"The Rockford Files" A Portrait of Elizabeth (1976)

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Director:

Meta Rosenberg

Writers:

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

TV Series:

"The Rockford Files" (1974)

Original Air Date:

23 January 1976 (Season 2, Episode 16)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A client of Beth's hires Jim misleadingly to check on his company. |

Plot Keywords:

Car Chase | Police | Detective | Answering Machine | Sting Operation

Cast

James Garner	...	Jim Rockford
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford (credit only)
Joe Santos	...	Police Det. Dennis Becker
John Saxon	...	Dave Delaroux
Wayne Tippit	...	Agent Dan Shore
Tom Atkins	...	Lt. Alex Diehl
Cynthia Sikes	...	Susan Valero
Katherine Woodville	...	Karen Silver (as Kate Woodville)
Robert Riesel	...	Mickey Silver
Ned Wilson	...	Arnold Adams / Rod Fitzpatrick
Gretchen Corbett	...	Beth Davenport
Joe E. Tata	...	Bail Bondsman Solly Marshall
James Murtaugh	...	Tom Hanson
Angus Duncan	...	Morey Dayton
Michael Thoma	...	Maitre d'

Series Cast

These people are regular cast members. Were they in this episode?

James Luisi

...

Lt. Doug Chapman

Quotes:

Jim Rockford: This is Jim Rockford. At the tone leave your name and message, I'll get back to you.
Harry: [Beeep and the sound of voices in the background comes on] Jim, it's Harry. We've been waiting on you two hours. The forks! Where's the forks? Lasagna ain't no finger food!

Beth's Broken Heart

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Ever since season one, Jim Rockford and Beth Davenport have had more than a lawyer-client relationship. So when Beth shows up fussing over client Dave Devarow (John Saxon)Jim is a little confused, then immediately suspicious. At first he refuses to work for him, but Beth convinces him against Rockford's better judgment.

This is an extremely well written episode that explores the Rockford-Davenport relationship--what it is and what it isn't, and gives both Garner and Corbett a couple of great opportunities to do more than just solve crimes and get Jim out of jail. They both come through big time. Corbett is just great when she discovers the new guy she's interested in is a crook and probably a murderer. Garner shows he's more than a wise cracking detective as he suddenly realizes for the first time Beth was really in love with Dave and tries to console her. Cudos to Cannell too for writing a terrific scene for Beth as she confesses the way she feels for Jim and how she got involved with Dave.

The mystery itself is kind of secondary, involving $2 million in stolen cashier's checks, but there's good scenes throughout including when Rockford first meets Dave (watch how uncomfortably Corbett plays it!); a scene in which Rockford pulls a con to get a look at the cashier's checks; another where Diehl and Agent Shore fight over who gets to arrest Rockford; and another where Rockford meets Beth and Dave in a fancy restaurant and he's forced to wear a tie (watch how he subtly steals Beth's drink when he discovers the champagne bottle is empty!).

There's also a nice/sweet ending involving a portrait of Beth. This episode is a MUST see for fans of Gretchen Corbett and reminds me how much this series lost when she moved on (this is the first time she's billed with a "special appearance by" credit). It's too bad she and Jim didn't get back together as a couple in the CBS Made for TV Rockford movies in the 1990's.