FILMS OF THE WEEK

THE BIG MOVIE

Now You See Me 2 (2016) 12 Sunday, 9pm, Ch4 This sequel to the surprise 2013 hit – about a team of bank-robbing illusionists – indulges in bigger and bolder tricks and stakes. All but one of the original Horsemen return; Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco and Woody Harrelson are joined by Lizzy Caplan (above, with Harrelson and Franco), who replaces Isla Fisher. There’s a lot going on plot-wise, but the main thrust of the action pulls the Horsemen to Daniel Radcliffe’s wildly over-the-top technology guru, who forces them to steal a chip that can access all the electronic data in the world. As the Horsemen hightail it to London for the climax, they encounter a familiar face – and pull plenty of rabbits out of the hat. A third film in the series is currently in development, and is due for release next year.

CLASSIC FILM CHOICE

Pal Joey (1957) U Sunday, 1pm, BBC2 Frank Sinatra’s character in this hit musical is a lot like you imagine the leader of the Rat Pack was in real life – full of charm, but a bit of a cad.

His womanising club singer, Joey Evans, woos wealthy widow Vera (Rita Hayworth, above, with Sinatra) – a former stripper with whom he has history – to get her to finance his own club. The other ‘mouse’ in his life (‘mice’ being what Joey calls women) is Kim Novak’s sweet chorus girl, Linda, and while Joey falls for Linda, he also has to keep the insatiable Vera happy. Although the film was watered down from the original stage musical, Sinatra’s Joey is still a misogynist who uses women for his own gain.

But dismissing the film on that basis underestimates his female co-stars, Hayworth in particular – and even though her star was waning, she pipped Sinatra to top billing.