MovieChat Forums > A Clockwork Orange (1972) Discussion > ACO could've starred David Hemmings or M...

ACO could've starred David Hemmings or Mick Jagger (interesting tidbit from Wikipedia)

posted 5 years ago by christomacin (4529)
5 replies | jump to latest

"Around 1967, David Hemmings was briefly considered for the role of Alex in a planned film version of Anthony Burgess's novel A Clockwork Orange (1962), which was to be based on a screen treatment by satirist Terry Southern and British photographer Michael Cooper. Cooper and the Rolling Stones were reportedly upset by the move and it was decided to return to the original plan in which Mick Jagger, the lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones, would play Alex, with the rest of the Stones as his droog gang; the production was shelved after Britain's chief censor, the Lord Chamberlain, indicated that he would not permit it to be made."

The High Lord Chamberlain...what a guy! LOL.

[–] whynotwriteme (7122) 5 years ago

Hemmings was too effete to be Alex. The toughest I've ever seen him was in "Alfred the Great". I don't think he wold have made a great Alex. The Stones might have pulled it off, but I think the film would have been cheapened by their presence.

Malcolm McDowell nailed the role and anyone else wouldn't have been quite as good.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71750) 5 years ago

Agreed
Excellent post
Malcolm really nailed the role and nobody could have been better

[–] AP (5258) 5 years ago

I remember reading about this on IMDb. And I agree with the above.The Stones would have just turned this into a vehicle for them and the movie would have been just some cult classic, eventually forgotten over time.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71750) 5 years ago

Never heard this
Very interesting, thanks for a cool bit of trivia:)

[–] bobbydallas (8059) 5 years ago

If you watch the movie "If..." and "A Clockwork Orange" in sequence makes for a nice McDowell double-header!

I agree with posts above.. rolling stones would've made the movie comical in a way and less of the ultra-violence classic it is today.