PICK OF TV MOVIES

SATURDAY

Dog (2022) (C4, 9pm)

Former US army ranger Briggs (Channing Tatum) proudly served in the 75th ranger regiment until a traumatic brain injury sidelined him from active service. Miraculously, he is granted a medical certificate for a position as a private security guard but the application demands a personal recommendation from a commanding officer. Briggs’ superior,

Jones (Luke Forbes), agrees to support the application if the veteran successfully escorts a Belgian Malinois military working dog named Lulu to Arizona to attend the funeral of her handler. Dog is a mismatched buddy drama-comedy, which marks

Tatum’s directorial debut alongside longtime producing partner Reid Carolin. Their shaggy dog story addresses the heavy price of patriotism for American service personnel on two and four legs.

The Running Man (1987) (C4, 10.55pm)

Based on a Stephen King short story and directed by Paul Michael Glaser of Starsky & Hutch fame, this entertaining sci-fi action adventure proves that The Hunger Games didn’t invent the concept of killer reality shows. Set in 2017, when the US is a totalitarian police state, it stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Ben Richards, a helicopter pilot who is falsely accused of opening fire on starving rioters. He is sentenced to appear on a popular TV show, where gadget-wielding mercenaries hunt criminals and the prize for surviving is a holiday and a pardon. Richard Dawson (who presented the US version of Family Fortunes) is great fun as the slimy gameshow host.

SUNDAY

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) (BBC2, 12pm)

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s satirical drama generated no end of controversy at the time of its release. The British government weren’t big fans, and the US release was edited. However, it remains one of the duo’s finest works, which is really saying something. It concerns a Home Guard officer serving during the Second World War who is outraged by the disrespect for tradition shown by younger soldiers. He looks back on his military adventures during the Boer War and First World War, as well as his three great loves. Roger Livesey stars with Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook and John Laurie (who would go on to join the Home Guard himself for the much-loved sitcom Dad’s Army).

Dr No (1962) (STV, 2.25pm)

When a pair of British Secret Service agents go missing in Jamaica, superspy James Bond (Sean Connery) is dispatched to investigate. Finding he is being tailed from the moment he arrives in the country, he soon learns the disappearances are linked to a criminal genius who is using his intellect to disrupt American rocket tests. This clever and razor-sharp first outing for the British secret agent is one of the best and set a high bar for the following movies in the franchise to aspire to. Sean Connery is superb in his debut as 007, displaying menace and wit in equal measure, while Ursula Andress makes for an iconic Bond girl.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) (STV, 4.35pm)

In the musical sequel, Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) anxiously prepares for the grand opening of Hotel Bella Donna. Thankfully, her mother’s best friends Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters) are on hand to calm Sophie’s nerves and encourage her to look to the past for courage. Cue flashbacks to the young Donna (Lily James, in the role made famous by Meryl Streep) embarking on her lusty Mediterranean odyssey with the young Sam (Jeremy Irvine), Harry (Hugh Skinner) and Bill (Josh Dylan) via Paris. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again lays all of its Abba love on us with platform heels, tongue-in-cheek humour and joy-infused musical performances choreographed to perfection by Anthony Van Laast. The addition of Cher as Streep’s impeccably coiffed mother is a masterstroke.

MONDAY

The Fallen Idol (1948) (Film4, 11am)

Adapted from a short story by Graham Greene, director Carol Reed’s masterful thriller features a remarkable performance from child actor Bobby Henrey as Philippe, the young son of a diplomat. While his distant father works and his mother convalesces from illness, Philippe spends most of his time with the butler, Baines (Ralph Richardson, also terrific), whom he idolises. So, when Baines is suspected of killing his wife (Sonia Dresdel), Philippe does his best to protect him, but risks making matters worse for his hero.

Notorious (1946)

(Talking Pictures TV, 9.05pm)

The screen positively crackles with electricity whenever Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant appear together in Alfred Hitchcock’s tense, sexy thriller set directly after the end of the Second World War. Alicia (Bergman), the pro-American daughter of a convicted Nazi spy, is recruited by US government agent Devlin (Grant) to infiltrate a group of Hitler’s supporters who escaped to Brazil following his downfall. They include Alexander Sebastian (Bergman’s Casablanca co-star Claude Rains), who has always been in love with Alicia, which makes the situation trickier when she and Devlin start falling for each other. As their affair develops, look out for what must surely be one of the most passionate of all screen clinches.