Last Holiday (1950)

A quiet unassuming man (Alec Guinness) is told by his physician (Ronald Simpson) that he has a terminal illness with only a matter of weeks to live. He gathers all his savings and registers at a posh seaside hotel where he intends to live life to the fullest until his end. The irony is that once diagnosed with a fatal illness, all sorts of wonderful things begin to happen to him that he can't take advantage of. This bleak yet moving dark comedy is a lovely piece of fanciful irony flawlessly executed. I don't think Guinness has ever been more charming and he's supported by a near perfect ensemble cast. Directed by Henry Cass and based on a screenplay by J.B. Priestley. Remade in 2006 under the same title with Queen Latifah in Guinness's role but the film didn't have the guts to keep the original doleful ending and replaced it with a happy ending. The excellent cast includes Beatrice Campbell (MASTER OF BALLANTRAE), the always welcome Kay Walsh, Gregoire Aslan, Wilfrid Hyde White, Bernard Lee, Helen Cherry, Sidney James, Ernest Thesiger and David McCallum.