History Film / If

* MoralGuardians: Predictably, and perhaps justifiably, the film cause moral outcry in a number of circles -- a British ambassador called the film "an insult to the nation". The then Lord Brabourne read an early draft and called it "the most evil and perverted script I've ever read. It must never see the light of day".

If you are searching for the equally subversive and seditious left-wing political cartoon series by Steve Bell, go '''[[ComicStrip/{{If}} here]]'''. Not to be confused with the video game ''[[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIf]]'', which has a similarly-styled logo and also has a high school.

* MeaningfulName: The Headmaster. [[spoiler:Guess where [[spoiler:BoomHeadshot he gets shot.]]]]

* BolivianArmyEnding: At the end of the film, in a surreal sequence, Travis' group discovers a cache of automatic weapons, and revolt against the establishment. On Founders' Day, when parents are visiting the school, they start a fire under the hall, smoke out the parents, staff and boys, and open fire on them from a rooftop. Led by the visiting General who was giving the speech, the staff and boys break open the Combined Cadet Force armoury and fire back. The film ends just as "The Girl" shoots the Head-Master through the head - it is never revealed what happened following the uprising.

If you are searching for the equally subversive and seditious left-wing political cartoon series by Steve Bell, go '''[[ComicStrip/{{If}} here]]'''.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: In another highly controversial scene, Mr. Kemp sings a hymn as his wife accompanies him on the recorder; the matron, overhearing, is driven to near orgasm.
* DawsonCasting: Played straight with the older pupils, who were mostly in their early to mid-20's at the time of shooting, but the younger First Years (the "Scum") all look to be of the correct age (11-12 years old) for starting secondary school.

* AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil: The Year 13 "Whips" (prefects), lead by Rowntree, definitely rule the school and have a small army of younger pupils (the "Scum") who do fagging duties for them - making tea, running errands, warming toilet seats, shaving them....[[DepravedBisexual and probably other stuff too.]]

* BannedInChina: The film is noted for its ''highly'' controversial content (both at the time of release in 1968 and even in the present), including romance between male pupils, nudity, feral sex-scenes and pupils gunning down their classmates, parents and staff in the surreal finale -- the film was X-rated upon its UK release.

* {{Swirlie}}: Dunked into a toilet.

''if....'' is a 1968 film written by David Sherwin, directed by Lindsay Anderson, and starring Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, in his film debut, as Mick Travis.

* BourgeoisBohemian: Travis (and friends) are arguably this in the making, with their strong counter-culture sympathies despite having clearly upper-middle class social backgrounds.

* AntiHero: Travis is Type IV....although arguably verging on type V.

''if....'' is a 1968 film written by David Sherwin, directed by Lindsay Anderson, and starring MalcolmMcDowell, in his film debut, as Mick Travis.

* TruthInTelevision: ''Any'' ex-British public school pupil, even those who recently left school, will recognise elements of their own schooling in the film -- eccentric teachers (cycling into a classroom is ''mild''), baffling rituals and rules of precedence, merciless bullying (for those unlucky enough not to avoid it), school-boy crushes, masters ''volleying'' homework across the form-room etc.

* {{Bishounen}}: Bobby Philips, with his feminine features and wavy, [[HairOfGold flaxen hair]] provides a ''textbook'' example.

* [[spoiler: BolivianArmyEnding: At the end of the film, in a surreal sequence, Travis' group discovers a cache of automatic weapons, and revolt against the establishment. On Founders' Day, when parents are visiting the school, they start a fire under the hall, smoke out the parents, staff and boys, and open fire on them from a rooftop. Led by the visiting General who was giving the speech, the staff and boys break open the Combined Cadet Force armoury and fire back. The film ends just as "The Girl" shoots the Head-Master through the head - it is never revealed what happened following the uprising.]]

* [[spoiler: AxesAtSchool: The films surreal final scenes show Travis and his comrades taking up arms and attacking fellow pupils, teachers and parents during Founder's Day]]

* BannedInChina: The film is noted for its ''highly'' controversial content (both at the time of release in 1968 and even in the present), including romance between male pupils, nudity, feral sex-scenes and [[spoiler: pupils gunning down their classmates, parents and staff in the surreal finale]] -- the film was X-rated upon its UK release.

* TheFatalist / NietzscheWannabe: Travis overlaps both.

* TheFatalist/NietzscheWannabe: Travis overlaps both.

* BullyHunter: Travis and Johnny, who never take any shit from the prefects.

* LongingLook: One of the more controversial scenes (at the 1968 release) involves Philips checking out Wallace as he performs on the parallel bars. The use of a young boy, shot in slow-mo to accentuate his beauty and the sexual tension, was incredibly risqué for 1968.

** ADateWithRosiePalms: In another highly controversial scene, Mr. Kemp sings a hymn as his wife accompanies him on the recorder; the matron, overhearing, is driven to near orgasm.