Film choice

12 Angry Men (1957, b/w) FILM4, 2.30PM ★★★★★

 Sidney Lumet’s astonishingly powerful courtroom drama goes behind the closed doors of the jury room as an 18-year-old boy is put on trial for stabbing his abusive father to death. Henry Fonda, as one of the jurors, begs his 11 colleagues to look closely at the facts of the trial. What results is a study in humanity as each of the jurors faces his own prejudices and emotions. Lee J Cobb co-stars.

We Bought a Zoo (2011) FILM4, 6.35PM ★★★

 Despite being loosely based on a true story, this sunny production from Cameron Crowe confirms that living in a zoo is perhaps a childhood dream best kept that way. The film skips along merrily as father-of-two Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) attempts to rebuild his life following the death of his wife and buys a new home in a working wildlife park on the brink of closure. Scarlett Johansson co-stars as the head zookeeper.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

ITV4, 8.00PM ★★★

Australian model George Lazenby might look great in a tuxedo but he is a terribly uncharismatic Bond (it was his only turn as 007): however, everything else is very good. Diana Rigg makes a classy love interest, Telly Savalas is a commanding Blofeld hiding out in a kinky mountaintop lair, Louis Armstrong’s theme is brilliant and the ski chases remain the best of the franchise.