Reel Britannia

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Episode 054 – The Holly and the Ivy (1952) “Cheer up, Mick old boy. In a hundred years we'll all be dead.” This week Scott is joined by Steven for this year’s Christmas movie review, The Holly and the Ivy starring Ralph Richardson, Celia Johnson, Margaret Leighton, John Gregson and Denholm Elliot. An English clergyman’s neglect of his grown children, in his zeal to tend to his parishioners, comes to the surface at a Christmas family gathering. Apple Podcasts/Libsyn/Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod facebook.com/groups/reelbritannia email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Steven

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Episode 053 – The Man Who Would Be King (1975) “Danny's only a man. But he breaks wind at both ends simultaneous - which is more, I reckon, than any god can do.” This week Scott is joined by both Steven and Tony for their review of the John Huston movie The Man Who Would Be King. RUDYARD KIPLING’S EPIC OF SPLENDOUR, SPECTACLE AND HIGH ADVENTURE AT THE TOP OF A LEGENDARY WORLD. A robust adventure about two British adventurers who take over primitive Kafiristan as “godlike” rulers, meeting a tragic end through their desire for a native girl. Based on a short story by Rudyard Kipling.

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Episode 052 – The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1976) ‘Why don’t you come on up to the lab….and see what’s on the slab?’ This week, Mark from The Good, The Bad, And The Odd Podcast joins Scott and Steven for their Halloween review of the cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1976) Sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named ‘Rocky’.

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Episode 051 – The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) “Six inches is perfectly adequate. More is vulgar!’’ Join Scott and Steven for their 50th movie review….. Jean Brodie (Maggie Smith) is a free-spirited teacher at a Scottish girls' school during the 1930s. She encourages her young pupils to embrace romantic ideals, educating them about love and art rather than hard facts. However, her controversial teaching philosophy draws the ire of the school's headmistress, Miss Mackey (Celia Johnson), and, as Miss Brodie becomes entangled in a love triangle, her behaviour towards her favourite students becomes increasingly manipulative.

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Episode 050 - Time Bandits (1981) ‘Honestly, Trevor, if you were half a man you would've gone in there after the blender.’ Join Scott and Steven for their review of the Terry Gilliam directed Time Bandits from 1981. Young history buff Kevin (Craig Warnock) can scarcely believe it when six dwarfs emerge from his closet one night. Former employees of the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson), they've purloined a map charting all of the holes in the fabric of time and are using it to steal treasures from different historical eras. Taking Kevin with them, they variously drop in on Napoleon (Ian Holm), Robin Hood (John Cleese) and King Agamemnon (Sean Connery) before the Supreme Being catches up with them. Apple Podcasts/Libsyn/Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod facebook.com/groups/reelbritannia email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Steven

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Episode 049 - A Matter Of Life And Death (1946) ‘You've got a good voice. You've got guts too. It's funny - I've known dozens of girls: I've been in love with some of them, but an American girl whom I've never seen and who I never shall see will hear my last words. That's funny. It's rather sweet.’   Join Scott and Steven for their review of  A Matter Of Life And Death, the Powell and Pressburger classic starring David Niven, Kim Hunter, Roger Livesey, Marius Goring and Raymond Massey Returning to England from a bombing run in May 1945, pilot Peter Carter's plane is damaged and his parachute ripped to shreds. He has his crew bail out safely, but figures it is curtains for himself. He gets on the radio, and talks to June, a young American woman working for the U.S. Army Air Forces, and they are quite moved by each other's voices. Then he jumps, preferring this to burning up with his plane.

