Comedy starring
Barbara Stanwyck
According to her magazine column,
Elizabeth Lane is a successful housewife, but in fact she can't cook.
Director Peter Godfrey (1945) Blackandwhite Breakfast for Two, starring Barbara Stanwyck , ison Boxing Day at 6.55am
♦ See Films: pages 50-72

Musical, continuing the season of films produced by Arthur Freed
Starring Judy Garland, George Murphy, Gene Kelly

Two vaudevillians team up but when they finally achieve their big break, the First World War intervenes.
(1942) (Black and white) (Subtitled) ***

(The next film in the Arthur Freed season is Meet Me in Saint Louis at 6pm)
See Films: pages 50-72

Adventure starring Tyrone Power, Terry Moore

After a century of British rule in India, the garrison post of Peshawar is threatened by a tribal revolt. A young army captain is given command of the Khyber Rifles. (Showing in widescreen format)
(1953) (Subtitled)
See Films: pages 50-72 **

Animated musical fantasy.
Ferngully is an idyllic valley where fairies and woodland creatures live. But when one of them, Crystal, flies above the canopy and discovers humans, she accidentally shrinks a logger.
(1992, U) (Stereo)
See Films: pages 50-72 **

The BBC's foreign affairs editor, John Simpson, shows how he covered the Russian elections in June and the latest conflict in Afghanistan.
(Stereo)

Sir David Attenborough introduces a gala birthday tribute to the acclaimed violinist Yehudi Menuhin from London's Royal Albert Hall. Including performances by the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, bass Samuel Ramey, cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, and conductors Michael Tilson Thomas and Yan Pascal Tortelier.
(Stereo)

In this documentary accompanying the Affairs to Remember film season, viewers relate their romantic encounters and reflect on cinematic romance.

(The Affairs to Remember film season continues with Casablanca tomorrow at 3.10pm)

A celebration of Christmas from King's College Chapel, Cambridge. The Christmas story is told using poetry and the words of the Bible, and the chapel choir sings carols.
See today's choices.
Ceefax: page
(A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Chapel is broadcast on Christmas Eve at 3pm on Radio 4: Order of Service details on page 193)
Chorister Edward Bonner's Kind of Day: page

Continuing a season of classic musicals produced by Arthur Freed, starring Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien

MGM's colourful film follows the everyday adventures and romantic entanglements of the Smith family in turn-of-the-century St Louis.
(1944, U)
(The next film in the Arthur Freed season is The Barkleys of Broadway, tomorrow at 6.45am. Judy Garland also stars in Arthur Freed's debut film The Wizard of Oz tomorrow at 11.20am on BBC1)
See Films: pages 50-72 *****

The continent of Antarctica is a place of extremes. It is colder, wilder and more desolate than any other place, and for most of the year the most appalling conditions imaginable scour the icy Wasteland.
During a brief summer, however, millions of penguins and other Birds crowd its shores to breed and whales come to gorge themselves on the explosion of life. This documentary captures the essence of the continent using wildlife photography and drawing on the thoughts and writings of some of the early explorers who were moved by the expanses straddling the South Pole.

Continuing the five-part animated saga of the Gogs. The Stone-Age family discover that when it comes to sheltering from the elements, caves are far more effective than leaves.
Gogs continues tomorrow at 3pm

Continuing actor Simon Callow's re-enactment of the public readings of the novelist Charles Dickens.

Callow reads passages from Dickens's Christmas story about Ebenezer Scrooge, who is confronted by the spirit of Christmas Past.
(Part 2 of the story can be heard tomorrow at 6.10pm)

The legendary Sid Caesar was one of America's favourite TV stars in the fifties. His writing team, which include Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Neil Simon, was probably the first ever to be assembled in one room. The team recently reunited with Caesar before an audience in Los Angeles, and, here, Hollywood star Gene Wilder, who is currently playing Caesar in Laughter on the 23rd Floor in London's West End, introduces the hilarious meeting. The films Blazing Saddles and The Producers, directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder follow tonight.

(The Arena series continues on Thursday 2 January at 9.40pm)
(Stereo) (Subtitled)

Western spoof starring Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder

Sheriff Bart fights prejudice and corruption to save the little town of Rock Ridge from wicked speculator Hedley Lamarr, helped by the once legendary Waco Kid.
Showing in widescreen format. (1974, 15)
See Films: pages 50-72 ****

The first showing on network television for this mystery comedy thriller starring Alan Alda, Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Anjelica Huston

After an evening out, Larry and Carol Lipton have coffee with their neighbours, Paul and Lillian House. The next day they discover that Lillian has died, and Carol suspects that Paul is responsible.
(1993, PG)
See Films: pages 50-72 ****

Comedy starring Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder

Once the "King of Broadway", struggling producer Max Bialystock is now reduced to making a living by conning old ladies out of their savings. Then his accountant Leo Bloom mentions a sure-fire way of making some quick cash - putting on a guaranteed Broadway flop.
(1968, PG) (Subtitled)
See Films: pages 50-72 ****

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