If…. (1968)

UK, 1968
111m, 10,004 feet
35mm film, Eastmancolor, black and white, 1.66:1
mono, English

A British fantasy film directed by Lindsay Anderson.

Plot Summary

The boys at a traditional English public school stage a violent revolt against their masters.

Credits

Crew
Director: Lindsay Anderson
© 1968 Paramount Pictures Corporation
Memorial Enterprises
Executive Producer: Roy Baird
Producer: Michael Medwin, Lindsay Anderson
Screenplay: David Sherwin
Based on the Original Script by: Davey Sherwin, John Howlett
Director of Photography: Miroslav Ondrícek
Editor: David Gladwell
Music/Music Conductor: Marc Wilkinson
Sound Recording: Christian Wangler
Wardrobe: Shura Cohen
Make-up: Betty Blattner
Production Designer: Jocelyn Herbert
Casting Director: Miriam Brickman

Cast
Crusaders
Malcolm McDowell (Mick Travis)
David Wood (Johnny)
Richard Warwick (Wallace)
Christine Noonan (the girl)
Rupert Webster (Bobby Philips)

Whips
Robert Swann (Rowntree)
Hugh Thomas (Denson)
Michael Cadman (Fortinbras)
Peter Sproule (Barnes)

Staff
Peter Jeffrey (headmaster)
Anthony Nicholls (General Denson)
Arthur Lowe (Mr Kemp)
Mona Washbourne (matron)
Mary Macleod (Mrs Kemp)
Geoffrey Chater (chaplain)
Ben Aris (John Thomas)
Graham Crowden (history master)
Charles Lloyd Pack (classics master)

Seniors
Guy Ross (Stephans)
Robin Askwith (Keating)
Richard Everett (Pussy Graves)
Philip Bagenal (Peanuts)
Nicholas Page (Cox)
Robert Yetzes (Fisher)
David Griffin (Willens)
Graham Sharman (Van Eyssen)
Richard Tombleson (Baird)

Juniors
Richard Davis (Machin)
Brian Pettifer (Biles)
Michael Newport (Brunning)
Charles Sturridge (Markland)
Sean Bury (Jute)
Martin Beaumont (Hunter)

Alternative Titles

Ako bi… – Serbian title
Crusaders – working title
¿De qué lado estás? – Argentine title
Ha… – Hungarian title
Hvis… – Norwegian title
Hvis…. – Danism title
if Moshimo…. – Japanese title
if もしも‥‥ – Japanese title
If – Mexican title
Jeżeli… – Polish title
Jos… – Finnish title
Jos – Finnish television title
Ne Ekersen – Turkish title
Om… – Swedish Finnish title
Se… – Brazilian, Italian, Portuguese title
Εάν… – Greek title
Επαναστατημένη γενιά – Greek title
Ако…. – Bulgarian title
Если… – Russian title
Якщо… – Ukrainian title

Links

Sequels
O Lucky Man! (1973)
Britannia Hospital (1982)

Extracts included in
Free Cinema (1986)
O Lucky Malcolm! (2006)

References

Periodicals
El Amante Cine no.36 (February 1995) pp.24-27 – illustrated article (La lección del maestro by Raúl Beceyro)
American Cinematographer vol.88 no.12 (December 2007) pp.10, 12 – illustrated DVD review (DVD playback: If…. by Chris Pizzello)
APEC Cinema vol.11 no.3 (1973/1974) pp.25-48 – article
Avant-Sc̬ne du Cin̩ma no.119 (November 1971) pp.7-57 Рscript
Cinéaste vol.2 no.4 (Spring 1969) p.19
Cinéaste vol.33 no.1 (Winter 2007) p.80 – DVD review (Staff Recommendations – If… by Richard Porton)
Cinema vol.5 no.3 (1969) pp.46-47 – illustrated review (by P.S. [Paul Schrader])
Close-up no.7/8 (1971) pp.54-57 – article
The Daily Cinema no.9499 (20 March 1968) pp.8 – credits
Empire no.154 (April 2002) p.118 – illustrated credits, review (by Adam Smith)
Film a Doba vol.14 no.10 (October 1968) pp.516-531 – script
Film Heritage vol.5 no.1 (Fall 1969) pp.13-20 – article
Films and Filming vol.15 no.6 (March 1969) p.50
Interzone no.253 (July/August 2014) p.84 – review (by Tony Lee)
Journal of British Cinema and Television vol.5 no.2 (2008) pp.318-334 – article (If…before If… by Charles Drazin)
Kine Weekly no.3193 (21 December 1968) p.19
Monthly Film Bulletin vol.36 no.421 (February 1969) p.25 – credits, synopsis, review
Screen vol.10 no.1 (January/February 1969) p.24 – article
Screen vol.10 no.2 (March/April 1969) pp.85-89
Screen vol.16 no.4 (Winter 1975/1976) pp.62-80 – article
Sight & Sound vol.17 no.8 (August 2007) pp.46-49 – illustrated article (Back to school by Andrew Roberts)
Sight & Sound vol.17 no.9 (September 2007) p.88 – DVD review (Reviews: DVDs: School masterly by Tim Lucas)
Sight & Sound vol.37 no.3 (Summer 1968) pp.130-131 – article
Sight & Sound vol.38 no.1 (Winter 1968/1969) p.40; 42 – note
Variety 11 December 1968 pp.30

Books
Euro Gothic: Classics of Continental Horror Cinema by Jonathan Rigby pp.179
Feature Films, 1960-1969: A Filmography of English-language and Major Foreign-language United States Releases by Harris M. Lentz III p.214
Kine & TV Year Book 1970 p.112
Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.212 – credits
World Filmography 1968 pp.206-207