Moustroll
Good movie but grossly overrated
AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Roman Sampson
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
mark-rojinsky
The Rockford Files [1974-1980] was the best ever television private-detective series: American or otherwise. It captured the zeitgeist of LA in the mid-'70s perfectly and rationally. James Garner is effortlessly competent and charming - he is so rational and professionally excellent! I enjoyed his role as Maverick as well. Each episode had a zen-like feel and the very '70s urban aesthetics of LA, Malibu and Beverley Hills are marvellously conjured up. The theme tune by Mike Post is stylish and memorable and the unpredictable and sometimes weird plot-lines are highly entertaining and extremely well-written. It shows just how original and manifold '70s television could be.
AMar_rom
James Garner stars as PI Jim Rockford in this seminal TV-crime series that until now has not been matched (and probably never will). Rockford is a modern-day Philip Marlowe operating from his trailer house in a Californian beach. His ability to read the situations beforehand gives him an edge and never ceases to outsmart the 'bad' guys even in cases when the odds are too skewed against him.The chemistry with his father is great and I always enjoyed the episodes when he tries to cover for 'Angel' his old pal who always brings him unwanted trouble.The fact that Rockford served time in prison makes him 'streetsmart' and he appears to know many of the ways the crime people operate. Despite some of his unorthodox methods that are on the verge of crossing the law lines he is a person of dignity and humanism. The 'Files' will remain a landmark of high quality television.
stones78
Everything about the Rockford Files is done fairly well, especially James Garner's performance and laid back charisma he presents in Jim Rockford, a somewhat struggling private investigator living in a trailer in Paradise Cove. He also happens to be an ex con, but was released from prison on a pardon. The writing is also terrific, and many of the episodes revolve around murders, robberies, kidnappings, etc. Many colorful characters include Sgt. Becker, Angel, and Rocky Rockford(Jim's dad), and they all make this show click, and there's hardly any boring moments, except for maybe a few too many car chases. Even the theme song was a minor radio hit in 1975. What impresses me, other than the writing, is many great outdoor shots in different parts of California, and yet I heard the show became too expensive to keep producing because of the cost of filming in these locations all over the state. I know that Garner had major knee problems too.As I said earlier, the glue to this show is Garner's portrayal of Rockford, especially because he doesn't overact or make him larger than life, rather underplays the character to make him more human, unlike other characters in similar shows.
bkoganbing
I'm of the opinion that The Rockford Files did nothing less than save James Garner's career. I yield to no one in my admiration for this man as an actor. I read somewhere that it was said of him he makes every thing he's in just a little bit better by being there.But it was clear that his movie career at the time he was offered The Rockford Files was waning, he was not getting the good parts he once had on the big screen. What to do, but go back to television where Maverick had made him a big star.Though Garner's character and personality were certainly an integral part of the show, what I think set The Rockford Files apart was the terrific writing of each and every episode and the creation of some indelible characters. The best of course was Stuart Margolin as Angel Martin who was con man. Margolin did four or five episodes a year with The Rockford Files and he pulled Garner into one of his crazy schemes in every episode and Garner had to be resourceful to get them out.Garner was an ex-convict who apparently took a fall for some other people. His prison experience certainly toughened him and he went into the private detective business when paroled.Naturally the LAPD as do other police agencies don't like private eyes as a general rule and ex-con PIs really gets their collective backs up. Jim Rockford had a running battle with Lieutenant Chapman played beautifully by James Luisi who was never convinced Garner was on the up and up. Rockford had a good friend in Joe Santos as Sergeant later Lieutenant Dennis Becker who ran interference for him.He also had the support of his dad, Noah Beery, Jr. who was a retired truck driver and who occasionally got roped into some of Garner's cases as well. And he had a pretty lady lawyer Gretchen Corbett and with his relations with the cops, Garner had to have her on speed dial.Gretchen Corbett got a great career role in Beth Davenport. I'm not sure why she's not mentioned more as a feminist icon, a successful female professional if there ever was one on television.And other semi-recurring characters were folks like Isaac Hayes as Gandolf Finch another prison buddy, a man of few words and a demeanor that made Mr. T look like a friendly tour guide. Tom Selleck was here also as another private eye, Lance White, who kept getting credit for some of the grunt work Garner put in. This part led him to his own television series Magnum which in fact was patterned a lot on The Rockford Files. The show was rich with characters.The Rockford Files to me is perfect series television, entertaining without condescension to the lowest common denominator. After physical problems forced the cancellation, James Garner came back in the nineties to do several Rockford television films. They were good, but face it Garner was getting old and tending to the gut a bit more.With his recent stroke and the fact he's now 80 years old, I don't think another Rockford Files is in the cards. I wish it weren't so
