Save your money for something good and enjoyable

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Lindsay Anderson's best film by far in my opinion, this is a delightful social satire – but not for the thin-skinned, I might add – brilliantly played by an expertly chosen cast, led by Norman Rossiter. Anderson not only keeps it moving along at a nice pace, but he obviously had access to a big budget, resulting not only in well-utilized sets and locations, but generally fine production values. The clever, well-observed screenplay so expertly blends fantasy with social reality that one is willing to accept even the film's monstrous conclusion. A marvelous music score also helps and so does the superb photography and eye-dazzling sets.

'If....' and 'O Lucky Man' were the extremely compelling first two instalments of the 'Mick Travis' trilogy, directed by Lindsay Anderson, and starring Malcolm McDowell as the eponymous hero. What might be loosely described as 'the final chapter' - 'Britannia Hospital' - lags behind in terms of power and pace.It is set in the hospital of the title, where staff are striking ( the patients have to eat oranges ) and refuse to let ambulances through the main gates ( unless the patients are near-death ). Protesters object to an Amin-like leader who is being treated there as a private patient. Vincent Potter ( Leonard Rossiter ) is the manager trying against all odds to organise a visit from The Queen Mother. He even bribes the shop steward with a promise of an O.B.E.! Mick Travis, newly returned from the States, is part of a television crew making a documentary about the strange goings-on at The Millar Centre. Mad-as-a-March-Hare Professor Millar ( Graham Crowden, reprising his role from 'O Lucky Man' ) is conducting Frankenstein-style medical experiments.With the Winter of Discontent ( an industrial dispute that affected the entire country for several weeks in early 1979 ) still fresh in people's memories, David Sherwin's script has a lot to say on the so-called decline of Britain. The trouble is we have heard it all before. The Boulting Brothers' 'I'm All Right Jack' also made fun of trade unions, while Robin Askwith's ( how shocking must it have been then to see him in a movie where he kept his clothes on ) militant shop steward is not far removed from the Kenneth Cope character in 'Carry On At Your Convenience' ( 1971 )Leonard Rossiter amuses as the harassed 'Potter', and Anderson's stamp is on it, but for me this is an unfortunate end to the 'Mick Travis' series. McDowell gets little to do other than prowl around hospital corridors with a mini-camera in his hand. The character looks as though he was put in as an after-thought. He deserved a much better send-off than this.Arthur Lowe is seen briefly as a rich patient who makes a stirring patriotic speech before expiring ( the actor sadly passed away for real soon afterwards ), and Alan Bates contributes a cameo ( if you can call it that ) as a corpse. Mark Hamill ( yes, old 'Luke Skywalker' himself ) plays a pot-smoking member of Travis' television team.Like 'If....', the film ends in violent fashion as the protesters and the strikers smash through the gates and invade the hospital. It had the misfortune to open in Britain around the time of the Falklands War, when the prevailing national mood was one of machismo and jingoism, and right-wing papers had a field day stirring up outrage over Anderson's so-called unpatriotic depiction of Royalty. Anderson never worked in Britain again, a fate reminiscent of that of the great Michael Powell. Not a bad film as such, but its statements are unoriginal and humour far too obscure to be really funny.

I just wanted to correct a few things said already.Lindsay Anderson has stated (often) that the Mick Travis in each of the films is a different one. He's using the name "Mick Travis" instead of saying "everyman" or "any old sod". So, complaining about what Mick did or didn't do vis a vis "the last film" is sort of pointless.The Royal in question here, right smack in the film is a Queen Mother impersonator and a great one at that. You're completely right that the Queen wouldn't stand for it... but that's why they put the half-mad happy dotty royal instead of her.. The Queen Mum would just go on and wait for her lunch.The film is eccentric in a great way... sure it has some blood spatter but I can tolerate that. =) Anyway, I wish we had gotten more shots of Malcolm in less clothing, but hey, I'll just have to live with it. Overall, a great film.

Lindsay Anderson was several years ago one of my favourite directors and then, 5 years ago, I thought that this film is possible his best. Since then I saw again Britannia Hospital at least five times - and it didn't worked always - in contrast Anderson's If..., which is better and better with every watching. However, Britannia Hospital is still a very good film, but its content maybe too disturbing for a lot of viewers. I mean, not only its details (for example, eating pieces of brain, by the way, didn't Hannibal - the movie - discover it), but the consequences of the whole film. This film's dark and painful thoughts about mankind and our future are very frightening, because they - if we can face it - almost (or entirely?) the reality. Although Lindsay Anderson's satire is focused on Britannia Hospital, where the most of the plot plays, this parabolic form is about the whole world: from the poor people to the rich, from the caretaker to the mad scientist. Britannia Hospital is full of moments of horror and black comedy (namely its subplot is parody/paraphraze of Frankenstein-story), but its strongest parts are when its laughing (or crying) on the figures of government and other leaders (the master of BH, the main strikers, even the Queen). The solution is Britannia Hospital - in a paradox way - there is no solution for mankind. Maybe the speech of the professor at the end is a little didactic, but at same time quite honest; but not he has the last world in the film. For those who have already seen this film, it is known, what I'm talking about; for those who are going to see BH, let it be a surprise. It's unforgettable, but extremely sad moment: a shocking last shot to Britannia Hospital.