In October's issue of EMPIRE, Ricky Gervais, star of the upcoming GHOST TOWN said this about British Cinema in general.

"The Americans are just better at it than us. There's an odd exception, but when it comes to making movies we don't really cut the mustard. Not since about 1950."

Now, granted he did say "the odd exception", but I've managed to come up with 101 exceptions.

Obviously there's a fair few personal faves here that not many would declare conventional classics.

But here is a good start, beginning way back in 1951…

1. THE LAVENDER HILL MOB (1951)
2. THE DAMBUSTERS (1955)
3. THE LADYKILLERS (1955)
4. BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI (1957)
5. DRACULA (1958)
6. NIGHT OF THE DEMON (1958)
7. I'M ALRIGHT JACK (1959)
8. SATURDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY MORNING (1960)
9. PEEPING TOM (1960)
10. VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)
11. THE INNOCENTS (1961)
12. THE REBEL (1961)
13. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)
14. THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER (1962)
15. BILLY LIAR (1963)
16. TOM JONES (1963)
17. A HARD DAYS NIGHT (1964)
18. MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964)
19. ZULU (1964)
20. DR. ZHIVAGO (1965)
21. THE IPCRESS FILE (1965)
22. BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING (1965)
23. BLOW UP (1966)
24. ALFIE (1966)
25. PRIVILEGE (1967)
26. IF… (1968)
27. THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (1968)
28. TWISTED NERVE (1968)
29. THE ITALIAN JOB (1969)
30. KES (1969)]
31. BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW (1970)
32. PERFORMANCE (1970)
33. GET CARTER (1971)
34. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
35. THE DEVILS (1971)
36. THE ABOMINABLE DR PHIBES (1971)
37. 10 RILLINGTON PLACE (1971)
38. VILLIAN (1971)
39. STRAW DOGS (1971)
40. FRENZY (1972)
41. DEATH LINE (1972)
42. SLEUTH (1972)
43. GUMSHOE (1972)
44. DON'T LOOK NOW (1973)
45. THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1973)
46. O, LUCKY MAN! (1973)
47. THE WICKER MAN (1973)
48. THE OFFENCE (1973)
49. THEATRE OF BLOOD (1973)
50. MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1974)
51. STARDUST (1974)
52. BARRY LYNDON (1975)
53. BUGSY MALONE (1976)
54. JABBERWOCKY (1977)
55. THE DUELLISTS (1977)
56. QUADROPHENIA (1979)
57. MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN (1979)
58. SCUM (1979)
59. THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (1980)
60. GREGORY'S GIRL (1980)
61. TIME BANDITS (1981)
62. LOCAL HERO (1983)
63. MEANTIME (1983)
64. THE HIT (1984)
65. THE COMPANY OF WOLVES (1984)
66. MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE (1985)
67. BRAZIL (1985)
68. MONA LISA (1986)
69. PRICK UP YOUR EARS (1987)
70. WITHNAIL AND I (1987)
71. A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988)
72. THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER (1989)
73. LIFE IS SWEET (1990)
74. NAKED (1993)
75. RAINING STONES (1993)
76. REMAINS OF THE DAY (1993)
77. SHALLOW GRAVE (1994)
78. SECRETS AND LIES (1995)
79. TRAINSPOTTING (1996)
80. SMALL FACES (1996)
81. NIL BY MOUTH (1997)
82. THE GENERAL (1998)
83. FOLLOWING (1998)
84. MY NAME IS JOE (1998)
85. A ROOM FOR ROMEO BRASS (1999)
86. WONDERLAND (1999)
87. RATCATCHER (1999)
88. THE LOWDOWN (2000)
89. BILLY ELLIOT (2000)
90. SEXY BEAST (2000)
91. 28 DAYS LATER (2002)
92. 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE (2002)
93. DEAD MAN'S SHOES (2004)
94. THE DESCENT (2005)
95. A COCK AND BULL STORY (2005)
96. WALLACE & GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE RABBIT (2005)
97. THE QUEEN (2006)
98. UNITED 93 (2006)
99. THIS IS ENGLAND (2007)
100. CONTROL (2007)
101.SON OF RAMBOW (2008)

I've left off all TV movies so no place for the extraordinary MADE IN BRITAIN, THREADS, THE FIRM, THE WAR GAME, BLOODY SUNDAY or my absolute favourite NUTS IN MAY, as well as many, many more.

I've also left off many Brit films that are either international co-productions like REPULSION, THE DAY OF THE JACKAL and all Bond films.

And lots of Brit classics that I shamefully haven't seen.

I shall leave you to throw in your further suggestions…

Perhaps you can come up with another hundred 'exceptions'.