The 50+ Best Alec Guinness Movies
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1William Holden, Alec Guinness, Sessue HayakawaSet against the backdrop of World War II, The Bridge on the River Kwai is an epic war film. It narrates the tale of British POWs, commanded by Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness), who are forced by their Japanese captors to construct a strategic railway bridge. Under extreme conditions, they must grapple with questions of duty and honor. The film's climax unfolds around an American commando mission led by Major Shears (William Holden) to destroy the bridge. Noteworthy for its memorable performances and gripping narrative, the film won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.- Dig Deeper...Movies That Won Best Picture at the Oscars and Golden Globes
- #20 of 262 onThe 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
- #658 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
2Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie FisherIn Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, a young farm boy, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), finds himself thrust into the heart of an intergalactic conflict. Guided by the wise Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), he embarks on a daring mission to rescue Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) from the clutches of the sinister Darth Vader (David Prowse). As space operas go, this one's a classic, brimming with enthralling battles, iconic characters, and a groundbreaking mix of practical effects and CGI. Winner of six Academy Awards, it's a pivotal entry in George Lucas's legendary Star Wars saga.- Dig Deeper...The Most Hated Star Wars Villains
- And Deeper...Every Time Characters Repeat A Classic Line In A Star Wars Movie
- #45 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
3Alec Guinness, Katie Johnson, Cecil ParkerMrs. Wilberforce (Katie Johnson) likes to report suspicious behavior to the police. Unaware of her reputation, the dapper thief Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness) rents rooms in the elderly widow's home for himself and his band of cohorts. Posing as a string quintet, the thieves pull off a bank robbery, but slip up in front of the old woman as they try to escape. Agreed that they need to murder her, the bumbling crooks wind up double-crossing each other and slowly killing themselves off.More The Ladykillers
- #329 of 703 onThe All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
- #28 of 102 onThe Best British Comedy Movies
- #559 of 632 onThe 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
4Alec Guinness, Dennis Price, Valerie HobsonWhen his mother eloped with an Italian opera singer, Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) was cut off from her aristocratic family. After the family refuses to let her be buried in the family mausoleum, Louis avenges his mother's death by attempting to murder every family member (all played by Alec Guinness) who stands between himself and the family fortune. But when he finds himself torn between his longtime love (Joan Greenwood) and the widow of one of his victims (Valerie Hobson), his plans go awry.- #218 of 425 onThe Greatest Movies in World Cinema History
- #28 of 41 onThe 100+ Best Movies Streaming On The Criterion Channel
- #37 of 102 onThe Best British Comedy Movies
5Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony QuinnLawrence of Arabia, a sweeping epic drama, chronicles the remarkable life and adventures of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole), a British officer stationed in the Middle East during World War I. The narrative unfolds as Lawrence is dispatched to Arabia, where he forges an unlikely alliance with Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness) to launch a guerrilla war against the Turks. Despite grappling with his own moral quandaries and the harsh desert conditions, Lawrence's strategic brilliance shapes the course of history in the Arabian Peninsula. This cinematic masterpiece bagged seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, underscoring its timeless appeal and technical excellence.More Lawrence of Arabia
6Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sid JamesA meek clerk (Alec Guinness), his buddy (Stanley Holloway) and crooks melt hijacked Bank of England gold into Eiffel Tower souvenirs.- #23 of 102 onThe Best British Comedy Movies
- #79 of 91 onThe 90 Best Black And White Movies
- #58 of 79 onThe Best Oscar-Winning Screenplays
7Alec Guinness, John Mills, Susannah YorkFollowing World War II in peacetime Scotland, brigade headquarters replaces commanding officer Major Jock Sinclair (Alec Guinness), a boisterous battalion leader, with the strict, temperamental Lieutenant Colonel Basil Barrow (John Mills). Resentful toward his replacement, Sinclair undermines Barrow's authority and damages his successor's reputation among the soldiers. Barrow faces an uphill battle in regaining the discipline and respect of his battalion.
