If.... (1968)

Director:

Lindsay Anderson

Writers:

David Sherwin (script "Crusaders") and
John Howlett (script "Crusaders") ...

Release Date:

27 August 1969 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Which side will you be on?

Plot:

In this allegorical story, a revolution lead by pupil Mick Travis takes place at an old established private school in England.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Revolution | Bullet | Cease Fire | Pipe Smoking

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Malcolm McDowell	...	Mick Travis
David Wood	...	Johnny
Richard Warwick	...	Wallace
Christine Noonan	...	The Girl
Rupert Webster	...	Bobby Phillips
Robert Swann	...	Rowntree
Hugh Thomas	...	Denson
Michael Cadman	...	Fortinbras
Peter Sproule	...	Barnes
Peter Jeffrey	...	Headmaster
Anthony Nicholls	...	General Denson
Arthur Lowe	...	Mr. Kemp
Mona Washbourne	...	Matron
Mary MacLeod	...	Mrs. Kemp
Geoffrey Chater	...	Chaplain (Reverend Woods)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Black and White | Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (re-rating) | Hong Kong:IIB | Czech Republic:15 | Hungary:14 | France:-12 | Brazil:14 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (cut version) (1969) | USA:X (1968) | West Germany:16 (bw) | UK:AA

Filming Locations:

Aldenham School, Elstree, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Memorial Enterprises

Trivia:

Malcolm McDowell was reportedly paid £90 a week for this role.

Goofs:

Continuity: The boys order coffee at the Packhorse Café. The waitress pours the coffee into two cups and slides the cups towards the boys across the counter without spilling the coffee. Travis adds sugar to his coffee from a sugar tin. He spills some sugar and several small drops of coffee onto the counter. The spoon is left in the sugar can pointing towards the café entrance door. The boys then take their coffees away from the counter and walk towards the tables. The next shot shows the waitress standing behind the counter watching the boys. There is now a long streak of coffee on the counter which wasn't there before and the spoon in the sugar can is now pointing in a different direction. There is also no sugar spilt on the counter and no small drops of coffee either.

Quotes:

Mick Travis: The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy bear to Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the rest of your frigid life.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Meaning of Life (1983)

Soundtrack:

Sanctus

As if the Speed of the Nail would matter...

Lindsay Anderson's 1968 film If... is a beautiful film with a simple message, yet the director's touch and the performances take it to entirely different level.

If... takes place in all boys boarding school and stars Malcolm McDowell as

"Mick" (McDowell in his first screen role). Mick and his two friends feel

somewhat distant from their peers, school, and society. Their general attitude towards such things as sex, war, and authority could be call revolutionary. With surrealistic touches such as unexplained occurrences and changing between

color and black and white. Lindsay Anderson paints a vivid picture of "teenage alienation" before there was a term for such a thing. McDowell would later reprise his role of "Mick" in two other Anderson pictures O' Lucky Man and Britannia Hospital. A must see for fans of McDowell. Just a great film with a message that sparks positive, pro-active thinking. An important film that makes you remember to question authority instead complying to it rules. Sadly If... is not available on DVD at this time.