# What is the best British movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-british-movie/168197 "2003-04-12T03:49:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ChalkPit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-british-movie/168197/41 "2003-04-13T23:25:26Z")
Lots of good choices so far. I’d like to throw in **Ice Cold in Alex** They don’t come much more British than that. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-british-movie/168197/42 "2003-04-13T23:41:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samarm \* > \*\*\* The Long Good Friday > \*\* I like gangster movies as much or more than the next guy, but I was not overly impressed with the Long Good Friday. I found it sufficiently ho-hum that I simply didn’t watch the last 30 minutes. Any chance you could tell me why you consider it such a good movie? It’s in our household on DVD, I might consider watching it again. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-british-movie/168197/43 "2003-04-14T14:03:13Z")
I’ve always thought Michael Caine helped a film’s “Britness.” Consider _Alfie_, _Zulu_, and _The Ipcress File_. All quintessentially British films. ---
**Author:** ![burntsand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@burntsand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burntsand)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-british-movie/168197/44 "2003-04-16T06:51:52Z")
I’ve seen mention of _A Man For All Seasons_ and _Beckett_, but what of _The Lion in Winter_? For the cast alone: Peter O’Toole, Anthony Hopkins, Nigel Terry, Timothy Dalton, plus Katherine Hepburn for good measure. And on the subject of British biopics, I’ve always enjoyed Richard Harris in _Cromwell_, if only so I could appreciate Dave Thomas’s impression of him in SCTV’s “The Man Who Wanted To Be King Of The Popes”. Ah ha ha ha ha. For a better Richard Harris role, see _The Field_ ---
**Author:** ![WavyDavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3da27b/32.png) [@WavyDavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WavyDavy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-british-movie/168197/45 "2003-04-16T16:46:05Z")
I’ll have to echo **Rodd Hill** and say Local Hero, Gregory’s Girl and Comfort and Joy are all excellent and all directed by William Forsythe. But no one (I think) as mentioned **Four Weddings and a Funeral**. I thought that one was rather british. I loved it. Dave ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-british-movie/168197/46 "2003-04-16T17:55:21Z")
If we’re including _Lawrence of Arabia_\* then we also have to include the following: _Dr. Strangelove_ _Alien_ _A Christmas Carol_ (1951 version w/Alastair Sim) _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-british-movie/168197.md?page=2)