Film choice

Becoming Jane (2007) BBC TWO, 1.20PM ★★

 This lightweight drama about a romance that the young Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) supposedly had with a Mr Darcy-like hunk (James Mcavoy) isn’t exactly pedantic in its pursuit of historical accuracy (one of its posters showed Austen with a shiny fountain pen). Still, some amusing parallels are drawn between Austen’s life and her novels. Julie Walters, Maggie Smith and Anna Maxwell Martin are among the fine supporting cast.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) TCM, 3.00PM ★★★★★

 The original juvenile delinquent film is James Dean’s best performance, from which his posthumous legend almost exclusively springs. Dean stars as Jim Stark, the new kid in town, in what is a tense, at times explosive tale following three young misfits, played by Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. Dean’s Stark is the prototype angsty teenager, whose plea to his parents – “You’re tearing me apart!” – became the war cry of a generation.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984) SKY ONE, 9.00PM ★★★

 He may be funny at times but Eddie Murphy’s humour is incredibly crude. His stand-up is filled with sexist and racist jokes and his persona is much the same here, as Axel Foley, a wise-crackin’, rule-breakin’ Detroit cop who pursues a murder investigation to Beverly Hills. It’s all very shouty but there are some amusing fish-out-of-water sequences. The film was a box office success, though, and spawned two sequels.