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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, on some films to enjoy on RTE and TG4 this Saturday…
Let’s start with a typical Saturday afternoon tale of daring do with The Guns of Navarone (Saturday 2.50pm RTE1).
In 1943, a small commando team is sent to destroy huge German guns on the Greek Island of Navarone in order to rescue Allied troops trapped on Kheros.
Led by British Major Franklin (Anthony Quayle), the team includes American Mallory (Gregory Peck), Greek resistance fighter Stavros (Anthony Quinn) and reluctant explosives expert Miller (David Niven).
Facing the usual impossible odds of this genre, the group have to battle stormy seas, daunting cliffs, personal enmities and the potential of internal betrayal.
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One of my favourite cinematic biographies is Richard Attenborough’s multi-Oscar winning film (eight out of eleven nominations) and surprisingly historically accurate Gandhi (Saturday 3.35pm TG4).
Starring, and introducing to the big screen, Ben Kingsley as Mohandas K. Gandhi, it shows his rise from small town lawyer in South Africa to his role as a leader of India’s fight for independence and ambassador for non resistance peaceful protest.
Also starring Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, John Mills and Martin Sheen, this is a very long film, as it has to be to fit everything in, but is well worth the time and effort .
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Saturday 7pm RTE1) is the Tim Burton version of Roald Dahl’s children’s story starring Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket, who finds a golden ticket in a chocolate bar, winning a once in a lifetime tour of eccentric Willy Wonka’s (Johnny Depp) magical factory.
This is a lot closer to the macabre tone of the book rather than the Gene Wilder version, and Deep Roy has great fun playing all the Oompa Loompas, and a chilling reminder of what happens to misbehaving children.
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I wonder do any readers remember the night Johnny Cash, June Carter and Kris Kristofferson gave a concert in the Brandon Hotel in 1996. It is certainly one of my favourite memories.
Walk The Line (Saturday 9.50pm TG4) stars Joaquin Phoenix as Cash, focusing on the Man in Black’s rise from a sad and traumatic upbringing, to touring with Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis and his troubled descent into drink and drug addiction.
Reese Witherspoon gives an Oscar winning performance as June Carter, who helped and supported Cash to overcome his troubles.
Directed by James Mangold, who has vast experience across a range of genres, this is a superior film that is an honest and raw depiction aided by two supreme central performances who learnt to play the instruments as well as sing the songs themselves.
Racked with guilt over his involvement in the murder of a protestant police officer, Cal (Saturday 11.25 RTE2) ,played by John Lynch, is a young republican who turns his back on violence.
However, when he falls for an older widow, Marcella (Helen Mirren), life gets more complex when Cal realises she had been married to the policeman. Enjoy!
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