TODAY

Course of Our Times--History. Part two: the Russian Revolution. A study of the rise of the Bolsheviks and the influence of Lenin on Marxist doctrine. Ch. 44. 9 p.m. 1 hour.

SATURDAY

Brian's Song. A television movie repeat about Gale Sayers and his friendship with Brian Piccolo, a teammate on the Chicago Bears who died of cancer. Absolutely compelling story. Ch. 5, 8:30 p.m., 1 1/2 hours.

Gaslight [1994]. Ingrid Bergman's Oscar winning performance as a housewife slowly driven insane by her husband (Charles Boyer). Directed by George Cukor (director of The Philadelphia Story). Ch. 5, 11:15 p.m. B/W, 2 hours, 20 min.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? [1962]. An almost sickening psychological portrait of two sisters; a vengeful child-actress grown old (Bette Davis) imprisons her crippled sister (Joan Crawford). Ch. 56, 11:30 p.m. B/W.

SUNDAY

Harper [1966]. Paul Newman plays a private eye trying to unravel the mystery of a millionaire's (Lauren Bacall) disappearance. Ch. 56, 4 p.m., 2 hours

Duck Soup [1933]. The Marx Brothers, all four of them. Ch. 38, 4:30 p.m., 1 1/2 hours.

The Charge of the Light Brigade [1936]. A depiction of the events leading up to a British cavalry charge against the Russians in the Crimean War. Including Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and David Niven. Ch. 56, 6:30 p.m. B/W, 2 hours.

Firing Line. William F. Buckley hosts political analysts with guests Ben Wattenberg [The Real America] and Lenny Davis [The Emerging Democratic Majority] giving a breakdown of the Nov. 5 elections. Who knows why people vote the way they do? Ch. 2, 9:30 p.m. 1 hour.

Dr. No [1962]. James Bond's screen debut, with Sean Connery and Ursula Andress. According to Roy Solell, our Bond-expert, "It's one of the dullest movies ever made...Connery's face looks like it's been cut up into six different parts and then stitched back together again...he's a real walking shark, the most vapid sexist of all times...in trying to portray Bond as the master of style and elan he just comes off as if he were reading a cue card...Connery puts clumsiness back into violence." Ch. 5, 9 p.m., 2 hours, 15 min.

MONDAY

Casablanca [1942]. What can you say that's new about Bogey, Ingrid Bergman, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, and Claude Rains, except maybe that Rains is actually a deus ex machina at the end and that you should read the short story, "Sodom and Gomorrah," by Richard Berczeller in the October 14 issue of the New Yorker about Michael Curtiz, the film's director. Ch. 56, 10 p.m. B/W.

TUESDAY

Brief Encounter. Premier television movie adapted from Noel Coward's play about two romantic lovers bored with their spouses. Starring Sophia Loren and Richard Burton. Ch. 4, 8:30 p.m. 1 1/2 hours.

WEDNESDAY

The Gun. A television movie dramatization of the gun-control issue about a single gun and the different purposes of its various owners. Ch. 5, 8:30 p.m., 1 1/2 hours.

Great Performances--Music. Herbert von Karajan, acclaimed "the most powerful musician in Europe," conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in a performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Von Karajan was the conductor for Deutsche Grammophone's famous collection of Beethoven's symphonies. Ch. 2, 9 p.m., 1 hour.

The Maltese Falcon [1941]. Classic Bogart, with Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet. Directed by John Huston. Ch. 56, 10 p.m. B/W.