TV FILMS of the week TV Highlights
1
LADIES IN LAVENDER Today, Channel 5, 2.45pm
class playing elderly Cornish sisters
Dames Judi Dench and Maggie
Smith add a golden lustre to Charles
Dance’s directorial debut, adapted from William J Locke’s short story. Elderly sisters Ursula and Janet Widdington (Dench, Smith) live in a fishing village in 1930s Cornwall. One morning after a violent storm, they discover a castaway washed up on the beach. Nursing the young man back to health with the help of their housekeeper Dorcas (Miriam Margolyes), the ladies learn that the handsome stranger is Polish violinist Andrea Marowski (Daniel Bruhl). Both women grow fond of Andrea’s company.
2
JAWS
Tomorrow, ITV4, 9pm
It’s now nearly 50 years old, but Steven Spielberg’s first blockbuster has lost none of its bite. Roy Scheider heads the cast as Brody (pictured left), a police chief on New England’s Amity Island whose rather idyllic existence is turned upside down when a great white shark starts snacking on the locals.
3
CITY SLICKERS
Tuesday, Film4, 3.50pm
Friends Mitch (Billy Crystal, left), Phil (Daniel Stern) and Ed (Bruno Kirby) are all facing their own midlife crises and decide that the best way to handle them is with an adventure holiday. The trip proves to be more demanding than they expected as they are whipped into shape by a tough veteran cowboy (Jack Palance).
4
DEAD CALM
Wednesday, 5STAR, 11pm
Loving couple Rae (Nicole Kidman, left) and John Ingram (Sam Neill) take a boat trip to help them deal with the death of their son. They stumble on a sinking ship and end up saving the one traumatised ‘survivor’ (Billy Zane) left on board. Sadly, they come to regret their act of heroism when he begins terrorising them.
5
STAN & OLLIE Thursday, BBC4, 9pm
Penned by Jeff Pope, Stan & Ollie is a handsomely crafted valentine to the double-act who earned legions of fans with pratfalls and slapstick. The film is anchored by John C Reilly as Ollie and Steve Coogan as Stan (both left), who are fiercely committed, catalysing an old-fashioned bromance that endured even after Oliver’s death.
6
TED
Friday, ITV2, 9pm
On Christmas Eve 1985, young John Bennett stares adoringly at his favourite teddy and is granted a wish: that Ted could talk and be his best friend. Fast-forwarding to the present day, John (Mark Wahlberg, left) works for a car rental company and has a beautiful girlfriend, Lori but Ted still comes first. Foul-mouthed comedy fun.
7
LE MANS ’66
Saturday, Channel 4, 9.20pm
Matt Damon and Christian Bale (left) star in the story of Ford’s attempt to muscle in on the Italian dominance of the world-famous French endurance motor race. Carroll Shelby (Damon) is lured out of retirement to design a new car capable of winning the race, while Ken Miles (Bale) is the short-tempered Brit in the driving seat.