# Outstanding British/ Irish movies well-worth owning **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118 "2007-01-08T04:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/21 "2007-01-08T16:41:30Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] **[Hear My Song](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102014/)** – delightful comedy about the hunt to bring legendary Irish tenor Josef Locke to perform in the UK – where he’s a tax exile. Ned Beatty playes Locke, but the movie is about Adrian Dunbar’s efforts to find him and convince him to sing – without being arrested by dogged revenue agent David McCallum. [/QUOTE] It is indeed absolutely delightful, and can be enjoyed by all ages. A true family film. And I must mention Tara Fitzgerald as the gorgeous, intelligent foil to Dunbar. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/22 "2007-01-08T16:46:22Z")
[Topsy-Turvy](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151568/), a way-better-than-average biopic about Gilbert and Sullivan, starring the incomparable Jim Broadbent. And another vote for _Withnail & I_, one of my favourite ever movies. Superb performance from Ben Kingsley (and great performances from the ensemble too) in the gangster movie _Sexy Beast_. And if you’re in the mood, rent the little-known Irish gangster comedy, _I Went Down_, which I absolutely loved. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/23 "2007-01-08T16:46:33Z")
Fitzgerald is one fine actress in everything she does. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/24 "2007-01-08T17:06:23Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] I enjoyed [Michael Collins](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117039/) and [Bloody Sunday](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280491/). Kind of political, but interesting nonetheless. [/QUOTE] There’s also the new Ken Loach movie [The Wind That Shakes the Barley](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460989/) which won the Palme D’Or last year. It looks at the War of Independence and the Civil War that followed. I loved it and was very moved by it. It’s a bit tough on the Brits tough but then again they were tough on us 😉 If you can get your hands on it I’d highly recommend [The Treaty](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190088/) which is way better than Michael Collins (a Hollywood movie with a lot of BS history in it IMO). ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/25 "2007-01-08T17:07:45Z")
I recently saw [Dead Man’s Shoes](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419677/), an update on the old Roman revenge tragedy, like. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/26 "2007-01-08T17:20:59Z")
**[I Capture the Castle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300015/)** **[Cold Comfort Farm](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112701/)** **[An Awfully Big Adventure](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112427/)** **[Bend It Like Beckham](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286499/)** **[Intermission](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332658/)** \*\*[Little Voice](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147004/) \*\* \*\*[Shallow Grave](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111149/) \*\* **[Wilbur Wants to Kill Himeslf](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329767/)**(directed by a Dane, but takes place in Scotland and stars the fantastic Shirley Henderson) ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/27 "2007-01-08T19:26:28Z")
The Decline and Fall…of a Birdwatcher- great ultra-obsucre hip 60’s comedy; A Taste of Honey This Sporting Life Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner Look Back in Anger Room at the Top Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Scum Intermission- great recent Irish Pulp Fiction style film. Brighton Rock Brief Encounter ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/28 "2007-01-08T20:25:38Z")
[In the Name of the Father](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107207/) [The Whistle Blower](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092206/) [Blowup](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060176/) [A Hard Days Night](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058182/) [Sleuth](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069281/) [How I Won the War](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061789/) [Truly Madly Deeply](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103129/) ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/29 "2007-01-08T20:44:45Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] The Commitments [/QUOTE] Beat me to it. Best Irish movie ever, in my limited experience. ---
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/30 "2007-01-08T23:44:06Z")
One of the most underrated Irish films ever is [I Went Down](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126344/) An irresisistable gangster/ road movie… brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/31 "2007-01-08T23:48:48Z")
