Top 25 British Gangster & Crime Films

20th August 2013

Britflicks is a website dedicated to supporting and promoting the British film industry, bringing all the latest British film news, reviews and interviews as well as British film competitions, blog posts and podcasts.

‘I set up Britflicks after suffering the torture of sitting through ‘Mr & Mrs Smith’ back in 2005. As soon as the film finished I bought the Britflicks domain name and the rest as they say is history.’ – John Baker, founder

Britain has a vast amount of filmmaking talent providing audiences with a wide range of genres and styles. Britain is most famous around the world for its gangster films, and although this fact can often be met with both criticism and cynicism, we mustn’t forget that Britain has produced some quality films in the gangster and crime genre, which have launched the careers of many highly respected British actors and directors.

Britflicks have compiled a list of the top 25 British crime and gangster films (and one so bad it’s brilliant) as the first part in a series of the Best British films the UK has to offer. The list is as follows;

1. The Long Good Friday
2. Sexy Beast
3. The Italian Job
4. Get Carter
5. Layer Cake
6. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
7. Snatch
8. Scum
9. Bronson
10. The Escapist
11. The Football Factory
12. Love, Honour and Obey
13. The Business
14. In Bruges
15. Essex Boys
16. Gangster No1
17. McVicar
18. Brighton Rock
19. Adulthood
20. Kidulthood
21. Piggy
22. London To Brighton
23. Down Terrace
24. The Krays
25. Rise Of The Footsoldier

From the list two acting performances really stick in my mind, Ben Kingsley’s psychotic performance as Don Logan in ‘Sexy Beast’ and Bob Hoskin’s portrayal of Gangland Boss Harold Shand in ‘The Long Good Friday’

Funnily enough I kept avoiding watching ‘Sexy Best’ as I didn’t believe that the guy who played ‘Ghandi’ could play a Cockney Villain, how wrong was I! – John Baker

And finally there should be a mention for the worst British Gangster Film: ‘Killer Bitch’ starring Alex Reid. A film so bad it’s Brilliant!

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