Best Of British (26-30)

The Lady Vanishes (1979)
Great Expectations (1946)
The Blue Lagoon (1949)
Oliver Twist (1948)
Malta Story (1953) ///

The Lady Vanishes (1979) Nimble, cleanly visualized comedy thrills with indulgent heiress Cybill Shepherd and cynical reporter Elliott Gould searching for missing nanny Angela Lansbury on the eve of war. Lightly involving, breezy script tied to lush production values.

Great Expectations (1946) Sublime blend of expressive visuals, snappy wordplay, and atmospheric sound design, as John Mills' ambitious Pip is bewitched by the Gothic melodrama of manipulative Valerie Hobson. Masterful cast embodies Dickens' social and emotional concerns. 

The Blue Lagoon (1949) Attractive locations and light drama maintain interest in ultimate coming-of-age tale as two children are shipwrecked on remote South Pacific island and grow into Jean Simmons and Donald Huston. Ambiguous end provides darker substance.

Oliver Twist (1948) Exciting blend of evocative visuals, narrative twists and incisive characters, equal parts dark and eccentric as Oliver navigates desperate London streets. Taut construction highlights Alec Guinness' devious Fagin and Robert Newton's brutal Sykes. Crafted with artful emotion.

Malta Story (1953) Alec Guinness is the reluctant hero, Muriel Pavlow the local love interest and Jack Hawkins the iron commander who needs sacrifice to repel the Axis threat during the Siege Of Malta. Solid production with effective mix of location shoot and documentary footage.

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Films: September 23 - 29

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