It was announced sometime last year that NBC was working on a remake of The Rockford Files, and it’s been mentioned here once or twice. The original was great, and I’ve been watching the reruns again lately. In the wrong hands, this news would worry me slightly; trampling on the memory of a classic and all. The remake is being produced by David Shore, though, and if anyone has a chance at understanding and recapturing what made the original work, he looks like the right guy.
Which still left the question of casting. The lead role needs a resourceful, but reluctant hero. When it’s 2:00 a.m., you’ve been arrested, and you’ve got one phone call, it’s his number you want in your pocket. Who could even dream of following in the footsteps of James Garner? Well, it’s…Dermot MulroneyComments? Suggestions for the other roles?
That’s not totally true. Left to his own devices, Jim was content with his life, even happy. My cite is the image of him at the end of the opening credits…with a smile on his face, his dad in the background.
That’s not to say he wasn’t cynical and world-weary as well. With at all the bozos he had to deal with, that was unavoidable.
While I’ve liked what I’ve seen from the guy, I’m having a hard time picturing him punching anybody. (This could be because I’ve only seen him in chick flicks.)
I’ve been wondering of what else needs to change to bring the show 35 years into the future. How does a cynical, wisecracking PI keep himself in tacos and fishing line in the computer age? Jim always struck me as a little old fashioned. The new Jim will have to have a cell phone, but I can’t picture him hacking into the DMV database to run a license plate.
My response was, “Oh, shit.” Not feeling it, man. Course, those are big shoes to fill - James Garner has an extremely high level of charisma. Dermot Mulroney is…not bad-looking.
