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 (5)
1. Great Expectations
Aired 7 May 2026 • 46 min
A look at the vivid '40s adaptation of the Dickens classic about a poor young orphan who becomes a gentleman of means thanks to a mysterious benefactor.
2. Chaplin
Aired 14 May 2026
A look at one of Robert Downey Jr's career-defining performances in the 1992 hit from Richard Attenborough co-starring Anthony Hopkins.
3. Three Days of the Condor
Aired 21 May 2026
This standout 70's spy classic blends paranoia, politics and tight suspense, proving how some films outlast their time.
4. Mulholland Drive
Aired 28 May 2026
A look at David Lynch's 2001 mystery thriller, defined by the shifting relationship between Betty and Rita.
5. The Lion in Winter
Aired 4 June 2026
Peter O'Toole delivers a memorable performance as King Henry II in a tale of palace intrigue bolstered by a stellar cast, including Anthony Hopkins.