The Brits love nothing better than being asked to select their favourite song, book or as the latest YouGov poll has found, Film of all time. The survey revealed that Britons voted the Tim Robbins' vehicle The Shawshank Redemption as their number one movie choice. Other popular offerings on the silver screen that were favoured by the British public were Star Wars, Dirty Dancing and Forrest Gump.
The internet-based market research firm included the views of almost 1,700 people, asking them to nominate films that they had enjoyed watching and then from their choices select a favourite.
The top five selections were:
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The Shawshank Redemption - A truly memorable tale featuring Tim Robbins in perhaps his finest performance, alongside the dependable Morgan Freeman. Robbins starred as a man wrongly incarcerated for the murder of his wife and her lover, who survives a particularly testing spell in prison and earns the respect of his fellow inmates and the warden.
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Star Wars - perhaps the greatest science fiction film of all time. George Lucas' 1977 original has developed into a huge and highly lucrative franchise, with devoted fans across the globe. The films continue to be produced, with episode 7 due to be released later this year. Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker was advised to "use the force" to defeat the Galactic Empire and the evil Darth Vader. He was ably supported in his quest by Harrison Ford's Han Solo and the unforgettable Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher).
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Dirty Dancing - perhaps as well known for the movie soundtrack as the film itself, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey smooched and swayed across the big screen in equal measure. The film has earned more than $214 million worldwide, with a multi-platinum selling soundtrack as an offshoot of the film's success. "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" won a Golden Globe and the Oscar for 'Best Original Song', thanks to its uplifting lyrics.
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Forrest Gump - Tom Hanks gave a sensitive portrayal of an essentially slow-witted man with a kind heart, as the film covers the life of a central character with tremendous athletic ability. The film became famous for two memorable catchphrases, "Run Forrest Run" and "Life is like a box of chocolates".
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The Green Mile - as if to demonstrate the affinity for Hanks with movie audiences, another of his films is at number five. The adaptation of a Stephen King novel puts the actor in the shoes of a corrections officer on death row, with flashbacks featuring the supernatural events that he witnessed whilst there.
