There are indeed many layers that make up what it is tobe Britishthat have evolved greatly over the years. Britain is incredibly diverse with many different faces making up the people who call it home. It’s got lush rolling countryside, quaint little seaside towns, and bustling cities with wide-ranging personalities to fill it up with. Furthermore, it’s experienced intense change over history that has seen political shifts, evolving mindsets and modernisation of class systems as well as changing trends in all things from fashion, music, and popular past times.
There are many movies which perfectly capture the quintessential essence of what makes Britain, Britain, both now and in the past. Notable events in British history, the British way of thinking aligned with a uniquesense of humour, and some truly memorable works from infamous British writers, all path the way from some highly engaging British storytelling.
20Great Expectations (1946)
The originalGreat Expectationswas so well received it managed to achieve five Academy Award nominations. It’s a book-to-movie adaption of the novel by Charles Dickens.
The story follows Pip from his childhood and the years that follow. He starts off as a humble blacksmith’s apprentice until he meets an escaped convict, Magwitch; the catalyst to his future prospects. After finding himself falling into quite a large fortune from a mysterious benefactor, Pip moves to London and learns how to be a gentleman, entering high society. After some time Pip has neglected his family but remains fond of his childhood first love, Estella. Unfortunately for Pip, Magwitch returns once more needing help from Pip to escape capture. With Magwitch’s return, certain truths are unveiled that turn Pip’s world upside down. He eventually loses his fortune, however now older and wiser, regains a connection with his family when he goes home and reunites with Estella.
19The Third Man (1949)
The Third Manis considered one of the best British films of all time. It’s a visually stunningpsychological thrillerthat grabs your attention from the get-go.
The movie brings you into the world of Holly Martins, an unemployed novelist arriving in a post-war Vienna. Holly is first invited to Vienna to take up a job offer, however, there’s no smooth sailing in this story. Upon arriving in Vienna, Holly finds that his friend Harry has recently died in a car accident of a most peculiar nature. Holly then becomes invested in the investigation of his friend’s death after arising suspicion that it was no accident. After talking to Harry’s friends and receiving mixed stories that don’t quite fit together, Holly is convinced that if followed correctly, the inconsistencies in people’s tales will lead to the true cause of death. It’s a dangerous web of lies and viewers can be fully invested in Holly’s investigation, rooting for his success.
18My Fair Lady (1964)
My Fair Ladydetails the transformation of Eliza Doolittle from Cockney working-class lass to a high society lady of London. Somewhat snobby Professor Henry Higgins sets himself on the mission to turn Eliza into a stereotypically ‘proper’ English lady and is without any doubts that he will succeed in his goal. Eliza agrees to the lessons, with the hopes that improved pronunciation and language skills from the speech lessons will lead to more promising job prospects.
Of course the two clash at the start, however, they eventually form quite the bond. In the events that follow this bond finds itself threatened when the highly aristocratic suitor Freddy Eynsford-Hill comes into the scene. It makes for a brilliantly executed plot that is easy to get into and can still prove entertaining for a modern-day audience.
17Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Four Weddings and a Funeralfeatures none other than British rom-com regular, Hugh Grant. He plays Charles, the hero of the story and a complete commitment-phobe. He attends a wedding as the best man in beautiful Somerset and meets Carrie. For both, it’s love at first sight. However, theirs is a clumsy romance with potentially opportunistic meetings met with missed opportunities and the two seem to have some unforeseen force keeping them from being together.
As the name of the movie suggests, there are a few more weddings and a funeral in the sequence of events that follow their first meeting. Upon running into an old girlfriend with remaining prospects, Charles is met with the conundrum; settle for his old love out of desperation, or take a chance on Carrie and hope that fate will bring them together once more.
Related:The Best British Rom-Coms, Ranked
16Hamlet (1996)
Hamletis one of the well-known works of William Shakespeare. His most iconic tragedy sees the unfortunate series of events that Hamlet, son of the King of Denmark, must endure. After the death of his father, Hamlet returns home to attend his funeral, but also to attend his mother’s rather quick re-marriage to his uncle, Claudius, whom he absolutely loathes. Hamlet experiences a somewhat supernatural moment and discovers that his uncle murdered his father. Talk about family drama.
