The overall story of this episode is far-fetched in my opinion. As far fetched as it may be,it is extremely funny and entertaining. The acting is pretty darn good all around,everyone works very well together,it is quite believable. The pacing is busy but not rushed. The camera work is great.
The goofballs from Dearlick Falls steal the show as a wacky group that dig themselves into more and more trouble as the stakes get higher and higher and things spiral out of control.
I really liked this episode!
The Rockford Files (TV Series)
The Mayor's Committee from Deer Lick Falls (1977)
User Reviews
Review this title8 Reviews
Lots of fun
VetteRanger2 February 2023
Priscilla Barnes looks GREAT in this episode, though she's in far too little of it as far as I'm concerned.
After another bit of business, four respectable(?) men from Michigan who've come to LA try to hire Jim Rockford to murder the niece of one of the men. Rockford turns them down and turns them in, but of course, they've prepared a counter story to turn the tables. With Rockford's past, guess who gets believed by everyone in authority.
Once again Rockford is the born loser, doing the right thing for the right reason and getting shafted because of it.
When he finally finds the niece (Priscilla Barnes as mentioned) he finally finds out why they may want to kill her. Then it's Jim's turn to turn the tables. :-)
After another bit of business, four respectable(?) men from Michigan who've come to LA try to hire Jim Rockford to murder the niece of one of the men. Rockford turns them down and turns them in, but of course, they've prepared a counter story to turn the tables. With Rockford's past, guess who gets believed by everyone in authority.
Once again Rockford is the born loser, doing the right thing for the right reason and getting shafted because of it.
When he finally finds the niece (Priscilla Barnes as mentioned) he finally finds out why they may want to kill her. Then it's Jim's turn to turn the tables. :-)
A solid episode!
mm-3922 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
One of the better episode. I liked it. A solid episode with many other solid episodes which made a classic series. The Rockford files has an injection of reality. There must have been some technical advisers to give the series some grit. The Mayor's Committee from Deer Lick Falls has a tragic story of an Uncle who wants to kill his niece who reported the Mayor Committee to the I R S. Jail time and not realizing what would happen put the niece and Jim into a pickle. A good story which has the characters degenerate with a mixture of fear and self preservation. The Mayor's Committee from Deer Lick Falls has some gritty character moments with the cast degenerating into the animals people are. Jim is the moral rock the man who seen it all with his prison time that understand situation. A memorable ending.
some good moments
stones7815 March 2011
The opening scene with Rockford riding the fire truck is amusing, as he looks like a kid in a candy store. As it turns out, he's being fattened for the kill, as these 4 old geezers want him to kill one of the men's niece, played about average by Priscilla Barnes(Three's Company). I thought one moment she should've shown more emotion; when she's close to being run over by her uncle, she just gazes and says "he tried to kill me" while standing next to Jim. I can only wonder what Garner was thinking at that moment. A few more head scratching moments was how Jim's car abruptly stops in someone's yard, considering the brakes were cut; another was how one of the men pulls a shotgun in a busy mall trying to kill the woman. He couldn't possibly think he wouldn't get caught, right? Look for a familiar face in Fritzi Burr, who is usually getting on Fred Sanford's nerves; she has several appearances on the Rockford Files as well. There's a few scenes with Rocky, Dennis, and one with Chapman, although no outside shot of the trailer, which was disappointing. Overall, this episode has good scenes and some bad, but certainly worth seeing if you're a fan of this fine series.
Murder and being starstruck
safenoe10 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoy revisiting The Rockford Files, especially in these pandemic times. Here I especially enjoyed how one character (Jerry Hardin) got so starstruck seeing Hollywood celebrities, as they recruit Rockford to murder someone who could blow the lid on tax corruption.
Deer Lick Falls All American Squares
bkoganbing22 November 2012
You really would have thought that the town movers and shakers of Deer Lick Falls, Michigan would have put a little more thought in the matter than they did when they approach Jim Rockford about a contract killing. I guess they thought an ex-convict who was a private detective was ripe for the job and would do it no questions asked.
No two ex-convicts are exactly alike though as we've met so many of James Garner's jail-house buddies over the course of the series. But Garner when he reports them to the police, they are a bit leery about going after these city fathers, Deer Lick Falls All American squares.
