This enjoyable, inclusive series celebrates all actors from Ernest Borgnine, Peter Lorre and Claude Rains to stars such as Jean Simmons, Claudette Colbert and Carole Lombard, to Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Laurence Harvey and Richard Widmark...names etched in the memories of previous generations, and who all deserve their place in the hall of fame of the great actors of the 20th Century.... I was encouraged to write when reading a review below stating the contributors were in their "20's" and were "so called experts" and were picked to appeal to the youth. Inaccuracy is irritating when criticising people and their knowledge on the subject. Hate a programme of course. But these are the 20 year old so-called experts.
Derek Malcolm, going to the cinema in the 1950, Guardian film critic over 25 years, a jury member of the Berlin Festival in 1977 & host of a BBC film show in the 80's & one the great British Film Critics who interviewed everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Fritz Lang. Ian Nathan one of the UK's best known film writers, and former executive editor of Empire film magazine, he is the author of Anything You Can Imagine: Peter Jackson. Neil Norman a playwright, and film critic since the 1970's, Bonnie Greer OBE, writer and critic who studied theatre in Chicago under David Mamet, and at the Actors Studio in New York with Elia Kazan in the 1970's brings her passionate and unique perspective of the subjects. Stephen Armstrong writes for the Guardian, the Sunday Times, GQ, Elle, and the New Statesman, as well as appearing on Radio 4 and highly regarded writer and critic.
11 Reviews
Gene Kelly Episode
funkygazza21 March 2021
Gesticulating
dukesbawkes22 January 2022
Brilliant
tades1118 July 2023
I love this series.....really enjoying it. I love many of the films of the 30s and 40, 50s and 60s and the quality of the actors and actresses of that time, The Golden age of Hollywood.
Some of the films i want to watch again but they don't show them on TV as much as they used to-in fact they used to repeat show them when i was growing up such as Gone with the Wind
These films are not relying on special effects instead it is the dialogue, the story line and the high standard of acting . -they had to act. They have a story that stands on its own. Some are in black and white some were in colour.
Some of the films i want to watch again but they don't show them on TV as much as they used to-in fact they used to repeat show them when i was growing up such as Gone with the Wind
These films are not relying on special effects instead it is the dialogue, the story line and the high standard of acting . -they had to act. They have a story that stands on its own. Some are in black and white some were in colour.
Groucho Marx
diane_grist28 October 2020
Think maybe Derek Malcolm should check his facts before commenting. Two glaring errors in this episode was him saying Gummo appeared in the Marx Brothers films when it was Zeppo and again saying A Girl in Every Port was a Marx Brothers film when it was only Groucho!
Frederic March
jennydill17 November 2023
I just watched Discovering Film episode on Frederic March. But when they talked about his role in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. They actually showed Spencer Tracey in a later version of the story!! Am I right or am I seeing things!!??!!
Seems a very large blunder to me. I'm getting old but I'm sure I can still recognise faces.
Surely they must have realised a mistake was made or do they never preview their own shows? It was a massive mistake and I was hoping that something would have been said at the time. Ruined the whole episode for me as Ihave long been a fan of Frederic March. But no! It obviously went completely unnoticed!
Seems a very large blunder to me. I'm getting old but I'm sure I can still recognise faces.
Surely they must have realised a mistake was made or do they never preview their own shows? It was a massive mistake and I was hoping that something would have been said at the time. Ruined the whole episode for me as Ihave long been a fan of Frederic March. But no! It obviously went completely unnoticed!
The so called experts of cinema
nickrogers19693 June 2023
Why is that american in the series talking about Sean Connery? She doesn't seem to know anything about him and just says the most general things anyone can say about films and acting. The other commentators speak with enthusiasm about Sean Connery but she seems quite clueless. Has she seen any of his films? It's embarrassing to watch.
It's obvious the people roped into to comment on the actors are chosen for certain reasons. Not because they are experts on the subject but because they fit the type of person which is fashionable to have onboard. So it is more important to have talking heads that match a certain type of person rather than for their expertise. The whole thing weakens the series and it cannot be deemed as a serious source of information regarding classic films.
It's obvious the people roped into to comment on the actors are chosen for certain reasons. Not because they are experts on the subject but because they fit the type of person which is fashionable to have onboard. So it is more important to have talking heads that match a certain type of person rather than for their expertise. The whole thing weakens the series and it cannot be deemed as a serious source of information regarding classic films.
So called experts giving out scripted obscure facts
johnrgreen8 October 2019
Although generally speaking this is an interesting series about the actors in question it is the barrage of so called experts who can't possibly know the biographical stuff,that spoil it.In particular the Eli Wallach episode has Bonny Greer ,better known as an author and political pundit who appears to know all about Wallach.Who could've guessed? .She's not alone.Various individuals some about 20 years old,seem to know stuff too.Amazing! It's almost as if they'd been fed the stuff.
This habit is not confined to this series.If you ever watch rock star biogs on BBC4, it is amazing how much these people know who weren't born until after the subjects career had finished.
Could it possibly be a way to get the yoof to watch?
Gone downhill recently
dMraco76523 March 2022
This, and its sister show about directors are both going downhill now the show has moved on from classic Hollywood. Yet there are many legends - such as Jean Arthur and Louise Brooks, to name but two of many, who haven't been covered while mediocre actors who debuted in the 80s are covered. What is there to discover about Emma Thompson, Matthew Broderick, and Julia Roberts? These stars are all relatively fresh, especially as this show is mainly just clips without showing us more of the context like it used to.
I'm also puzzled as to why the show has become so narrowly focused on Hollywood. They used to explore world cinema, with shows on the likes Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale. Now they seem to bypass legends of world cinema.
There's little left to discover in these shows, the magic has gone, but legends past and global icons are still out there to be rediscovered if the programme makers can find the attitude they used to have.
I'm also puzzled as to why the show has become so narrowly focused on Hollywood. They used to explore world cinema, with shows on the likes Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale. Now they seem to bypass legends of world cinema.
There's little left to discover in these shows, the magic has gone, but legends past and global icons are still out there to be rediscovered if the programme makers can find the attitude they used to have.
The so called experts spouting scripted facts
kiragrandad29 November 2022
I give up with this series, all the so called experts reading the facts before they film the interviews.
Money for old rope comes to mind. Anyone who can read can do this job you don't need to be an expert.
There are real movie expert's who can do this job because they are REALLY interested in finding out about the subjects.
Why dosnt Sky try and find these people and not use there stock of script readers.
I personally have stopped watching this program because its becoming same old same old.
Please please please get NEW presenters and put the present ones out to grass. Its becoming boreing.
Money for old rope comes to mind. Anyone who can read can do this job you don't need to be an expert.
There are real movie expert's who can do this job because they are REALLY interested in finding out about the subjects.
Why dosnt Sky try and find these people and not use there stock of script readers.
I personally have stopped watching this program because its becoming same old same old.
Please please please get NEW presenters and put the present ones out to grass. Its becoming boreing.
Oscar Wild played by Peter Finch was British, Really?
evashannon-7525527 March 2024
I like this show but this is not the first time I've noted the insistence that all positive characteristics or talents are "the best of British", any fool would know Oscar Wilde was Irish. That was not an oversight just another f up unfortunately. Tiring also is the highs and how wonderful every actor is, then there's a hiccup then a graceful retirement. Why not call some actors out for what they were. Some were on hard drugs,ditched their families,promiscuous,jail time its rarely discussed etc
Everything is narratee as pompously as possible and every narrator agrees with each other, its beyond scripted.
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