Finnegan On Films: Comedy, Drama And A Classic On The Box

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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, has the pick of the movies on RTE/TG4 on Saturday…

There is nothing like a true black and white classic shown in the afternoon, and All About Eve (Saturday 1.30pm RTE1) ticks all those boxes and more.

This is one of those backstage stories revolving around an aspiring actress Eve Harrington played by Anne Baxter.

Tattered, forlorn and with a sad sob story, Eve shows up in the dressing room of Broadway Superstar Margo Channing (Bette Davies).

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Margo takes Eve under her wing and makes her her personal assistant.  However, Eve’s aspirations are more than merely taking letters.  She is seeking the limelight herself.

Written and directed by Joseph L. Mankewicz, the film also stars George Sanders, Celeste Holm and Marilyn Monroe in a scene stealing part.

It received a record 14 Academy Award nominations winning six including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor and more.

It is also the only film to have ever received four female acting nominations for the same film.

Fresh from appearing with the Queen at the Platinum Jubilee ccelebrations, the most famous bear from darkest Peru returns in Paddington 2 (Saturday 6.35pm RTE1) in one of the rare sequels that is even better than the first film.

Paddington, voiced by the excellent Ben Whishaw, is looking for the perfect birthday present for his aunt back home.

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Unknown to Paddington, his choice of gift has hidden secrets, leading to it being stolen by a villainous Phoenix Buchanan, played with scenery chewing relish by Hugh Grant.

There are so many sight gags, nostalgic references and laugh out loud gags that makes this a fun film for all ages and I highly recommend it.

Speaking of famous bears, Goodbye Christopher Robin (Saturday 9.35pm RTE1) tells the biographical story of author AA Milne, and how his relationship with his son led to the creation of Winnie the Pooh.

AA, known to his friends as Blue, is haunted by the horrors of the World War One trenches.

Moving with his family to rural East Sussex, walks with his young son, Christopher Robin, inspire the stories and poems that help rekindle post war joy, but at the cost of the of Christopher’s anonymity.

Directed by Simon Curtis and starring Domhall Gleeson, Kelly McDonald and Margot Robbie, this is very evocative and thoughtful.

In what seems like a story from current headlines Beautiful Boy (Saturday 9.35pm TG4) tells the story of a young student who goes on a killing spree before taking his own life and how his parents live with what he has done.

This is superior drama that offers no glib Hollywood answers because there are none, but the acting, particularly from Maria Bello and Michael Sheen as the parents is particularly impressive.

Finally Step Brothers (Saturday 10.30 RTE2) has a simple premise of two grown immature, childish fortyish adults played by Will Farrell and John C. Reilly whose single parents marry making them, well,  Step Brothers.

They have issues sharing a house, let alone a bedroom.  Don’t watch if you are easily offended. Enjoy and stay and safe.

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