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Join Scott and Steven for their review of a Man For All Seasons from 1966, featuring an Oscar winning performance from Paul Scofield with support from Robert Shaw, Orson Welles, Wendy Hiller, John Hurt and many more. When the highly respected British statesman Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) refuses to pressure the Pope into annulling the marriage of King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) and his Spanish-born wife, More's clashes with the monarch increase in intensity. A devout Catholic, More stands by his religious principles and moves to leave the royal court. Unfortunately, the King and his loyalists aren't appeased by this, and press forward with grave charges of treason, further testing More's resolve. This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Join Scott and Steven for their review of Dance With A Stranger from 1985 starring Miranda Richardson, Rupert Everett, and Ian Holm. This tale of murderous revenge focuses on Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed by the state in England. Ellis (Miranda Richardson), a former prostitute and single mom, falls for David Blakely (Rupert Everett) when she meets him in a club. Although Blakely comes from an aristocratic background, compared with Ellis's hardscrabble upbringing, the two start a torrid affair. But when David starts to pull away, Ruth is overwhelmed by jealousy and turns to extreme measure to get him back. This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Steven

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Join Scott and Steven for their review of Little Voice from 1997, featuring stand out performances from Jane Horrocks, Michael Caine, Brenda Blethyn and Ewan Macgregor. The pathetically shy LV lives the life of a recluse listening to her late father's old records in her room and in the process driving her abusive, loud-mouthed mother, Mari Hoff, to distraction. At night, however, when her father's ghost visits, LV sings the songs of the great divas such as Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and Dame Shirley Bassey. One evening, LV is overheard by one of her mother's loathsome boyfriends, the disastrous dead-end talent scout Ray Say, who recognizes her innate talent and realizes this is his last big chance for the glittering prizes. Gambling everything, Ray Say forces LV to appear at a local run-down, seedy nightclub run by Mr. Boo. As preparations for the big event proceed apace LV meets the e

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Join Scott and Steven for their review of It Always Rains On Sunday from 1947, seen by many as the precursor to the kitchen sink movies of the late 50s and early 60s In a working class neighbourhood in London, a housewife named Rose (Googie Withers) finds herself in a serious bind when her old lover, Tommy Swann (John McCallum), escapes from prison and winds up in her backyard. Rose wants to escape the drudgery of her daily life and remembers the charming man Swann was before prison. But when Swann suspects that Rose is about to turn him in, he snaps, and threatens to destroy not only her fantasies about him but her family's security as well. This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Steven

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Join Scott and Tony for their review of Doctor In The House, the first in the classic series of British Comedies from 1954 starring Dirk Bogarde. Simon Sparrow (Dirk Bogarde) begins medical school in London at St. Swithin's Hospital, and moves into an apartment with roommates Richard Grimsdyke (Kenneth More), Tony Benskin (Donald Sinden) and Taffy Evans (Donald Houston), a huge fan of rugby. A series of challenges and shenanigans takes place during their next five years at medical school, including unsuccessful dates with women and run-ins with a tough-as-nails chief surgeon, Sir Lancelot Spratt (James Robertson Justice). This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Tony

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Join Scott and Steven for their review of Hope and Glory, John Boorman’s semi-autobiographical account of wartime Britain through the eyes of a young boy. Director John Boorman drew from his own childhood experiences for this touching coming-of-age tale about a boy growing up in and around London during World War II. For young Billy Rowan (Sebastian Rice Edwards), the nightly bombings provide a frightening show, but they include opportunities to rummage through the rubble with friends in the mornings. As Billy plays, his family struggles to remain intact as they suffer through the anguish and losses of wartime. This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Steven

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Join Scott and Steven as they review what turns out to be perhaps the most enjoyable movie reviewed so far on the podcast. The Wicked Lady (1945) starring Margaret Lockwood and James Mason. In 17th-century England, Barbara Worth (Margaret Lockwood) lives a privileged yet humdrum life as the wife of well-heeled landowner Sir Ralph Skelton (Griffith Jones). To stave off boredom, Barbara begins impersonating famed highway robber Capt. Jerry Jackson, stealing precious jewels and valuables from coach passengers. A chance encounter with the actual Jackson (James Mason) propels Barbara into a dangerous double life with potentially lethal consequences. This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Steven

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. This week, Mark returns to join Scott as they reminisce about the 1980s and their memories of Party Party from 1983. Party Party is a 1983 British comedy film about three friends and their North West London crowd. This crowd includes workers, spivs and young police constables. A British entry into the teenage/youth house party genre typified by John Hughes' films and the late 1980s movies of Kid and Play. The movie was directed by Terry Winsor and written by Daniel Peacock and Winsor. It is notable for its soundtrack and as the early work of several of the cast members. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Mark

