"The Ruling Class" is a satirical black comedy film released in 1972. Directed by Peter Medak, it stars Peter O'Toole, Alastair Sim, and Arthur Lowe. The movie is based on a play of the same name by Peter Barnes.
The film opens with the Earl of Gurney's bizarre death during a cross-dressing session. He leaves behind a son named Jack, who is a paranoid schizophrenic. Jack believes he is Jesus Christ, and he spends most of his time preaching his own brand of Christianity to anyone who will listen.
When Jack's inheritance is on the line, his family sees this as an opportunity to have him declared insane and lock him away in an asylum. But Jack's madness causes problems for the family, and the situation quickly spirals out of control.
As the family tries to cure Jack of his delusions, they are forced to confront their own hypocrisy and prejudices. The humor in the film is dark, with a biting critique of upper-class snobbery and greed. O'Toole gives a remarkable performance as Jack, capturing both his manic energy and the underlying sadness of his mental illness.
Overall, "The Ruling Class" is a masterful black comedy that skewers class privilege and satirizes religious fundamentalism through its portrayal of the eccentric and enigmatic Jack Gurney.