The squares are Richard O'Brien, Edward Binns, Charles Aidman, and Jerry Hardin and the one they want killed is his niece Priscilla Barnes who is a struggling actress in Los Angeles. It has to do with her unwittingly knowing about a massive tax fraud they're all guilty of.
Not in the business of murder these four are really not doing that good except for the one time they nearly kill Garner and Barnes in a car with a cut brake line. All that does is make them look suspicious.
Stuart Margolin puts in an appearance in this and some Rockford Files episodes are written to show why Rockford keeps Angel around. Occasionally his conman talents are useful and he does for a small fee help in conning these guys to take them down.
As this episode proves, an image of respectability sometimes helps when you're accused of something bad.
No two ex-convicts are exactly alike though as we've met so many of James Garner's jail-house buddies over the course of the series. But Garner when he reports them to the police, they are a bit leery about going after these city fathers, Deer Lick Falls All American squares.
The squares are Richard O'Brien, Edward Binns, Charles Aidman, and Jerry Hardin and the one they want killed is his niece Priscilla Barnes who is a struggling actress in Los Angeles. It has to do with her unwittingly knowing about a massive tax fraud they're all guilty of.
Not in the business of murder these four are really not doing that good except for the one time they nearly kill Garner and Barnes in a car with a cut brake line. All that does is make them look suspicious.
Stuart Margolin puts in an appearance in this and some Rockford Files episodes are written to show why Rockford keeps Angel around. Occasionally his conman talents are useful and he does for a small fee help in conning these guys to take them down.
As this episode proves, an image of respectability sometimes helps when you're accused of something bad.
Hit Man Rockford
zsenorsock13 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Four of the top city officials (Charles Aidman, Ed Binns, Jerry Hardin and Chuck Hamet) from Deer Lick, Michigan hire Jim to investigate some fire engines for them, and see if they are worth buying. After he comes through one of the men approaches Jim and asks him to help find his niece, Lauren Ingeborg (Pricislla Barnes!)....and kill her! The reason the guys think Jim is going to go for their deal is "he's so hungry for money" that he took their fire truck job, he lives in a beat up trailer and has a prison record. When Jim turns around on them and tells the police, they are insulated by what Dennis calls their "black belt of respectability".
It seems like a real stretch that these guys would approach Rockford to do a murder without feeling him out a little on this. Pricilla Barnes looks smoking hot as Lauren, but somehow there's just no chemistry at all between her and Rockford. Stuart Margolin does a brief turn as Angel and tries to liven up the proceedings as he plays a man from the coroner's office, but he's not given much to do. Nor is "WKRP" star Richard Saunders, who plays a humorless IRS agent. The whole script seems a bit uninspired and perhaps a draft or two away from what it should have been.
There is one inspired visual though: when Rockford is searching for Ingerborg, he goes to theater after theater. At one there is a poster for their show--"Mr. Roberts"--featuring an all-girl cast!
It seems like a real stretch that these guys would approach Rockford to do a murder without feeling him out a little on this. Pricilla Barnes looks smoking hot as Lauren, but somehow there's just no chemistry at all between her and Rockford. Stuart Margolin does a brief turn as Angel and tries to liven up the proceedings as he plays a man from the coroner's office, but he's not given much to do. Nor is "WKRP" star Richard Saunders, who plays a humorless IRS agent. The whole script seems a bit uninspired and perhaps a draft or two away from what it should have been.
There is one inspired visual though: when Rockford is searching for Ingerborg, he goes to theater after theater. At one there is a poster for their show--"Mr. Roberts"--featuring an all-girl cast!
Not Up to Snuff
dballtwo22 February 2021
This is well below the usual Rockford Files standard, mainly due to a weak script. The idea behind the plot is that the police turn a blind eye first to a detailed and credible report about a murder scheme, and secondly to an attempt on the designated victim. It just doesn't wash. Nor does the idea that the suspects would press ahead with their plan when their identities have been blown. Action shows, even as good as Rockford, often hope the visuals and some snappy dialogue will surmount logical shortcomings, and just carry the viewer along.
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