By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2 cats
Director: John Kirby
Country: united_states
Year: 2005
Running time: 98
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455906/combined
Bruce says: “‘If you see this film, it may not be the same film I saw, which was not the same film shown at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. The filmmakers confessed to having been up all night editing before it was screened in Woodstock and admitted it was a work-in-progress. Written by Lewis Lapham, editor of Harper’s it appears to be a collaborative effort. THE AMERICAN RULING CLASS is shown as a documentary, a questionable category since the two main characters in the film are paid actors setting off on a trumped up mission of finding out exactly who is the American ruling class. Like the term paper that made a lot of sense in the midst of a Benzedrine all-nighter, THE AMERICAN RULING CLASS is an overly ambitious muddled mess by light of day. That said, it is amazing how much content in the film lent itself to intense conversation afterward. Good discussion does not imply good movie.
“The basic premise of two young guys at the crossroads of life after Yale graduation is hokey. Their choice is to join the ruling class and become filthy rich or do something worthwhile and starve in the process. One is headed to Wall Street to be an investment banker and the other has dreams of becoming a writer when he’s not waiting tables. When we hear that 1% of America has 33% of its riches and 10% of our population has 75% of the booty, it is not surprising to learn that this is the greatest concentration of wealth in the United States since 1929. Let’s face it, very few Americans will ever have the choice of going for membership in this club.
“The two faux graduates interview lots of real people during their search for the truth. My favorite is Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed. She is a waitress in a diner where Lapham and the investment banking candidate stop. She teaches the lad a thing or two about the working classes; it isn’t a very pretty lesson. James Baker III and William Howard Taft IV come across as elite incompetents, tossing out specious remarks about how ‘America is good.’ Lapham is supposed to be some combination of muse and devil’s advocate, but he has a sinister edge bringing Faust to mind. Unfortunately, neither one of the young men under his wing are very engaging.
“We hear a lot about how America is owned by the banks but no mention is made as to who owns the banks. In this potpourri there is talk of the Nazis; a visit to Elaine’s; slurs against Bill Gates; a fake romance between the struggling writer and a super rich, guilt ridden socialite who works for Legal Aid; and several musical numbers, one featuring Pete Seeger. As they say at Yale: sophomoric. 2 cats
“THE AMERICAN RULING CLASS was shown at the 2005 Woodstock Film Festival.”
| American Ruling Class (USA; 98 min.) directed by: |
 |