Film Choice: The Jerk / 9pm, ITV4; Thelma & Louise / 9pm, Sky Atlantic; Flags of Our Fathers / 9pm, Film4; The Missouri Breaks / 11pm, ITV4
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Jerk / 9pm, ITV4 (Carl Reiner, 1979) "I was born a poor black child," begins Steve Martin in his first – and funniest – starring film role, recounting a rags-to-riches story about a white man raised by black sharecroppers who, upon learning that he is adopted, heads out in search of his roots and to make his fortune. Worth it for the scene in which he discovers a sense of rhythm alone.
Thelma & Louise / 9pm, Sky Atlantic
(Ridley Scott, 1991) Thelma (Geena Davis), a housewife, and Louise (Susan Sarandon), a waitress, head off for the weekend in Louise's convertible Thunderbird and wind up as outlaws. This is an iconic buddy movie about the exhilarating freedom of the open road and the liberating feeling of not doing what you're told, which has you rooting for its characters very nearly to the end.
Flags of Our Fathers / 9pm, Film4
(Clint Eastwood, 2006) Clint Eastwood's films as a director are invariably concerned with deconstructing archetypes of masculinity and heroism. In this one, he goes behind the scenes of Joe Rosenthal's photograph of US soldiers raising their flag on Mount Suribachi after the costly battle for Iwo Jima in 1945, and finds that there are good, heroic men in war, but no glorious acts.
The Missouri Breaks / 11pm, ITV4
(Arthur Penn, 1976) Marlon Brando (above) delivered the most eccentric performance of his career in this off-kilter revisionist Western, as a perverse and sadistic lawman with a fondness for dressing up, in pursuit of Jack Nicholson and his gang of rustlers. Grubby, violent and somewhat portentous, the film was a flop on its release, but remains one of the era's more distinctive treasures.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments