Pygmalion - 1983 - Alan Cooke

OK, it's  a TV movie, but I liked it. Margot Kidder and Peter O'Toole star in George Bernard Shaw's thought-experiment: can you socially elevate someone just through various external trappings like improving one's grammar, clothing and attitude? Is it worth it to even do this? Is there some more meaningful transformation that might be possible?

Well, this brings to mind the case of "Clark Rockefeller" to me. There was once a German guy who had no real formal education and who had overstayed his visa in the USA. He began calling himself Clark Rockefeller and telling folks he was from the famous Rockefeller family. He perfected his English by imitating a character from an American TV series and he began reading widely so as to be able to convince folks he had a Ivy education.

It worked. Soon he was married to a highly-educated woman of wealth who supported him and his friends included the rich and famous, including many American power-brokers.

You can read about him here: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2009/01/fake_rockefeller200901

Becket 1964 Directed by Peter Glenville; Starring: every famous English actor ever

So basically in the 1960s you had older English actors who could ACT and younger upstarts who could ACT. The older and younger guys combine in this film about Becket, adviser to a corrupt king who had the audacity to tell the king that his behavior was wrong (and who suffers the consequences).

Based on a play by Jean Anouilh.

So this is a very pro-England film. Remember that the "Saxons" are the English and the "Normans" are the French. Becket is the English guy who supported England under the French oppression of Henry II (according to this movie).

Actually, I think this movie is a lot of fun to watch because these are serious actors really acting badly. The acting is way over the top and if I had to bet money I would say these guys were drunk for half the filming. These are members of an exclusive acting secret society clowning around together and making a film.  It's kind of disgraceful actually, but fun to watch.

The Ruling Class by Peter Medak 1972

Cheap, easy jokes and over-the-top caricatures tend to mar this film.  Peter O'Toole plays a paranoid schizophrenic (Jack) who inherits a significant English estate as well as a place in the House of Lords.  The problem is that He believes He is Jesus Christ.

Toward the middle of the film a psychologist finds a 'miracle' cure and Jack seems to come back to normal - with one slight problem (won't ruin the film for you by telling you). I liked the ending where he proves himself to be sane by demanding harsher, uncompromising punishments for criminals in the House of Lords.

The film satirizes members of the English upper class.  Kind of a typical late 60s/early 70s English film which made money by presenting a harmless poke at the (idiotic) powers that be. I think it's good to watch this film to learn what to avoid doing if you want to write a really good satire. This film makes every mistake possible.

I guess I'm posting it here because I watched the film and it's not terrible and because Peter O'Toole really makes a very handsome, even sexy Jesus.

Access the film here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dgosa7wkfY&index=24&list=RDDGEqDF6ZMyY