University of Virginia Library

Uneven Portrait Of Student Revolt

By Steve Wells

In today's society, a film that
deals with student rebellion is
virtually assured of having at least
some topical significance. Evidently,
Lindsay Anderson realized this
before he set out to make "If..."

The task he then accepted was
to convey to the audience how
serious this problem is by examining
the causes that lead to a
revolution, giving insight wherever
possible, and may be even offering a
few observations on how such
conflict could be avoided.

Mr. Anderson has set "If..." in a
drab English boys' school where
students are literally treated like
slaves by their superiors. The
institution is comparable to an
army training camp and the professors
could easily be mistaken for
sadistic drill sergeants. Be cause
the students have had their individualism
denied them, we can easily
understand their reasons for rebelling.
And we can partially identify
with them.

But herein lies the major problem.
In a film of this sort, to
partially identify with the characters
is not enough. They must gain
our confidence and never lose it. In
"If...," we are always in doubt as to
the students' integrity. For instance,
in one scene the main
student rebel steals a motorcycle
for kicks and proceeds to drive
merrily through the country. Is this
a character in whom we can
confide?

Mr. Anderson's directorial approach
often does not help matters
much. At times, he is far too
obvious in his treatment of the
subject matter. Alternating between
color and black and white photography,
he creates a lack of
continuity which is extended into
the characters.

Slow Pacing

Furthermore, his pacing is far
too slow. At first we are captivated
by the routine of the school and
the characters who inhabit it. But
after about forty-five minutes, we
have seen enough and we become
impatient for the ultimate revolt to
take place. Part of the blame for
this rests with screenwriter David
Sherwin. Much of the dialogue
needs prefacing and several of the
characters are in desperate need of
definition.

Strangely enough, both the
writing and the directing get worse
as the film progresses until we reach
the point of complete non-acceptance.
It's as if everybody concerned
with the project got tired half-way
through it and thus turned in
haphazard jobs the rest of the way.
There are instances when characters
pop up out of nowhere and, what's
worse, out of incredible places
(would you believe a bureau drawer?).

Good Acting

Throughout this sad deterioration,
the cast manages to hold its
own. The acting, in all cases, is
beyond reproach. Most amazing is
the fact that Malcolm McDowell is
able to overcome the flaws in his
character of the chief rebel and
turn in a superb performance.

The acting is not, however, the
only part of the film that
deserves commendation. In fact, a
certain amount of praise is due Mr.
Anderson for his efforts, if nothing
else. He has attempted to make a
film that says something, and to an
extent he has succeeded.

His abstract and surrealistic
approach is extremely complex. He
has exaggerated the subject of
student rebellion to a point where
it's completely out of proportion.
By having the dissenters stage a
mass assassination of everyone
connected with the school at the
film's end, he is not trying to depict
the present. Rather, he is saying if
schools and students do not work
together to try to reach a point of
harmonious understanding, then
this is what could happen. He is, in
essence, showing us an alternative,
an alternative that could become a
reality if we are not careful. It is
this aspect of the film that is
worthwhile. It is only when the
surrealism ceases to be credible that
we fall to accept what is being said.

Not Easily Dismissed

Despite its many faults, "If..."
can not be easily dismissed. It is an
ambitious project that deserves
more attention than, say, a Jerry
Lewis comedy. Yet it is, in the end,
disappointing inasmuch as it does
not make the most of its opportunity
to deliver its message in a
truly artistic manner.