Sir Laurence Olivier and Eric Porter narrate Jeremy Isaacs' epic documentary series, chronicling the events of the Second World War. The episodes included are: 'A New Germany - 1933-1939'; 'Distant War - 1939-1940'; 'France Falls - May-June 1940'; 'Alone in Britain - May 1940-June 1941'; 'Barbarossa - June-December 1941'; 'Banzai - Japan Strikes - 1941-1942'; 'On Our Way - America Enters the War - 1939-1942'; 'Desert - The War in North Africa - 1940-1943'; 'Stalingrad - 1942-1943'; 'Wolfpack - 1939-1944'; 'Red Star - The Soviet Union - 1941-1943'; 'Whirlwind - Bombing Germany - September 1939-April 1944'; 'Tough Old Gut - 1942-1943'; 'It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow - 1942-1943'; 'Home Fires'; 'Inside the Reich - Germany 1940-1944'; 'Morning - June 1944'; 'Occupation - 1940-1943'; 'Pincers - August 1944'; 'Genocide - 1933-1945'; 'Nemesis - Feb-May 1945'; 'Japan - 1941-1945'; 'Pacific - Feb 1942-May 1945 The Island to Island War'; 'The Bomb - Feb-Sept 1945'; 'Reckoning - April 1945'; 'Remember'; 'Secretary to Hitler'; 'Who Won World War II?'; and 'Warrior'; 'Hitler's Germany - 1933-1939'; 'Hitler's Germany - 1939-1945'; 'The Two Deaths of Hitler'; 'The Final Solution - Part 1'; and 'The Final Solution - Part 2'. Isaacs also presents a special 'Making of' feature.

BBC mini-series with Jane Lapotaire in the title role. The programme chronicles the work of scientific pioneer Marie Curie as she conducts her research into radioactivity, makes the famous discovery of Radium and wins Nobel Prizes for both Physics and Chemistry. The programme also looks at key events that affected the soon-to-be famous revolutionary including the devastating death of her husband (Nigel Hawthorne) and her subsequent controversial affairs.

Box set featuring six Shakespeare adaptations starring legendary actor Laurence Olivier. In 'King Lear' (1983), the ageing King Lear (Olivier) decides to split his kingdom between three daughters - Regan, Cordelia and Goneril - with each receiving a share appropriate to the amount of love they feel for him. However, when the faithful Cordelia refuses to protest her devotion, an enraged Lear foolishly cedes complete control to the devious remaining siblings - with terrible results. In 'Henry V' (1944), the young king (Olivier) puts his rakish past behind him and rallies his men to invade France, winning against the enemy's superior numbers. The film was shot in Ireland to avoid the constant bombardment of the Blitz and Olivier was discharged from the Navy to make the film. In 'Hamlet' (1948), Hamlet (Olivier), Prince of Denmark, is still mourning over the death of his father and his mother Gertrude's (Eileen Herlie) subsequent remarriage to Hamlet's despised uncle, Claudius (Basil Sydney), who is now King. When his father's ghost appears to Hamlet and reveals that it was Claudius who murdered him, the young prince vows revenge. However, a fatal flaw in his character - hesitation - mars his efforts, resulting in murder, madness and treachery. In 'The Merchant of Venice' (1974), Jewish moneylender Shylock (Olivier) provides young Antonio (Anthony Nichols) with a loan, stating that if it is not repaid he will claim a pound of flesh. When Antonio's bond defaults, Shylock attempts to claim his grisly compensation in a court of law, but Portia (Joan Plowright) pleads Antonio's case. In 'Richard III' (1955), Olivier stars as the cold and calculating king, a treacherous and untrustworthy fellow who makes plans to kill anyone who threatens his position. Henry Stafford (Ralph Richardson), the Duke of Clarence (John Gielgud) and Lady Anne Neville (Claire Bloom) are just some of those moving in his orbit. 'As You Like It' (1936) was filmed in England in 1936 when Olivier was still considered a promising young actor rather than one of the finest thespians ever, as he would later become, this is his first filmed Shakespeare performance and thus a milestone in film history.

A collection of six BBC dramatisations of Jane Austen classics. Adapted by Andrew Davies after his success with his work on George Elliot's 'Middlemarch' for television, 'Pride and Prejudice' was the BBC's flagship drama in the schedule for autumn 1995. The story revolves around the arrival of the wealthy Mr Darcy (Colin Firth) and party and the excitement he causes amongst the five daughters of the Bennett family. In 'Persuasion' (1995), Anne Elliott (Amanda Root) has spent years regretting her rejection of Captain Wentworth's (Ciaran Hinds) proposal of marriage. When he returns from sea they meet, but instead of finding romance are kept apart through a series of misunderstandings. Anne is being pursued by her cousin, Mr Elliott (Samuel West), while Captain Wentworth is now regarded as a very eligible bachelor. 'Northanger Abbey' (1986) stars Peter Firth and Robert Hardy. The story follows the adventures of Catherine Moorland (Katharine Schlesinger), who is invited by the romantic Henry Tilney to stay at the Abbey - and finds it to be shrouded in mystery and intrigue. In 'Sense and Sensibility' (1980), sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood (Irene Richard and Tracey Childs) lose their family fortune to spiteful relatives, and are forced to seek out suitable husbands in order to survive. While Marianne falls for the heartless John Willoughby (Peter Woodward), Elinor finds herself attracted to Edward Ferrars (Bosco Hogan) - who is himself betrothed to Lucy Steele (Julia Chambers). In 'Mansfield Park' (1983), Fanny Price (Sylvestra Le Touzel) struggles to adjust to her new aristrocratic lifestyle when she is sent by her debt-ridden mother to live with her rich aunt and cousins. Her 'superior' relatives constantly ignore her, and only her cousin Edmund (Nicholas Farrell) shows Fanny any interest. However, Fanny's charm and wit eventually win her many potential suitors, and before long she has to decide whether she wishes to wed for love or for status. Doran Godwin stars in 'Emma' (1972), which tells the stroy of the eponymous heroine whose chief joy in life is organising the lives of the friends with whom she surrounds herself. She is soon the apple of Mr Knightly (John Carson)'s eye, an older family friend who has watched her grow and advised her on many things in life.

