It’s a summer time’s night in 1970 and younger actor Malcolm McDowell has simply loved an early dinner with Stanley Kubrick on the acclaimed movie director’s residence within the Hertfordshire countryside. Kubrick has solid McDowell because the teenage delinquent gang-leader Alex DeLarge in his adaptation of the 1962 Antony Burgess novel, A Clockwork Orange.

For a lot of the night the 2 menhave been debating what sort of look DeLarge ought to sport within the film. Denims and T-shirt, McDowell suggests? However Kubrick thinks that’s neither robust nor subversive sufficient. They want one thing actually memorable that may act as a visible clue to the type of folks DeLarge and his gang of Droogs are.

Because the director is seeing the actor to his automobile, he spots Malcolm’s cricket whites mendacity on the again seat.

“I bear in mind him pointing to the cricket field groin protector and asking me what it was,” remembers McDowell. “I advised him, explaining that the equipment was there as a result of I’d come straight to his home from taking part in cricket at my nephew’s faculty.

“Instantly, Kubrick exclaimed that was it! DeLarge ought to put on the cricket field, however over slightly than beneath cricket whites. I feel he thought the outcome can be a mixture of provocation, costume and a defiance of norms, with a nod to medieval codpieces.

He laughs. “It’s insane to suppose probably the most iconic costumes in cinema historical past took place as a result of I’d simply occurred to play in a faculty cricket match.”

We could also be chatting away like previous associates, however earlier than the decision with Malcolm I had felt a tad apprehensive.

This was the person who had unsettledaudiences as rebellious Mick Travis within the 1968 movie If… After which positively terrified them – or me at any fee – taking part in thebrilliantly brutal, stylishly savage, charming but horrifying, cricket field and bowler hat carrying Alex DeLarge.

He’s introduced a sure menace to numerous different roles, however talking from his residence in California, McDowell is heat, witty and in no way scary. I inform him about my preliminary trepidation and he laughs.

“You recognize the film villain is all the time the English particular person, don’t you? It’s to do with the accent. Additionally, once I was youthful, I had this punkish type of face so I used to be solid in these type of roles. However I used to be by no means actually like that in particular person.”

Enjoying DeLarge has outlined McDowell’s profession. It was 50 years in the past and but herewe are nonetheless speaking about it. I can’t assist questioning if he ever will get a bit sick of it?

“Not sick of it,” he replies. “Although I do eye-roll a bit. It’s true I grew to become type-cast in consequence, however I’ve had – and am nonetheless having – an awesome profession so I can hardly complain.

“I feel I’ve gone by way of sure phases of my relationship with that movie. For fairly some years afterwards I wished to maneuver on, and I didn’t truly see it for a very long time.

“However it’s a actually iconic film and an enormous reminiscence for me. I mainly bear in mind each scene that I shot.”

Within the 5 a long time since making A Clockwork Orange, McDowell has continued to be solid as oddball, maverick and unhinged characters – suppose Caligula inthe 1979 movie of the identical title,HG Wells in Time After Time and the Captain Kirk-killing Dr Tolian Soran within the 1994 Star Trek movie.

His most up-to-date function – in The Partisan, launched on Friday – can be on this oddball vein, with McDowell taking part in a shady secret agent named Trenchcoat.

“The movie is ready in World Conflict Two. It’s truly the true story of a girl named Krystyna Skarbek (performed by Morgane Polanski), a Polish agent working for the British Particular Operations Govt. My character recruits her,” he says.

“Trenchcoat wasn’t an actual particular person, extra of an interpretation or amalgamation of a number of folks like him. He’s within the John le Carre mould of spies. In different phrases, what you see isn’t essentially what you get.

“He is aware of he’s in all probability sending Krystyna to her demise by recruiting her – as was what so typically occurred. I had by no means heard of Krystyna earlier than, however one of many causes I wished to do the filmis as a result of I’m utterly fascinated by World Conflict Two. I’m all the time watchingprogrammes on YouTube and the Historical past Channel. My spouse thinks I’m obsessed.

“I discover that interval so attention-grabbing – the way it took place, what led as much as it, what purple flags ought to have been noticed however weren’t.”

Malcolm’s father was an RAF pilot within the battle however barely spoke of what occurred to him throughout these years.

“Dad flew Wellington bombers however you’d by no means have identified as a result of he simply didn’t speak about it, many males didn’t,” he says.

“The one factor I bear in mind him telling me was how one in every of his Tail Finish Charlie’s, who was killed within the air, had his watchstolen by an ambulance man when theaircraft landed within the UK. Dad was incensed by that!”

Malcolm has lived in California for greater than 40 years and brought twin Americancitizenship. His spouse, Kelly, and their three sons, aged 16 to 21, are all American.

Ditto his two youngsters Lilly and Charlie from his earlier marriage to actress Mary Steenburgen. But he says he nonetheless feels British.

“I’ve stored my passport and I do take into account myself to be British. I’m a large Liverpool fan – have been since I used to be first taken to Anfield as a boy – and I’m delighted to say I’ve handed my ardour right down to my sons.. There are issues I actually miss concerning the UK – studying the Sunday newspapers in print kind is one. Going by way of them, throwing my arms up within the air and exclaiming that I don’t consider one thing or the opposite.

“I really feel so blessed that I used to be in London in the course of the Nineteen Sixties.

“It was such an unimaginable time; the music, the style, the brand new performs, the ground-breaking films and simply the overall feeling of hope and positivity. However America is now residence to me. It’s the place everybody I like is.”

A type of Malcolm loves is his child granddaughter, Tove Jane, the daughter of son Charlie andwife, “Emily in Paris” star Lily Collins, who introduced the child’s beginning by surrogatelast January. “She’s completely beautiful. Completely stunning,” he beams. “As are my three different granddaughters. I like being round them and simply watching the antics that go on, the dynamic and the distinction between all of them. It’s staggering.

“They’re so completely different in persona and every little thing. It’s simply stunning to observe.”

Lily, in fact, is the daughter of singing famous person Phil Collins and I can’t helpwondering if the 2 legends – Malcolm and Phil – hang around? Malcolm laughs.

“Not likely – I imply, I dwell in California whereas he lives in Miami, I feel, so there’s fairly a distance between us. We met at Charlie and Lily’s marriage ceremony and had a extremely good time. He’s been sick, in fact, butI’m glad to see that he appears to be doing higher. His voice continues to be magical.”

Watching Malcolm as he chats, it immediately happens to me that, at instances, he appears to be like a bit like one other British famous person – Sting. He cracks up at this remark.

“Sting’s grandad, extra like! Really, it was commented on as soon as – years and years in the past when he was turning into well-known. Somebody mentioned I reminded them of the singer within the Police. I’d by no means heard of the band and thought what a bizarre title it was.”

He could also be 82 however Malcolm has no plans to retire – something however.

“When the cellphone stops ringing… that’s while you retire as an actor,” he says. “In the event that they nonetheless need me to do it, I do it. I like working and though I’ve slowed down a bit, I get extra presents now than I did in my 20s. It’s insane but it surely’s the way in which I prefer it.

“What the hell? I like going from one factor to a different. It’s type of enjoyable.”

The Partisan is launched in UK cinemas on October 3 and for streaming on October 27