The Rockford Files (1974) (TV)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Richard T. Heffron

Writers:

Stephen J. Cannell (writer)
Roy Huggins (writer)

Release Date:

27 March 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Mystery | Drama

Plot:

Private investigator Jim Rockford is hired by a beautiful young woman to solve the murder of her father...

Plot Keywords:

TV Series Pilot | Private Detective | Beautiful Woman | James Rockford

Cast

James Garner	...	Jim Rockford
Lindsay Wagner	...	Sara Butler
William Smith	...	Jerry Grimes
Nita Talbot	...	Mildred Elias
Joe Santos	...	Detective Dennis Becker
Robert Donley	...	Joseph Rockford
Stuart Margolin	...	Evelyn 'Angel' Martin
Michael Lerner	...	Coroner Ruben Seelman
Bill Mumy	...	Nick Butler
Pat Renella	...	Morrie Talbot
Ted Gehring	...	Norm Mitchell
Joshua Bryant	...	Captain Harry Dell
Bill Quinn	...	Harry Butler
Robert Williams	...	Arnold DeMura
Claude Johnson	...	Officer

Also Known As:

The Rockford Files: Backlash of the Hunter

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cherokee Productions

Quotes:

Jim Rockford: I'm investigating the Kirkoff killings and I heard you were having an affair with Mrs. Kirkoff before she was killed.
Travis Buckman: Private cop, huh?
Jim Rockford: Look, you aren't gonna shoot anybody, we both know it, so why don't you put that thing away before you have an accident.
Travis Buckman: Who're you working for?
Jim Rockford: Well, that's confidential.
[Buckman cocks his gun]
Jim Rockford: Larry Kirkoff.
Travis Buckman: Larry Kirkoff? What you are, hard up for work or something?
Jim Rockford: Can I have my pants, please?

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Rockford Files: Godfather Knows Best (1996) (TV)

One of a kind

Does it get better than this?

Car chases. The mob. The damsel in distress in nearly every episode. And good ol' Jim Rockford, always in one fix or another, but with a heart of gold, a silver tongue and a printing press in his car so that he can create a fake business card for every occasion.

Much of this series was 70's stereotype, but James Garner absolutely carried it. His magnetism, good guy/tough guy persona and yet his utterly human characteristics (living in a trailer, always being chased by bill collectors or auditors, hurting his hand when delivering a right cross to a bad guy) have never been equaled since.

I used to race home when I was a kid and plant myself in front of the television when it showed on daytime reruns during the early 80's. For a long time, it seemed to disappear from television altogether, then sporadically ran on networks like TNN. I was delighted when TV Land purchased the rights and began showing it daily at 9:00 Pacific. It's been moved to 10:00, but I'll gladly stay up the extra hour to watch it.

What a great show. The television movies were good in their nostalgic way, but nothing matches (nor will ever match) the charm, humor and quality of the original.

10/10.