Lucky Man - A Portrait of Lindsay Anderson

The title is a reference to both Lindsay Anderson's film, 'O Lucky man', and his reflection on his own life in the opening of Ken McMullen's shrewd and sensitive documentary portrait:
"I've always been lucky...it's important to be lucky and then it is important to have the talent to use your luck".
...This is a portrait of an artist still driven by an exceptional probing intellect and insatiable curiosity: finally defiantly concluding, "I don't think one can regret anything, do you? It is fated what we are. Could anyone have ever been different?"
Lucky Man
37 minutes, uk English colour aspect ratio 1:33
Director: Ken McMullen
Producer: Hannah wiggin
Editor: Guy Landver
Cinematographer:Tony Costa
Music: David Cunningham
Discussion encouraged by Sean Lewis and John Cartwright

[@jamesjournalist3919]

I met Lindsay Anderson twice and he was just as amazing in the flesh as he comes off here.

[@TheMimifur]

I met him once and asked why he had slapped Malcolm in that Smile thing. He said Child, if I ask you to smile, you smile! But it was gentle.... very different from my meeting with Ken Russell!!

[@Qwerty-ks8dn]

O Lucky Man is one of the 10 greatest movies ever made, and If isn't far behind. The fact that Lyndsey doesn't offer clear answers and refuses to be pigeon-holed politically speaks well of him.

[@zipthelite]

Philistine Britons............our heartbreaking social and economic loss. This is fantastic ; thank you very much .

[@blipblip88]

A wonderful artist. 'This Sporting Life', 'if....', and ' Britanian Hospital' mark significant times in my life that paired so well with this golden triad of films. Thanks for the post!

[@pacskye]

I love that you posted this. I adored his movies. Thank you

[@46metube]

he was a an English treasure.

[@petergregory5867]

Sacred Archive. Thank you. Pure and self effacing. What a diary.

[@paquito5108]

c'ets un document très émouvnat, la simplilcité et la justesse de la parole de cet homme. C'est parfiat et à méditer merci de cette mise en ligne Luc Bongrand cinéaste

[@IngridStone7]

Hello Guy! How absolutely wonderful you've put this on KZbin - I haven't seen it since its screening all those years ago. I feel quite nostalgic. Ingrid x

[@Cybervue]

One of the best soundtracks EVER.

[@jonathanmelia]

Not the easiest man to be around. Back in 1991 when I was 23, I was riding the Tube in London and saw him sitting opposite me. I happened to know that O LUCKY MAN was on the box that night, and gave him a little smile, and was about to say, “You know your film’s on telly tonight?” He shot me such a scowl, however, that I quickly shrank back into my book without saying a word...

[@nicmart]

About 3 years after Lucky Man I met him in Kentucky. He didn't suffer a stranger gladly, so I didn't venture to express my appreciation. My enjoyment of his best work has not diminished in time.

[@Thepdela1]

@@nicmart I worked at the Court in the early 70s and with Lindsay on David Storey's The Farm. He indeed did not suffer fools gladly, but he was also intensely shy, and I think he would have appreciated both your and @Jonathan Melia's appreciation of his work. He was so used to being criticised that his first instinct was defensive. Apparently at his first meeting with the writers of 'Crusaders' (which would become If.... ) he greeted them by holding up their script and announcing 'Well,the script is very bad.' To which David Sherwin replied, "No, it's brilliant." Lindsay liked to challenge, and be challenged, he just expected you to be able to justify your opinions. (the scene is taken from David Sherwin's wonderful book a diary/memoir of life as a screenwriter titled 'Going Mad in Hollywood, and life with Lindsay Anderson'.

[@nicmart]

@@Thepdela1 Thanks for your informative response.

[@71brett]

Great stuff! I've been a fan of his for years, but somehow this one passed me by. Remember the "If That's All There Is One" which was also 1994 just before his death, but not this one.

[@originalfunkyfry]

This is fantastic, thank you so much for posting!

[@LucyJohnson]

A great film-maker

[@tinaholman956]

If should have won best picture for 1969!!!!

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

Came here after listening to BBC radio 4 podcast 'Great Lives' in which Brian Cox chose Anderson as the subject

[@Bobbnoxious]

According to the end credits, this was filmed in July 1994 - one month before Anderson's death.

[@KKTR3]

Bobbnoxious well then he had his last meal to his liking Well almost

[@jonathanmelia]

David Pickering Actually, he had a heart attack while climbing out of a friend’s outdoor swimming pool, in the south of France, I believe...

[@Thepdela1]

@@jonathanmelia I think it was a lake near the home of Lois Smith who (with her then husband) had given Lindsay his first chance to direct a film - a documentary about the Sutcliffe's engineering works in Yorkshire. Lois & Desmond Sutcliffe then produced/financed Lindsay's next documentary films. They had remained friends ever since. I have seen a filmed interview with Lois (she has since died) but can't seem to find it now. I think it may be on the Criterion Channel but that's not available in the UK. There is a certain poetic circularity in that the woman who first encouraged Lindsay to become a director would then pull his body from the lake shallows, but he could not be saved.

[@tinaholman956]

Malcolm McDowell said Stanley Kubrick was a hard ass ,he said Lindsey Anderson was a kind hearted man.

[@tinaholman956]

April 17 was Lindsay birthday he would have been 98

[@Fuzzbrain61]

Great film Ken! When was this made?

[@igolfjtweetler4097]

If and Tbis Sporting Life are masterpieces, as was Saturday Night Sunday Morning, you have to wait for Wirhnajl and I for something as good.

[@sorenaleksander2670]

Sort of like Morrissey...