O Lucky Man!

O Lucky Man! 1973 Warner Bros. Pictures.
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Ralph Richardson, Rachel Roberts, Arthur Lowe, Helen Mirren, Graham Crowden, Dandy Nichols
Music: Alan Price
Director: Lindsay Anderson
Available at Amazon (two-disc special edition).

Malcolm McDowell reprises his role as Mick Travis, previously seen in 1968's if...., also directed by Lindsay Anderson. McDowell considers O Lucky Man! his favorite film that he appears in.

Here, Mick Travis progresses from coffee salesman, working for an amoral boss named Mr. Duff (Lowe), to being the personal assistant to the evil industrialist Sir James Burgess (Richardson). As Travis makes his way, we are periodically treated to music by former Animal Alan Price and his band, and their songs serve as a Greek chorus in between Mick's misadventures. Mick finds himself endlessly sidetracked, falling into an upscale swingers' club with live sex shows, finding himself tortured as a spy at a secret military base, stumbling upon an experimental medical compound, and ultimately framed by Burgess and sent to prison for five years for allegedly exporting gold bullion.

A truly bizarre film, with all of the major players playing multiple roles, and some inspired absurdity to keep you guessing about what's going to happen next. It's over three hours long, and curiously split onto two DVDs, so expect to be sitting for a while. Recommended movie, but just don't expect O Lucky Man! to be a true sequel to if....