Tue, Apr 21, 1987
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.
Tue, May 5, 1987
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).
Tue, May 12, 1987
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)
Tue, Jun 2, 1987
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.
Tue, Jun 9, 1987
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.
Tue, Jun 16, 1987
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.
Tue, Jun 23, 1987
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.