I live in Colorado so I’ve seen my share of cold winter temperatures; but the forecast for this weekend calls for bitterly cold days and nights. Here’s the five-day prediction as of this morning:
And those temperatures don’t include the wind chill that will make the air feel anywhere from -20 to -30 below zero. Yikes!
I think I’ll take Jane Austen’s advice and “stay at home for real comfort.” My plan is to watch a few of my favorite British movies while I cuddle on the couch with my dog Keats. I have a good variety of films to choose from, but I narrowed my list down to six cozy, feel-good, warm-your-heart movies. In no particular order they are:
Billy Elliot
This uplifting drama follows young Billy as he pursues his passion for ballet against the stifling alpha-male mentality of his coal-mining hometown in northern England (“Boxing, not ballet!”). Julie Walters is wonderful as the cigarette-smoking dance teacher who recognizes Billy’s potential; and Gary Lewis is marvelous as Billy’s father. It’s one of my favorite movies about taking chances and following your dreams.
Hamlet
When someone tells me they don’t like Shakespeare, or they can’t make heads or tails of his plays, I tell them to watch this 1996 film from Kenneth Branaugh. It’s my absolute favorite Shakespeare adaptation. What I especially love about this movie is that Branaugh deliberately avoided all the dark, brooding drama that filmmakers typically associate with Shakespeare’s tragedies. Instead, this version of Hamlet is a bright, visually beautiful film with a cast that makes it tons of fun to watch.
The Remains of the Day
I once read a review that said this film is “a masterpiece in understated emotion and impeccable British restraint,” and I agree. In this film, Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins work together in one of Britain’s stately homes in the years leading up to World War II. But this is more than an upstairs-downstairs kind of film. This quiet, beautifully filmed movie explores the relationship between the very-British-stiff-upper-lip butler (Hopkins) who is unable to express his love for the high-spirited housekeeper (Thompson). I’ll admit the first time I watched this movie I was an emotional wreck at the end. I’m older and wiser now, so I think I can handle it; but I’ll still keep a box of tissues nearby, just in case.
Sense and Sensibility
This is another Emma Thompson film. Based on the Jane Austen novel, it’s the story of the Dashwood sisters who experience life, love, and a bit of heartbreak as they try to navigate a new life after the death of their father. I love everything about this 1995 adaptation, from the sumptuous locations to the elegant costumes, and the spot-on script. It’s a Jane Austen feast for the eyes, ears, and heart.
The Importance of Being Earnest
This 1952 movie adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s play is my favorite, with Sir Michael Redgrave, Margaret Rutherford, and Dame Edith Evans as Lady Bracknell (“To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.”).
The Full Monty
A group of unemployed steelworkers band together to try to earn money by putting on a show—a strip show, that is. Although the premise of this movie is a little bit absurd, I can’t help but love it for the many sweet, charming moments it offers. Thanks to this movie, I’ll never think of standing in line at the DMV or unemployment office the same way again. It’s a movie filled with humor, warmth and lovely lessons about friendship, perseverance, and self-acceptance.
So those are the movies I think I’ll watch over the next four days; but, of course, plans can change. If I’m in the right mood, I might decide to skip the entire list and instead watch the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice (because anytime is a good time for five-plus hours of P&P, right?).
Do you have a favorite feel-good British movie? Tell me, so I can add it to my list!
Nancy Lawrence 