'O Lucky Man!' - was there an intermission on its first run? - Britmovie

Bruce · 01-12-2007, 12:45 PM

Can anyone with long memories recall whether 'O Lucky Man!' on its first screenings had an intermission, and if so where it occurred? I seem to remember there was one, but I could be completely wrong.

I'm interested because the recently released DVD has the film split between two discs. The break comes during the journey down the motorway to London with Alan Price and his band, and occurs immediately before the first shot of dawn breaking over London with the minibus travelling along a flyover.

A reviewer, Tim Lucas, in the new January edition of 'Sight & Sound' has described the disc break at this point as "lousy". However, I believe this was probably the exact point where the intermission occurred (if indeed there was one!). Anyway it seems to me a very appropriate place to put the break. i.e. between the night getaway from Millar's clinic and the dawn breaking over London representing new hope and opportunities for the hero.

AdrianTurner · 05-12-2007, 11:49 AM

An interesting question. I had a vague memory of writing about this very thing years back so I looked up my old cuttings file and found that in the Hampstead & Highgate Express I wrote how dismayed I was see that the local Hampstead Classic was showing the film with an intermission. This must mean that it did not have an interval at its premiere run at the Warner Leics Sq because my viewing at the Classic was my fourth. In response, Eddie Patman of Col-Warner responded with a letter saying that the film was being released nationwide with an intermission timed by Anderson himself. In short then, the original 186-minute version did not have an intermission and the general release version did. A Clockwork Orange also ran with an intermission at many local cinemas.

Bruce · 06-12-2007, 11:22 PM

Hello Adrian, it's nice to hear from you. I don't know whether you'll remember me, but we corresponded a few times back in the 70's about Stanley Kubrick and later about Billy Wilder, when you and Neil Sinyard published your excellent book 'Journey Down Sunset Boulevard'. You were kind enough to send me a souvenir booklet of 'A Clockwork Orange', which I still have. You mentioned at the time that it was quite a rare item - of course I wasn't aware then that Kubrick had already quietly withdrawn 'A Clockwork Orange' from UK distribution.

Thanks for the information about 'O Lucky Man'. I certainly saw it on its first run at the Warner Leicester Sq. but I must have also seen it later on general release, which explains my vague memory of an intermission! So the DVD break doesn't seem so bad now!

I must admit I wasn't aware that 'A Clockwork Orange' had ever been shown with an intermission - that's quite surprising for a film running only 137 minutes. I don't think I ever saw it on general release as I'd already seen it several times at the Warner on its first run!

AdrianTurner · 07-12-2007, 07:29 PM

Hello, Bruce! I think I do remember all that and sending out one of my treasured Clockwork Orange brochures. Learned Professor Sinyard is still nobly touting Billy - he's recently done a superb commentary for the absolutely ace Criterion edition of Ace in the Hole. I haven't got the RI edition of O Lucky Man, intending to hang on for the UK release. I think it might be long wait, unfortunately.

01-12-2007, 12:45 PM	#1
Bruce has no status. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 34 Country: iTrader: (0)	'O Lucky Man!' - was there an intermission on its first run? Can anyone with long memories recall whether 'O Lucky Man!' on its first screenings had an intermission, and if so where it occurred? I seem to remember there was one, but I could be completely wrong. I'm interested because the recently released DVD has the film split between two discs. The break comes during the journey down the motorway to London with Alan Price and his band, and occurs immediately before the first shot of dawn breaking over London with the minibus travelling along a flyover. A reviewer, Tim Lucas, in the new January edition of 'Sight & Sound' has described the disc break at this point as "lousy". However, I believe this was probably the exact point where the intermission occurred (if indeed there was one!). Anyway it seems to me a very appropriate place to put the break. i.e. between the night getaway from Millar's clinic and the dawn breaking over London representing new hope and opportunities for the hero. __________________ Run! Run in the corridor!

06-12-2007, 11:22 PM	#3
Bruce has no status. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 34 Country: iTrader: (0)	Hello Adrian, it's nice to hear from you. I don't know whether you'll remember me, but we corresponded a few times back in the 70's about Stanley Kubrick and later about Billy Wilder, when you and Neil Sinyard published your excellent book 'Journey Down Sunset Boulevard'. You were kind enough to send me a souvenir booklet of 'A Clockwork Orange', which I still have. You mentioned at the time that it was quite a rare item - of course I wasn't aware then that Kubrick had already quietly withdrawn 'A Clockwork Orange' from UK distribution. Thanks for the information about 'O Lucky Man'. I certainly saw it on its first run at the Warner Leicester Sq. but I must have also seen it later on general release, which explains my vague memory of an intermission! So the DVD break doesn't seem so bad now! I must admit I wasn't aware that 'A Clockwork Orange' had ever been shown with an intermission - that's quite surprising for a film running only 137 minutes. I don't think I ever saw it on general release as I'd already seen it several times at the Warner on its first run! __________________ Run! Run in the corridor!

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05-12-2007, 11:49 AM	#2
AdrianTurner has no status. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Go-Between country Posts: 89 Country: iTrader: (0)	An interesting question. I had a vague memory of writing about this very thing years back so I looked up my old cuttings file and found that in the Hampstead & Highgate Express I wrote how dismayed I was see that the local Hampstead Classic was showing the film with an intermission. This must mean that it did not have an interval at its premiere run at the Warner Leics Sq because my viewing at the Classic was my fourth. In response, Eddie Patman of Col-Warner responded with a letter saying that the film was being released nationwide with an intermission timed by Anderson himself. In short then, the original 186-minute version did not have an intermission and the general release version did. A Clockwork Orange also ran with an intermission at many local cinemas.

07-12-2007, 07:29 PM	#4
AdrianTurner has no status. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Go-Between country Posts: 89 Country: iTrader: (0)	Hello, Bruce! I think I do remember all that and sending out one of my treasured Clockwork Orange brochures. Learned Professor Sinyard is still nobly touting Billy - he's recently done a superb commentary for the absolutely ace Criterion edition of Ace in the Hole. I haven't got the RI edition of O Lucky Man, intending to hang on for the UK release. I think it might be long wait, unfortunately.