"The Rockford Files" The Dexter Crisis (1974)

Avaliação/utilizador:

8,2/10   

Diretor:

Alexander Grasshoff

Escritores:

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

Seriado de TV:

"The Rockford Files" (1974)

Data de Estréia Original:

15 Novembro 1974 (Temporada 1,Episódio 11)

Gênero:

Crime | Drama | Suspense

Argumento:

Plot Keywords:

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

Comentários dos utilizadores:

Lost Wages

Elenco

James Garner	...	Jim Rockford
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Joseph 'Rocky' Rockford (credit only) (as Noah Beery)
Lee Purcell	...	Susan Parsons / Donna Westin
Linda Kelsey	...	Louise Henderson
Ron Soble	...	Kermit Higby
Tim O'Connor	...	Charles Dexter
Joyce Jameson	...	Marge White
Burke Byrnes	...	Deputy Sheriff
Bing Russell	...	Lieutenant E. Sesions

Duração:

60 min

Língua:

Inglês

Cor:

Cor (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1,33 : 1

Som:

Mono

Companhia :

Roy Huggins-Public Arts Productions

Citações:

Jim Rockford: [Rockford bends down and looks into open car window of rival P.I. Kirmit Higby] Hi Kirm, it's good to see you crawling out from under your rock from time to time.
Kermit Higby: I thought I gave you a good lesson last time, Rockford. What's wrong? Don't you remember how I spread your nose out for you?
Jim Rockford: Oh I remember; lucky punch. I'm not worried. Generally you can hit the ground with your feet.
Kermit Higby: Well maybe you need to be taught another lesson.
Jim Rockford: Looks that way, let me help you.
[Rockford pulls back on the car door as Higby opens it, then slams it against Higby's wrist when he tries to get out, putting him in instant agony]
Jim Rockford: Clumsy, clumsy Kirm. Ah well, it looks like you've got a couple of choices: either you can tell me what you're doing following me and why you knocked me out in Susan's room, or you can sit here with your hand in the door while I sharpen my right cross. Which is it?
Kermit Higby: [In pained voice] I didn't knock you out...
Jim Rockford: Okay Kirm, I'm going to let your dentist rebuild your whole mouth.
Kermit Higby: Suit yourself...
[...]

Lost Wages

*** Este comentário pode conter spoilers ***

Two attractive young women go upstairs to their beach front pad and one of them looks through binoculars to get a license plate. It's written down and then we are whisked to the very stuffy office of the very stuffy Charles Dexter, who is having a meeting with Jim and scolding him about his habits while complimenting him on his reputation. Jim looks to ash in what looks like an ash tray, but he's yelled at that the dish isn't there for that purpose. Dexter doesn't have an ash tray for him, so he calls his secretary in to dispense of Jim's cigarette - classy.

The issue at hand is a missing person's case, one that has been closed by the police after two days. Seems that Dexter's mistress has gone missing but there are no signs of forced entry, etc. Rockford pushes for info, none of which Dexter is too excited to divulge, as admitting to adultery is not as exciting as committing adultery. After a ridiculous undershooting of Jim's fee, Dexter agrees to pay him his $200 / day plus expenses. He gives Jim a key to the beach house he pays for and that his girlfriend lives in and we're off.

The investigation leads to the girl with the binoculars, who is an innocent law student who just wants to find her friend, a rival PI that once sucker punched Jim, and the 1974 version of Las Vegas. The missing girl is found, with a pseudonym and big sunglasses. Jim pretends to be a professional gambler with a system and strikes up a relationship. There are some multiple cons going on here, but nothing as mysterious as the page for Nick Angelos (please pay attention to the announcements during the casino scenes - they are in Vegas for a couple of days, and no one can seem to find Mr. Angelos). The cons are revealed, the girls are looking to make off with Dexter's $250K of company hush money, the rival PI was hired by Dexter's wife to prove some expected infidelity, and the final scene ends with Rockford's expected pay day to be (as usual) much less than was expected. Great throw away line here, too, as Dexter zings Jim about his "lavish" expenses, the room that Jim stayed in while in Vegas was about as lavish as his trailer.

Missing from this episode are the regulars and the regular haunts - no trailer scenes, no restaurant scenes, no walks back to the trailer with fish just caught with Rocky. That said, this was a good story with a nice punchline - 7/10