The venerable cineaste Barry Norman invites us to add the fiftieth to his 49 favourite “outstanding” British films. Most could come up with a few he has missed (he seems, for example, to have a visceral dislike of Stephen Frears, Nicolas Roeg and Ken Russell). But, hand on heart and eyes on the screen, most of us would have a hard job coming up with another 50 Britfilms to make up the round 100. “And why not?” (to borrow a phrase). Because, if we’re honest, the necessary “outstandingness” is in chronically short supply. To be even more honest, it simply ain’t there.
In his vast compendium Have You Seen? that other venerable cineaste David Thomson gives his witty opinions on 1,000 “best-ever” movies. Thomson is