Green for Danger

I am a huge fan of British mysteries, and I love old films, so I truly enjoyed Green for Danger, a 1946 British film starring Trevor Howard and Alastair Sim. The story is set at a British hospital during World War II, and concerns the mysterious death of a patient. Trevor Howard plays a prickly anesthesiologist, and Alastair Sim is the most enjoyable film detective I've ever seen. He manages to portray a blend of bumbling fool and witty intelligence (not the easiest thing in the world to do, since you would think those characteristics would be polar opposites). The acting is wonderful, since many of the cast were well-known from the stage, the script is funny, and there are even moments of true suspense in the midst of the humor. Even the lighting is superb. This film also illustrates that you can have an enjoyable, mature story that appeals to adults without any sex, violence, or bad language (there is a fistfight scene between two people, but it's pretty fake). They don't even show the actual murder, or any blood-soaked body. So if you're looking for something to watch with your school-age kids, this would be a great choice. You won't be bored, they won't be exposed to explicit material, and it's a great opportunity to teach them a little bit about World War II. (Look up the word 'buzzbomb' before fielding any of their questions, and you'll be fine).