British Actors Smörgåsbord

British Actor Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table

The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.

  • Sort British Actor movies by his co-stars
  • Sort British Actor movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
  • Sort British Actor movies by adjusted worldwide box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
  • Sort British Actor movies by how they were received by critics and audiences.  60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
  • Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each British Actor movie received.
  • Sort British Actor movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score.  UMR puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.

Steve Lensman’s John Gielgud You Tube Video

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203 thoughts on “British Actors Smörgåsbord”

  1. Hey Bob and Steve…the amount of information shared in your conversations is truly impressive…thanks for sharing it.

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  2. Hey Bob and Steve…about to head over to your new Larry You Tube video…..awesome breakdown from Bob on the video.

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    2. Hey bob cox….I can see this page expanding in the future. This was just the ones Bob had on a list. Richard Harris seems like a good fit for this page.

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  4. Lord Olivier stands almost alone among British actors in terms of acting prestige because not only was he a giant of the English theatre but whilst other great Brit movie thespians such as Bogarde, Mills, Guinness, Connery, Micklewhite, Richardson and Gielgud have been given Knighthoods over the years, none have been granted a Peerage but Lord Olivier has of course. He is also ranked 14th in AFI’s list of the 25 greatest movie legends of all time, taking his place among the perceived most important American stars in cinema history.

    American movie legends such as Chuck Heston revered him also and were full of praise for his acting skills. Bruce would be better placed than I to comment on the American man-in-the street’s familiarity with Lord Olivier’s legend [and I hope that the Work Horse will comment] but I have heard Olivier’s name being regularly dropped in TV sitcoms which suggests that many Americans have been aware of him down the years as one of THE standards by which great acting is judged. For example

    1/in one episode of the comedy show Frasier the latter is trying to convince his brother Niles to appear in an amateur play that Frasier is trying to produce and when Niles at first resists Frasier reminds him of how Niles’ acting in school plays was admired. Niles feigns modesty by saying “It’s so long ago I can’t remember,” but quickly adds “They said I had the charm of Danny Kaye, the magnetism of Marlon Brando and the talent of Laurence Olivier.

    2/In an episode of TV’s Friends sitcom Joey [Matt LeBlanc] is auditioning for a part in a make-believe movie with Friends guest star Chuck Heston but falls into a rubbish tip on the way to the audition, so arriving on set Joey immediately heads for the showers and bumps into Chuck emerging from one. Joey says “I’m one of your supporting actors Mr Heston but excuse me because I stink,” to which Chuck reassures Joey “Don’t worry. Good acting will come to you. We all stink at times. Even Laurence Olivier told me that on one occasion HE stank in a part!”

    There are some exceptionally rare movies and PICTOTIALS in 50-26 entries. Here are my pick of the posters. Inchon, a very raunchy one for Friends and Lovers, The Jigsaw Man [Interviewer “Who gets top billing?” Sir Maurice replies “Olivier of course.”] two great ones for Moscow Nights, 2 for As You Like It, 2 for Perfect Understanding, a very original foreign language one for prince and Showgirl, 2nd one for Divorce of Lady X, a stunning entire set for Clash of the Titans, Clouds over Europe and The Boys from Manchester with my Greg the bad guy for once. ALL my best liked stills will be listed in Part 2

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    1. HI STEVE You already know that it has been reported that Sir Ben Kingsley was divorced by his previous wife Alexandra Christmann because among other things he insisted that even in private her friends address him formally as Sir Ben. Indeed his airs and graces drew criticism from professional colleagues across the board.

      By all accounts Lord Olivier was the opposite being down-to-earth and gregarious. “I said Good Morning Lord Olivier when I met him for the first on the set of Sleuth in 1972. He replied ‘Good Morning. And please call me Larry.’” Sir Maurice Micklewhite – then just plain Mr Micklewhite.

      Best POSTERS 1-25 Khartoum, War Requiem, 1st one for Battle of Britain, The Entertainer, The Devil’s Disciple, A Bridge too Far [as the posters show my Dirk top billed albeit alphabetically] foreign language one for The Invaders, both posters for each of Richard 3 and Spartacus, the 1st one for Wuthering Heights and 1st one for Henty V.

      My pick of the STILLS in the entire video are (1) ALL the ones of Larry and Vivien impressed me (2) Larry with Monroe (3) in Dracula (4) as Zeus (5) Olivier in in Bunny Lake (6) with Jennifer Jones in Carrie [he paid Tracy to coach him in an American accent for that movie. The coaching took place in a hotel room] (7) Larry in The Invaders (8) the “big Three” in Devil’s Disciple (9) in Marathon Man (10) as Othello (11) as Richard 3 (12) with Sir Maurice in Sleuth and (13) as Henry V. However for me a collector’s item is (14) the gorgeous colour one of Chuck, Niven and Richard Johnson in 55 Days at Peking.

      Frankly I had to split hairs to make the selections or I would have probably ended up listing almost all of what you have provided so your 1st foray into True Brits is well worth a 98.5% rating to me and I look forward to others in the series. Great effort!

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      1. STEVE

        Apologies I forgot to include the usual Cogerson/Lensman comparison.

        You two agree on 4 out of 6 which is good as Larry made quite a number of films that it is hard to split in relation to quality

        You go for Hamlet and Henry V in your 6 whereas he plumps for That Hamilton Woman and Pride and Prejudice. I don’t know anything about “Hamilton” but in my opinion the other 3 are totally respectable choices that neither of you need defend as a Top 6 selection

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      2. Hi Bob, thanks for the review, generous rating, comment, info, trivia, quotes and comparison, much appreciated.

