The American Ruling Class

If you are familiar with the writing of Lewis Lapham you will find him surprisingly gentle in this film. Here he guides two recent Yale graduates trying to resolve whether it it better to be good or to be successful. This premise is used to introduce us to some of the most powerful men in America, to hear what a few of them have to say about the elite of that country and to hear some of them lie about there being no elite. Although we know the graduates are actors speaking Lapham's words, the technique works, because these two young men genuinely represent the newer generation who, faced with the existing state of power, have to decide whether to join the status quo or try to change it. The Washington Post accused the film of being preachy and condescending, but I disagree. In any case if anyone ever earned the right to preach it is Lapham, who has used his own privileged position to check the excesses of his class, rather than to defend them.

The news in the movie, that anyone may be invited to join the elite, if it helps the elite retain power; that anyone who wants to fight this had better have a trust fund; should leave us feeling cynical and depressed, but the story is surprisingly charming. Perhaps it is from seeing Pete Seeger, alive and well at 86 still singing for freedom, walking in a country lane, encouraging all of us to tip the balance towards a more decent life for all.

This film is a must see for recent college grads or really anyone trying to figure out their place in this world. This film is truly a marvel...not only does it transcend neat classifications, "documentary," "drama," "musical" (of which it is all three) it elevates the subject matter-what are the social responsibilities and realities for those to whom much is given?- to a call for a generation to re-examine their blind ambition and think of the world their actions are creating. This film grapples, as many of us do, with the trade-offs between doing the things you love or that will benefits those around you, and ascending the ladder of success and fortune.

What is truly remarkable about this film is how effectively it uses satire to drive home its point. It resists condescension and engages the audience as intelligent, thinking beings. (finally!) A tour of affluence and influence in America, it sports a cast of very interesting and accomplished people. The "actors" - in a Q&A with the director we learned that the kids were not trained actors but actually recent Harvard and Princeton grads - delivered honest performances. Not to mention the fact that Lewis Lapham is a riot. I would be remiss if I failed to mention that there is stunning fusion of the message of the film with the film's musical numbers.

Well done, original and powerful.

This is an exceptional film both in content and in form.

Talking about class in America is hard. The very real role of top-down hierarchies that we all necessarily cooperate with and participate in is one that is usually shrouded in confusion (even that it exists) and to speak openly about it runs the risk of being judged subversive.

"The American Ruling Class" not only directly addresses the issue of elites in a "democracy", but also gets many of the leaders of the "ruling class" to talk about it as well (how did the filmmakers do that?). Usually a documentary on "class issues" is either a bombastic piece decrying the sins of the rich or is a clinical sociological exercise. "The American Ruling Class" is neither. It uses a fictional story of two recent Yale graduates who are trying to figure out what they are to do with their lives as a means to carry out a series of very real encounters and interviews with some of the leaders of American government, finance, philanthropy, and business. The "students" ask, "Is there a ruling class in America? And if so, what would I need to do if I wanted to become part of it?" They get some very revealing answers.

The uncomfortable edge of talking about class is muted by the fact that this film is genuinely entertaining. There are visual jokes and some nice songs that pop up just when things start to get over-serious. Rich, elite people are never presented as simple caricatures; they are shown as real people who care about America and are dedicated to keeping themselves and this country privileged.

I recommend this film as a way of introducing issues of class to friends and neighbors whether they are liberal or conservative. It is a good starting point for deeper discussions and you may find that those folks you thought were opposites on almost every political issue can find some common ground here.

In this smoothly flowing semi-documentary, John Kirby and Lewis Lapham guide us through a believable but dramatized set of circumstances in the would-be lives of two well educated young men ready to embark on their promising careers in business, politics and whatever else.

Dreamlike, we are driven across landscapes and cityscapes, from the rectangular office spaces of Wall Street to the comfortably luxurious houses of the well-off. During the process, we are haunted, as the life-like main characters are, by the seductive promise of life on the leading edge of American power and money.

The choice of fictionalizing a documentary is, by itself, nothing new, but the WAY this has been done here is quite unique. It seems that all the fictive elements only serve the purpose of truth and accuracy, instead of obfuscating the realities involved. Even the graphical and musical interludes serve as surprisingly sympathetic material for further reflection. Unfortunately this strategy subjects the film to criticism from those who find such content offensive or unnecessary. This film is too "artsy" for some; others may find it "preachy", for much the same reasons. For me, the true achievement of the film is precisely its ability to toe that fine line between realism and idealism without ever falling overboard.

Thanks largely to Lewis Lapham and a wonderful "cast" of what in a lesser documentary would be called talking heads (including such giants as Kurt Vonnegut, Robert Altman, Howard Zinn and Walter Cronkite), the film delivers a cinematic equivalent of a journalistic exposition, both laid back and straight to the point. Indeed, this is Lapham's film as much as Kirby's, and for those who find his presence overbearing, this film might prove to be too much. But its subjectivity is perfectly honest and sincere, and should be applauded as such.

While this is clearly not a "pure" documentary in the traditional sense, I wouldn't call it either fiction or mockumentary - it's really one of a kind. For anybody with an interest in the way academicians, aspiring college graduates, business people and powerful politicians see the world and how they reflect on their own role in the functioning of the system, this film is a must see. Whether or not it is useful to talk of a "Ruling Class", the jarringly disparate perspectives of the very rich and powerful in contrast to the way more modestly earning wage workers see the world raises many questions - and, probably, the hair on your neck! It is not without its problems; the last half could probably have used re-editing. Still, it is a unique look - and certainly just one possible look - at the way power, money and ideology operate in today's society.

It is deadly accurate, mainly because it lets people speak for themselves. For this same reason, and underneath its cool and tact, it is surprisingly subversive and charming. Despite Lapham's grayer-than-gray attire, the film is anything but.

This was entertaining, educational & humorous. Well done and highly recommended to people who still believe that there is more to life than the love of "the green". The world is in the motion of changing and our awareness levels as a global economy are heightened. It was a refreshing look at the new and upcoming and how perception can be so misguided. Traditional values are important, money holds value but people do count and there is enough to go around for everyone. Balance is the key, give back to move ahead. Empirarcal hierarchy is on a down slide and this movie did an excellent job demonstrating what the average working folk experience. Abolish exploitation and enhance the quality of life for people who put the "elbow grease" into an honest days work.