TELEVISION

SATURDAY

The Andersonville Trial. A riveting dramatization of the 1865 war-crimes trial of Henry Wirz, commandant of the Confederate POW camp where 13,000 Union soldiers died during the Civil War. This production, which won an Emmy in 1970, was the first triumph of NET's accomplished Hollywood Television Theater. George C. Scott directs an excellent cast. Ch. 2, 8 p.m. 3 hours.

City for Conquest [1940]. The first installment in a week-long WKBG tribute to James Cagney. (See Monday, 9:30 p.m.) Ch. 56, 11:25 p.m. B/W, 2 hours.

SUNDAY

NBC Presents: White Collar America. NBC examines the life of America's office workers and probably concludes what we all know: that such work usually involves either cut-throat competition or stifling boredom. Still this is probably worth watching. NBC documentaries are usually meticulously researched and well reported. Ch. 4, 10 p.m. 1 hour.

MONDAY

Z [1969]. An enormously skillful political chiller that gave Constantine Costa-Gavras (who has since directed The Confession and State of Siege) his first taste of U.S. box office success. The script is based on the 1963 assassination of Greek pacifist Gregarios Lambrakis. This is a film about government complicity in murder, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice. It could never, of course, happen here. Ch. 56, 9 p.m. Color, 2 1/2 hours.

Salute to James Cagney. It has been said that Cagney is one of a handful of actors whose last name instantly evokes recognition and respect. (Among the others: Bogart, Brando, Chaplin.) Tonight, the American Film Institute honors him with its second annual lifetime achievement award. If last year's AFI salute to John Ford is any indication, the ceremony (which CBS is broadcasting in condensed form five days after it occurred) will be boring and corny. Last year, legions of Hollywood celebrities tripped over themselves and President Nixon trying to outdo each other in paying soapy homage to Ford. Nixon will not be there this year; that alone will make the ceremony more bearable. But the ceremony itself does not matter; what counts is that AFI is honoring Cagney. The tribute has triggered a like response from WKBG-TV: The Cambridge station has scheduled a week of Cagney, beginning with City for Conquest on Saturday night. Watch as many of the films as you can. They showcase an actor of remarkable versatility, one whose gift for comedy and drama, song and dance, intensity and froth has remained unmatched since his retirement 13 years ago. Ch. 7, 9:30 p.m. 1 1/2 hours.

Public Enemy [1931]. Cagney plays a punk who grows up to be a crook. The film that made him famous. Ch. 56, 11:30 p.m. B/W, 2 hours.

TUESDAY

Yandee Doodle Dandy [1941]. Cagney in the musical biography of songwriter George M. Cohan. Ch. 56, 8 p.m. B/W, 2 1/2 hours.

Each Dawn I Die [1939]. Cagney as a framed reporter who becomes a hardened convict. Also starring George Raft. Ch. 56, 11:30 p.m. B/W, 2 hours.

WEDNESDAY

Uncle Sam Requests the Pleasure Of... An examination of key questions relating to America's new volunteer army. Ch. 2, 10 p.m. 1 hour.

The Fighting 69th. Cagney again, this time fighting to save democracy in World War I. Ch. 56, 11:30 p.m. B/W, 2 hours.