Film choice

James Rampton
Friday 22 December 1995 19:02 EST
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (2.10pm BBC1), the final part of Steven Spielberg's ripping yarn, is greatly enhanced by a humorous performance from Sean Connery as Indy's (Harrison Ford) competitive father.

Charles Grodin is down as the lead in Beethoven (6.05pm BBC1) - and he's certainly the most important human character - but the star of the show walks on four legs. Brian Levant's cutesy comedy is a shaggy dog story par excellence.

Kes (9pm C4), the achingly sad version of Barry Hines's novel, A Kestrel for a Knave, about an introverted boy (David Bradley) caring for a bird of prey, does not make for cheery viewing. But there is still much to admire in Ken Loach's grainy photography.

For Patriot Games (9.20pm BBC1) - Philip Noyce's adaptation of the Tom Clancy spy thriller starring Harrison Ford - lean, mean Sean Bean practises the baddie he was to perfect in Goldeneye.

Robin Williams is on typically exuberant form as an inspirational teacher, urging his pupils to seize the day in Dead Poets Society (11.10pm ITV). Peter Weir's rather overwrought drama centres on the effect his teachings have on a group of impressionable teenagers.

John Cleese gets to smash up a phone-box in Fawltyesque frustration for Clockwise (11.25pm BBC1.) In Christopher Morahan's frenetic comedy, he plays a fastidious headmaster, delayed on his way to address a conference in Norwich.

Faust (11.55pm BBC2) is Czech animation, but don't let that put you off. This reading of the Goethe legend is directed by Jan Svankmajer, an undisputed master of surrealistic story-telling.

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