If.... (1968)

Director:

Lindsay Anderson

Writers:

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

Release Date:

27 August 1969 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama

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:

Dead Children | Black And White Segues Into Color | School Shooting | Black Comedy | Boarding School

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

Colour:

Black and White | Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Czech Republic:15 | Hungary:14 | UK:15 (re-rating) | Hong Kong:IIB | 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:

The driver of the red car stopped by Mick on the roundabout in Cheltenham was Michael Medwin, the film's producer.

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: There's no such thing as a wrong war. Violence and revolution are the only pure acts.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Monty Python's Flying Circus: It's a Living (#2.6)" (1970)

Soundtrack:

Sanctus

Rejection and acceptance: Mick and Jute.

I watched this movie, for the umpteenth time, when it was shown on T.V. last night and was happy to see that it hasn't lost any of it's impact or relevance. Like so many other British films of the same time "if...." is a classic. The storyline, direction, location and acting are all stunning and as an allegory the film has as much to say today as it did when it was first released, onto an unsuspecting public, in the late 1960's. Much has been said by other reviewers about Lindsay Anderson, Malcolm McDowell and the film as a social satire, so there seems little point in going along those, well trodden, paths. I guess one aspect of the film, which always struck me as pivotal, but which hasn't been mentioned, is the inverse negative correlation between the story of Mick (Malcolm McDowell) and that of Jute (Sean Bury). While Mick starts out as a mild non-conformist who becomes increasingly disaffected with society, as represented by the school, Jute, who is initially an outsider, a new boy who doesn't know the rules, is gradually accepted and becomes an active member of that very same society. Mick's initial revolt is that of returning to school still sporting a moustache. But although he is flouting the rules by virtue of not being clean shaven, it is done on a purely personal level and he takes great pains to hide his facial hair from those in authority. Later his actions become, by stages, increasingly confrontational and open. Jute on the other hand is first shown as a small, almost lost, boy with large, frightened, puppy-dog eyes who doesn't even know that prefects are not addressed as "Sir", let alone the myriad of other complex rules that make up the society into which he has been thrust. Gradually we see his self assurance blossoming as he is accepted firstly by the other "scum" and later by the powers that be. The small socially isolated boy of the first scene is later seen playing an active role in a rugby match, sharing an impromptu meal with the other scum, confidently carrying a trophy in College Hall and finally taking an active part (as an altar boy) in the very celebration of traditional values that Mick has, by then, utterly rejected. A thought provoking film, which like that other celebrated allegory from the same era, "Lord of the Flies" (1963), has many levels and can be as deep as you wish it to be. Utterly Brilliant. Oh yeah and my favourite quote was from Mick when asked why he was sporting a moustache, his answer, "To hide my sins".