Great British Films of the 1940s is a reference work that deals with a comprehensive look at forty motion pictures made between 1940 and 1949. Stars of the period include, James Mason, Margaret Lockwood, Dennis Price, Stewart Granger, Jean Kent, Phyllis Calvert, Eric Portman, and many others. Also included are some lesser-known gems, starring character actors like Felix Aylmer and Wilfrid Lawson. Genres covered include comedies, dramas, mystery and suspense, wartime films and others. There are both biographies, like The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, as well as films based on the classics, such as Great Expectations, Nicholas Nickleby, and Oliver Twist. Directors such as Michael Powell, David Lean, Alexander Korda and others are included.