In 1999, the British Film Institute surveyed 1,000 people from the world of British film and television to produce a list of the greatest British films of the 20th century. Voters were asked to choose up to 100 films that were "culturally British".[1]
List breakdown
- The 1960s head the list with 26 films of merit for the decade. Four films made the list from each of the years 1949, 1963, and 1996. The earliest film selected was The 39 Steps (1935), and only two other 1930s films made the list.
- David Lean is the most represented director on the list, with six films, three of which were placed in the top five and four in the top eleven. Michael Powell followed with five entries, although he co-directed four of them with Emeric Pressburger as part of the Powell and Pressburger ("The Archers") filmmaking partnership. John Schlesinger also directed four, while Alexander Mackendrick and Tony Richardson each had three. Ealing Studios produced seven films on the list between 1949 and 1955.
- Alec Guinness is the most represented actor, with nine films, three of which being in supporting roles. Michael Caine is the most represented living actor, starring in seven films.
- Julie Christie is the most represented actress, with six films on the list.
Top 10
| Rank | Title | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Third Man | 1949 | Carol Reed |
| 2 | Brief Encounter | 1945 | David Lean |
| 3 | Lawrence of Arabia | 1962 | David Lean |
| 4 | The 39 Steps | 1935 | Alfred Hitchcock |
| 5 | Great Expectations | 1946 | David Lean |
| 6 | Kind Hearts and Coronets | 1949 | Robert Hamer |
| 7 | Kes | 1969 | Ken Loach |
| 8 | Don't Look Now | 1973 | Nicolas Roeg |
| 9 | The Red Shoes | 1948 | Powell and Pressburger |
| 10 | Trainspotting | 1996 | Danny Boyle |
See also
- Time Out 100 best British films
- Films considered the greatest ever
- BFI TV 100 – a list of the best British television programmes
- AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies
- 100 Italian films to be saved
- In 2004 the BFI compiled a list of the 100 biggest UK cinematic hits of all time based on audience viewing, the list was released as a book. The top 10 are available in this BBC News Online story.
References
- ↑ BBC. 23 September 1999. Entertainment: Best 100 British films – full list. Accessed 30 January 2014.
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