It’s that time of year again – the Wimbledon tennis championships start on Monday. This could mean that the weather will break finally, in which case you might welcome a film or two (even if you have to record them). Then again, what is a film? Movies for television have been made since the mid-1960s (American of course), but how about something like Endeavour? Whilst they are presented within a series format, each episode stands alone and the budget, running time, and style are cinema standard. I recall, too, that the series pilot for Columbo (Ransom for A Dead Man) was given a UK cinema release in the early 1970s. For sure, I log the Swedish ‘series’ Beck as films – and a run of four new ones starts Saturday evening. Give me some Scandi-noir and I am very happy!
UNDERWORLD USA (1961) Saturday 1 July 9.30-11.25pm TP (Channel 82)         
Tonight’s TP debut helped greatly to establish Cliff Robertson as an actor to watch and he maintained his trajectory for about a dozen years. Here, he’s seeking revenge on the gangsters who murdered his father (a very common plot device in 1930s B-westerns). Sam Fuller, much loved by French critics, was a cult director par excellence; his war films and thrillers always packed one hell of a punch. 
PLAYGROUND (2021) Tuesday 4 July 2.20-3.50am Film Four    P         
Time for another confession: occasionally, I am reminded of a film that we should have booked, but we decided it would have unbalanced the season (or something). This unassuming Belgian drama, mostly viewed through the eyes of a 7-year-old girl who realises her older brother is being bullied, is a cracker!  
SPRINGSTEEN AND I (2013) Friday 7 July 1.00-2.30am Sky Arts (Channel 11)             
The Boss hasn’t played as many UK dates as usual on his current tour, but the Hyde Park gigs are this weekend; hence Sky Arts giving this fascinating documentary another outing. Its cleverness lies in letting fans discuss their love for the man and his music and this reflects the uncanny one-to-one bond he establishes with each fan or member of an audience. You don’t have to be a fan to find it rewarding viewing but, speaking for myself, it is ’48 years burnin’ down the road’ and thank you, Bruce! 

Watching a film all the way through isn’t always convenient, or possible, even for me. So, for more years than I care to remember, if I am at home and I know that a film is about to start, I’ll tune in for the opening credits. It is a good way to absorb detail and keep the memory in play. Also, it can be a fascinating reminder as to how few became an overnight success, but built a career over several years. Two recent discoveries: Dalton Trumbo (Spartacus) wrote the story for The Lone Wolf Strikes (1940); director William F. Claxton (Bonanza and The High Chaparral) was the editor of Miss Mink of 1949. Of course, it is different now: film school, make a video, $50 million dollar budget . . .
BLACKBIRD (2019) Saturday 17 June 10.15pm-12.15am Channel 4    P         
Susan Sarandon channels her many years of experience in diverse roles into Lily, a family matriarch with motor neurone disease. Kate Winslet and Mia Wasikowska offer splendid support as her daughters. 
THE KILLING OF TWO LOVERS (2020) Monday 19 June 10.55pm-12.35am Film Four    P          
In contrast, here we have a tense drama with an interesting premise: a man who is attempting to mend fences with his ex-partner becomes increasingly agitated when she dates someone else. 
MURDER IN REVERSE? (1945) Tuesday 20 June 4.25-6.00pm TP (Channel 82)         
This is our modest/once thought lost ‘oldie of the week’! (William Hartnell (the first Dr Who, of course), who has just served 15 years for killing his wife’s lover, attempts to find out what really happened. It doesn’t quite live up to its ambitions, but is worth a look. 
LIMBO (2020) Tuesday 20 June 9.00-11.10pm Film Four    P         
Ha! We welcome the final film of our post-Covid, half-season to Freeview. This was the comedy drama about asylum seekers, who were unhappily in residence on a remote Scottish island whilst their fate was decided. Remember? The Radio Times gave it 5-stars on release; our 74% reaction didn’t quite match that – but there was only a single 1-star rating! 
IN CONVERSATION: ELLIOT PAGE Wednesday 21 June 10.00-10.25pm BBC 3
Back in 2007, one of the talked-about films on the film society circuit (although we didn’t book it) was Juno. Ellen Page was very good indeed in the role of a pregnant teenager. Now Elliot Page, after transitioning, he talks candidly here about Hollywood, mental health and other issues. It should be a fascinating interview, if you have 25 minutes to spare. 

I have thought for some time that the memory experts are quite right – even the most vivid memory we have of an event (or moment) might not be as accurate as we think. So, first an apology from last week: the opening line to the song is “I wish I was a spaceman” (not “I’d like to be . . .”).  Here’s hoping that no-one noticed my error and on with the show . . .
LAW OF TEHRAN (2019) Saturday 10 June 9.00-11.05pm BBC 4    P         
This looks like a very promising piece of world cinema: what unfolds is a battle of wits between a police officer, based in Tehran, trying his best to take down a drugs baron who has always seemed to be one step ahead of the law, even in conservative Iran. 
FLY AWAY HOME (1996) Tuesday 13 June 6.50-9.00pm Great Movies (Ch 34)       
No question – Fly Away Home is one of the best family films of the last thirty years. The story – a child trying to rear young goslings – is charming, Anna Paquin and Jeff Daniels make a great team and the director, Carroll Ballard, respects the material and makes it a delight for viewers of all ages. 
ANAÏS IN LOVE (2021) Thursday 15 June 11.20pm-1.15am Film Four    P          
I was awfully disappointed that Anaïs didn’t have more votes on the questionnaire. It is one of the films I have enjoyed the most this year. The flakiness of the central character reminded me of Amélie; it is light and frothy, with some very funny scenes, and the ending is just about perfect. The French really do excel in this area.
THE STREET WITH NO NAME (1948) Friday 16 June 12.45-2.30pm TP (Channel 82)         
Richard Widmark often took second – or even third – billing to more prominent actors throughout his career, but his was often the most interesting performance, especially if he was the villain. He certainly is in this, his second film, as the psychopathic boss of a criminal gang. Mark Stevens plays the FBI agent and his career was to take a different trajectory.