IF....: Violence and revolution are the only pure acts.

IF.... is one of drama feature films directed by Lindsay Anderson, which satirizing English public school life. It was made in 1968 and it is extremely controversial, partly because of linking with the affairs in France. As watching this film, I  got confused when it suddenly turned into B&W from colour film. I thought that it is ridiculous. 

But soon I realized that, it mixes colour and B&W cinematography as easily as it mingles satire with dark fantasy. The film paints a distinctly negative picture of the British school system and, by extension, English society.(http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/if1968/)

This film is against the old rules, which refers to the old tradition of 'fagging' and still persisted in many British independent boys' school. The substance is students should be watched and persecuted by the 'Whips': senior boys given authority as prefects over juniors. The prefects are entitled to the services of 'Scum': who are first-year boys assigned to run errands: make tea and generally act as unpaid servants.  That's not fair, but it is a traditional regulation in England.

Education in English society was antiquated. But,  this situation was being tolerated until 1960, when the recession had taken place in France. 

The story developed,

boys in school planed an uprising.

They fixed broken guns and used them to shot the powers-that-be.

This film is of extremely satire to the old rules, especially to the authority.

I've learnt that, 'Never bow to authority, but always tip your hat.'

For this film, it is hard to make a judgement about the violence of students. Some people say that,

Violence and revolution are the only pure acts.

I think sometimes people like to see inflated forms of acting. However, in reality, as economy and society developing, all things must obey the principle of  history. The new supersedes the old.

What do you think about it?

IF....