My Favourite Movies: Rollerball

Based in the year 2018 this ground breaking movie depicts a world run by massive corporations. In this world there are no wars, no poverty and no freedom. People have consciously given up their freedoms for material comfort. The corporate world is one where the individual does not matter and where the game of Rollerball was devised to drive home that point – that individual effort and individual action changes nothing. Unfortunately for the corporations the game has produced something it was never designed for – a champion in the guise of Jonathan E. Played by James Caan, Jonathan becomes a hero to millions without planning to do so. He is, he believes, just a particularly gifted athlete. But when he starts to question the fabric of corporate society he becomes a revolutionary force that the Executives must eliminate at any cost.

I can’t remember if I saw this movie when it first came out in 1975. I have a feeling that I did. It’s certainly the kind of thing that would have interested me back then. I’ve probably seen it at least 10-15 times by now. It is an odd sort of film from several perspectives. For one thing it seemed very much of its time and yet it’s also timeless in its portrayal of the iconic individual versus the state. In many ways Jonathan E is the archetypal hero. He is alone even when surrounded by team mates or attentive women. He is very much focused on the task in front of him and is very good at what he does. He is fully aware of the range of forces that are against him and yet shows – indeed feels – no fear because of that. He is a tragic hero who lives without love and has to watch his friends fall around him. He is a hero driven by revenge at the injustices heaped upon him but always keeps his cool even as he disables his opponents.

The game itself – virtually created during the filming – is superb. As the director later said it’s very difficult to create a completely new game. But it’s easy to imagine a real live Rollerball sporting event. I know that people would pay good money to see it – and I think I’d be one of them! The filming of the games in particular is quite outstanding and inevitably places it at the centre of the movie. But there is much more going on. The society that runs Rollerball is portrayed as an appalling place – despite its very evident wealth. It is a decadent society where old fashioned values of honour and heroism have no place. It is a society where everything and everyone has a price – except Jonathan. It is not a nice place.

This is probably one of my Top 10 films of all time and might even be in my Top 5. I love just about everything about it. In any decent totalitarian state it would be banned and for that alone has high value. It is a great story about an amazing game that gives rise to an outstanding hero. It is a consummate film about the power of the individual and a master class in the concept of the hero. Finally it introduced me to the music of Albinoni. It doesn’t get much better praise than that. If you missed this classic – or have only seen the re-make – I’d rent or buy it as soon as you can. It is two hours of your life that you’ll value in the years to come.