2. Kind Hearts and Coronets
In 2000, Mike Nichols actually was planning to remake this Ealing classic about a drapers assistant who murders six aristocrats in order to inherit a Dukedom and avenge his mothers death. He wanted to cast Will Smith in the starring role and Robin Williams as the eight family members who meet untimely ends. He also said he wanted the movie to about race instead of class. This is one case where the Gods of cinema prevented disaster and the remake was canceled. Ive already written about how irreplaceable Alec Guinness is but so is Dennis Price as the ruthless but still somehow sympathetic hero. The scene where he explains his plan to his final victim is one of my favorite acting moments in any movie. The films ironic ending would also be difficult to replicate in a modern studio comedy.