Those who own and run us
See:
https://www.americanrulingclass.com/
and:
On Aug. 1, the Criterion Channel will begin streaming the award-winning 2005 dramatic-
documentary-musical The American Ruling Class. Written by and starring Lewis Lapham, the
iconic longtime editor of Harper’s Magazine, directed and edited by John Kirby, and produced
by Libby Handros, the film became a festival favorite thanks to the frank, original, and hilarious
way it explores the typically dark themes of money, class, privilege, and power in modern-day
America.
The film follows two fictional Yale grads as Lapham, playing himself, takes them on a tour of the
corridors of power while they decide if they are going to rule the world … or save it. The young
men are escorted through a variety of Fortune 500 boardrooms, high-profile philanthropic
organizations, top-tier society dinners, and even Pentagon press briefings. Along the way, they
meet and chat with a long list of real-life luminaries, including Robert Altman, former Secretary
of State James Baker, former Senator Bill Bradley, former Secretary of Defense Harold Brown,
Walter Cronkite, author/journalist Barbara Ehrenreich, folk singer Pete Seeger, then-New York
Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr., and Kurt Vonnegut.
“Though our list of interviewees included both those who considered themselves Democrats
and those who identified as Republicans, we noticed little real difference in their general
outlook on policy matters,” says Kirby. “And interestingly, they all made the same claim: ‘There
is no such thing as a ruling class in America.’ To spice things up and have some fun, we decided
to go beyond the standard documentary format. Producer Libby Handros and I hit upon what
we think is an interesting new genre: the ‘dramatic-documentary-musical.’”
“The Criterion Channel is the streaming service for those who love film, and we are honored
that the prestigious Channel’s curators have deemed The American Ruling Class worthy,” says
Handros. “Making this film and taking it to festivals around the world was an unforgettable and
extremely eye-opening experience. This film was Lewis’s baby, and I so badly wish he were still
alive to see it on Criterion.”
Lapham passed away in 2024; The American Ruling Class also features the final film
appearances of Oscar-winning director Robert Altman and Slaughterhouse Five author Kurt
Vonnegut, as well as the first big-screen appearance of hip-hop star Azealia Banks.
Selected quotes from the film:
“The ruling class is the rich, who really command our industry, our commerce and our finance,
and those people are so able to manipulate our democracy that they really control the
democracy.” —Walter Cronkite
“To what end the genius of the Wall Street banks and the force of the Pentagon’s colossal
weapons? Where does America discover the wisdom to play with its wonderful toys? The
questions touch on the character of the American ruling class. And if they’re hard to answer, it’s
because we like to pretend that no such thing as a ruling class has ever darkened an American
shore — or danced by the light of an American moon.” —Lewis Lapham
“Of course there’s a ruling class, and it’s based on money. It’s a very simple problem: You can
buy a jet plane of your own, or you can buy a president.” —Kurt Vonnegut
Selected Reviews:
“Part Monty Python, part Michael Moore, The American Ruling Class is an entertaining clarion
call for all citizens to consider who has power, how they acquired it, and most importantly, how
they keep it.” —Kino Lorber
“Kirby approaches the topic in a light, entertaining manner that holds viewer interest...
Recommended for audiences concerned with our future and how others see us.” —Library
Journal
“John Kirby’s astonishing documentary/drama/musical (yes, really) … also serves as a call to
arms for everyone to think about how their actions will affect the future in which we live.
Narrated and written by the wonderful, laconic Lewis Lapham, this should not be
missed.” —The London Observer
“While fooling around with my TV, seeking out the Cubs-Sox ball game, I accidentally
encountered a remarkable and revelatory documentary. The American Ruling Class KO’d me,
telling ‘ordinary’ citizens who it is — or what means are used — to run our ‘democratic’ society.
The mentor of two of the ‘heirs’ just out of Yale University was Lewis Lapham, the most hip and
perceptive editor of all our monthlies. It is an astonishing program — but, more important, tells
us who really runs things. P.S. I missed the Cubs-Sox game, nothing was lost, much was
gained.” —Studs Terkel
“[A] satirical tour thru the corridors of power with Lewis Lapham... The film takes on our
political and financial elites, the top of America’s food chain, but it’s all for a purpose: to remind
us of those who are struggling just to make ends meet.” —Bill Moyers
“[An] entertaining documentary, The American Ruling Class offers a guided safari through the
tribal haunts of the power elite.” —Vanity Fair
“That unusual animal, the political documentary with high-wattage star power.” —Variety
“I know we’re not supposed to have favorites, but I’ve seen this movie twice and I love
it.” —Tribeca Film Festival cofounder Jane Rosenthal, quoted in The New York Times.
Awards and Accolades:
Official Selection at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival; won Best New York Documentary —
Special Jury Mention
Official Selection at the 2005 Columbus International Film & Video Festival; won the
Silver Chris Award
Official Selection at the 2005 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
Official Selection at the 2005 Woodstock Film Festival
Press contact: Libby Handros, lhandros@aol.com