The Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961) 

Masterful sci-fi plays on topical nuclear bomb scares and prescient judgement on damaging nature, wrapped in cynical newspaper drama. Focusing on the intimate and the emotional gives vital impact to global disaster, ending provides bracing depth.

Dead Of Night (1945) 

Gorgeously unnerving collection of nightmares, ranging from eerie premonitions to sad hauntings, from a Gothic, cursed mirror to comic golf rivalries and ending with the intense expressionism of ventriloquist Michael Redgrave's sinister dummy. Framing device unifies stylishly.

The Devil Rides Out (1968) 

Driven by James Bernard's ferocious score, stoical Christopher Lee combats hypnotic cult leader Charles Gray. Period setting lends an ageless feel, while pacing of chase thriller is relentless, featuring series of agitated sequences permeated with ominous dread.

The Divorce Of Lady X (1938)

Suffused with pastel design and burnished light, a slight, frothy, theatrical battle of the sexes and confused identity. Gentle comedy between independent Merle Oberon and opinionated barrister Laurence Olivier carried on a whisper.

Don't Take It To Heart (1944) 

Often frantic comedy with a German bomb dislodging a ghost who decides to rectify past misdeeds and defeat corrupt developers. Richard Greene and Patricia Medina supply the romantic core as various eccentrics populate the local village. Fitfully amusing.

The Eagle Has Landed (1976) 

Tense, enthralling WW2 tale as Michael Caine leads his crack German squad to kidnap Churchill while an Irish Donald Sutherland romances Jenny Agutter. Polished production with character development highlighted before brutal bursts of violence. Aided by Lalo Schifin's fine score.

Eagle's Wing (1979) 

Artfully framed visuals conjure hostile, bewitching wilderness for obsessive rivalry between army veteran Martin Sheen and Indian leader Sam Waterston for a white stallion. Minimal dialog and potent atmosphere focuses on clashing cultures and broken hopes.

The Early Bird (1965) 

Extended opening of expert visual and physical comedy is left unfulfilled by flimsy plot and paucity of comic invention. Plucky milkman Norman Wisdom causes typical chaos, accidentally bringing down ruthless corporation and buoyed by lively Ron Goodwin score.

Escape To Athena (1979) 

Sometimes awkward blend of comedy, action and wartime resistance drama as a bizarre confluence of international actors attempt to steal treasure from under German noses. Solid production values and inventive motorbike chase through winding Rhodes streets.

Farewell My Lovely (1975) 

Grittily imagined 1940s Los Angeles, alternately seductive and violent, seen through weary, cynical detective Robert Mitchum's eyes. Told with pulpy energy, typically confounding cases ultimately coalesce around Charlotte Rampling's femme fatale.

The Fast Lady (1962) 

Lively comedy accentuates the physical, and a myriad reaction shots, as innocent Stanley Baxter learns to drive the Bentley of the title to impress gruff James Roberston Justice and win affection of spirited Julie Christie. Solid support cast make for undemanding viewing.

The Four Feathers (1939) 

Irresistible scale and expansive action as British imperialist upper lip is questioned when principled John Clements resigns rather than go to war and must prove bravery. Ralph Richardson provides crisp depth, June Duprez the emotion. 

Genevieve (1953) 

While conceited enthusiasts John Gregson and Kenneth More race during annual London to Brighton veteran car run, weary, modern Dinah Sheridan and Kay Kendall provide empathetic balance. Gentle comedy and affectionate evocation of past, threaded with more contemporary morals.

Good Morning Boys (1937) 

Incompetent schoolteacher Will Hay and unruly class somehow win trip to Paris, spar with singer Lilli Palmer and manage to prevent theft of Mona Lisa. Series of comic set pieces and verbal confusion maintain affectionately anarchic momentum amid disposable plot.  

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 Gypsy And The Gentleman (1958) 

Fiery cast provides rich opportunity for melodrama, yet without heady visual sweep and intense atmosphere, dissolute Keith Michell's infatuation with wild Melina Mercouri never grips. Pale echo of past Gainsborough glories, without a thematic resonance.