if...
UK, 1968, 113 minutes, Black and white, Colour.
Malcolm Mc Dowell, David Wood, Richard Warwick, Robert Swann, Christine Noonan, Peter Jeffrey, Arthur Lowe, Mona Washbourne, Mary Mc Leod.
Directed by Lindsay Anderson.
if... is a disturbing film and provides material for endless discussion. Reviewers have pointed out that Rudyard Kipling has written a poem called "If..." on the virtues of an English gentleman and here we have the antithesis of the Kipling spirit. They have noted Jean Vigo's 1935 short film, Zero de Conduit, which gives the director's school experience in chapters of a film. Critics call Vigo more personal, Anderson more analytical, even clinical.
However, whatever its origins and whatever its points of view on authority, freedom, rebellion and responsibility, it is worth seeing. The film is a parable about the direction of British life in the 1960s and the polarisation that took place between those who exalt tradition, discipline and unquestioning assent to the past and to present institutions and systems and those who wish to question or are forced out of acceptance by society or those who follow on. The destructive rebel group at the end consists of the three friends who are critical of conventions because of conviction and brutality, as is Michael, or because of friendship with him. The girl from the coffee shop is there, as is the boy Phillips who has formed a homosexual attachment with the athlete amongst the three friends.
The film is basically realistic, but with a black realism verging on satire. This is easily done since the film 1s divided into chapters and each chapter's point can be heavily stressed. Towards the end of the film, we are unsure whether we are in the realm of fantasy or not. We do know that we are in the realm of the hypothetical. This lack of certainty is emphasised by the changes from colour to black and white and back, whatever the reasons may have been for this.
There is a wide cross-section of boys and their attitudes presented. The adults fare less well but we are seeing the adults from the boys' point of view and they are eccentric or bizarre. Acting is good - Malcolm McDowell? and Richard Warwick have since gone on to prominence in other films. Musical background 1s interesting and the detail of boarding-school life is excellently observed. The issues of the film are immediately relevant to our times and, it seems, will continue to be relevant for some time.
1. What did the title mean? It implied that the story might be unreal, but it was also a possibility that if it were true what would happen?
2. How real are the situations? How far-fetched was the film?
3. How much of the detail of the film was satire, how much fantasy?
4. Comment on the use of the music to create an atmosphere for the film -the traditional English school songs and the Missa Luba? (Why did Michael like listening to the Missa Luba? - the 'Sanctus' - the 'Holy, Holy, Holy Lord'? (the Missa Luba is a Mass using traditions of Latin words with modern melodies of a Congolese, emerging, people.)
5. How effective was the structure of the film - chapters as in 'Tom Brown's Schooldays'? Did it help to build up to a climax or did it seem too obvious and break the continuity of the plot?
6. What impression of English public school life did the film give concerning: education, discipline, authority, rebellion, seniority over juniors, fagging, bullying, religion, sport, training to be Englishmen, cadets,
school spirit, friendships?
7. Michael Travis and his friends - were they rebels? Were they against the system at the opening of the film? How did they change?
8. What details of character, behaviour, gave insight into Michael and his friends - their study walks, their outings, fencing class, work, refectory, chapel?
9. The Whips - why did the College have Whips? What kind of characters were they? Did the authority given them make them as they were? Why their privileges? - room, study, shave, cups of tea, baths?
10. What was the basis of the authority of the Whips? Was it anything more than the will of one boy against another, e.g. the rules on return from holidays, the dormitory inspection and lights out, the imposition of cold showers, the beating?
11. Why was Jute's settling into the school highlighted at the beginning? How was Jute moulded by College?
12. How were the adults presented in the film?
- Headmaster - his speech on the values of school education, Britain's creativity, social classes, everyone becoming middle-class? His claims to understanding growing boys, especially rebels and the long hair problem?
- Kemp - ineffectual, old-fashioned, his advice of 'Work. Play. But don't mix the two'. His attitude to the Whips,
discipline. Singing to his wife.
- Mrs. Kemp - part of the school order and discipline, but frustrated - her naked walk?
- Matron - old school jollity?
- The Chaplain - bullying while teaching geometry, his chapel services? his advice on sex problems, his sermon, on deserters (from Christ, as we all are) being punished, the fact that he is in charge of cadets, his cringing when shot at. Why was he in the headmaster's draw? Was it because he was just part of the school's establishment, at the disposal of the Headmaster?
- The History Teacher - trying to interest the class in nineteenth century Europe and the rise of totalitarianism. (His comments applying to the school.)
- The Latin Teacher and his old-fashioned class?
- Other teachers?
- The Visitors to end of term day - fashionable, snobbish?
- The Bishop - pomp, irrelevance, rushing out of the smoking building?
- The General - old school spirit, traditions, taking charge of the warfare?
- The Knights in armour (old-time crusaders) and the rituals.
13. How did the showing of the contemporary town - shop-windows, etc. contrast with the school - ancestors in stained-glass etc?
14. Why was the girl introduced? What did she stand for - serving the coffee, slapping Michael's face, the tiger ritual?
15. What was the symbolism of their stealing the bike and the ride with the girl?
16. Why did the group go as far as they did with live bullets?
17. The final section of the film was called 'Crusaders'. What were Michael and company crusading for? Why did the girl join them? Why was it she who shot the headmaster?
18. Was the ending of the film effective with the unremitting firing, the sudden repetition of the word 'if....' and the Missa Luba during the credits? How did this affect mood at the end of the film?
19. The film is obviously a parable with a desperate message. Does the film communicates its message well?
20. Is contemporary society so polarising itself into hostile camps that can never be reconciled, that such war is inevitable?