        Happy you liked the posters, stills and lobby cards.

        I was surprised at how many films I sacrificed to make the first Olivier video a Top 30, btw that was uploaded in November 2016, my how time flies. A top 50 is more fitting for one of the acting gods of the 20th century.

        Looking at the posters Olivier was first billed on 20 of the 50 films. A true English gentleman he had no problem letting his leading ladies take top billing in many of his films, including Flora… Flora Robson that is and Monroe top lined a film he directed.

        Ten of Olivier’s films scored 10 out of 10 including Rebecca, Hamlet, Henry V, Spartacus, Sleuth and Wuthering Heights.

        There are 4 scoring 9 including Richard III and The 49th Parallel. And 12 films scored 8 out of 10.

        Hitchcock’s Rebecca tops IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes and my chart. Rebecca tops Bruce’s UMR chart but Spartacus leads on the critics chart.

        Olivier on his ex-wife Vivien Leigh – “We were like brother and sister, just as she always wanted. But fortunately, occasional incest was allowed.”

        Olivier on Alec Guinness – “He’s an actor, that fellow, a superb actor. But over and above that he does his homework. However idiosyncratically I saw Alec playing a part, I would be very, very cautious about criticizing it, because I know that every point about it would be backed by a complete marshaling of all available evidence. He really does his homework.”

        Olivier on Marilyn Monroe – “Look at that face – she could be five years old. A professional amateur.”

        Olivier on Brando – “Brando acted with an empathy and an instinctual understanding that not even the greatest technical performers could possibly match.”

        Olivier on Michael Caine – “Wonderfully good company, ceaselessly funny and a brilliant actor.”

        “People ask me why I’m playing in this picture (Inchon). The answer is simple. Money, dear boy. I’m like a vintage wine. You have to drink me quickly before I turn sour. I’m almost used up now and I can feel the end coming. That’s why I’m taking money now. I’ve got nothing to leave my family but the money I can make from films. Nothing is beneath me if it pays well. I’ve earned the right to damn well grab whatever I can in the time I’ve got left.”

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        1. HI STEVE – Thanks for the comprehensive feedback including interesting quotes from Larry about some of his fellow Greats. His quote about MM was instructive because apparently she drove him near-mad with her antics of the set of “Showgirl”

          STOP PRESS! According to Wiki Sir Ben Kingsley has at last “got it” and has mellowed to the extent that he is allowing some associates to address him as just “Ben”! Nice to be able to announce that as part of opening of your Great Brit series.

          I can remember from my happy days of living among you Brits how much the etiquette of addressing somebody by a title or rank verses just use of the Christian name was always a big thing with you.

          My mind goes back specifically to my first year in the RAF when I attended my unit’s Xmas social outing at a nearby hotel. As a holder of the lowest general rank in the RAF it was customary for me to address higher ranks such as Corporals by their rank and so that is how I had been addressing my own Corporal, England’s Eric Chambers who too was at the function.

          As the night wore on and we all had drunk a lot I went for the umpteenth time to the rest room and on that occasion was joined by Eric who asked me if I was enjoying myself and I replied “Very much so corporal.” He came staggering over and swaying in front of me said “Call me Eric,” which I did for the rest of the evening.

          Next morning though, hung over, I went to our unit bathroom to shave and Eric was there too looking equally hung over and he started to talk to me. I remembered him telling me to call him by his Christian name but couldn’t recall what it was so not wanting to seem impolite by refusing his request I asked him what his first name was to which he replied “My first name is Corporal.”

          Ah those were the days! It’s great that I am once again enjoying via this site having conversations with a Brit and I don’t have to address him as Corporal Lensman or Sir Steve. However you may have noticed that in recent exchanges with Joel I have taken to addressing HIM as “Master”. I STILL know my place in the overall scheme of things.

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        2. RE: Flora Robson:

          Dame Flora Robson – no relation – is the reason I use my full name on UMR starting from my Hubpages days. I did not want people to get confused. I do use “Flora R” on Letterboxd.

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          1. Hey Flora…everytime I see her in a movie I think of you….thanks for the clarification on the different Flora usages.

  5. allo allo allo what’s all this than? ….so let’s see… these are a mixture of American and British films, and the theme is ‘Famous British actors in Movies that have Box Office stats in our Database’. 🙂

    I’ve seen 105 of the 200 films on the chart, hmm less than I thought.

    Good to see Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus and Ben-Hur at the top of the chart.

    Ben-Hur tops the box office chart, nice.

    The current no.1 film at the box office – Avatar – does not have any British talent in the cast, as far as I know, the lead actor is Australian I believe. Titanic does have British actors in prominent roles – including Kate Winslet and David Warner. The Star Wars saga has plenty of Brits, so do the DC and Marvel comic book universes.

    Missing from your chart is Richard Attenborough – Jurassic Park, Miracle on 34th St, Gandhi etc etc

    And lets not forget two of the most famous Brits – Sean Connery and Michael Caine, along with dear old Roger.

    Is Jason Statham a national treasure yet? [Bob screams “nooooo!”]

    A luverly page Bruce matey. It should keep ‘the Bob’ happy for a few weeks. Vote Up!

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    1. Hey Steve….thanks for the tally count…especially on this big table. I guess you could say we know have a Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee UMR page…I am positive there are some more of their movies in the database….just that their names are not connected to the movie yet. Attenborough would be a good one to add. Richard Harris….is he English….or would Irish people get offended if I included him here. As for Connery, Caine, Statham and others…..they have their own UMR pages…so their movies were not eligible to be included here. Hope you like the Smörgåsbord we cooked up. Good stuff as always.

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