know a long ago tomorrow and the raging moon be possibly the most intriguing movie in the career of young malcolm macdowell . it come after his breakthrough film if and and before the film most people recall he star in represent a clockwork orange and o lucky man . macdowell be nowadays establish a a well know character actor who specialize in powerful or power mad villain for the most part . on an episode of law and order a few year back he be a twisted version of rupert murdoch . he be frequently rogue cia agent and or tycoon with secret agenda . and he be wonderful in all these role . but except for o lucky man it be hard to find macdowell play a sympathetic and simple type . his salesman in o lucky man be naive and believe what line be ever give to him by his employer . but in the raging moon he be a strong and athletic young man whose future be wreck by a physical accident that cripple him . and he have to try to fight his anger at this unfair situation and regain his self respect . mcdowell play bruce prichard and a soccer or rugby player who be injure in a game and leave wheelchair bound at the age of 21. give that sport be the key to his life and the prop have be knock out from underneath him in more than one way . he slowly develop into a determined man who be go to overcome his permanent handicap . what really turn him into a determined type be his meeting with another patient ( also similarly cripple ) name jill matthew ( nanette newman ) . the two young people find they be encourage each other recovery . and sooner or later they begin fall in love . it be the odd role in macdowell career and and he handle very well . basically and except for the first ten minute of the film and he be stick in bed or in his wheelchair . he be bitter and but fix on get on with his new life . andd finally he be enchant by his new friend and confidante and and lover newman . in one of the most touching scene of the film and the two lover figure out how to embrace in their wheelchair by turn them on parallel line to each other and and lower the right arm of the wheelchair so they can surround their arm about each other waist and chest . the viewer can see the difficulty the young people will face and but they see they will do what they can to overcome their joint disability . so that the audience end up cheer for them . macdowell be not usually so sympathetic . his anti hero in a clockwork orange be torment by the state in a new process to make him an acceptable ( if defenseless ) citizen and and then torment by one of his old victim . but he be a stylish but still vicious punk in most of that film . he may symbolize youthful suspicion against an antiquated establishment in if and but he be a violent rebel in the end . and due to his crass stupidity in o lucky man he actually commit fraud . but in the raging moon he strike a different note and it be one he rarely hit again in any film or television show he make . the ultimate fate of his hero and heroine and and the cruelty of the world and nature they face and enhance the film . at the conclusion he be stun by event . so be his audience . and nobody can explain why what happen have to be final for his dream .