From the walking dead at the Winchester to the barely-clothed in Sheffield, these films
had us in hysterics.
Welcome to WatchMojo UK and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10
British comedy films.
For this list, we are focussing on the best, laugh out loud comedy films to hail from the
British Isles, from classic Ealing comedies to raunchy rom coms.
And just to be clear, we’re keeping to one entry per franchise.
We’re starting off a little leftfield, with a contemporary comedy about politics.
After the British Cabinet Minister makes a controversial remark about war in the Middle
East, political advisors come rushing in to clean up - one of which is Malcolm Tucker,
yes, the same Malcolm Tucker from the series “The Thick of It”.
With ruthless satire coming out of its ears, it will appeal to those who frequently get
frustrated by the farce of bureaucratic faff.
Like international relations, for example.
To a film about unemployed steel workers turned amateur male strippers next.
Stay with us.
Crude on the surface but superbly-written nonetheless, “The Full Monty” stars the
likes of Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy and Tom Wilkinson, who with the help of a killer soundtrack
and some revealing underwear, aim to keep themselves financially afloat.
Filled with memorable visuals, dialogue and music - the latter of which it won an Oscar
for - it’s stripped back comedy at its best.
One of many films in the Inspector Clouseau saga, this film features Peter Sellers as
the titular detective, who’s half Sherlock Holmes, and half Charlie Chaplin.
With scenes excruciatingly frustrating, yet hilarious to watch, it’s a classic example
of slapstick humour and of Sellers’ comic abilities.
Whether he’s trying to pronounce a difficult word, find out where his servant is hiding
or analysing a crime scene - you can always expect him to cock it up.
Loads of films offer a taste of British humour, but nothing quite taps into the farce of British
culture as effectively as “Four Weddings and a Funeral”.
Less about the eponymous events themselves and more about the tricky relationships that
surround them, it’s a film packed with awkward social situations.
With Hugh Grant in the leading role - and a supporting cast that includes Andie MacDowell
and John Hannah, it’s funny and often exceptionally cringey to watch, with awful best man speeches
and knockout ceremonies.
It’s not often you associate comedy with a killing spree - but that’s what this film’s
all about.
It stars Dennis Price as Louis Mazzini, the 10th Duke of Chalfont, who seeks revenge on
the aristocratic D'Ascoyne family for disowning his mother.
Vowing to claim his dukedom, he decides to bump off all those that stand in his way,
including almost 10 members of the D'Ascoyne family, all amusingly played by Alec Guinness.
Elaborate kills, nail-biting near misses and first-rate comic timing by Guinness, make
this a must watch for any old-school comedy fan.
From two of the famed Pythons, John Cleese and Michael Palin, comes a feature film about
a diamond heist and the comedy of errors that follows.
Written by Cleese, it’s crammed full of intelligent wordplay and varied characters,
including an anglophobic Kevin Kline, stuttering Palin and flirtatious Jamie Lee Curtis.
Although ridiculous throughout, it still manages to deliver an engrossing plot, and some of
Cleese and Palin’s best moments on screen.
But Kline steals the show, and actually won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his efforts.
A sweet old lady and a gang of conniving criminals - an uneven match?
Think again.
Serial manipulator Professor Marcus, played again by Alec Guinness, needs an HQ for a
robbery he's planning - so he uses the old lady's spare room.
Dodging her suspicions (and her parrots) by posing as a string quintet, he embarks on
an elaborate ruse which is a little darker than some other Ealing comedies, but it’s
got bundles of laughs all the same.
And who said it needed a remake?
We certainly didn’t.
We could have chosen either of the hugely successful entries in The Three Flavours Cornetto
trilogy, but we’ve opted for the debut effort.
Drawing on all the zombie apocalypse cliches you can think of, from holding up in a safe
house to using everyday household items as weapons, “Shaun of the Dead” offers the
perfect balance of satirical humour and horror.
Together with snappy editing and the excellent directorial eye of Edgar Wright, it’s one
of the UK's best loved films - and for very good reason.
A slightly different look at the British countryside next, with Bruce Robinson’s cult classic
about two struggling actors, played by Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann.
This film really is endlessly quotable, giving us an insight into the dingy, dirty and decrepit
lives of two guys who are either drinking themselves stupid, getting high or generally
complaining about life's injustices.
Taking a trip to the countryside, they clash with the locals, kill chickens, tangle with
horny bulls and meet the slightly uncouth uncle Monty.
Let’s be honest, we could have easily had all three of Monty Python’s feature-length
big hitters claiming the podium spots on this list, but we’ve decided to roll with the
troupe’s take on the legend of King Arthur.
Injecting their infectious comedy into every facet of medieval life, it plays out like
a seamlessly linked chain of entertaining skits, all wrapped up in an absurd narrative.
From the “she’s a witch” scene to the limbless Black Knight, it’s typical Python
and it’s absolutely timeless.