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. This week, Scott and Steven review the true life crime movie ‘Ten Rillington Place’ from 1971. With John Hurt, Judy Geeson, and a chilling performance from Richard Attenborough as notorious serial killer John Christie. A seemingly model citizen living in mid-century London, John Christie (Richard Attenborough) is actually a killer. Masquerading as a doctor, he convinces guileless women that he can cure whatever might ail them, and when they follow him to his home, he chokes them to death and buries them in a makeshift graveyard. Based on a series of real-life killings, the story follows John as he cons a pregnant bride (Judy Geeson) and wonders if he might have found a scapegoat in her husband (John Hurt). This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reel

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. Join Scott and Steven as they head back to swinging London for their review of Georgy Girl from 1966 starring Lynn Redgrave, James Mason, Alan Bates and Charlotte Rampling. Georgina (Lynn Redgrave) is a carefree and childlike 22-year-old who finds more joy in her relationships with children than with the adults in her life. Her parents' employer, James Leamington (James Mason), proposes marriage, but Georgy avoids giving him an answer, as the idea of romance confuses her. When Georgy finds herself the caretaker of a baby girl, she seeks to find a way to shoulder the new responsibility while maintaining her childlike innocence. This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Steven

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. In this timely episode, we invite you to take a break from all the chaos of Brexit and the upcoming EU elections, and join us as we travel back to 1949 and laugh along with the classic Ealing comedy, Passport to Pimlico. The accidental explosion of an undetonated German bomb left over from World War II unearths a long-buried cellar containing both fabulous riches and a previously unknown royal charter from King Edward IV that cedes the surrounding land to the last Duke of Burgundy. Since the charter has never been rescinded, the London district of Pimlico is now legally the long-lost Duchy of Burgundy, and therefore no longer subject to British law, including postwar rationing and pub closure hours. This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritann

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. In this episode, we take a look at an early movie from acclaimed British director, Mike Leigh – High Hopes from 1988 ‘’Slice-of-life look at a sweet working-class couple in London, Shirley and Cyril, his mother, who's aging quickly and becoming forgetful, mum's ghastly upper-middle-class neighbours, and Cyril's pretentious sister and philandering husband. Shirley wants a baby, but Cyril, who reads Marx and wants the world to be perfect, is reluctant. Cyril's mum locks herself out and must ask her snooty neighbours for help. Then Cyril's sister Valerie stages a surprise party for mum's 70th birthday, a disaster from start to finish. Shirley holds things together, and she and Cyril may put aside her Dutch cap after all.’’ This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapo

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. In this episode, we welcome back guest host, Mark from The Good, The Bad and The Odd podcast to review That’ll Be The Day from 1973, starring David Essex and Ringo Starr. Abandoned by his father at an early age, Jim MacLaine seems to have inherited the old man's restlessness. Despite his apparent intelligence, Jim decides not to take the exams that would pave his way to university. He lives, for a time, a life consisting of dead-end jobs and meaningless sex, before returning home to work in his mother's shop. But still he can't settle down; he begins to think that the life of a pop musician might be the thing for him. This and all our other episodes can be found on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher Radio Libsyn Player FM Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Mark

Welcome to Reel Britannia-a very British podcast about very British films....with the occasional hint of professionalism. In this episode, we celebrate Easter with that traditional biblical epic, Monty Python’s Life of Brian from 1979. Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman) is an average young Jewish man, but through a series of ridiculous events, he gains a reputation as the Messiah. When he's not dodging his followers or being scolded by his shrill mother (Terry Jones), the hapless Brian has to contend with the pompous Pontius Pilate (Michael Palin) and acronym-obsessed members of a separatist movement. Rife with Monty Python's signature absurdity, the tale finds Brian's life paralleling Biblical lore, albeit with many more laughs. This and all our other episodes can be found on iTunes and Stitcher Radio as well as: Player FM reelbritannia.libsyn.com Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Facebook: facebook.com/rbritanniapod email: reelbritannia@gmail.com Thanks for listening Scott and Steven