"Being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethoven." - The film's tagline.
A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 psychological dystopian crime film directed, produced, and written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1962 novella by Anthony Burgess. At the time of release, critics gave the film highly positive reviews, although the public had mixed opinions of it. A Clockwork Orange was also very controversial for its fusion of strong sexual content and graphic violence, which some say even inspired copycat crimes the few years after the film's release. Today, it is considered one of Kubrick's best works, as well as a fan favorite; many like the film as much as or more than 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Summary[]
The film takes place in a futuristic Britain that is years ahead of the film's time of release. While doing this, it makes social, political, and economic commentary on the dystopian society that lives in this futuristic era. Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) leads a horrific crime spree with his "droogs", Pete, Georgie, and Dim. They are one of many youth gangs in future Britain. Their crimes are usually involved with violence and sexual abuse. The youth gang also takes drugs. After Alex is arrested and beaten, he is sentenced to 14 years incarceration.
Two years into the sentence, he volunteers for the "Ludovico technique", an aversion therapy used to prevent all means of violence. The actual technique consists of drugging him, strapping him to a chair, propping his eyelids open, and forcing him to watch violent content. The therapy is supposed to cure within two weeks.
Plot[]
In a futuristic Britain, Alex DeLarge is the leader of a gang of "droogs": Georgie, Dim and Pete. One night, after getting intoxicated on drug-laden "milk-plus", they engage in an evening of "ultra-violence", which includes a fight with a rival gang. They drive to the country home of writer Frank Alexander and trick his wife into letting them inside. They beat Alexander to the point of crippling him, and Alex violently rapes Alexander's wife while singing "Singin' in the Rain". The next day, while truant from school, Alex is approached by his probation officer, PR Deltoid, who is aware of Alex's activities and cautions him.
Alex's droogs express discontent with petty crime and want more equality and high-yield thefts, but Alex asserts his authority by attacking them. Later, Alex invades the home of a wealthy "cat-lady" and bludgeons her with a phallic sculpture while his droogs remain outside. On hearing sirens, Alex tries to flee but Dim smashes a bottle in his face, stunning Alex and leaving him to be arrested. Deltoid brings word that the woman has died of her injuries, and Alex is convicted of murder and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Two years into the sentence, Alex eagerly takes up an offer to be a test subject for the Minister of the Interior's new Ludovico technique, an experimental aversion therapy for rehabilitating criminals within two weeks. Alex is strapped to a chair, his eyes are clamped open and he is injected with drugs. He is then forced to watch films of sex and violence, some of which are accompanied by the music of his favorite composer, Ludwig van Beethoven. Making the association between the violent scenes and Beethoven, Alex becomes traumatized and nauseated by the films and, fearing the technique will make him sick upon hearing Beethoven, begs for an end to the treatment.
Two weeks later, the Minister demonstrates Alex's rehabilitation to a gathering of officials. Alex is unable to fight back against an actor who taunts and attacks him and becomes ill wanting sex with a topless woman. The prison chaplain complains that Alex has been robbed of his free will; the Minister asserts that the Ludovico technique will cut crime and alleviate crowding in prisons.
Alex is released from prison, only to find that the police have sold his possessions to provide compensation to his victims and his parents have let out his room. Alex encounters an elderly vagrant whom he attacked years earlier, and the vagrant and his friends attack him. Alex is saved by two policemen but is shocked to find they are his former droogs Dim and Georgie. They drive him to the countryside, beat him, and nearly drown him before abandoning him. Alex barely makes it to the doorstep of a nearby home before collapsing.
Alex wakes up to find himself in the home of Mr Alexander, who is now using a wheelchair. Alexander does not recognise Alex from the previous attack but knows of him and the Ludovico technique from the newspapers. He sees Alex as a political weapon and prepares to present him to his colleagues. While bathing, Alex breaks into "Singin' in the Rain", causing Alexander to realize that Alex was the person who assaulted his wife and him. With help from his colleagues, Alexander drugs Alex and locks him in an upstairs bedroom. He then plays Beethoven's Ninth Symphony loudly from the floor below. Unable to withstand the sickening pain, Alex attempts suicide by jumping out of the window.