John Thaw stars in this adaptation of Michelle Magorian's novel. The outbreak of the Second World War sees nine-year-old Willie Beech (Nick Robinson) evacuated from London and billeted with crotchety widower Tom Oakley (Thaw) in the village of Little Weirwold. Willie is a sad little boy who has not had a happy or easy life, but he and Tom gradually warm to each other, and a strong friendship develops between the pair. Tom is therefore saddened and upset when Willie's mother (Annabelle Apsion) unexpectedly summons him back to the capital at the height of the Blitz.

Made-for-TV drama directed by Jack Gold and starring John Hurt as Quentin Crisp. The film traces the life of the flamboyant and eccentric Crisp, a homosexual British man, as he grows up and grows old in a conservative society which treats his sexuality as a criminal offence. The cast also includes John Rhys-Davies, Roger Lloyd Pack and Stanley Lebor.

Made-for-TV drama directed by Jack Gold and starring John Hurt as Quentin Crisp. The film traces the life of the flamboyant and eccentric Crisp, a homosexual British man, as he grows up and grows old in a conservative society which treats his sexuality as a criminal offence. The cast also includes John Rhys-Davies, Roger Lloyd Pack and Stanley Lebor.

Collection of 12 silent short films made by Charlie Chaplin during his partnership with Mutual Films. In 'The Floorwalker' (1916), Chaplin causes chaos in a department store and then runs into a thieving employee with whom he shares an uncanny resemblance. In 'The Fireman' (1916), a fire chief (Eric Campbell) is advised to ignore the burning house of a local (Lloyd Bacon) so he can collect the insurance money. But trouble ensues when another fire breaks out nearby. In 'The Vagabond' (1916), a violinist (Chaplin) meets and rescues a girl (Edna Purviance) from a gang of gypsies, only to have their relationship complicated by the arrival of an artist (Bacon). In 'One A.M.' (1916), Chaplin plays a young man who struggles around his house after a late night of drinking. In 'The Count' (1916), Chaplin takes the place of a Count at a party after he is fired for burning his trousers. In 'The Pawnshop' (1916), a young assistant (Chaplin) battles with his fellow employee (John Rand) whilst terrorising his boss (Henry Bergman). In 'Behind the Screen' (1916), Chaplin plays a stagehand working in a film studio where three films are being shot simultaneously. In 'The Rink' (1916), a waiter uses his lunch break to go roller skating. In 'Easy Street' (1917), the little tramp takes on the role of a police officer to maintain law and order in a slum. In 'The Cure' (1917), an alcoholic checks into a health spa to dire results. In 'The Immigrant' (1917), two voyagers fall in love on their boat journey from Europe to America. In 'The Adventurer' (1917), Chaplin escapes from prison and falls in love with a wealthy young lady (Purviance), much to the annoyance of her current suitor (Campbell).

Collection of 12 silent short films made by Charlie Chaplin during his partnership with Mutual Films. In 'The Floorwalker' (1916), Chaplin causes chaos in a department store and then runs into a thieving employee with whom he shares an uncanny resemblance. In 'The Fireman' (1916), a fire chief (Eric Campbell) is advised to ignore the burning house of a local (Lloyd Bacon) so he can collect the insurance money. But trouble ensues when another fire breaks out nearby. In 'The Vagabond' (1916), a violinist (Chaplin) meets and rescues a girl (Edna Purviance) from a gang of gypsies, only to have their relationship complicated by the arrival of an artist (Bacon). In 'One A.M.' (1916), Chaplin plays a young man who struggles around his house after a late night of drinking. In 'The Count' (1916), Chaplin takes the place of a Count at a party after he is fired for burning his trousers. In 'The Pawnshop' (1916), a young assistant (Chaplin) battles with his fellow employee (John Rand) whilst terrorising his boss (Henry Bergman). In 'Behind the Screen' (1916), Chaplin plays a stagehand working in a film studio where three films are being shot simultaneously. In 'The Rink' (1916), a waiter uses his lunch break to go roller skating. In 'Easy Street' (1917), the little tramp takes on the role of a police officer to maintain law and order in a slum. In 'The Cure' (1917), an alcoholic checks into a health spa to dire results. In 'The Immigrant' (1917), two voyagers fall in love on their boat journey from Europe to America. In 'The Adventurer' (1917), Chaplin escapes from prison and falls in love with a wealthy young lady (Purviance), much to the annoyance of her current suitor (Campbell).

Double bill of rauchy comedies by Frankie 'Titter Ye Not' Howerd, the outrageously camp and bawdy British comic. 'Up Pompeii' (1971) is the feature length spin-off from the Howerd's television series about a lazy slave living in ancient Pompeii. When a document falls into his hands listing the names of those plotting to assassinate Emperor Nero, he is forced to infiltrate the group. Hilarious mishaps result. In 'Up The Chastity Belt' (1971) Lurkalot (Frankie Howerd) is a humble serf in Custard Castle, who runs a side-line selling chastity belts and love potions at the local market place. He's called upon to save the day when Sir Braggart De Bombast attempts to seize the castle and kidnap the beautiful Lobelia De Custard.