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Your Favourite British Films Name your favourite British film or make a case for an underrated classic.


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Old 28-04-2005, 09:35 AM
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Hostile Witness was originally a West End play which eventually got filmed by Ray Milland in 1968 in a version starring himself and Sylvia Sims.

I've seen this film only once and I really enjoyed it, despite it being largely a courtroom drama which I'm not normally a huge fan of. Ray Milland was a pretty good actor in this as I remember.

The thing about this film was that it had all the elements of being a low budget old fashioned British black and white 1950s type of thriller, and seemed a bit strange filmed in colour. The backdrop of 1960s London is rather nice, and anything with those sorts of British icons like red double decker Routemaster buses and old cars usually keeps me quiet and content.

I will try and get a copy if it's still available, or record it should it ever appear on TV again.

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"
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Old 03-05-2005, 06:53 PM
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I've seen this film a couple of times, years and years ago, and it also struck me as old-fashioned and stagey - but in an enjoyable, almost Hitchcockian way.

I can't recall much of it now beyond the courtroom scenes - I think Felix Aylmer played the crusty old judge.
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Old 03-05-2005, 07:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by Simon Bermuda@May 3 2005, 06:53 PM
I've seen this film a couple of times, years and years ago, and it also struck me as old-fashioned and stagey - but in an enjoyable, almost Hitchcockian way.

I can't recall much of it now beyond the courtroom scenes - I think Felix Aylmer played the crusty old judge.
<div align="right">Quoted post</div>
Old Felix Aylmer was always an elderly judge, bishop or monk from what I remember of him. I think he was born at the age of 75!
"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"
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Old 29-07-2005, 02:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by samkydd@Apr 28 2005, 09:35 AM
Hostile Witness was originally a West End play which eventually got filmed by Ray Milland in 1968 in a version starring himself and Sylvia Sims.

I've seen this film only once and I really enjoyed it, despite it being largely a courtroom drama which I'm not normally a huge fan of. Ray Milland was a pretty good actor in this as I remember.

The thing about this film was that it had all the elements of being a low budget old fashioned British black and white 1950s type of thriller, and seemed a bit strange filmed in colour. The backdrop of 1960s London is rather nice, and anything with those sorts of British icons like red double decker Routemaster buses and old cars usually keeps me quiet and content.

I will try and get a copy if it's still available, or record it should it ever appear on TV again.
<div align="right">Quoted post</div>
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Old 29-07-2005, 03:05 PM
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I remember seeing Hostile Witness about 18 years ago on BBC2 in the afternoon, it had a Mk 2 Jag in it like my dad had in the mid 60's.The look of the film is great, and has a gripping courtroom drama ending. I looked out for it coming round again and got a good VHS copy about 10 years ago. I have recently archived it onto DVD with a Panasonic Reorder. Quality is still very good, considering. I have hundreds of old VHS films which I intend to transfer, the storage is a real bonus. I am new to this forum, but if you wish to see a copy of mine, I will try to help .
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Old 02-08-2005, 12:28 PM
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Originally posted by ANDYG@Jul 29 2005, 03:05 PM
I remember seeing Hostile Witness about 18 years ago on BBC2 in the afternoon, it had a Mk 2 Jag in it like my dad had in the mid 60's.The look of the film is great, and has a gripping courtroom drama ending. I looked out for it coming round again and got a good VHS copy about 10 years ago. I have recently archived it onto DVD with a Panasonic Reorder. Quality is still very good, considering. I have hundreds of old VHS films which I intend to transfer, the storage is a real bonus. I am new to this forum, but if you wish to see a copy of mine, I will try to help .
<div align="right">Quoted post</div>
Yes that would be great because I've not seen it for ages. Send me a message with details on etc.

I seem to be getting more and more interested in 1960s and 1970s films these days. Probably because I was too young to enjoy the 1960s, and in the 70s living in a rural area us youths had to hitchhike 30 miles to a cinema on a Saturday to see any current films, and they didn't change them as often as nowadays. I saw Blazing Saddles 14 times in 1974 (seriously)!
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Old 05-08-2005, 09:19 PM
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EMAIL me on ELAG246@AOL.COM

cheers, AndyG
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