RUGGLES OF RED GAP
US, 1935, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Charles Laughton, Mary Boland, Charles Ruggles, Zasu Pitts, Roland Young, Leila Hyams.
Directed by Leo Mc Carey.
Ruggles of Red Gap is based upon a popular novel which was adapted for the theatre. It was filmed in 1918 and 1923. It was also remade with songs as a vehicle for Bob Hope and Lucille Ball, Fancy Pants.
The film was directed by Leo Mc Carey who had emerged as one of Hollywood’s top directors of the 1930s. He had just directed the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup. He was to win an Oscar for The Awful Truth with Irene Dunne. He then went on to win an Oscar for Going My Way and directed such films as The Bells of St Mary’s. He also directed the very strong anti-communist film, My Son John at the height of the anti-communist and blacklist era.
The film is a star vehicle for Charles Laughton who had just won an Oscar for his role as Henry VIII in The Private Lives of Henry VIII. This same year he was to appear in the Oscar-winning best film, Mutiny on the Bounty as Captain Bligh. He was to make such classic films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame as well as appear in his final films, Spartacus and Advise and Consent. Mary Boland who was to appear as Mrs Bennett in Pride and Prejudice also stars, as does comedienne Zasu Pitts.
The Earl of Burnstead (Roland Young) loses his butler, Marmaduke Ruggles, to an American, Charlie Ruggles, who transports him then to the American west, to the town of Red Gap. The film is a very funny presentation of the differences between Americans and British – with the very British butler having to adapt to American ways. The film was nominated for an Oscar for best film.
1. How typical a film of the thirties was this? What thirties characteristics are immediately evident?
2. Was this an enjoyable comedy? What were the best aspects of the comedy? Was it a funny comedy? Why?
3. The film is considered a fable. What was the meaning of the fable? Was it a successful fable? The prominent theme was class distinction and class equality. What point of view did the film take? How evident was this from the beginning? How did the theme emerge? With force? Humorously? Was it convincing? The personality and character of Ruggles - in themselves, as part of the comedy, as a means for the fable?
4. Ruggles' behaviour in England and his relationship with his master, Ruggles' family background of generations, Ruggles' assumed traditions, the discomfort when these traditions were broken; the significance of the sequences in France and the clash of U.S. equality of men with Ruggles inherited traditions, the importance of the sequence when Ruggles is intoxicated; the importance of seeing Ruggles,
the English butler, in the American mid-West?
5. Ruggles and the family as snobs, Ruggles learning independence, a contrast between the American way of life and the English way of life and beliefs; Ruggles learning of self-respect in America; Ruggles learning that a man needs to achieve, his desire to achieve, run the restaurant and win love? The importance of Charles Laughton's performance for the impact of Ruggles on the audience?
6 How clever a satire was this film? on the English and English pretensions and class-consciousness? On Americans and their brashness? The Americans on the loose in England and in France? Clothes, manners, friendliness, Good-fellowship and drink? The satire on the strata of American society, even in Red Gap? Satire as exposing hypocrisy? the importance of the sequence in Ruggles' restaurant?
7. The theme of true love and the quality of love between Ruggles and his fiancee? Is the film dated? Even if it is dated, is it still relevant? Does its message communicate itself well? Is the film too preachy? (The importance of several of Ruggles' long speeches about England and America, human dignity, classes and society?)
