Based on H.G. Wells' picaresque novel, Kipps is a superior literary adaptation from Carol Reed. Michael Redgrave is excellent as the title character, a draper who unexpectedly inherits a fortune, but he's well supported by a superb cast of British character actors.
Infinitely better than the loud and obnoxious Tommy Steele musical film version (Half a sixpence) this film is subtle, warm and right, a gentle satire impeccably played and unostentatiously directed.
The film exists in two cuts, the original…

Fritz Lang is undoubtedly one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema, but whereas he was a god in his early years in Germany, he was rather consumed by the machine when he made the move to Hollywood. His Hollywood films aren't as individual, as visual, as idiosyncratic, as big or as mad, but he was still more than capable of making a highly effective movie and this sure is that. The Big Heat is probably his last…

Bunny Lake is well worth seeking out, but is one of those films with SPOILER written all over it, so I won't say anything about the plot. The film stars Americans Carol Lynley and Keir Dullea (later Dr. Dave Bowman in 2001) and is superbly directed by golden era Hollywood maverick Otto Preminger, but otherwise is an entirely British production, both in setting and cast. Laurence Olivier gets star billing, but in a change from his usual set chewing antics…