8Robert Newton, Alec Guinness, John DaviesWhen 9-year-old orphan Oliver Twist (John Howard Davies) dares to ask his cruel taskmaster, Mr. Bumble (Francis L. Sullivan), for a second serving of gruel, he's hired out as an apprentice. Escaping that dismal fate, young Oliver falls in with the street urchin known as the Artful Dodger (Anthony Newley) and his criminal mentor, Fagin (Alec Guinness). When kindly Mr. Brownlow (Henry Stephenson) takes Oliver in, Fagin's evil henchman Bill Sikes (Robert Newton) plots to kidnap the boy.More Oliver Twist- #196 of 342 onThe Best Movies Based On Books
- #8 of 23 onThe Best Movies Where The Director Is Directing Their Spouse
- #8 of 75 onThe Best Movies About Orphans
9Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Peter FinchWhen amateur detective Father Brown (Alec Guinness) is put in charge of shipping an extremely valuable religious artifact -- a crucifix -- from London to Rome, a master thief and master of disguise named Flambeau (Peter Finch) outwits the young priest and steals the cross for himself. Now Father Brown must track down Flambeau, try to reclaim the crucifix and also convince Flambeau not only to abandon his criminal career but also to save his immortal soul.
10Alec Guinness, Dirk Bogarde, Maurice DenhamIt is the height of the Napoleonic Wars and, at sea, Capt. Crawford (Alec Guinness) is in charge of the H.M.S. Defiant. Well-liked by his crew, Crawford clashes with the newest man on board, Lt. Scott-Padget (Dirk Bogarde). Scott-Padget thinks Crawford is soft on the men and uses Crawford's son, who is aboard, to manipulate the ship's leader. As tensions on the vessel mount, Crawford must keep his sailors focused on fighting the enemy, not each other.
11The Man in the White Suit
Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Cecil ParkerChemist Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness) is at a crossroads in his career. He's been trying to invent a long-lasting clothing fiber, but his unreasonable demands for high-end equipment have gotten him fired from job after job. Finally, Sidney creates a white suit that is impervious to the elements -- it cannot stain or wrinkle. At first he is celebrated as a hero but, soon enough, the clothing manufacturers realize that the perfect suit is actually very bad for business.
12Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine ChaplinSet against the backdrop of Russia's tumultuous political landscape, Doctor Zhivago is a sweeping epic that tells the tale of Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif), a physician and poet. Balancing his love for two women, Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin) and Lara (Julie Christie), amidst the chaos of World War I and the Russian Revolution, Zhivago grapples with his torn affections. Directed by David Lean, this film won five Academy Awards. It stands as a monument in cinema history for its grandeur and portrayal of human resilience during times of upheaval.More Doctor Zhivago- #125 of 262 onThe 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
- #133 of 375 onThe Best Movies Based On Books
- #31 of 80 onThe Best Period Romance Movies
13Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh, Renee HoustonGulley Jimson (Alec Guinness) is a boorish aging artist recently released from prison. A swindler in search of his next art project, he hunkers down in the penthouse of would-be patrons the Beeders (Robert Coote, Veronica Turleigh) while they go on an extended vacation; he paints a mural on their wall, pawns their valuables and, along with the sculptor Abel (Richard Gough), inadvertently smashes a large hole in their floor. Jimson's next project is an even larger wall in an abandoned church.
14Alec Guinness, Burl Ives, Maureen O'HaraBritish expatriate Jim Wormold (Alec Guinness) runs a vacuum cleaner store in Havana, Cuba. He has promised his vain daughter, Milly (Jo Morrow), a horse and a country club membership, which leaves him desperate for money. When Hawthorne (Noel Coward) proposes he become a paid British agent and recruit other spies, he accepts, and haplessly embarks on a new career. Though he's delighted when he meets gorgeous fellow spy Beatrice Severn (Maureen O'Hara), Wormold finds he's now a target.
