Post-War British Comedy

“I told her to be careful with that nitroglycerin.”

Ah, the ’50s in Britain—now that was a time for comedy. Take a look at my discussion on Post-War British Comedy and the accompanying list of the ten most important films of the movement. Then come back here for reviews of the films not on that list.

What are the ten best Post-War British Comedies? While “best” does not equal “most important,” in this case, there is a lot of overlap. Seven of my most important films make the best list as well. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Ealing studios have multiple entries, nor that Alistair Sim and Alec Guinness show up repeatedly.

My Post-War British Comedy film reviews:

• The Admirable Crichton (1957)
• Aunt Clara (1954)
• Barnacle Bill (1957)
• The Battle of the Sexes (1960)
• The Belles of St. Trinian’s (1954)
• Blue Murder at St. Trinian’s (1957)
• The Captain’s Paradise (1953)
• Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959)
• The Constant Husband (1955)
• Genevieve (1953)
• The Great St. Trinian’s Train Robbery (1966)
• The Green Man (1956)
• Heavens Above! (1963)
• His and Hers (1961)
• Hobson’s Choice (1954)
• The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
• Innocents in Paris (1953)
• Ladies Who Do (1963)
• The Ladykillers (1955)
• The Ladykillers (2004)
• Left Right and Centre (1959)
• Mad About Men (1954)
• The Maggie (1954)
• Make Mine Mink (1960)
• Miranda (1948)
• The Naked Truth (1957)
• Our Man in Havana (1959)
• Passport to Pimlico (1949)
• Postman’s Knock (1962)
• The Pure Hell of St. Trinian’s (1960)
• Rotten to the Core (1965)
• The Runaway Bus (1954)
• School for Scoundrels or How to Win Without Actually Cheating! (1960)
• School for Scoundrels (2006)
• The Smallest Show on Earth (1957)
• Too Many Crooks (1959)
• To Paris with Love (1955)
• Trouble in Store (1953)
• Vice Versa (1948)
• Whisky Galore (1949)
• The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963)

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Sorted by Year:

• Miranda (1948)
• Vice Versa (1948)
• Whisky Galore (1949)
• Passport to Pimlico (1949)
• The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
• Genevieve (1953)
• Innocents in Paris (1953)
• Trouble in Store (1953)
• The Maggie (1954)
• Aunt Clara (1954)
• Hobson’s Choice (1954)
• Mad About Men (1954)
• The Runaway Bus (1954)
• The Belles of St. Trinian’s (1954)
• The Ladykillers (1955)
• The Constant Husband (1955)
• To Paris with Love (1955)
• The Green Man (1956)
• The Captain’s Paradise (1953)
• Blue Murder at St. Trinian’s (1957)
• The Admirable Crichton (1957)
• Barnacle Bill (1957)
• The Naked Truth (1957)
• The Smallest Show on Earth (1957)
• Left Right and Centre (1959)
• Our Man in Havana (1959)
• Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959)
• School for Scoundrels or How to Win Without Actually Cheating! (1960)
• Too Many Crooks (1959)
• The Battle of the Sexes (1960)
• Make Mine Mink (1960)
• The Pure Hell of St. Trinian’s (1960)
• His and Hers (1961)
• Postman’s Knock (1962)
• Ladies Who Do (1963)
• Heavens Above! (1963)
• The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963)
• Rotten to the Core (1965)
• The Great St. Trinian’s Train Robbery (1966)
• The Ladykillers (2004)
• School for Scoundrels (2006)