If... (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

I saw this movie when it first came out, and was amazed. So I was pleased to get this Criterion Collection DVD, to savor the movie again, and find out what some of the things I missed when I saw it, being young, and to see if some of the questions I had were answered.Probably, too many will have no idea of the British school system to understand just how oppressive the system was for public school. And this showed the middle class of Britain, not the upper class. Students would go on to be military officers, etc. And there, public school is a different concept than in America.The movie is an indictment of the class system in Britain, and in Disc 1, with the commentary, most of it is how Lindsey Anderson set about showing that indictment. Disc 2 is a bit light on material, but gives some more background from those involved. The film is mainly in color, but there are segments of black and white. Probably the initial reason was the lighting the entire chapel for color filming was beyond their budget. But that also led to other portions being shot in B&W, as it simply filmed better and portrayed things better. But those were more arbitrary. Due to commercial considerations, too much B&W would have been a negative.This movie has a lot of homosexual overtones, but not sexuality. It is an all boys school, where discipline is ruthless, and the 'overlords/whips' have power they can exercise like no other. When Mick Travis (Malcolm McDowell) is beaten, it is for insolence, not for what he actually did. And after the severe beating, he shakes hands with the sadist who beat him, thanking him for what he did. But that beating triggers the action that results in the climax of the movie.The movie on one level is timeless. But on another level, if one was ignorant of how the class system worked in Britain, one my not have great regard for the movie.The movie was also released about the same time as Barbarella, and probably more will remember the opening of that movie than the end of this movie.This movie is not simply about a small number of school kids that rebel against the system. It is much deeper than that. When a student first gets to that school, they are considered scum and as they are there longer, they work their way into more power, and the ability to treat others beneath them poorly. In an early scene, one of the whips tells the newer student to go and warm the toilet seat for him.

While I echo the thoughts expressed by other reviewers regarding the British class system of it's era, what I found most intriguing about "If...." was how much it seemed like a forerunner for so many later films and, unfortunately, events. The most obvious comparison is McDowell's breakthrough role in "A Clockwork Orange". It's backdrop of youth going off the rails engaging in wanton violence can be almost linearly traced back to the last third of "If....". It's as if Mick Travis graduated from boarding school and began terrorizing the London of "Orange's" not-too-distant future. In both films, hapless authorities fail to understand how the system is complicit in creating such monsters and miss entirely how quickly society has changed around them. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Kubrick's casting decision was influenced by McDowell's earlier performance.As I watched, I kept thinking (and this is really gold plating the analogy, but bare with me) that this was the "Citizen Kane" of youth violence movies in how it laid the conceptual groundwork for later films . As in "A Clockwork Orange", shades of "If...." show up in "Natural Born Killers" and certainly "Heathers", with it's darkly comedic take on American High Schools of a later era.Compared with 1968 movie-goers, more modern audiences may view the whole school shooting plotline as a bit too real - snatched from the headlines as opposed to a fantasy take on fed-up students rebelling against the absurdities of a rigid class system, crypto fascist hall monitor types, and the struggles of adolescence. However, I think "If...." stands the test of time in it's portrayal of Mick Travis as the "everyman" and his buddies pushed to the edge. Joined by Mick's girlfriend, who in the climax of the film appears as a proto-Patty Hearst standing on the roof clutching an automatic rifle, the foursome lay waste indiscriminately to oppressors and bystanders alike while viewers are left to ponder the ending after an abrupt cut. The next 50 years of movies and events still has us wondering.

If… takes place within a British boarding school. It starts off with the attempt at regimentation within the institution with all the rules, the head classmen that enforce them, the different houses the students live within, the abuse they gave each other, etc. For example a head classmen gets to tell the students in what order they can shower, where to stand in the shower, and when they have to get out while getting served by an underclassman. It’s all meant to reinforce the class system in England with the younger students learning how to serve and preserve the elite and then they pass that down to the next generations.The second part of the movie is about rebelling against that status quo. Hence the main character played by Malcolm McDowell steals a motorcycle, has sex with a random woman, shoots at the school’s reverend during a military exercise, etc. The problem is that it takes so long to get there. The story just drowns in school life which after awhile is just the same events over and over. If they’d gotten to the uprising sooner it would have been so much better.C

This is, and will probably remain, my favourite film of all time.When this film first came out I had just left a boys only school and was into motorbikes. The film content struck a chord with me at the time, and on every occasion that I have seen the film since, so I had to have my own copy. I had been a member of the Combined Cadet Force at school and was well versed in firing the Lee Enfield .303 rifles and the Bren machine gun seen in the film, and could recognise the characters from my real life. The school rules, the escape on a motorcycle, the rebellion; all things that echoed in my mind. All the things I never did, but what If....

All the other reviews seem good. I don't know anything about film making etc and I can only say that if you don't know this film, know it soon. There's someone ( a first-time viewer) said about "it seems normal but for some surreal-type scenes". I can say that this film will take several watches to take it in (if you are slow like me) but it all makes the most perfect sense. For me, a definite "Desert Island Disc" pick.A "Grade A, gold plated, five star treat that could have been put on the spacecraft that left the solar system carrying a Chuck Berry record", yes, it's a good film. Enjoy.

A classic film from the sixties, Malcolm McDowells first film, an outstanding performance! Traditional boarding school way of life, bullying prefects, fagging, lights out. Strict College House in conflict with rebellious youth; fantasy develops into a surreal and violent confrontation. Throw in a couple of cameos, from actors you might recognise from later films and TV shows and a compelling story line with engaging moments and pythonesque nods and you've got a very watchable and enjoyable film.

A cinematic classic.This is a film about teens fighting back against the establishment.The film harps back to days gone by and really illustrates how our society has changed.In places, the film is brutal, in others, funny but throughout it is thought provoking.I saw this when it first came out. It was controversial and fresh then and remains so today.One that fans of cinematic history should add to their collection.

This film charts out a new term at an exclusive Public School. In particular, one section, 'College House'. The plot is about a very brutal regime verses a small rebellious element, in particular three students Travis (brilliantly played by Malcolm McDowell), Wallace and Knightly.There are some shocking moments in this and a good number of very odd ones as well, such as the House Master's wife who like to wander around the changing rooms nude, and the Padre who is produced out of a draw in the Head Master's office. At the end, they seem to all fit in together. For additional effect, some bits of the film are in black and white.The film studio used one college to film much of this and caused outrage within the college authorities, with the final scenes of this film. This film caused offence in many quarters fourty years ago. These days it is seen as an absolute classic and has collected many awards.