• ALL
  • NEWS
    • GAY MOVIE/ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
    • GAY FILM TRAILERS
    • GENERAL MOVIE NEWS & TRAILERS
  • GAY SHORTS & SERIES
  • REVIEWS
    • GAY FILM REVIEWS
    • CINEMA REVIEWS
    • DVD & BLU-RAY REVIEWS
  • BGPS BLOG
  • COMPS
  • ABOUT
    • Contact Us
    • Join The Team
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Gays On Film – A Short History

Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Ruggles Of Red Gap (Blu-ray & DVD)

May 27, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Charles Laughton, Mary Boland, Charles Ruggles, Zasu Pitts, Leila Hyams
Director: Leo McCarey
Running Time: 91 mins
Certificate: U
Release Date: May 28th, 2012

Back in the early part of the 20th Century, Hollywood really liked Ruggles Of Red Gap. Even though the original play only ran for 33 performances on Broadway, it spawned two silent movies and then this 1935 talkie starring Charles Laughton. The actor had just won a Best Actor Oscar for The Private Life Of Henry VIII, and many thought it was odd he chose such a straightforwardly comic role as a follow-up, something he wasn’t particularly well known for at the time.

Laughton plays title character Ruggles, the butler of a posh English lord who is lent to a rather unrefined but very rich American and his social climbing wife, who sees having a butler as a way of showing people how posh they’ve become. After a couple of adventures in Europe, Ruggles is taken to Red Gap, Washington, a pioneer town that doesn’t know quite what to make of this refined manservant. While having Ruggles in the American west causes a bit of a culture clash, the butler (who is introduced to people as a former Colonel in the British Army) finds many people treat him as an equal and he begins to see that the American dream could be his and he could make a go of it on his own in America.

As Laughton biographer Simon Callow says in the special features, the actor was the son of hotel owners, which gave him an intense dislike of the class system and more specifically the idea of meekly serving others no matter what they do. Being a closeted gay man who went into a marriage for show due to pressures from the powers that be (it should be noted his wife, Bride Of Frankenstein’s Elsa Lanchester, knew what she was getting herself into) probably didn’t make him a big fan of traditional social attitudes either.

He brings this to bear in Ruggles, and although his performance is rather mannered, it has a quiet power. That’s especially true during his recitation of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which became so popular it was even released separately on record (that recording is also included on the special features).

It’s a sweet story although you can tell why the film is better known in the US than over here, as it’s very much about how great the American dream is in a rather simplistic, fairytale fashion. That said, it’s quite fun and entertaining, with some witty scenes and a great sense of empowerment. It also gives you an appreciation for the skill of director Leo McCarey, who’s one of Hollywood’s best if most overlooked talents. He pretty much created the modern image of Laurel & Hardy and went on to win best Director Oscars for The Awful Truth and Going My Way (for which he also picked up a Screenplay Oscar).

As for the Blu-ray, the transfer is decent, although due to the film’s age it’s rather grainy and the sound is sometimes a tad rough. It certainly looks okay on a big screen, although it’s understandably not the clear, crisp image you get on newer films.

The special features are also pretty good. As mentioned there’s an interview with Simon Callow, in which he gives a fascinating talk about Laughton and where Ruggles fits into his career and philosophy. It’s a great addition to the set and gives a lot of added value to what might otherwise seem a rather minor addition to Laughton’s career. There are also three radio adaptations of the story, starring Laughton and some of the other cast members of the movie. They were recorded between 1939 and 1946, proving the film’s continued popularity in that era.

Overall Verdict: A fun little film about realising you’re not just a cog in the class system, which may not be a masterpiece, but is massively overdue its first home entertainment release. Thankfully Masters Of Cinema has now taken care of that.

Special Features:  Music & Effects Track,  Simon Callow Interview About Laughton,  ‘Ruggles On The Radio’ Three radio adaptations starring Charles Laughton,  Laughton Reciting Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address,  Booklet

Reviewer: Tim Isaac

Wanna share?:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Flipboard
  • More
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Print
  • Pocket
  • WhatsApp
Overall Rating 6outof10

Related

Filed Under: DVD and BLU-RAY REVIEWS

Leave a Reply (if comment does not appear immediately, it may have been held for moderation)Cancel reply

Search this site:

We're Needy, Be Our Friend

RSSTwitterFacebookStumbleUponMySpace

E-maily Stuff

Get the latest in our daily e-mail

Most Recent Posts

Young Hunter Trailer – First teen gay love takes a dark turn into blackmail

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie Trailer – The hit gay, drag West End musical is coming to the screen

Iris Prize Festival LGBT+ International Short Films 2020 – Part 3 (Short Film Reviews)

Iris Prize Festival LGBT+ International Short Films 2020 – Part 2 (Short Film Reviews)

Iris Prize Festival LGBT+ International Short Films 2020 – Part 1 (Short Film Reviews)

The Scottish Queer International Film Festival 2020 Has Opened, & It’s Online Across The UK

The Iris Prize LGBT Short Film Festival Returns Next Week, & It’s Online & Free!

An Apology From Big Gay Picture Show

Win The Miseducation of Cameron Post DVD & Book!

Seventeen Trailer – The vagaries of teen romance erupt in the lesbian-themed film

My Best Friend Trailer – Gay romance flickers between two teen boys

New Sauvage Trailer – The gay prostitute movie that divided Cannes is coming soon

We're Needy, Be Our Friend

RSSTwitterFacebook

E-maily Stuff

Get all the latest from BGPS in our daily e-mail

Blogroll

  • Blinkbox – Gay & Lesbian
  • DoorQ
  • Movie Muser
  • Peccadillo Pictures
  • Peccapics Blog
  • TLA Gay (UK)
  • TLA Releasing (UK)
  • TQS Magazine

Copyright © 2023 Muser Media · Powered by WordPress & Genesis Framework · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're OK with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Read More Accept Reject
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT