The Rockford Files (TV Series) So Help Me God (1976) User Reviews

A legal roust

[bkoganbing · 9/10 · 19 December 2014]

One of the best Rockford Files episodes ever was this one that as it says in its coda is quite the indictment of the Grand Jury system. It's also a great lesson as to the power of an unscrupulous prosecutor and how he can give a legal roust to any citizen.

It's a given that anyone with a criminal record is going to be subject to something like what Jim Rockford has done to him in this episode. One of Paul Newman's best films Absence Of Malice is even more eloquent on that subject than this Rockford Files episode.

James Garner gets called to testify before a Grand Jury given a subpoena not even telling what it's about and Gretchen Corbett tells him he has to show up. When he doesn't give the right answers prosecutor William Daniels has Garner thrown in the pokey for contempt. Twice even. The second time when he tells Daniels what he thinks of him and the Grand Jury system.

This is all over the disappearance of a union official which looks like a kidnapping, something like Jimmy Hoffa. This official on the day of his disappearance placed a phone call to Jim Rockford and Garner denies ever talking to him or knowing him.

What struck me about this whole story was that if Daniels wanted to really get at the truth he could have asked Garner like a human being and probably gotten what he sought. As it turns out Garner does know the man, but not under that name. Instead a whole lot of bad things happen to Garner because Daniels is on some ego trip. Just like Bob Balaban the prosecutor in Absence Of Malice.

I truly wanted to smack Stuart Margolin who tries to hold up his old prison buddy Garner after he's found out something Garner needs. I mean really Angel, the man is back in the joint and not really having access to cash. Still that doesn't stop our favorite con man.

One of the best Rockford Files episodes ever done and it still has a valuable point to make about our criminal justice system.

Law & DisOrder

[zsenorsock · 10/10 · 8 December 2006]

This is one of the all-around best episodes of the show, featuring a terrific script, both humor and serious conflict, a decent mystery, a good performance by all our regulars and a great guest shot.

Rockford is confused when he's called in to testify by the Grand Jury about union boss Frank Sorvino. He's never met Sorvino or talked to him. Yet prosecutor Gary Bevins (William Daniels, being far more "obnoxious and disliked" than he ever was in "1776") seems to think Rockford is the key to Sorvino's disappearance. He is arrogant and treats Rockford like he's a criminal. Jim first ends up in jail on contempt of court charges, then is freed to finds out what's really going on.

William Daniels is quite memorable as Bevins and makes a great opponent to Rockford, bringing out some of the best acting James Garner has had the opportunity to do in the series. The two scenes where he tells Bevins off in court are real highlights. It's too bad they didn't try and bring Bevin back sometime. You get the feeling he probably plays cards with Lt. Diehl and Chapman.

There's a great scene in a trucking yard (the same one used in "Gearjammmers") where a couple of union thugs try and lean on Jim but he escapes on a passing semi, and Angel (Stuart Margolin) has a terrific scene as he visits Jim in prison. Jim's brother Jack appears as the court's bailiff.

In a Rockford Files rarity, we get to see Beth (Gretchen Corbett) Davenport's office as she tries to help Jim with his testimony and around the contempt charges. Judging by the way they interact, Beth and Jim appear to be "just friends" again. (Friends with benefits?)

I also have to point out what a deft job director Jannot Szwarc does with the show's direction, switching between comedy and drama (especially the scenes with Jim in the prison laundry) and keeping the entire episode at an electric pace.

Gretchen Corbett fans be on the alert

[CoastalCruiser · 8/10 · 17 April 2012]

Gretchen Corbett has never looked better than in this episode, so it seems a good place to insert a few comments about her...

Gretchen really adds to this series, doesn't she? I mean, she's a very attractive woman. In fact, one or more reviewers consistently refer to her as the 'fetching' Gretchen Corbett... which I have just shortened to 'fetchen Gretchen'. :> However, beyond that she is a really good actress and conveys the kind of nuance and subtlety only a great actor can confer. She is nearly as good at being Beth as Stuart Margolin is at being Angel... which is saying a lot! One test of a good actor in my book is how they behave when they are not speaking, and/or when the are not the point of focus in a scene. Beth is often not talking in her scenes with Jim (he will be dialoging with another character while she observes the action). Watch how she behaves. She is a very good 're-actor'. She will just stand there and react beautifully to the acting of those around her, not trying to steal the scene. She never tries to upstage her fellow actors. As to whether that is because she 'knows' the eyes will be on her regardless due to her pretty face and nice figure, or whether she is even aware of that factor, I cannot say, but would tend to bet on the latter. She has a background in Shakespeare and other stage work, so I tend to think the producers of the show (Chase?) just had a great eye for talent, and thus we have the treat of great actors like Corbett and Margolin catalyzing further Garner great work and the underlining story in this entertaining and timeless series. Yipee!

