10 Best British Gangster Movies Ever

1. The Long Good Friday (1980)

And finally, nothing can quite manage to top the film that made Bob Hoskins a star, the 1980 crime classic that sees Hoskins' London kingpin Harold Shand trying to establish himself as a semi-legitimate businessman in a world of double-crosses, murders and shaky international diplomacy.

Far more nuanced and textured than your typical gangster flick of any kind, The Long Good Friday gives Hoskins the floor to deliver the most iconic role of his career, aided by an acid-tongued script with more than its share of Shakespearian properties.

Smart, pulsingly intense and finishing off with a killer closing sequence, no British gangster film so expertly blends the familiar elements audiences crave with enough innovation to climb to the top of the heap.

And if that's not enough, Hoskins is joined by Helen Mirren and a young Pierce Brosnan in his feature film debut. What's not to love?

What are your favourite British gangster movies? Shout them out in the comments!