Four-Star Films : ‘Toto le Heroes’

Jaco Van Dormael’s superb 1992 French-language film from Belgium restores your belief in movies. Bristling with inventive glee, it is audacious not only in narrative structure but also in largeness of spirit and the way it employs a light touch with life’s tragedies. “Toto” is a debut film that attempted to cram the joy and the heartbreak and every one of the ages of man into a mere 90 minutes. Michel Bouquet stars as a cranky seventysomething resident of a nursing home who believes he and the well-to-do boy next door Thomas (Thomas Godet, pictured front) had been switched at birth. Van Dormael understands perfectly the longing to be somebody and to right the wrongs of a lifetime. With Fabienne Loriaux and Klaus Schindler (pictured) as the young Thomas’ parents (Cinemax Tuesday at 6:45 a.m.).

Other four-star films airing this week:

Kramer vs. Kramer TMC, Sunday, 10:40 a.m., Monday, 5 a.m., Thursday, 12:30 p.m.

Jules and Jim Bravo, Monday, 5 p.m., again at 8:30 p.m.

The China Syndrome HBO, Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.

North by Northwest TBS, Wednesday, 10:35 p.m.

A Room with a View Bravo, Thursday, 7:30 p.m., again at 11:30 p.m.

Hail the Conquering Hero AMC, Friday, 2 p.m.