TV FILMS OF THE WEEK

A KNIGHT’S TALE Sunday, Channel 5, 1.15pm

Heath Ledger is handsome, charismatic and fabulously funny as William Thatcher, the medieval page who dreams of becoming a knight. With jousting galore, a soundtrack that jumps from Queen to War to Bowie and a scene-stealing Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer, it’s one of the great guilty pleasures.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Sunday, BBC2, 2pm

Based on Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, the American remake is one of the best Hollywood westerns. Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and Robert Vaughn lead an all-star cast.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME Monday, Film4, 9pm

Set in 1983 in rural Italy, it’s the coming-of-age tale of 17-year-old Elio – beautifully played by Timothée Chalamet – who faces a long, hot summer of swimming, dancing and possibly sex with his girlfriend. Until his father’s handsome new grad student (Armie Hammer, left) arrives…

CAROL Tuesday, Film4, 11.15pm

Rooney Mara excels as a young woman working at a department store in 1950s New York but dreaming of a better life as a newspaper photographer. Life seems to be going nowhere – until she catches the eye of a beautiful older woman, Carol, deliciously played by Cate Blanchett.

ON CHESIL BEACH Wednesday, BBC2, 9pm

Ian McEwan’s short novel was good but this heart-breaking film adaptation – with a screenplay by McEwan himself – is even better. It’s 1962 and a good-looking young couple – Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle – have just met at Oxford and fallen instantly in love. The film begins on their wedding night. What could possibly go wrong?

KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS Thursday, Talking Pictures, 2.30pm

One of the great Ealing comedies with Alec Guinness’s tour de force as all eight victims of the murderous 10th Duke of Chalfont, played by an equally good Dennis Price.