Danielle Ryan“O Lucky Man!” doesn’t start off with a big bang, nor does anything major happen in its over two and a half hour running time. Lots of little things happen, culminating with an over the top ending that will likely leave most viewers scratching their heads. With that in mind however, it certainly makes a lasting impression and essentially accomplishes its goal of making the viewer constructively think about what it is trying to convey.
The British comedy that was submitted to the 1973 Cannes Film Festival is intended as an allegory on life in a capitalist society. Directed by Lindsay Anderson, it stars Malcolm McDowell as Mick Travis. Interestingly enough, McDowell had first played a disaffected public schoolboy in his first film performance in Anderson’s 1968 film “if….,” to which this film is believed to be a sequel to.
With us along for the ride, Travis learns he must abandon his principles and beliefs in order to succeed. Unlike his fellow cast mates however, he discovers he must retain a detached idealism, allowing him to distance himself from the evils of the world. With this knowledge, Travis progresses from coffee salesman to a victim of torture in a government installation and eventually becoming a medical research subject.
The film shows 1960s Britain retreating from its imperial past, but managing to retain some influence in the world by being engaged with and allying with foreign dictators. After finding out his girlfriend is the daughter of an evil industrialist, Travis is appointed his personal assistant. Later, Travis is found guilty of fraud as a result of the industrialist’s actions and he is imprisoned for five years, setting up another interesting direction for the film to take.
At times the films appears to be paying homage to “A Clockwork Orange,” which was released in 1971 and also starred McDowell. At other points it looks as though it could have been the inspiration for Werner Herzog’s style of filmmaking which he began in the late 1970s. Either way though, it never becomes boring or dull. Despite scenes being extended and not following typical conventions, it is none the less captivating and entertaining all at the same time.
If not for McDowell’s amazing performance the film may have not been able to stay afloat. But he makes even the most pointless of scenes easy to watch, which helps in getting the film’s message that is conveyed throughout long sequences.
It’s possible the magnificent performance comes as a result of McDowell’s familiarity with the subject matter and content of the film. The script for the film originally began as just a simple one written by McDowell in regards to his experiences as a coffee salesman in his late teens and early 20s. Luckily it had revisions done to it and came out much more poignant and impressionable than just a simple story of a coffee salesman.
