McDowell initially secured work as an extra with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He made his film debut as school rebel Mick Travis in "if..." (1968) by British director Lindsay Anderson. A landmark of British countercultural cinema, the BFI named "if..." the 12th greatest British film of the 20th century. McDowell's next roles were in "Figures in a Landscape" (1970) and "The Raging Moon" (1971). His performance in "if..." caught the attention of Stanley Kubrick, who cast McDowell for the lead in "A Clockwork Orange" (1971), adapted from the novel by Anthony Burgess. He gained positive reviews for his performance as Alex DeLarge, a young sadist brainwashed by the British government in a dystopian future. He was nominated for a Golden Globe, a National Society of Film Critics nomination, and a New York Film Critics Circle nomination as Best Actor.