Blasphemy

Jagger sought Clockwork Orange role


Sean Michaels
Tuesday May 6, 2008
guardian.co.uk

Somewhere in heaven there's a cinema playing movies that never were, films that existed solely in a producer's, an actor's, a screenwriter's imagination.

And when one day we make it through the pearly gates, past the pearly ticket booth and the pearly popcorn machine, one of the first films we'll watch is the other Clockwork Orange. The one that starred, and was soundtracked by, some of the 60s' biggest stars.

In a letter uncovered this week, we learn of the Clockwork Orange conceived back before Stanley Kubrick came on board and made his film with Malcolm McDowell. It reveals that Mick Jagger wanted to play the psychotic thug Alex, while the Beatles were interested in providing the soundtrack.

In the letter, executive producer Si Litvinoff tells John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy, Marathon Man), who was considering directing the movie: "After you've read the script and novel I'm sure you will see the incredible potential we all see in this project.

"This film should break ground in its language, cinematic style and soundtrack. [And] the Beatles love the project."

It's hard to fathom the Fab Four's sunny tunes adapted to the ultraviolence of Anthony Burgess' novel (or Kubrick's later film). And of course the movie was never made - Schlesinger turned it down, saying the film's extreme delinquency wasn't "the sort of subject I particularly want to tackle".

But still it's thrilling - and horrifying - to imagine Mick Jagger prancing about in droog regalia, committing acts of heinous violence while Here Comes The Sun comes thundering out.

Maybe we can convince Mick, Paul and Ringo to develop a remake.