Friday 27th December
"The Great Escape" (ITV1 1350) OK, so you know the music, the lines, and how Steve McQueen's ill-fated motorcycle jump turns out. But that still can't detract from what a great movie this is. Based on the real-life escape of 76 PoWs from a German camp in 1944, director John "The Magnificent Seven" Sturges' big budget adaptation was hard work getting into production. McQueen walked out because he didn't think his character was heroic enough - only to return once the script doctors added the motorcycle chase. As a testimony to the bravery of the Allied PoWs it may smack of Hollywood polish, but it's an honourable effort nevertheless.
Saturday 28th December
"First Knight" (Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ1 2245) One of a rash of historical yarns that suddenly turned up in the early 90s (along with "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", "Rob Roy", and "Braveheart"), "First Knight" sees Richard Gere in full movie star mode. He plays Sir Lancelot to Sean Connery's distinctly regal King Arthur. Ditching most of the fundamentals of the Arthurian legend (where's Merlin?) this is the myth retold for the MTV generation, with Gere's preening hero wooing Julia Ormond's Guinevere. Still, there are enough well-staged fight sequences to make it worth spending a couple of hours with.
