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9:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
Killer Leopard (1954 USA): Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) helps lovely Linda Winters (Beverly Garland) search the cardboard jungle for lost husband Fred (Donald Murphy) in this completely, thoroughly average Allied Artists (previously Monogram) second feature. Their efforts are stymied by the titular beastie, and poor old Smoki Whitfield wanders around saying bwana a lot.

Sunday 3/11/12

10:30 AM The Movie Channel
Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986 USA): I always get this title confused with Scenes From the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills, but this is by far the better of the two films and also the one that hasn’t been seen on premium channels in quite some time. Nick Nolte is terrific as Jerry Baskin, an itinerant who disrupts a wealthy family when he tries to drown himself in their swimming pool. Good liberals that they are, Dave and Barbara Whiteman (Richard Dreyfuss and Bette Midler) extend a helping hand to Jerry, who takes full advantage of their generosity and even introduces over-privileged host Dave to sleeping rough. It’s a terrific film filled with great performances and blessed with an insightful and intelligent screenplay penned by director Paul Mazursky - and watch for Little Richard as the Whiteman’s next door neighbor. Not that you’d be likely to miss him.

Monday 3/12/12

1:25 AM More Max
Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969 USA): Robert Redford plays a sheriff tracking down a Native American fugitive in this solid chase drama directed by pinko Abraham Polonsky. Set during the early 20th century, the film features Redford as Chris Cooper, a lawman pursuing the titular American Indian (little Bobby Blake) who’s killed the father of lady love Lola (The Graduate’s Katharine Ross). Cooper rounds up a posse, and it’s off to the races as Willie Boy and Lola try to disappear amidst the arid landscape of the Mojave Desert. Polonsky’s dialogue is a bit clunky, but Blake is excellent, whilst a fine supporting cast of familiar faces - including John Vernon and Barry Sullivan - provides additional viewing incentives.

5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
A Kind of Loving (1962 GB): Angry Young Man drama, thy name is A Kind of Loving. Based on a novel by AYM pioneer Keith Waterhouse, the film stars Alan Bates as Vic Brown, a young working-class man with aspirations of white collar employment. He’s embroiled in a fling with typing pool girl Ingrid (June Ritchie), and the result - an unwanted but all too predictable pregnancy - leads to ructions with Ingrid’s mum (Thora Hird), who forces them to marry, after which Vic’s job plans take a back seat. The first film directed by John Schlesinger, A Kind of Loving won the Golden Bear at 1962’s Berlin International Film Festival. It’s great, gritty stuff keynoted by a superb Bates performance.

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