Jailhouse Rockford

[stones78 · 22 April 2011]

While this isn't one of my favorite episodes from this great show, it is typically well written as usual, and there's a lot of story crammed in just under 50 minutes. I normally prefer this show in an outdoor setting, and most of this takes place in court or in jail; I also can't recall any shots of the Firebird and only minimal shots of the trailer, but I digress. Back to the story, Jim is subpoenaed to appear in court because of the disappearance of a local mobster named Frank Sorvino(from Newark?), and the powers that be think Rockford may have helped him to escape because Sorvino did in fact hire Jim. William Daniels is great as the prosecutor questioning Jim, who pleads the 5th, and eventually gets sent to prison unless he testifies. I also noticed a few bit players here from Columbo episodes, although their names escapes me. There are some scenes with Jim, Rocky, and Beth together, Angel, and even Dennis makes a few appearances, the last being a touching scene in the hospital as Jim recovers from a knife wound from prison. It turns out that Sorvino hired Jim using another name, and Jim was unaware who he actually was, and eventually Sorvino and some other thugs get captured at the end of the show. Regarding my personal opinion, I'm not a huge fan of prison films and half of this episode takes place in jail, and the other half basically takes place in court. First Jim plays dumb, and then he quickly gets real smart in front of the jury and I had trouble being convinced that he can make the transformation so smoothly and act smarter than the clever prosecutor. I would still recommend this segment to the big Rockford fan, as it is still very solid and has terrific writing as usual, although it's not my personal cup of tea.

The episode where it's not funny anymore

[richkor-946-208660 · 9/10 · 19 February 2018]

During the course of the show, Rockford would always be pushed around and harrassed by just about anyone, from the police department to clients to some mobster with an italian-sounding last name. This extreme hostility towards him would often be used for comedic effect, with JIm having no idea why some mob muscle is roughing up his trailer (or him) for the upteenth time. So help me god, however, is the episode where it's just not funny anymore.

I mean that in a good sense. ''So help me god is probably the most serious episode of the show (perhaps tied with ''Return of the black shadow'') and really moving as a result. While not the main part of the show, the Rockford writers would never shy away from any societal injustice or problem. A huge flaw in the legal system is perfectly personified in Rockford's confussion and suffering throughout the episode. A compilation of most of the courtroom scenes (including the fantastic speech at the end) is avaible on Youtube and should be watched again and again.

as for this episode; I don't watch it as much as the others. Not because it's not excellent (it is), but because it's so depressing. It's a constant pile of mysery being dumped on our favourite hero, from beginning to end. This episode may not have the comedic or cinematic appeal of the other episodes, but will leave a huge impression on you nonetheless.

Nothing tops this

[BFPierce · 10/10 · 14 June 2019]

This will be a short review. In my humble opinion, So Help Me God is the single greatest episode of television entertainment ever filmed.

A serious episode.

[mm-39 · 6/10 · 17 January 2019]

A good episode, where one experience the abuses of the Grand Jury System. Jim gets unknowingly put into the Grand Jury meat grinder. What makes So help me God interesting is how Jim gets sent back to prison by slandered. The con's are out to get Jimmy who is unknowingly on the mobs hit list. Well written, acted and directed. The viewer is wondering how will Jim get out of this pickle. Worth watching. Not a classic episode, but memorable ones. 6 or 7 out of 10 stars.

Remind me again, why is Rockford supposed to like this guy?

[feindlicheubernahme · 6/10 · 18 December 2023]

Really, why is he friends with the guy? I've never liked the character very much, but I can see why many viewers do - he makes them laugh. But for Jim, he's mostly nothing than a serious liability who constantly puts his life in danger while also trying to con him.

In this episode, his refusal to give Jim the photo that he desperately needs until he gets his $10 (which Jim obviously can't have on him in jail) is so infuriating that it's not even funny. In the end, Jim has to wait one more day to see the photo while Angel scams him and Beth out of even more money.

The worst thing is that, next time, Jim will still treat him as his good friend. In reality, the moment Jim got out of jail, he should have tracked him down and knocked him into next Sunday then never had anything to do with him again.

Sorry, I'm definitely not a fan of these recurring comic relief con-artist characters that police and detective shows of the 70s, 80s and 90s all seemed obligated to have. The only one I ever liked was Huggy Bear. The rest just don't tickle my funny bone the way they're obviously meant to.