FILM PICKS

SUNDAY The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943) (BBC Two, 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.

MONDAY 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.

TUESDAY The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) (ITV4, 9pm)

Missouri farmer Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood, who also directs) vows revenge after his family is slaughtered by maverick soldiers during the American Civil War. While tracking down those responsible, he becomes an outlaw, much feared by those who have heard of his ruthless ways. As time passes and the conflict ends, Josey becomes a wanted man, but despite his efforts to remain a loner, he unwittingly creates a new family involving a bunch of mismatched, disenfranchised souls. Largely ignored on release, this absorbing and frequently very funny Western is now rightly regarded as one of Eastwood’s best.

FRIDAY Three Thousand Years Of Longing (2022) (Film4, 9pm) Premiere

Narratologist Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) travels from London to Istanbul for a conference, armed with a passion for the history of storytelling. She purchases a delicately twisted glass bottle. Back at her hotel, Alithea cleans it with an electric toothbrush, unleashing an ancient Djinn (Idris Elba) who promises to grant three wishes. Wellversed in cautionary tales, Alithea refuses the Djinn’s tantalising offer and asks questions instead. Three Thousand Years Of Longing is a visual effects-laden fantasy loosely adapted from AS Byatt’s short story The Djinn In The Nightingale’s Eye. Mad Max director George Miller’s dazzling yet flawed vision distils familiar tropes in technically ambitious flourishes.