me power to handle odd things.
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : Of course, Uncle.
Sir Charles : There's no need to read it. Just take my word.
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : I take your word. I put on my glasses because I feel cold. Where do I sign?
Sir Charles : Just there. Excellent, excellent. Easily done, eh?
[reading the signature]
Sir Charles : "I, the undersigned, Mycroft Holmes?" Who's Mycroft Holmes?
Tucker : Brother of Sherlock Holmes, you illiterate oaf.
-
Sir Charles : He was my brother. Well, half brother. I will not have you calling him artistic.
-
Sir Charles : Where'd they go?
Lady Claire Gurney : To bed, of course.
Dinsdale Gurney : I must say, I wouldn't like to be in her shoes tonight.
Tucker : It's not her shoes he'll be in, Master Dinsdale.
-
Sir Charles : So, he just rode about all night then?
Grace : First the bike, then me.
Sir Charles : Hmm.
Grace : His mind may be wonky, but there's certainly nothing wrong with the rest of his anatomy.
-
Sir Charles : It's out of the question!
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : Who asked you a question? Did you ask him a question? Nobody asked a question, so I'll ask a question: Who's the head of the Gurney household?
Sir Charles : You are, Jack.
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : Then don't let me hear you answering unasked questions again!
-
Bishop Bertie Lampton : Tell me, did Ralph commit suicide?
Sir Charles : Suicide? Tucker found Ralph hanging in his bedroom wearing a cocked hat, underpants and a ballet skirt. Does that sound like suicide?
-
Sir Charles : I told him not to remain a widower. The guv'nor didn't have to start breeding again. It was not pleasant for a man of Ralph's age, but that was something he had to get on top of.
-
Sir Charles : Claire! I said, Ralph is back.
Lady Claire Gurney : Thank you, Charles. I'll have a vodka and tonic.
Dinsdale Gurney : I say, guv'nor, the guv'nor is back. Mummy, I was just telling the guv'nor that the guv'nor is back.
Lady Claire Gurney : Charles! With ice.
Dinsdale Gurney : I'm repeating myself, calling the guv'nor the guv'nor and Daddy the guv'nor as well.
-
Lady Claire Gurney : You heard what he said, Charles.
Sir Charles : I did. Destroying property. All men are equal. Do you know what this means, Claire? He's not only mad, he's Bolshie!
-
Lady Claire Gurney : Dr. Herder is furious.
Sir Charles : Furious? He's got no right to be furious. He's not family.
Lady Claire Gurney : He could make things difficult by having Jack declared insane before he's produced an heir.
Sir Charles : Damned Kraut. You'll have to keep your eye on him, my dear. I'm gonna have me hands full getting Grace married and pregnant.
-
Grace : You're right, Charlie boy. She is an ice-cold biddy.
Sir Charles : Oh, she's too clever by half, that woman. But I get things done my way. She doesn't know what she wants.
Grace : Oh, but I do, Charlie boy.
-
Sir Charles : [approvingly] Damned plucky filly.
-
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : One minute silence, please.
Sir Charles : What for?
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : For all the dead books of World War I. For Mr. Moto, Cisco Kid and me. Muffle the drums, silence. Shh!
-
Tucker : I told you all I know.
Inspector Brockett : Oh, have you? Daniel Tucker, alias Alexei Kronstadt. Party member number 243.
Sir Charles : Murdering swine.
Grace : Jeeves a Bolshie?
Inspector Brockett : You're a Red!
-
Sir Charles : Ah, it's what I've always said: you can't give the working class money.
-
Sir Charles : It's Jack this, Jack that.
Grace : Jack, let's take off.
-
Sir Charles : Oh, it'll happen to you one day. Suddenly you'll be standing there and - nobody's paying any attention to you. You start coughing and your mouth goes dry. Wipe watery, dribbles away. It's hard! Because inside you're still, you're still 21! But your feet go flop, flop, flop! Oh, it's hard!