In 1999 the British Film Institute surveyed 1000 people from the world of UK film and television to produce the BFI 100 list of the greatest British films of the 20th century. [1] Voters were asked to chose up to 100 films that were 'culturally British'. A few of the selected films were wholly or partly produced by non-UK companies, but were perceived by voters as having significant British involvement.

The 1960s came out as the most popular decade, with 26 films, and 1963 and 1971 as the most popular years, with four films each. The earliest film chosen was from 1935 (The 39 Steps), with only two other 1930s' films featuring in the list. After 1935, 1974–78 was the only period of more than a year from which no films were chosen.

The films

1. The Third Man, 1949
2. Brief Encounter, 1945
3. Lawrence of Arabia, 1962
4. The 39 Steps, 1935
5. Great Expectations, 1946
6. Kind Hearts and Coronets, 1946
7. Kes, 1969
8. Don't Look Now, 1973
9. The Red Shoes, 1948
10. Trainspotting, 1996
11. The Bridge on the River Kwai, 1957
12. If...., 1968
13. The Ladykillers, 1955
14. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, 1960
15. Brighton Rock, 1947
16. Get Carter, 1971
17. The Lavender Hill Mob, 1951
18. Henry V, 1944
19. Chariots of Fire, 1981
20. A Matter of Life and Death, 1946
21. The Long Good Friday, 1980
22. The Servant, 1963
23. Four Weddings and a Funeral, 1994
24. Whisky Galore!, 1949
25. The Full Monty, 1997
26. The Crying Game, 1992
27. Doctor Zhivago, 1965 (a US production)
28. Monty Python's Life of Brian, 1979
29. Withnail and I, 1987
30. Gregory's Girl, 1980
31. Zulu, 1964
32. Room at the Top, 1958
33. Alfie, 1966
34. Gandhi, 1982
35. The Lady Vanishes, 1938
36. The Italian Job, 1969
37. Local Hero, 1983
38. The Commitments, 1991
39. A Fish Called Wanda, 1988
40. Secrets & Lies, 1995
41. Dr. No, 1962
42. The Madness of King George, 1994
43. A Man For All Seasons, 1966
44. Black Narcissus, 1947
45. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, 1943
46. Oliver Twist, 1948
47. I'm All Right Jack, 1959
48. Performance, 1970
49. Shakespeare in Love, 1998
50. My Beautiful Laundrette, 1985
51. Tom Jones, 1963
52. This Sporting Life, 1963
53. My Left Foot, 1989
54. Brazil, 1985
55. The English Patient, 1996 (a US production)
56. A Taste of Honey, 1961
57. The Go-Between, 1971
58. The Man in the White Suit, 1951
59. The Ipcress File, 1965
60. Blow-Up, 1966
61. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, 1962
62. Sense and Sensibility, 1995
63. Passport to Pimlico, 1949
64. The Remains of the Day, 1993
65. Sunday Bloody Sunday, 1971
66. The Railway Children, 1970
67. Mona Lisa, 1986
68. The Dam Busters, 1955
69. Hamlet, 1948
70. Goldfinger, 1964 (a joint UK-US production)
71. Elizabeth, 1998
72. Goodbye, Mr. Chips, 1939
73. A Room with a View, 1985
74. The Day of the Jackal, 1973
75. The Cruel Sea, 1952
76. Billy Liar, 1963
77. Oliver!, 1968
78. Peeping Tom, 1960
79. Far from the Madding Crowd, 1967
80. The Draughtsman's Contract, 1982
81. A Clockwork Orange, 1971
82. Distant Voices, Still Lives, 1988
83. Darling, 1965
84. Educating Rita, 1983
85. Brassed Off, 1996
86. Genevieve, 1953
87. Women in Love, 1969
88. A Hard Day's Night, 1964
89. Fires Were Started, 1943
90. Hope and Glory, 1987
91. My Name Is Joe, 1998
92. In Which We Serve, 1942
93. Caravaggio, 1986
94. The Belles of St. Trinian's, 1954
95. Life is Sweet, 1990
96. The Wicker Man, 1973
97. Nil by Mouth, 1997
98. Small Faces, 1995
99. Carry On up the Khyber, 1968
100. The Killing Fields, 1984