Has Malcolm McDowell had any decent roles since A Clockwork Orange?!


Question: He is such a prolific actor, but I am yet to see him in a really good movie since he played Alex.

Can anyone tell me some good movies where he played a good part.

(I did like Caligula - McDowell at his cheesy best/worst)


Answers: He is such a prolific actor, but I am yet to see him in a really good movie since he played Alex.

Can anyone tell me some good movies where he played a good part.

(I did like Caligula - McDowell at his cheesy best/worst)

This man has never stopped working! I'm not just going to list the couple of films know him from. For one thing, his first role of note should be mentioned. "If..." (1968) is the film that brought him to international attention long, long ago. The very next film he made is a classic: "O Lucky Man!" So, have you seen that one?

War and Peace (2007 TV miniseries) as Prince Bolkonsky
Halloween (2007) .... Dr. Samuel Loomis
Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)~co-starring with James (Jim) Caviezel
Hidalgo (2004)
I Spy (2002)
Firestarter 2: Rekindled (2002 TV miniseries) as John Rainbird~This is a wonderful continuation of "Firestarter", and he is wonderful in the Rainbird role.
The Void (2001)
Just Visiting (2001)
The Barber (2001)~I would not be surprised to see this movie become a cult film. He's one of the most low-key, laid back serial killers of all time!
My Life So Far (1999)
The Gardener (1998)
Hugo Pool (1997)
Where Truth Lies (1996)
Tank Girl (1995)~a major cult film
Star Trek: Generations (1994)~He's wonderful in this!
Milk Money (1994)
Bopha! (1993)
Happily Ever After (1993)~voice
Class of 1999 (1990)
Moon 44 (1990)
Jezebel's Kiss (1990)
Schweitzer (1990) as Albert Schweitzer
Sunset (1988)~He plays a character that is sort of a Charlie Chaplin from Hades.
The Caller (1987)
Arthur the King (1985 TV movie) as King Arthur
Tin Soldiers (1984)
Cross Creek (1983)
Blue Thunder (1983)
Britannia Hospital (1982)
Cat People (1982)
Look Back in Anger (1980) as Jimmy Porter
Time After Time (1979) as H. G. Wells
Caligula (1979) as Emperor Gaius Germanicus Caesar
The Passage (1979)
Voyage of the Damned (1976)
Aces High (1976)
Royal Flash (1975) as Captain Harry Flashman
O Lucky Man! (1973)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Figures in a Landscape (1970)

Maybe you haven't heard of a lot of these films, but a number of them are notable. Besides, Malcolm McDowell has never been considered a mainstream actor. Throughout most of his career, he has selected quirkier, offbeat roles. Do you think "A Clockwork Orange" was ever considered a mainstream film? When it was nominated for Oscars, they couldn't even find clips to use because TV audiences weren't ready for those images; I doubt they ever will be. "If.." is an indicator of his choices.

This was the Swinging Sixties/Seventies, with the British Invasion underway bringing with it a wave of actors and actresses who pushed a lot of boundaries and really shook up filmmaking. McDowell has never been an actor who was offered too many major roles; if he ever was, he obviously turned them down. Anyway, there were youngbloods such as Terence Stamp, David Hemmings, and Albert Finney to snap up roles. It's notable that many of the films he stars in develop cult followings. I listed a number of them, many of which offer solid performances. Yes, he HAS been in really good movies since "ACO"! He's wonderful in 'Time After Time", even if his Herbert George Welles is too stuffy; the real one wasn't by any means! But, he's good, it's a heartfelt performance, and he ended up marrying his leading lady, Mary Steenburgen. Try watching "The Barber" or even the psychiatrist in a film I didn't list, "Inhabited" (2003), a neat little horror film.

If you like an actor, don't measure him by "important" roles. Every actor has high and low points, and most of them are low. The right role still could come along. Look what has happened to longtime actors such as Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Ian McKellen, and others. Do you like Malcolm McDowell? Then, give his other roles a chance. I'll watch him in anything because he's like Roddy McDowall: He gives every role everything he's got.

Some actors never get even one big role. Ray Milland often said that "The Lost Weekend" was the best and worst thing that could have happened to him. He realized that it was the best role that he would ever play; in fact, it won him the Best Actor Oscar. After that came years of scattered roles. But, does that devalue him as an actor? Even when he was in some rather bad ones, I remained a fan.

After all, Basil Rathbone~likely the best Sherlock Holmes ever and a brilliant actor~ended his career in a sad way: "Hillbillys in a Haunted House" (1967) and "Autopsy of a Ghost" (1968). Yet, some might have hit that low point then bounced back; Martin Landau AND Jack Palance went from a low-budget sci fi film titled "Without Warning" to a Best Supporting Actor for "Ed Wood" and "City Slickers", respectively!

He was in Heroes as Mr.Linderman

I liked him in the movie about the time machine called Time After Time (1979) in which he played H.G. Wells.

He played Dr. Sauran in Star Trek- Generations. Again a villian, what's up with that!

I can't remember if it was him that played "The Limey" but that was a great movie.



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