• 1987
  • 25m
Best of British

Summary Designed as entertainment for a broad audience, a comprehensive view of British cinema from the 1930s to the 1980s that examines a different theme and / or genre in each episode through the extensive use of film clips. View more details

  • 1987
  • 25m

Best of British

Directed : Unknown

Written : Unknown

Stars : Anthony Quayle John Mills

All cast & crew

7.9

Details

Genres : Documentary

Release date : Apr 21, 1987

Countries of origin : United Kingdom

Official sites : Official site

Language : English

Production companies : Charisma Films Best of British Films and Television Production Friendship Films

Summary Designed as entertainment for a broad audience, a comprehensive view of British cinema from the 1930s to the 1980s that examines a different theme and / or genre in each episode through the extensive use of film clips. View more details

Details

Genres : Documentary

Release date : Apr 21, 1987

Countries of origin : United Kingdom

Official sites : Official site

Language : English

Production companies : Charisma Films Best of British Films and Television Production Friendship Films

Photos

Best of British (1987) Best of British (1987)

Episodes

View All Seasons
Episode 1 • Apr 21, 1987
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.
Episode 2 • Apr 28, 1987
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.
Episode 3 • May 05, 1987
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).
Episode 4 • May 12, 1987
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)
Episode 5 • May 19, 1987
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.
Episode 6 • May 26, 1987
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.
Episode 7 • Jun 02, 1987
Things That Go Bump in the Night
Treated for thrills or comedy, ghosts and ghouls have proved a popular staple of British cinema from its beginnings. Films like A Place Of One's Own, Blithe Spirit, Don't Take It to Heart and The Clairvoyant feature stars such as James Mason, Margaret Rutherford, Richard Greene and Claude Rains.
Episode 8 • Jun 09, 1987
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.
Episode 9 • Jun 16, 1987
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.
Episode 10 • Jun 23, 1987
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.
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