“if….” is a 1968 British satirical drama directed by Lindsay Anderson and is regarded as one of the defining films of 1960s British cinema. Blending realism with surrealism, the film is a scathing critique of institutional authority, class privilege, and societal repression, set against the rigid backdrop of an English public (private) boys’ school. It marks the film debut of Malcolm McDowell.
The film follows Mick Travis (Malcolm McDowell), a rebellious and intelligent student at a traditional British boarding school. The school is highly hierarchical and authoritarian, ruled not just by adult faculty but by a system of student prefects known as “Whips” who enforce brutal discipline on the younger boys. The school embodies the rigidity, elitism, and moral hypocrisy of the British establishment.
Mick and his two close friends, Johnny (David Wood) and Wallace (Richard Warwick), are increasingly disillusioned with the system. They openly defy the Whips, mock the traditions of the school and dream of revolution. Their rebellion begins subtly—with growing nonconformity, sarcastic behavior, and cutting remarks—but gradually escalates into violent fantasy.
At the same time, subplots highlight various aspects of school life: sexual repression, corporal punishment, and the dehumanizing effect of strict conformity. One storyline follows Wallace’s gentle romantic bond with a younger student, Bobby Phillips (Rupert Webster), a rare moment of tenderness in an otherwise cold environment. Another features Mick’s erotic and symbolic encounter with The Girl (Christine Noonan), an unnamed waitress from a nearby café, who becomes a figure of liberation and wildness in his mind.
The film is stylistically unique, alternating between color and black-and-white sequences without explanation—creating an ambiguous tone that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. This technique heightens the surrealism, making it difficult to discern whether the events, particularly the more extreme ones, are actually happening or simply the characters’ imaginative escape.
The tension culminates on ‘Founders’ Day,’ a ceremonious school event attended by staff, students, and honored guests, including military officials and clergy. Mick and his comrades, having broken into the school armory, stage a full-blown armed rebellion. In the film’s shocking and symbolic climax, they unleash machine-gun fire and grenades on the crowd from the school rooftop, something so horrific and unthinkable at the time, which sadly seems like an everyday occurrence in today’s society.
“if….” won the Palme d’Or at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival and became an influential work in both political cinema and the British New Wave. Its raw energy, anti-establishment message, and surreal imagery resonated strongly with 1960s counterculture and continue to inspire filmmakers and critics.
The Other Cinema 