Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from Londontopia’s first book, Londontopia’s Cockney Rhyming Slang History and Dictionary, available now directly from Londontopia and from Amazon (and anywhere books are sold).
Cockney culture has long been a staple in British film and television. From gritty crime dramas set in London’s East End to heartwarming musicals, the influence of Cockney culture on British entertainment cannot be denied. In this chapter, we will take a trip down memory lane and look at the top Cockney films and TV shows that have captivated audiences throughout history. From the classic “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” to the beloved “EastEnders” and everything in between, get ready to explore the best of what this unique and vibrant culture has to offer.
And yes, quite a few of these films will have been directed by Guy Ritchie…
RocknRolla (2008) – “RocknRolla” is a crime-comedy film set in London, featuring a group of criminals who get caught up in a real estate deal gone wrong. It was released in 2008 and directed by Guy Ritchie.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) is a comedy-crime film set in London’s East End, featuring a group of young men who get mixed up in a high-stakes card game.
EastEnders (1985-present) – A long-running British soap opera set in the fictional London borough of Walford, following the lives of working-class families and their struggles.
Snatch (2000) is a crime-comedy film set in London featuring a group of criminals who get caught up in a stolen diamond heist.
The Krays (1990) is a biographical film about the notorious Kray twins, who were gangsters in the East End of London in the 1960s.
Legend (2015) is another biographical film about the Kray brothers, this one starring Tom Hardy as both brothers.
Only Fools and Horses (1981-2003) – A British sitcom about a group of working-class characters living in Peckham, South London, and their various schemes to make money.
Mary Poppins (1964) is a musical fantasy film set in Edwardian London about a magical nanny who brings joy and order to the Banks family. Dick Van Dyke famous played a Cockney chimney sweep, but heavy on the stereotypes.
My Fair Lady (1964) is a musical film about a Cockney flower girl who is transformed into a proper lady by a phonetics professor.
Oliver Twist (1968) is a film adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic novel set in Victorian London. It features the story of a young orphan boy who falls in with a gang of pickpockets.
Green Street (2005) – A sports drama film set in London, featuring the world of football hooliganism and the rivalry between West Ham United and Millwall fans.
RocknRolla (2008) is a crime-comedy film set in London featuring a group of criminals who get caught up in a real estate deal gone wrong.
Alfie (1966) is a romantic comedy-drama film about a Cockney playboy who pursues various women in swinging 1960s London.
Made in Dagenham (2010) – A film based on the true story of female factory workers in Dagenham, East London, who went on strike for equal pay in 1968.
The Long Good Friday (1980) – A crime thriller film set in London featuring a gangster who tries to keep his criminal empire intact while dealing with various threats.
Quadrophenia (1979) – A film about the mod subculture in the 1960s, set in London and featuring a young man who gets caught up in violence and rebellion.
Bronson (2008) is a biographical film about the notorious British criminal Charles Bronson, who spent most of his life in prison.
The Sweeney (2012) – A crime film based on the 1970s British TV series of the same name, featuring a team of London police officers who use unorthodox methods to catch criminals.
An American Werewolf in London (1981) – A horror-comedy film about two American tourists who are attacked by a werewolf in London.
Fish Tank (2009) is a drama film about a teenage girl living on a council estate in Essex who dreams of becoming a dancer.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969) is a film adaptation of the classic novel set in a boys’ boarding school in England. It features the story of a beloved teacher.
The Ladykillers (1955) – A classic British comedy film about a group of criminals who rent a room in an old lady’s house and plan a robbery.
The Italian Job (1969) – A classic British heist film set in Turin, Italy, featuring a group of criminals who plan to steal gold from a bank.
The Inbetweeners (2008-2010) – A British sitcom about four teenage boys growing up in suburbia, featuring their various misadventures and attempts to be cool.
Withnail and I (1987) – A comedy-drama film about two unemployed actors in 1960s London who go on a drunken holiday to the countryside.
The Bill (1984-2010) is a long-running British police procedural TV series set in London featuring the officers of Sun Hill police station.
Mr. Bean (1990-1995) is a British comedy TV series featuring the misadventures of the titular character, a bumbling man-child played by Rowan Atkinson, living in London.
Londontopia’s Cockney Rhyming Slang Dictionary: Complete Guide to London East End Cockney Dialect Phrase Book
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Author: jonathan
Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.