Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The all-star Gosford Park (2001) is part comedy, part murder mystery, and part cri-
tique of England's class stratification in the 1930s. Chariots of Fire (1981) ran away with
the Academy Award for Best Picture. Shadowlands (1993), set largely in Oxford, tells a
fictionalized account of author C. S. Lewis' relationship with his future wife.
Wartime London has been captured in many fine movies. The King's Speech (2010)
won the Oscar for Best Picture, with Colin Firth named Best Actor for his portrayal of
King George VI on the cusp of World War II. Hope and Glory (1987) is a semi-autobi-
ographical story of a boy growing up during WWII's Blitz. Waterloo Bridge (1940) re-
calls the lost love between a woman and a WWI officer. In Passport to Pimlico (1949),
an explosion in a Tube station is the source of riches and comedy in a time of post-WWII
rationing.
In the 1960s, British acts were all the rage in the States, thanks to a little band called
the Beatles, whose A Hard Day's Night (1964) is filled with wit and charm. During this
time, “swinging London” also exploded on the international scene, with films such as Alfie
(1966), Blowup (1966), and Georgy Girl (1966). (For a swinging spoof of this time, try
the Austin Powers comedies.) In To Sir, with Love (1967), Sidney Poitier brings order to
his undisciplined students.
You can watch Hugh Grant charming the ladies in Four Weddings and a Funeral
(1994) and Notting Hill (1999); Gwyneth Paltrow living two lives in Sliding Doors
(1998); and John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Kevin Kline hilariously double-crossing
one other in A Fish Called Wanda (1988).
For a departure from the typical Hollywood fare, see My Beautiful Laundrette (1985),
a gritty story of two gay men (with Daniel Day-Lewis). For another portrayal of urban
London—and the racial tensions found in its multiethnic center—look for Sammy and
Rosie Get Laid (1987). Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) is a violent crime
caper set in the city.
Billy Elliot (2000), about a young boy ballet dancer, and Bend It Like Beckham (2003),
about a young girl of Punjabi descent who plays soccer, were both huge crowd-pleasers.
An Education (2009), about a bright schoolgirl who falls for an older man, takes place in
1960s London. V for Vendetta (2006), based on a British graphic novel, shows a sci-fi fu-
ture of a London ruled with an iron fist.
In The Queen (2006), Helen Mirren expertly channels Elizabeth II during the days
after Princess Diana's death. If you enjoy The Queen, consider two other reality-based
films with the same screenwriter and many of the same cast members (most notably Mi-
chael Sheen as Tony Blair): The Special Relationship (2010, about the friendship between
Tony Blair and Bill Clinton) and The Deal (2003, about Tony Blair's early relationship
with Gordon Brown).
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