The Ruling Class (1972)

Michael Bryant: Dr. Herder

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Quotes 

• Dr. Herder : He can't forget being rejected by his mother and father at the age of 11. They sent him away, alone, into a primitive community of licensed bullies and pederasts.

  Sir Charles : You mean he went to public school.

  Dr. Herder : Exactly.

• Dr. Herder : Naturally, men aren't rats.

  Lady Claire Gurney : Only a man would say so.

• Dr. Herder : His lordship is a paranoid schizophrenic.

  Sir Charles : Paranoid schizophrenic? But he's a Gurney!

  Dr. Herder : Then he's a paranoid schizophrenic Gurney who believes he's God.

  Sir Charles : But we've always been Church of England!

• Sir Charles : What about Jack?

  Dr. Herder : Remember he's suffering from delusions of grandeur. In reality he's an earl, an English aristocrat, a member of the ruling class. Naturally, he's come to believe there's only one person grander than that: the Lord God Almighty Himself.

  Sir Charles : Are you English?

  Dr. Herder : No.

  Sir Charles : [slowly]  Ah.

• Lady Claire Gurney : My husband's an idiot.

  Dr. Herder : That's not my concern.

• Lady Claire Gurney : That's very clever, but ah is it true?

  Dr. Herder : Don't come to me for the truth only explanation.

• Dr. Herder : Don't come to me for the truth, only explanations.

• Lady Claire Gurney : Why does he keep on about love?

  Dr. Herder : Because he wants us all to love goodness. To love goodness is to love God. To love God is to love the 14th Earl of Gurney.

• Dr. Herder : To love goodness is to love God. To love God is to love the 14th Earl of Gurney.

• Lady Claire Gurney : Doctor, how are my questions revealing?

  Dr. Herder : The first one you asked me was about love.

• Lady Claire Gurney : If I press a button, you'll feel fear? Love?

  Dr. Herder : Love? No. Desire. Yes.

  Lady Claire Gurney : What, by pressing a little button?

• Tucker : Why can't you look at my back?

  Dr. Herder : I keep telling you, I'm a psychiatrist.

  Tucker : It's just because I'm on the national health, isn't it? Damn money-grubbers! You and your "hypocrite's" oath.

• Dr. Herder : What does that look like? Is it a dragon? A spider? What does it remind you of?

  Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : God.

  Dr. Herder : And this?

  Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : God. Everything that is or ever shall be reminds me of me.

• Dr. Herder : Yes. He's made a spectacular breakthrough. We're in the process of making a new man.

  Lady Claire Gurney : I'm always on the lookout for new men.

• Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : You were fornicating lovers! Sperm dancers!

  Dr. Herder : It's a lie! Lady Claire meant nothing to me.

  Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : Cock-a-doodle-doo!