Alex survives the attempt and wakes up in hospital with multiple injuries. While being given a series of psychological tests, he finds that he no longer has aversions to violence and sex. The Minister arrives and apologizes to Alex. He offers to take care of Alex and get him a job in return for his co-operation with his election campaign and public relations counter-offensive. As a sign of goodwill, the Minister brings in a stereo system playing Beethoven's Ninth. Alex then contemplates violence and has vivid thoughts of having sex with a woman in front of an approving crowd, thinking to himself, "I was cured, all right!"
Cast[]
- Malcolm McDowell as Alex DeLarge
- Patrick Magee as Frank Alexander
- Michael Bates as Chief Guard Barnes
- Warren Clarke as Dim
- John Clive as Stage Actor
- Adrienne Corri as Mary Alexander
- Carl Duering as Dr. Brodsky
- Paul Farrell as Tramp
- Clive Francis as Joe the Lodger
- Michael Gover as Prison Governor
- Miriam Karlin as "Cat Lady" Weathers
- James Marcus as Georgie
- Aubrey Morris as P. R. Deltoid
- Godfrey Quigley as Prison Chaplain
- Sheila Raynor as Mum
- Madge Ryan as Dr. Branom
- John Savident as Conspirator Dolin
- Anthony Sharp as Frederick, Minister of the Interior
- Philip Stone as Dad
- Michael Tarn as Pete
- Pauline Taylor as Dr. Taylor
- Margaret Tyzack as Conspirator Rubinstein
Interpretation and analysis[]
A Clockwork Orange's main theme is the conflict of which is more important: morality or freedom of choice. When Alex volunteers for the aversion therapy by choice, he is drugged, strapped to a chair, and forced to watch violent content. He is thought to be cured and moral because of the Ludovico treatment, but not by choice. Therefore, his goodness is involuntary. This is why he has become the titular clockwork orange; organic on the outside, mechanical on the inside.
People have also wondered why Alex has a strange love for the composer Ludwig van Beethoven in the film, and does not like any type of music at all in the book.
Awards[]
A Clockwork Orange was nominated for a number of awards and also won many:
Academy Awards:
- Best Director (Stanley Kubrick) - Nominated
- Best Film Editing (Bill Butler) - Nominated
- Best Picture - Nominated
- Best Adapted Screenplay (Stanley Kubrick) - Nominated
BAFTA Awards:
- Film Award for Best Art Direction (John Barry)
- Best Cinematography (John Alcott)
- Best Direction (Stanley Kubrick)
- Best Film
- Best Film Editing (William Butler)
- Best Screenplay (Stanley Kubrick)
- Best Soundtrack (Brian Blamey, John Jordan, Bill Rowe)
Golden Globes:
- Best Director: Motion Picture (Stanley Kubrick) - Nominated
- Best Motion Picture: Drama - Nominated
- Best Motion Picture Actor: Drama (Malcolm McDowell) - Nominated
Kubrick also won other directorial awards (from the Directors Guild of America, as well as the New York Film Critics Circle which also gave the Best Film award). Overtime, A Clockwork Orange was faced with much recognition from the AFI (American Film Institute):
100 Years...100 Movies | 46 |
100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary) | 70 |
100 Years...100 Thrills | 21 |
100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains (Alex) |
12 |
10 Top Ten: "Science-Fiction" Category | 4 |
Home media release[]
A Clockwork Orange has had a large number of releases on both Blu-ray and DVD. First, it was released on one-disc as part of the Stanley Kubrick Collection. Next, it was digitally remastered and given a re-issue. Six years later in 2007, there was a two-disc special edition of the film.
The same year, a one-disc Blu-ray of the film was released. Four years later, the film was released in a two-disc 40th anniversary Digi-book + Blu-ray + Digital Copy.