Five films that straddle the line between black comedy and dark drama feature in the final session of the Cinémathèque’s “Dark. Delirious. Deadpan” retrospective of British comedies.

On 3 and 11 July there is an opportunity to catch Sir Alec Guinness in 9 different roles as various members of the  D'Ascoyne family in a murderous romp through the upper echelons of British society in Robert Hamer’s “Kind Hearts and Coronets”.

On 4 July, appropriately enough, and on 12 July, the film library will screen Nicholas Hytner’s “The Madness of King George” starring Nigel Hawthorn as the monarch under whose reign the US gained independence. The film focuses on the crisis of 1788 when the king suffered a bout of madness that triggered a political power struggle. The film also stars Helen Mirren, Rupert Everett, Ian Holm and Geoffrey Palmer.

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s goriest films might seem out of place in this season of comedies, but serial-killer study “Frenzy” has been described as one of his “most dryly funny” by Filmcritic magazine. The plot centres on the investigation of a series of murders of women who have been strangled with a neck tie. Starring Jon Finch and Barry Foster, the film marked a return to London for the great director, who, as is his wont, introduces some very nice dark humour into the trailer (which some may recognise from adverts for the Cinémathèque). Screenings take place on 5 and 9 July.

A serial killer of a completely different sort is on the loose in “Keeping Mum” being shown on 8 and 12 July. This is a very British comedy about class and keeping up appearances starring Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Patrick Swayze and Rowan Atkinson.

And on 10 July, audiences have another chance to watch Danny Boyle’s iconic and groundbreaking comedy “Trainspotting” starring Ewen McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Kelly Macdonald, Jonny Lee Miller and Ewen Bremner. Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh, the film’s sheer brio, witty dialogue, performances and design, post-modern humour and brilliant use of music have made it one of the best-loved British comedies of all time.