The Best of British Cinema ambient background
CinebyCineby
The Best of British Cinema backdrop

The Best of British Cinema

The Best of British Cinema

★ 8.0/10•1987•Documentary
Similars

Sir John Mills narrates this entertaining compilation. "The Best of British Cinema" takes an insightful look back at some of the finest and most memorable feature films to be produced in major British studios over a period of five decades. All of the major stars are here, from Olivier to Leigh, from Sabu to Robert Donat, along with eminent directors. This series confirms the power, humor and drama of the great British films.

Ashley Sidaway · Writer

Maurice Sellar · Writer

Lou Jones · Writer

Robert Sidaway · Writer

StatusEnded
LanguageEN
First Air DateApr 22, 1987

Episodes

E125m

The Heroes

From Tom Brown to Bulldog Drummond, from Biggles to Bond, the 20th Century British hero was represented as schoolboy, sleuth, soldier, sailor, sky-pilot and spy, and film portrayed them in all their different personalities - romantic, gritty, superior, gutsy, charming, and even with a tongue-in-cheek humour. Featured stars include Dirk Bogarde, Jack Hawkins, Stewart Granger, Kenneth More, Leslie Howard, David Niven and John Mills in films such as Reach For The Sky, We Dive At Dawn, A Tale Of Two Cities and A Matter Of Life And Death.

Apr 22, 1987

E225m

Leave 'Em Laughing

Some of British cinema's most popular comedians, including Norman Wisdom, Stanley Holloway, Will Hay, Frankie Howerd, and the Carry On team in films such as On The Beat, Oh, Mr Porter!, The Ghost Train and Carry On Doctor.

Apr 29, 1987

E325m

I Spy

A look at British spy stories, ranging from classic Hitchcock films of the 1930s to eighties paranoia in Defence Of The Realm, a mixture of the commonplace with the extraordinary - the ease with which laughs turn into thrills, the way a coded secret can suddenly mean life or death for a group of innocent people. Featured stars include Robert Donat, Kenneth More, Deborah Kerr and Margaret Lockwood in films such as Sabotage, The Lady Vanishes (1938 and 1979) and The 39 Steps (1935, 1959 and 1978).

May 6, 1987

E425m

The English Roses

During the 1940s and 50s, British films featured female stars who portrayed fiery, independent characters in distinctive settings, and stories than emanated from the events of World War II and its cultural aftermath. Featured stars Phyllis Calvert, Patricia Roc, Margaret Lockwood, Virginia McKenna, Deborah Kerr, and Jean Simmons in such films as Madonna Of The Seven Moons (1945), Love Story (1944), The Wicked Lady (1945), A Town Like Alice (1956), Black Narcissus (1947) and The Blue Lagoon (1949)

May 13, 1987

E525m

The All Singing All Dancing Show

Sequences from the golden age of British musicals highlight the talents of stars such as Jessie Matthews, Jack Buchanan, Jean Kent and Kay Kendall. Films include Evergreen, As Long As They're Happy, Trottie True and London Town.

May 20, 1987

E625m

The War Game

Stars like David Niven, Trevor Howard and John Mills in enduring wartime classics such as A Matter Of Life And Death, In Which We Serve, The Way Ahead, The Life And Death of Colonel Blimp, The Way to the Stars, 49th Parallel and Henry V.

May 27, 1987

E725m

Things That Go Bump in the Night

From the earliest days of movies, the potential for scaring audiences has been recognized and whether treated for thrills or comedy, ghosts and ghouls have proved a popular staple of British cinema. Featured stars include James Mason, Margaret Rutherford, Richard Greene and Claude Rains in films such as A Place Of One's Own, Blithe Spirit, Don't Take It to Heart, Hands Of The Ripper and The Clairvoyant.

Jun 3, 1987

E825m

Fine and Dandy

Costume dramas have been a staple of British cinema, especially during the 1940s when the Gainsborough melodramas resulted in some of the successful and popular films of the period. The best examples of the genre mix sumptuous film-making artistry with propulsive narratives. Stars include James Mason, Margaret Lockwood, Phyllis Calvert, Patricia Roc, Stewart Granger, Dennis Price and Jean Kent in films such as The Wicked Lady, The Man In Grey, Fanny By Gaslight, Madonna Of The Seven Moons and The Magic Bow

Jun 10, 1987

E925m

The Eccentrics

The combination of distinctive actors and characters have resulted in some of the most indelible and memorable scenes. True originals of British cinema include Margaret Rutherford, Peter Sellers, Alastair Sim and Edith Evans in films such as Blithe Spirit, Waltz Of The Toreadors, Cottage To Let and The Importance Of Being Earnest.

Jun 17, 1987

E1025m

Power and Prejudice

British cinema has always has a strong tradition for powerful reflections on contemporary life, social and psychological dramas that mix insightful commentary and identifiable characters with involving narratives. Featured stars include Richard Harris, Patricia Roc, Stanley Baker and James Mason in films like This Sporting Life, When the Bough Breaks, Violent Playground and Odd Man Out.

Jun 24, 1987

Actors

John Mills

John Mills

Self - Narrator

Recommendations

The Story of Film: An Odyssey
Doctor Who Confidential
The Movies That Made Us
The Witcher: A Look Inside the Episodes
History 101
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
Disney Gallery / Star Wars: The Mandalorian
World War II with Tom Hanks
Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos
The Beatles Anthology
Top Gear
Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II
JANET JACKSON.
Eli Roth's History of Horror
Deadly Women
The Movies
The Real History of Science Fiction
Mysteries at the Museum
Medal of Honor
How It's Made

Similars

The Zulu Wars
Lucky!
The Age of A.I.
Expedition Unknown
Britain on Film
Crash Course: World History
The True Story of Alexander the Great
An Islamic History of Europe
Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke
How to Survive the End of the World
Thank You, Goodnight - The Bon Jovi Story
Engineering from Above
Totta, tarua ja videopelejä
Kevin Hart: Don't F**k This Up
Afrique(s), une autre histoire du XXème siècle
Documentary WAVE
Arqueomanía
The Lost Women Spies
The Fall of Diddy
Fukushima: Days That Shocked the World