A member of the House of Lords dies, leaving his estate to his son. Unfortunately, his son thinks he is Jesus Christ. Their other, somewhat more respectable family members plot to steal the ... Read allA member of the House of Lords dies, leaving his estate to his son. Unfortunately, his son thinks he is Jesus Christ. Their other, somewhat more respectable family members plot to steal the estate from him; murder and mayhem ensue.A member of the House of Lords dies, leaving his estate to his son. Unfortunately, his son thinks he is Jesus Christ. Their other, somewhat more respectable family members plot to steal the estate from him; murder and mayhem ensue.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 4 nominations total
- Inmate
- (as Oliver McGreevy)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaNigel Green died shortly after production from an overdose of sleeping pills; it was ruled an accident but is believed by some to have been a suicide, as Green was said to have been greatly depressed during filming. It had already been decided that his dialog should be replaced by that of another actor in the finished film, Graham Crowden.
- GoofsThe 13th Earl is referred to as "Ralph". Upper class pronunciation of this name is always "Rafe". All the characters (and actors) would know this.
- Quotes
Lady Claire Gurney: How do you know you're God?
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney: Simple. When I pray to Him, I find I am talking to myself.
- Alternate versionsThe film was trimmed to 148 minutes for US release, and was later cut to 141 minutes in order to fit on one videocassette (the longest available at the time). The Criterion DVD contains the original 154 min. version of the film.
- SoundtracksGod Save the Queen
(uncredited)
Traditional
And if that mix of the macabre doesn't make you chuckle, try this unexpected twist. At several poignant moments throughout the film, the cast will suddenly break from straight-faced dialogue into a full-blown, song and dance numbers, some of which would make Busby Berkley proud. In one case, the tune of `Connect 'dem Bones' is ushered up to punctuate a scene with O'Toole lecturing the local gentry about the need for capital punishment. Herein lies one of the big reasons why this film is so off-the-wall and refreshingly funny.
For my money, this is one of the most original, thought-provoking and honest critiques of the British class system ever to be put on film. O'Toole is simply mesmerizing as he juggles Jack's multiple personalities, the funniest of which is Christ or, as he prefers it, `J.C.' It's hysterical to watch the cumulative effect of J.C.'s `touched' outlook on the members in his stuffy, conspiring family who are out to get Jack committed permanently.
A true `Must See Film' for anyone who enjoys a juicy, sardonic, intelligent black comedy, especially when the topic focuses on the silly pomposity of the British upper classes.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Vladajuca klasa
- Filming locations
- Harlaxton Manor, Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, England, UK(exterior: Gurney Manor)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro