O Lucky Man!

O Lucky Man! is a 1973 British comedy-drama feature film about an ambitious coffee salesman who has a series of improbable and ironic adventures that seem designed to challenge his naive idealism. It is the second film in the "Mick Travis trilogy", all starring Malcolm McDowell as everyman character Mick Travis, concluding with Britannia Hospital (1982). Directed by Lindsay Anderson. Written by David Sherwin, based on a story by Malcolm McDowell. Smile while you're makin' it. Laugh while you're takin' it. Even though you're fakin' it. Nobody's gonna know... Michael Arnold "Mick" Travis [graffiti] Revolution is the opium of the intellectuals. [Chatting up factory girl] Do you realize this Nigerian coffee is being packed straight back to Nigeria? Monty Try not to die like a dog. Beware of Mrs. Ball's treacle tart. There is many-a-fly that got stuck in that! Sir James Burgess Professor Stewart was too far in advance of his time, but his name will live long. We will stand in silence, in grateful memory for fifteen seconds. The dividing line between the House of Lords and Pentonville Jail is very, very thin. [to secretary] Miss Hunter, two Valium and a barley wine for Professor Stewart. Gloria Rowe The future is in your hands, Mr. Travis. Take it... now! Mr. Duff Always remember gentlemen, that you are a failure in catering if you don't know what to do with your leftovers. Other Alan Price: [about game of chess] If you don't take that castle soon, the National Trust will! Professor Millar: Michael, I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but you happen to belong to a very rare group of encephaloids. Prison Governor: I've sensed the spark of idealism in you and I can move mountains, you know that, hmm. Oh, for a man like you, Travis. Michael, for a boy like you, you're still young! Everything is possible. The world is your oyster. I can see you stripped, building motorways. You have eyes like Steve McQueen. Did anyone ever tell you that? Dialogue Professor Millar: What do you think is the most successful animal that's ever lived on this earth? Michael Arnold Travis: The ant? Professor Millar: The dinosaur. Uh, do you realize that the dinosaurs dominated this globe for 140 million years before they became extinct? Modern Man has been on this planet for only a fraction of just over 40,000 years and yet already he faces extinction. In fact, the species will be lucky to survive beyond the year 2010. Mankind has only one hope: science. Technology is a survival kit of the human race. Even the politicians realize this. What they don't, or won't realize is, that the technical solutions are already entirely within our power. The entire population of India could be rehoused on the moon within ten years. It's only a matter of learning to live in a new way. Michael Arnold Travis: Would you like some soup, sir? Homeless person: No thanks, son. I don't take solids. Michael Arnold Travis: Yes, but what's gonna happen to me? Will I come out the same as I went in? Professor Millar: Not the same: better. Professor Millar: Now, I would just like you to sign this release form. Michael Arnold Travis: [reads from the form] "I hereby consent to lease the Millar Research Clinic all physical experimental rights in my body for one week for the sum of £100." Well, I'd like to help Professor Millar, but £150 is definitely my minimum price. Professor Millar: Definitely? A figure like that is just beyond us. Michael Arnold Travis: One hundred and fifty pounds... and I'm not going to argue about it. Professor Millar: A hundred and thirty. Michael Arnold Travis: A hundred and forty-five. Professor Millar: A hundred and thirty-five. Michael Arnold Travis: A hundred and forty. Professor Millar: Done! Sign by the cross. Patricia: Daddy owns so much that he rarely misses anything. Michael Arnold Travis: You're lucky. I've got to get there on my own. Patricia: And where? Michael Arnold Travis: Right to the top! [pause. Then, pointing to a skyscraper in the distance] How much is a building like that worth? Patricia: The ground floor is £810,000 a year, it costed ten times that to build, and every three months its value increases by 20%. Michael Arnold Travis: [Smiling patronizingly] How do you know? Patricia: [With assurance] My father owns it. He is the most evil man! Michael Arnold Travis: What is it? Patricia: Om. It means infinity or godhead. Michael Arnold Travis: Are you a Buddhist? Patricia: All religion's are equally true. Film director: Smile! Michael Arnold Travis: For what? There's nothing to smile about! Film director: You don't have to have a reason. Just do it. Michael Arnold Travis: But there's nothing to smile about. Cast Malcolm McDowell - Michael Arnold "Mick" Travis / Plantation thief Ralph Richardson - Monty / Sir James Burgess Rachel Roberts - Gloria Rowe / Madame Paillard / Mrs. Richards Arthur Lowe - Mr. Duff / Charlie Johnson / Dr. Munda Helen Mirren - Patricia / casting call receptionist Graham Crowden - Dr. Millar / Professor Stewart / Meth drinker Dandy Nichols - Tea lady in military installation Peter Jeffrey - Factory chairman / Prison governor Mona Washbourne - Neighbour / Usher / Sister Hallett Philip Stone - Jenkins / Interrogator / Salvation Army major Mary MacLeod - Mrs. Ball / Salvationist / Vicar's wife Wallas Eaton - John Stone (Coffee Factory) / Col. Steiger / Prison warder / Meths drinker / Film executive Warren Clarke - MC at Wakefield Club / Warner / Male nurse Bill Owen - Superintendent Barlow / Inspector Carding Michael Medwin - Army captain / Power station technician / Duke of Belminster Vivian Pickles - Good lady Geoffrey Palmer - Examination doctor / Basil Keyes Christine Noonan - Imperial Coffee assembly line worker / Mavis at Wakefield Club Geoffrey Chater - Bishop / Vicar Anthony Nicholls - General / Judge James Bolam - Attenborough / Examination Doctor Brian Glover - Plantation foreman / Bassett (Power Station Guard) Brian Pettifer - Biles Edward Judd - Oswald Alan Price - himself Jeremy Bulloch - Crash victim / Experimental patient / Sign guy Ben Aris - Mr. MacIntyre / Dr. Hyder / Flight Lt. Wallace Margot Bennett - Coffee picker Anna Dawson - Becky Lindsay Anderson - Film director See also If.... (1968) Britannia Hospital (1982) External links 0070464 Category:1973 films Category:British films Category:Comedy-drama films Category:Fantasy films Category:Surreal comedy films Category:Satire films