[QUOTE=bubastis] An irresisistable gangster/ road movie… brilliant. [/QUOTE] I agree wholeheartedly, though I called it “little known” when I mentioned it in post #22. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/32 "2007-01-09T00:13:35Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] A Taste of Honey Saturday Night and Sunday Morning [/QUOTE] These are brilliant flicks. Don’t let the fact that they’re old films put you off! I saw Gregory’s Girl as a kid - everyone had a crush on Clare Grogan. I rented it recently, but the DVD had a language track that was the original which was much better than the dubbed version. But you’ll need subtitles. **Lisa-go-blind’s** Mike Leigh picks are great as well. There’s a DVD out of some of his Playhouse dramas. The one I saw was about a couple with a shaky marriage having a cocktail party… forgot the name, but it was one of the best films I’ve ever seen. Great thread. I’m inspired to go to Netflix and check some of the newer films out! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/33 "2007-01-09T00:18:40Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] dubbed version [/quote] :eek: You can’t be serious!?! That’s shocking. > [@](#): > > The one I saw was about a couple with a shaky marriage having a cocktail party… forgot the name [Abigail’s Party](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/461315/index.html)? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/34 "2007-01-09T01:05:11Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] I saw Gregory’s Girl as a kid - everyone had a crush on Clare Grogan. [/QUOTE] I still do. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/35 "2007-01-09T03:39:25Z")
There are so many wonderful movies listed here. I had to add a few to the list. [Dirty Pretty Things](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301199/) and [My Beautiful Laundrette](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301199/) or anything else directed by Stephen Frears. [Dirty Pretty Things](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301199/). This one is a really good crime drama. Great cast too. [Rory O’Shea Was Here](http://www.roryosheawasheremovie.com/story.html) . This one is another slice of life style movie, with the main characters in wheelchairs. It’s really a terrific little movie. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/36 "2007-01-09T03:48:35Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] :eek: You can’t be serious!?! That’s shocking.[Abigail’s Party](http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/461315/index.html)? [/QUOTE] Yes - the US version of Gregory’s Girl is dubbed with Northern-sounding voices. No real Hibernian brogues. My particular version had another track with the original voices. I mean, it only makes sense. The story’s set in Scotland, not Leeds. Though I suspect your average American would have a real hard time with the dialogue. Heck, I did, and I grew up in the UK. Subtitles are a necessity for us Yanks. And yes, it was Abigail’s Party. Amazing! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/37 "2007-01-09T04:06:37Z")
Some twenty-plus years ago, I was home sick one day. I spent the morning watching TV: game shows, talk shows, and so on. But the afternoon movie came on, and not having enough energy to get up and change the channel to something more interesting with lovely parting gifts (our TV did not have a remote in those days), I watched it. It was [Rattle of a Simple Man](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058515/), a British film from 1964, and it was a treat. Bascally, a group of soccer fans have travelled to a game. They’ve had a few drinks, their team has won, and they decide that one of them needs to be set up with a prostitute. So they find one, and literally push him into her apartment. You might imagine that yuks would abound. But that wasn’t so. Because that’s where it got interesting. No, there was no sex. What there was, was a long conversation between the prostitute and the very shy man, where each expressed their innermost feelings. I realize that this brief description might be enough to turn many off, but it was a truly intricate bit of filmmaking, IMHO, since most of the film took place in the prostitute’s apartment, and was nothing more than a gripping conversation. I don’t recall waiting for the end, and another game or talk show; rather, I was transfixed by the character’s stories. When it did end, I was surprised to find that two hours had passed. To be able to hold this viewer’s attention with nothing more than a conversation is, IMHO, quite a feat. I wish this film was available on DVD, but sadly, that does not seem to be the case. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/38 "2007-01-09T12:41:43Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] No real Hibernian brogues. [/QUOTE] Hibernia=Ireland. Scotland=Caledonia. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/39 "2007-01-09T13:16:13Z")
For more Scottish accents try _The Rocket Post_, which came out here recently. A bit like the classic _Whisky Galore_ and also based on a true story - about a 1930s scheme to improve communications with the outlying Hebridean islands by a rocket mail system! Great fun, but with a darker ending than you’d expect… [IMDB link](http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0337708/) ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118/40 "2007-01-09T14:08:17Z")
The version of Ratcatcher I saw had subtitles in English- even though the movie is in English :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outstanding-british-irish-movies-well-worth-owning/387118.md?page=3)