Clint's foxy nonsense

IT may be a load of old reds-under-the-bed rubbish, but Firefox (Pearl, 9.30pm) does star Clint Eastwood and it does feature some gripping flying scenes. Presuming, of course, you happen to like that sort of thing.

It was based on the novel by Craig Thomas and directed by Eastwood himself, although Eastwood the director and Eastwood the actor stumble through it apparently without ever taking the time to consult each other.

The story is typical Thomas. It is incredible, it is simplistic.

Do not waste your time looking for a script or character development.

The Russians (and we all know what a bunch of vodka-drinking proletariats they are) have built a supersonic jet fighter capable of doing some serious damage to anything that gets in its way. Eastwood is duly disguised as a businessman and sent to Moscow to steal it.

Skilful execution may have rendered some of these gaping implausibilities insignificant. But Eastwood (the director) lets Firefox run away with him and Eastwood (the actor) is generally doleful. Freddie Jones wins the Charles Laughton award for eccentric performances.

CZECH supermodel Paulina Porizkova made her feature film acting debut in Anna (World, 9.30pm) in 1987. In 1989 she played opposite Tom Selleck in the comedy Her Alibi, but in between, and since then, has not done a great deal of note. Anna sees her as an impoverished immigrant to New York City who dreams of acting stardom. Fading Czech actress Sally Kirkland (who is not Czech, but does a passable impersonation) takes her under her wing and duly sees her attain the kind of stardom she has only dreamed of.