What can only be described as an immensely chaotic sequence of events follows. Madness, murder, twisted love, shameful conspiring, and a play within a play make for an impressively interesting and deeply engaging story. Hamlet succeeds in his mission to take out revenge on his uncle, but he loses his life in the process. In addition to this, he manages to set in motion the deaths of nearly every other character, including his mother.
15The Full Monty (1997)
The Full Montyintroduces you to best friends Gaz and Dave in Sheffield. They’re unemployed, on the dole, and looking to make some money. They steal scrap metal from nearby closed steel mills to supplement their income, bringing along Gaz’s son for the ride, but it’s not enough. Gaz’s ex-wife becomes impatient with his inability to keep up with child support and threatens to claim full custody of their son, threatening his relationship with his son. Gaz reacts and comes up with the idea of setting up his own exotic male dance group as a way to make some extra money. The unlikely lot he recruits to join his team isn’t quite what you would expect from exotic dancers. His fellow ex-mill workers lack the skills, looks, and self-confidence expected from such a role. It’s a hilarious movie as the mismatched group works together in overcoming personal issues while forming a show that can bring in the ladies and their wallets!
14Notting Hill (1999)
Notting Hillfeatures Hugh Grant playing bookstore owner, Will Thacker. His unassuming life is changed forever when the famous actress, Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) walks into his store one day. Nothing really happens during their first meeting, however, as fate would have it they cross paths once more. After an incident involving a clumsy incident involving orange juice, an invitation to clean up at Will’s home, and a fateful first kiss, the movie really gets going.
The idyllic neighbourhood of Notting Hill shines in this movie as the romance between Will and Anna blossoms from their chance encounter. Several well-known spots in London feature throughout the movie which will undeniably inspire your next visit. Their budding relationship is not however all that easy, and from a mixture of nosy friends and even nosier press, the two really have to work to make it last.
13Billy Elliot (2000)
Billy Elliotfollows a boy growing up in the North of England, Billy, who turns his nose at the toxic masculinity imposed on him by his father. Much to his father’s dismay, rather than focusing on boxing training, Billy forms a love for ballet. However, regardless of the opposition met by both his father and older brother, Billy perseveres to follow his dream.
Ballet teacher Mrs Wilkinson sees great promise inBilly’s talentsand offers him private lessons in an attempt to qualify him for an audition with the Royal Ballet. Billy, for the most part, manages to keep his dancing exploits from both his father and brother. It’s not easy though and his dream finds itself on unstable ground. However, through much trial and tribulation, they do indeed soften to the idea once they finally manage to understand Billy’s talent and prospects in ballet. The ending sees a grown-up Billy, entering the stage for a ballet performance, his dad sitting proudly in the audience.
12Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Bridget Jones’s Diarywas the start of a total of three movies, each one as good as the last, detailing the turbulent life of Bridget. It’s a British rom-com classic and Renee Zellweger proved to be the perfect casting for the role. What’s more, British icons of the romantic movie world, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, also grace the story with their presence.
Bridget is nothing special, not in particular anyway. She’s an average woman with average struggles and imperfections. She’s had enough of it though and makes a New Year’s resolution to change her life. She starts a diary to detail her everyday life in as frank a way as possible, leaving no detail out. The movie is an easy and funny watch as Bridget plods through her somewhat chaotic life juggling imperfections and a drive to fix her love life with eccentric friends and multiple love interests complicating things.
11Gosford Park (2001)
Gosford Parkpresents the grandeur side of Britain and takes you back to 1932 to follow a recent murder occurring at the elaborate country estate, Gosford Park. It’s abrilliantly portrayed taletold from both sides of society; the high-class guests and the working-class servants.
The guests at Gosford Park have gathered to attend a weekend shooting party; how very British. The McCordle family are the owners of the estate, and Sir William McCordle, is the main man of the house. However, William finds himself first poisoned and then stabbed to death from behind. It seems many of his guests were after William’s fortune, and suspicions explode as to who the guilty suspect may be. He was a benefactor to many of his family and friends, but the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out who would have gone so far as to benefit from his money.
