Greatest British comedies

As well as playing hammy villains in Hollywood blockbusters, you can also, almost invariably, count on Brits to tickle the funny bone in home-grown cinema.
 
In a bid to celebrate the very best British humour on the big screen, and in no particular order, we picked our favourite British comedies. (And no, 'Lesbian Vampire Killers' didn't make the cut.)
 
Shaun of the Dead
It could have relied on its jokey title, but it was too clever for all that. Anyone who saw Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's cult TV show 'Spaced' would know that there was always a heartbeat behind the boorish laughter. And 'Shaun of the Dead' was no different. Backed by Edgar Wright's cinematic flourishes, this was a charming, and quintessentially British, horror romantic comedy. Incidentally, 'Dawn of the Dead' director George Romero loved the film.
 
Monty Python's Life of Brian
"He is not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy" etc etc. While it might be hard to grasp why the film was so controversial at the time (it was banned in many countries) compared to what we see at the cinema now, that's the only thing that's dated about this 1979 classic. Inventive, irreverent and just so funny it hurts.

The Tall Guy
Maybe not the Richard Curtis film everyone would expect to be included, but before he would supply the lines for a bumbling Hugh Grant or wedge a dollop of cheese in a script when he couldn't think of anything funny, Richard Curtis wrote an hilarious and darkly cynical tale - which shows Rowan Atkinson at his best and features an insane sex scene.
 
Passport to Pimlico
Like the great 'Whisky Galore!', 'Passport to Pimlico, which was also released in 1949, deals with rationing. Satire at its finest, this Ealing Studios comedy revolves around the residents of Pimlico discovering they are in actual fact part of Burgundy, and don't need to have rationing restrictions. Despite the jokes, there is a great sense of affection for the community spirit around those times.
 
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
We couldn't just have one Python film, and if we weren't careful our entire list could have been made from films involving the comedy greats. Infinitely quotable and arguably better than 'Life of Brian', if you want to see one film showing the sheer surreal brilliance of Monty Python it's this. The Black Knight scene has it all — silly, knowing and oh so clever.
 
Withnail and I
Jam-packed with quotable lines, the drunken adventures of two penniless actors is a classic in so many ways. Richard E Grant latches on to each flamboyant line with relish, while Paul McGann provides sterling support, as does Richard Griffith's Uncle Monty.
The real star of the show, however, is director Bruce Robinson, whose film flirts masterfully between farce and moving drama.
 
The Ladykillers
So good, the Coen brothers were desperate to remake it for themselves. Before he became better known for wearing a robe and mumbling about 'using the force', Alec Guinness was a comedy genius — whether it was the comedic tour de force in 'Kind Hearts and Coronets', where he played eight different characters, heist caper 'The Lavender Hill Mob' or satire 'The Man in the White Suit'.

And he's excellent in this dark comedy, playing a leader of a criminal gang, which also features Peter Sellers, who rent a room from an eccentric old lady, played by Katie Johnson, who, incidentally, steals the film.
Last scene is a hoot as well.
 
I'm All Right Jack
A comic masterpiece that sees Peter Sellers play a bitter shop steward. Sellers was a comedy great, and he delivers arguably his best performance in this biting class struggle satire. A special mention should go to Ian Carmichael, who was also excellent in the film.
 
The Happiest Days of Your Life
Famous for his role as the headmistress in the 'St Trinian's series, Alastair Sim actually starred in a funnier school farce. 'The Happiest Days of Your Life' sees Sim play his usual exasperated authority figure to great effect in this tale of a mix-up that sees pupils at St Swithin's School for Girls sent to the nearby boys' school. It's a broad farce but it's still hugely funny thanks to Sim's headmaster and Margaret Rutherford's feminist headmistress.
 
In Bruges
One of UK cinema's biggest surprises in recent years, 'In Bruges' has cult classic written all over it. At first glance, its tale of two hit men having to hide in Bruges could be considered sub-par Tarantino, but writer/director Martin McDonagh's film is a clever beast.

Much like Shane Black's 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang', his dialogue crackles on first watch, but repeated viewings just heighten how clever it all is. It's also buoyed by terrific performances by Ralph Fiennes, the dependable Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, who finally delivers on the potential of his star-making turn in 2000's 'Tigerland'.
 
Can't believe there are no 'Carry On' films? Annoyed at us missing out your cherished British comedy gems? Or are your favourites on the list? Let us know.