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Lindsay Anderson - In his own words
Extract from letter written in 1976 by Lindsay Anderson to Jack Landman in which he discusses the parallels between If.. and Jean Vigo's Zero de Conduite (LA 1/6/3/8).
Dear Jack
What you say about the parallels between "If." and "Zero de Conduite" - or about the affinity between the two films, is very interesting.
Of course Vigo is an artist for whom I have always had the greatest admiration. And when I started planning the transformation of David Sherwin's and John Howlett's original script, "Crusaders" into what eventually turned out the be "If." - I did think about "Zero de Conduite". Not of course from the point of view of reproducing it, or translating it into English terms - but at first most particularly in terms of structure.
When I started working with David Sherwin, I was very conscious that we would have to try to construct a script in "epic" terms rather than in the conventional narrative style which would be much more in the English tradition. It was in this respect that I thought of "Zero de Conduite" with its succession of poetic scenes, often without any particular narrative connection. And it was with this in mind that I had a special screening of "Zero de Conduite" with both David and John. I think that because "If." does on the whole come off pretty well, people tend to forget not simply how unconventional is its content but also the way the film is structured. Certainly seeing Vigo's film gave us the idea and also the confidence to proceed with the kind of scene-structure that we devised for the first part of the film particularly. (In the second half, of course, the narrative does become stronger).
The whole idea of rebellion was not (at least I don't think so) pinched from "Zero de Conduite". I remember at a talk very early on - perhaps even the first time I met David and John - saying how the end of the film must erupt into a giant cataclysm. At first I think I had the vision of the College laid bare in smoking ruins! Of course, interestingly, "If." is very much more violent in its climax than "Zero de Conduite". And this although perhaps Vigo was nearer to being a professional anarchist than I have ever been.
© University of Stirling 2004
