Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Better Late Then Never

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

This is a brilliant film for depicting the clash between authority and youth in the 1960s counter-culture. Malcolm Macdowell puts in an excellent performance as the leader of a gang of 'crusaders' who are out to take on the oppressive authoritative regime at their public school, with overreaching authority placed in the hands of the whips.There are some extremely powerful scenes such as the beating given to the three school boys by their elders for their bad attitude, the classic cafe scene and the acrobatic scene when an elder boy (Richard Warwick) goes through a gymnastic routine on a bar watched and admired by a younger boy (Rupert Webster). Richard Swann also stands out for his performance as the cynical and emotionally restrained head whip - Rowntree, as does Arthur Lowe as the downtrodden housemaster, Mr Kemp.The film slowly tracks the growing resentment of the crusaders to their treatment and ends in a stunning climax.

The student are returning to a British boarding school. Mick (Malcolm McDowell) and his friends are the constantly chaffing at the Whips, the upper classmen in charge of the students. The adults defers to the Whips. The lower classmen or Scums are menial servants for the Whips. It culminates in Mick and his friends being canned by the Whips. Mick gives his friends some bullets. Together they go on surreal shooting sprees.I have never been in a boarding school and it's a little tough to get a feel for this movie. This seems more like 'Lord of the Flies' with rules and traditions. Then it throws in some surrealism. This seems very unreal but I can't tell what's reasonable and what's not. I was actually glad when the movie goes fully surreal in the last act. The last half is definitely shocking and takes a left turn somewhere.

I just watched this movie and i am sooo confused. I guess there's some old political British message hidden in it or something, but i don't get it all. I feel like you never got to know the characters. It was just a bunch of boys with the exact same haircut and clothes and i don't even remember if they ever mentioned any names. The only person i knew who he was was the lead character and the random coffee girl, thats all. I never really understood or cared about any of them or the story. I just thought it was about a bunch of sexually frustrated boys who liked to play innocent tricks on the teachers. That's what i thought until the final scene. The shooting scene. Then i just got confused and slightly shocked. I get that they hated school, but a massive shooting? Killing people? Why? Was the point of the movie that school can drive someone insane or what? Also the switching between black and white to colour was annoying as hell, even if i know it was because of money issues.

Noted director Lindsay Anderson took a short script called 'The Crusaders' and brought it to the silver screen as " If, . . . ." which has since become a monumental giant from the 1960's. Revolutionary in it's day, it has since morphed into a Avant Garde, stand-alone film which has since earned it's place among the fore-runners of our modern movies. So to has it premiere English movie star Malcolm McDowell who has established himself as a true Thespian. The movie is set in a Traditional military school with it's deeply rooted equally traditional standards which center on rules, adherence to discipline and harsh punishments. However, in among the returning students are several 'misfits' who will not accept the standard rules and regulations and decide to rebel. Everything the 'Whips' or upper classmates demand, such as short hair, obedience to orders, and strict adherence to morality, is fodder for the rebels. Thus the school is ripe for rebellion and the rebels do everything to disrupt the school year. The movie is in short order a setting between the old guard and the new order. The color film is filled with innovations such as splits to Black and white which add to the odd assortments of images which create a new way to viewing a story. New additions to the screen include Sean Bury as 'Jute', David Wood, Richard Warwick and Rupert Webster. All in all, this is a groundbreaking film and has stood the test of time. Thus; in it's own way it has become a Classic. Recommended to anyone who wants to view something completely different. ****