I watched a movie back in the late 80s or early 90s....?

1980s

* 'Allo 'Allo (1982)

* An American Werewolf in London (1981)

* Brazil (1985)

* Bullshot (1983)

* Clockwise (1986)

* Comfort and Joy (1984)

* Consuming Passions (1988)

* Educating Rita (1983)

* Erik the Viking (1989)

* A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

* George and Mildred (1980)

* Gregory's Girl (1980)

* High Hopes (1988)

* Invitation to the Wedding (1983)

* Jane and the Lost City (1988)

* Local Hero (1983)

* Loose Connections (1983)

* The Missionary (1983)

* Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)

* Morons from Outer Space (1985)

* Personal Services (1987)

* A Private Function (1984)

* Privates on Parade (1982)

* Restless Natives (1985)

* Rising Damp (1980)

* Shirley Valentine (1989)

* The Tall Guy (1989)

* Time Bandits (1981)

* Victor/Victoria (1982)

* Water (1985)

* Wish You Were Here (1987)

* Withnail and I (1987)

[edit] 1990s

* Bean (1997)

* Keeping Up Appearances (1990)

* Beautiful People (1999)

* Brassed Off (1996)

* Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis (1997)

* The Commitments (1991)

* East is East (1999)

* The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995)

* Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

* The Full Monty (1997)

* Funny Bones (1995)

* Life Is Sweet (1990)

* Gregory's Two Girls (1999)

* Guest House Paradiso (1999)

* Hear My Song (1991)

* Hour of the Pig (1993)

* An Ideal Husband (1999)

* Jack and Sarah (1995)

* Keep the Aspidistra Flying (1997)

* Leon the Pig Farmer (1992)

* A Life Less Ordinary (1997)

* Little Voice (1998)

* Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

* Mad Cows (1999)

* The Madness of King George (1995)

* Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

* Notting Hill (1999)

* Nuns on the Run (1990)

* Peter's Friends (1992)

* Plunkett and MacLeane (1999)

* Princess Caraboo (1994)

* Rebecca's Daughters (1992)

* Shakespeare in Love (1998)

* Shooting Fish (1997)

* Sliding Doors (1998)

* Still Crazy (1998)

* Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991)

* Twin Town (1997)

* Waking Ned (1998)

The 60's Italian Job is well known to British audiences, for whom the movie is as regular a fixture of Christmas television scheduling as James Bond films, The Great Escape and the Queen's speech. Negative reviews by US viewers are as much a result of the lack of a culture context and unfamiliarity with many of the ensemble cast. The film has aged well and provides an amusing, if rather rose-tinted, snapshot

of 60's British culture.

The cast includes Noel Coward as Mr Bridger, the criminal mastermind, and Michael Caine as the foppish Charlie Croker. British audiences will recognise a host of well known actors in cameo roles, including Benny Hill and John Le Mesurier.

The stars of the film though are undoubtedly the cars. Amusingly, the array of 60's supercars including a Lamborghini Muira, E-Type Jaguars and Charlie's Aston Martin are overshadowing by the three Mini Coopers

which lead the Italian police on an amazing car chase through Turin. Remy Julienne and his stunt driving team produced one of the most amazing and well known, at least to British audiences, car chases on film. Arguably it still rates as one of the best car chase sequences and all the more so because the stunts were actually filmed on location in Turin (and Coventry in the case of the sewer scenes) and in cars with minimal modifications.

There are many memorable moments in the movie beyond the Mini Cooper sequence. Caine's 'blow the doors off', Benny Hill's larger lady obsessed Professor Peach on the tram in Turin and the 'hanging' ending stick out in my mind.

The extra features on the DVD are good but not truly outstanding. The 'Making Of' documentary provides a number of interesting insights into the movie. The commentary overlay track is a little stilted but worth a listen. There is only really one deleted scene, the rather amazing 'Blue Danube' car ballet on ice.

In summary, this is a true British classic with a great cast, score and storyline. A nice snapshot of 60's London, a fantastic (at least for UK audiences) cast and the superb car chase scene make this one to buy. The Hollywood remake, whilst not a bad movie in its own right, shares only the title, a storyline based on a gold heist and the updated BMW Mini with the original.

And for anyone wondering about the original Mini's, they really are that small and that much fun to drive.

Billy Elliot maybe?

It was about a young British boy who wanted to dance ballet. He grew up to be the star dancer in a production of Swan Lake.

Top Secret! had a ballet scene (see link below) and it's from 1984, but I wouldn't say it was "British humor" so I don't know if it is the film you're looking for.