15Sophia Loren, Alec Guinness, Stephen BoydToward the end of his reign, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness) intends to hand over his throne to the steadfast soldier Livius (Stephen Boyd). Before he can enact his intentions, a loyalist to Commodus (Christopher Plummer), the de facto heir, poisons Aurelius. Commodus becomes an ineffectual leader, corrupt and pompous -- and although Livius concedes to Commodus' rule, he cannot stand by when Commodus threatens to kill Aurelius' daughter, Lucilla (Sophia Loren).- #20 of 47 onThe 45+ Best Swords and Sandals Movies
- #67 of 76 onThe Best Movies About Historical Battles
- #11 of 55 onThe 50+ Best Movies About The Roman Empire, Ranked
16John Mills, Valerie Hobson, Bernard MilesIn this Dickens adaptation, orphan Pip (John Mills) discovers through lawyer Mr. Jaggers (Francis L. Sullivan) that a mysterious benefactor wishes to ensure that he becomes a gentleman. Reunited with his childhood patron, Miss Havisham (Martita Hunt), and his first love, the beautiful but emotionally cold Estella (Valerie Hobson), he discovers that the elderly spinster has gone mad from having been left at the altar as a young woman, and has made her charge into a warped, unfeeling heartbreaker.More Great Expectations- #275 of 375 onThe Best Movies Based On Books
- #253 of 675 onThe Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
- #29 of 70 onThe Best Oscar-Nominated Movies of the 1940s
17Elizabeth Taylor, James Earl Jones, Richard BurtonThe Comedians is a 1967 film directed and produced by Peter Glenville, based on the novel of the same name by Graham Greene, who also wrote the screenplay. The stars were Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Ustinov and Alec Guinness. Paul Ford and Lillian Gish had supporting roles as a presidential candidate and wife, as did James Earl Jones as an island doctor. Set in Haiti during the Papa Doc Duvalier regime, it was filmed in Dahomey. The film tells the story of a sardonic white hotel owner and his encroaching fatalism as he watches Haiti sink into barbarism and squalor. The role played by Elizabeth Taylor was originally intended for Sophia Loren. The film's tag line was: "They lie, they cheat, they destroy… they even try to love."
18Alec Guinness, Eileen Atkins, Bill PatersonSmiley’s People was a 1982 drama miniseries in six parts, made for the BBC. Directed by Simon Langton, produced by Jonathan Powell, it is the television adaptation of the 1979 spy novel of the same name by John le Carré. Starring Alec Guinness, Michael Byrne, Anthony Bate and Bernard Hepton. It was first shown in the United Kingdom from 20 September to 22 October 1982 and in the United States the following month on 25 October 1982.
19Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie FisherThe adventure continues in this "Star Wars" sequel. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) face attack by the Imperial forces and its AT-AT walkers on the ice planet Hoth. While Han and Leia escape in the Millennium Falcon, Luke travels to Dagobah in search of Yoda. Only with the Jedi master's help will Luke survive when the dark side of the Force beckons him into the ultimate duel with Darth Vader (David Prowse).
20Peter Falk, Peter Sellers, Truman CapoteFive diverse, infamous private eyes, including Sam Diamond (Peter Falk), Sidney Wang (Peter Sellers) and Jessica Marbles (Elsa Lanchester), are invited to the mysterious Lionel Twain's castle for a dinner party. There, they are told that Twain plans an unsolvable murder in the house at midnight -- and he will pay $1 million to the one who determines the killer. But when Twain's blind butler, Bensonmum (Alec Guinness), dies long before the deadline, the stakes go up for the trapped sleuths.More Murder by Death- #159 of 703 onThe All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
- #741 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #124 of 199 onThe Best Movies Of The '70s, Ranked
21Alec Guinness, Bette Davis, Nicole MaureyVacationing in France, disenchanted British teacher John Barrett (Alec Guinness) meets nobleman Jacques De Gué (Guinness), who could be his twin. Fascinated, John accompanies Jacques to his hotel for drinks and passes out. The next morning, Jacques has vanished. His chauffeur mistakes John for him and takes him to the De Gué chateau. There, John is drawn into the lives of Jacques' bedridden mother, unbalanced wife and lovely mistress, unaware of the nobleman's nefarious plans for his double.
