Synopsis
Lindsay Anderson’s If…. is a daringly anarchic vision of British society, set in a boarding school in late-sixties England. Before Kubrick made his mischief iconic in A Clockwork Orange, Malcolm McDowell made a hell of an impression as the insouciant Mick Travis, who, along with his school chums, trumps authority at every turn, finally emerging as violent savior against the draconian games of one-upmanship played by both students and the powers that be. Mixing color and black and white as audaciously as it mixes fantasy and reality, If…. remains one of cinema’s most unforgettable rebel yells.
Cast
| Mick Travis | Malcolm McDowell |
| Johnny | David Wood |
| Wallace | Richard Warwick |
| The girl | Christine Noonan |
| Rowntree | Robert Swann |
| Denson | Hugh Thomas |
| Stephans | Guy Ross |
| Headmaster | Peter Jeffrey |
| Matron | Mona Washbourne |
| Housemaster | Arthur Lowe |
| History master | Graham Crowden |
| Chaplain | Geoffrey Chater |
| Housemaster's wife | Mary Macleod |
Credits
| Director | Lindsay Anderson |
| Producer | Michael Medwin and Lindsay Anderson |
| Screenplay | David Sherwin |
| From the original script "Howlers" by | David Sherwin and John Howlett |
| Cinematography | Miroslav Ondrícek |
| Music | Marc Wilkinson |
| Production Design | Jocelyn Herbert |
| Editing | David Gladwell |
Disc Features
SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET:
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer, approved by cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek and assistant editor Ian Rakoff
- Audio commentary featuring film critic and historian David Robinson and actor Malcolm McDowell
- Cast and Crew (2003), an episode from the Scottish TV series featuring interviews with McDowell, Ondricek, Rakoff, director’s assistant Stephen Frears, producer Michael Medwin, and screenwriter David Sherwin
- New video interview with actor Graham Crowden
- Thursday’s Children (1954), Academy Award–winning documentary about a school for deaf children, directed by Anderson and Guy Brenton and narrated by Richard Burton
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: A booklet featuring pieces by critic David Ehrenstein, screenwriter David Sherwin, and director Lindsay Anderson
From the Current
If....: School Days
by Jun 16, 2007So claimed Rudyard Kipling in "If—," a poem he wrote in 1909, redolent of privilege, “Empire,” and all the “values” Lindsay Anderson’s identically titled 1969 film abhors. One line sports a special pertinence to Anderson: "If you can dream—and not make dreams your master." For If.... is...
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"if...." or "O Lucky Man!"
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