One of two classic Lean adaptations of Charles Dickens. From the opening shot of Oliver's mother struggling through the snow to reach the workhouse. The film brilliantly recreates the feeling of poverty-stricken Victorian England. Look out in particular for Alec Guinness' superb performance as Fagin. find out more...

When Mr Dashwood dies, the bulk of his estate goes to his son by his first marriage, which leaves his second wife and three daughters (Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret) in straitened circumstances. They are taken in by a kindly cousin, but their lack of fortune affects the marriageability of both practical Elinor and romantic Marianne. When Elinor forms an attachment for the wealthy Edward Ferrars, his family disapprove and separate them. And though Mrs Jennings tries to match the worthy (and rich find out more...

From the director of "Mrs Brown", a wickedly witty romantic romp, taking some light-hearted liberties with the lovelife of England's most celebrated playwright. It's 1590, and young Will Shakespeare is suffering from a chronic case of writer's block, whilst trying to finish his latest work "Romeo And Ethel The Pirate's Daughter". But Will (a conveniently gorgeous Joseph Fiennes) finds himself newly inspired when he falls madly in love with wannabe stage star Viola De Lesepps (Paltrow), whose det find out more...

The original and the best screen adaptation of John Buchan's jingoistic thriller of German plots and dashing Englishmen. Considered by the director as one of his very best this launched the theme of the innocent man on the run from both the law and the villians. Excellent. find out more...

Superb sets, acting and Swiftian dialogue puts this historical "whodunnit" up among the best films to come out of Britain in years. An English noblewoman employs a haughty artist to sketch 12 drawings of her husband's estate in exchange for sex. The sketches themselves prove of an even greater significance than supposed upon the discovery of the body of Mr. Herbert. find out more...

Sweeping romantic drama of epic proportions. Fiennes's WWII pilot lays badly burned and in the care of an army nurse. As the unnamed, stiff-upper-lipped "English Patient" begins to recover, memories emerge of a past life as an archaeologist/cartographer in the Sahara, and a passionate affair with a married woman, Katharine. Though Anthony Minghella's adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's novel simplifies, jettisons and changes certain elements of the original story, it remains a rich, complex, entran find out more...

An ageing bachelor reminisces of the long hot 1900 summer of his youth. Leo is 13 and a guest at a grand home in rural Norfolk, where he becomes a go-between in the love affair between the daughter of the affluent country family and a local farmer. An absolute cinema classic successfully adapted from Hartley's novel of the same name, a powerful and beautiful tale. find out more...

Based on David Low's cartoon character, Major General Clive Wynne-Candy, VC, we back-track over his life, drawing us into sympathy with the prime virtues of honour and chivalry which have transformed him from dashing young spark of the 1890s into crusty old buffer of World War II. Roger Livesey gives us not just a great performance, but a man's whole life, losing his only love (Deborah Kerr) to the German officer (Walbrook) with whom he fought a duel in pre-WWI Berlin, then becoming the latter's find out more...

Hawthorne is breathtaking as poor old King George, who, after 30 years reign, has gone completely barking mad. While his evil son plots to steal the throne, the men in the white coats subject the captive King to a stomach-churning array of torturous treatment. Bawdy, shockingly funny and just brilliant! find out more...

The Railway Children; an affectionate adaptation of the great children's novel capturing the innocence of childhood and the comfy certainties of a bygone era. Not that their world is boring, they meet a wry bunch of characters, save a train from derailment and harbour a Bolshevik refugee etc. A high nostalgia count. find out more...