About this season
Movie critic Ian Nathan goes in search of the cinematically sublime and explores the ingredients that went into making a classic. With each episode devoted to a single film, their story will be told with detail, affection, looking for the truth behind the myth, and all the trials and triumphs that went into forging the classic.
Episodes (6)
1. The 39 Steps
Aired 16 October 2025 • 44 min
Embark on a journey to discover what makes The 39 Steps not only a quintessential thriller but also an espionage thriller.
2. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Aired 23 October 2025 • 44 min
Released in 1943, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, is an extremely exceptional epic, which is exactly what makes it a masterpiece.
3. Passport to Pimlico
Aired 30 October 2025 • 44 min
One of the great British comedies the plot of Passport to Pimlico is gloriously absurd. A combination of fantasy and realism told with a light touch.
4. Highlander (1986)
Aired 6 November 2025 • 44 min
Highlander is one of a kind, a strange and haunting fantasy epic about immortality and sword fights. Rediscovered again and again since its release in 1986.
5. The Railway Children
Aired 13 November 2025 • 44 min
Adapted from the book by legendary children's author E. Nesbit, it is a cinematic rite of passage that makes us remember the mysteries of childhood.
6. Escape from New York (1981)
Aired 20 November 2025 • 43 min
In the dystopian future of Escape from New York, the island of Manhattan has been turned into a maximum-security prison.