10 Postal Themed Movies to Watch in Quarantine

Take a cinematic break during these social distancing times with our top movie picks with postal scenes.

With cinemas and theatres closed and major blockbusters postponed, it’s a lot for film fans to take in. Luckily, there’s plenty to watch on-demand and if you prefer the thrill of love, communication and connection (and a bit of action too!) here are our top picks to help you escape the everyday worry.

1. Night Mail (1936)

Produced by the General Post Office’s own film unit, Night Mail holds an iconic place in British culture. It is far more than a film about a train or a poem about moving mail from A to B. It illustrates how Britain is socially, economically and technologically bound together and gives an insight into the people that spent their working lives making it all possible. Watch it in full here.

Artwork for a poster by Pat Keely, 1939 (POST 109/377)

2. Hudson Hawk (1991)

Love it or loathe it, this action-adventure comedy is close to our heart as it was filmed in Mail Rail, starring Bruce Willis. One of the platforms was transformed into the Vatican’s own private Underground Postal Railway. The profits from filming were used to throw a party for disadvantaged local children. Post Office staff also held Christmas parties for friends and family underground, including light shows and a Santa train.

Mail Rail as a movie location, Mount Pleasant Depot, 1989-1990

Mail Rail as a movie location, Mount Pleasant platform, 1989-1990

3. Looking for Eric (2009)

Looking For Eric is a heartwarming and hilarious tale of troubled Eric, a postman from Manchester whose life is slipping through his fingers. That is until, with a little help from his family, his mates and his hero – football legend Eric Cantona, he gets his life back on track.

4. Amélie (2001)

Despite being caught in her imaginative world, Amélie (Audrey Tautou), a young shy waitress, decides to help people find happiness. Her quest to spread joy leads her on a journey where she finds true love. In this scene, Amélie intricately constructs a letter.

5. 1917 (2019)

During World War I, two British soldiers, Lance Cpl. Schofield and Lance Cpl. Blake, receive seemingly impossible orders. In a race against time, they must cross over into enemy territory to deliver a message that could potentially save 1,600 of their fellow comrades, including Blake’s own brother.

6. Charade (1963)

Charade is a 1963 American romantic comedy mystery film directed by Stanley Donen and starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Filled with unexpected twists and turns, especially around rare stamps (hello philately fans!), the narrative has your mind on constant overdrive, trying to figure out how the plot will unfold.

7. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

Two colleagues at a gift shop in Budapest can barely stand each other, without realizing that they are falling in love through the post as each other’s anonymous pen pal. This charming, funny and romantic comedy is exactly what we need at these troubled times.

8. The Postman (1997)

In a post-apocalyptic America, a drifter disguises as a postman and delivers mails to the survivors, giving them hope that the government has been restored. The Postman is a 1997 American action-adventure film produced and directed by Kevin Costner and features him in the lead role.

9. The Lake House (2006)

Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock fans, rejoice! In this American romantic drama, love blooms when Kate, a lonely doctor, exchanges letters with Alex, an architect who is fed up with his life. Unknown to them, they lead lives two years apart.

10. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

This teen romance film follows shy Lara Jean as she writes secret love letters, ones she never planned to send, and keeps them in a box in her room but one day they’re somehow mailed out…Uh oh! Recommended by one of our followers, it’s super cute escapism, plus there’s a sequel on Netflix so you can lose yourself for a whole day.