22Alec Guinness, Petula Clark, Joan HicksonThe Card is a black-and-white film version of the novel by Arnold Bennett. Entitled The Promoter for its American audience, it was adapted by Eric Ambler and directed by Ronald Neame. It was released in 1952. It starred Alec Guinness as Denry Machin, Petula Clark as Nellie Cotterill, Valerie Hobson as the Countess, and Glynis Johns as Ruth Earp. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound. It is mainly faithful to the novel, omitting some minor incidents.
23Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Wilfrid LawsonIn the early post-World War II years, a cardinal (Alec Guinness) in an unnamed eastern European country is thrown in jail for treason. While there, he is subject to an intense degree of torture, both physical and psychological, by his captors. These are led by a wily man known only as the Interrogator (Jack Hawkins), who uses every tool at his disposal to get the strong-willed prisoner to issue a statement to his flock renouncing the role of religion in society.
24Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony SteeleDuring World War II, British photo-reconnaissance pilot Peter (Alec Guinness) discovers that the Italians are planning a secret invasion of Malta, a strategically important island nation critical to keeping the Allied supply lines open. Though they have few resources left, Peter and his commanding officer, Frank (Jack Hawkins), resolve to fight off the enemy and save the island. At the same time, Peter struggles to keep his relationship with a local girl from falling apart.
25Alec Guinness, Yvonne De Carlo, Celia JohnsonCaptain Henry St. James (Alec Guinness) heads a ferryboat that regularly moves between Gibraltar and North Africa, and he has a different life in each location. In Gibraltar, he is married to Maud (Celia Johnson), a subdued and dedicated housewife. In Morocco, he has another wife, the tempestuous Nita (Yvonne De Carlo), who enjoys the fast-paced nightlife. Henry enjoys this arrangement, with neither woman knowing of the other, until both women become dissatisfied with their one-sided lives.
26Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie FisherIn Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, directed by Richard Marquand, the galaxy's fate hangs in the balance. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is determined to bring his father, Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), back from the dark side. Meanwhile, Rebel forces, including Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), plan to destroy the second Death Star being built by the evil Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). The movie won an Oscar for Special Achievement in Visual Effects. This epic space opera concludes George Lucas's original Star Wars trilogy with thrilling action sequences and a poignant narrative.- #11 of 399 onThe Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
- #39 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #17 of 178 onThe 150+ Best Movies With Aliens
27Patrick Stewart, Alec Guinness, Ricky SchroderLittle Lord Fauntleroy is a 1980 film directed by Jack Gold.
28George Segal, Alec Guinness, Max von SydowAfter two British Secret Intelligence Service agents are murdered at the hands of a cryptic neo-Nazi group known as Phoenix, the suave agent Quiller (George Segal) is sent to Berlin to investigate. There, he begins an affair with Inge Lindt (Senta Berger), a beautiful young teacher. However, their lives are put in danger after Quiller is kidnapped and taken to Phoenix's headquarters, where he meets Oktober (Max von Sydow), the mysterious leader of the group.
29Richard Harris, Alec Guinness, Robert MorleyIn 1640s England, King Charles I (Alec Guinness) is engaged in a power struggle with Parliament, and civil war seems imminent to House of Commons member Oliver Cromwell (Richard Harris), who's preparing to depart for the American colonies. When he's asked to stay to fight for the Parliamentary cause, however, Cromwell agrees and proves himself a brilliant leader of the Roundhead army. Soon, it's up to him to lead his army to victory over the king's Cavaliers and take back England for the people.More Cromwell- #75 of 119 onThe 100+ Best Medieval Movies
- #37 of 47 onThe 45+ Best Movies Of 1970
- #246 of 419 onThe 400+ Best Movies Produced By Columbia Pictures
30Judy Davis, Peggy Ashcroft, Victor BanerjeeBased on the renowned E.M. Forster novel, this expansive period drama centers on the changing dynamic between British colonials and native locals in India during the 1920s. When an outing to explore scenic caves ends in English tourist Adela Quested (Judy Davis) accusing Indian doctor Aziz Ahmed (Victor Banerjee) of rape, the incident results in a major court case, one that reinforces tensions between the British Empire and the growing movement towards Indian independence.
