Guess Which Legendary Star Wanted to Lead Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange”!

In November 2022, Malcolm McDowell was honored at the 40th Turin Film Festival, which also marked the 50th anniversary of the film that made him famous: “A Clockwork Orange.” This event was a celebration of both his iconic role and the enduring connection between music and movies.

During a conversation on stage at the esteemed Teatro Regio, McDowell recounted several intriguing anecdotes. For instance, he shared how Paul McCartney, formerly of The Beatles, almost ended up composing the soundtrack for the 1971 movie “The Raging Moon,” in which McDowell starred.

“I’d Like to See That!”

But there’s more. The actor discussed (via Variety) Mick Jagger’s connection to cinema and his desire to play the lead role of Alex in “A Clockwork Orange” before Stanley Kubrick even acquired the rights to adapt Anthony Burgess’s famous novel.

“We were friends. We hung out together in New York. Back then, we were part of the ‘inner circle’ with Andy Warhol and others. One evening, we were at someone’s place in East Central Park. We were sitting by the window, talking because Jagger wanted to play Alex in A Clockwork Orange. Before Kubrick got the rights, Mick Jagger and the Stones wanted to do it! Well, I’d like to see that!”

Imagine Mick Jagger and the band members as Alex and his gang of droogs – the result would have been remarkable. Yet, it’s hard to envision anyone but Malcolm McDowell in Kubrick’s visionary masterpiece. It was after seeing McDowell in the classic British film “If…” by Lindsay Anderson that Kubrick found his star.

Though McDowell’s career spans over sixty years, featuring highs and lows and a mix of memorable and forgettable roles, “A Clockwork Orange” remains the definitive film of his career, the one for which he will be remembered.

Over the years, his views on Kubrick have mellowed. Kubrick was a master, indeed. But he was also capable of petty behavior and rudeness, as McDowell himself recounted in 2011 during the Cannes Film Festival, alongside a screening of a restored version of “A Clockwork Orange.”