Humphrey Bogart stars in this classic film noir that is the first recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of The Big Sleep. Dashiel Hammett’s book comes to life under the direction of John Huston, who also penned the adapted screenplay, with gumshoe Sam Spade (Bogart) finding…
Tag: murder
Magnum p.i. (1982) – The Elmo Ziller Story and Three Minus Two
Season two of Magnum p.i. comes to a close with the two episodes this week. First up is The Elmo Ziller Story, which aired 25 March, 1982, and was written by Robert Hamilton. Thomas (Tom Selleck) thinks Higgins (John Hillerman) is him on when he’s asked to protect Elmo Ziller, who looks exactly like…
The Rockford Files (1978) – Heartaches of a Fool and Rosendahl and Gilda Stern are Dead
Private investigator Jim Rockford (James Garner) is back as season five opens. The season premier was 22 September, 1978 and saw Jim’s dad, Rocky (Noah Beery jr.) in a bit of a trouble in this episode written by Cannell. And the first phone message of the year features a phone call from a person…
Reliquary (1997) – Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The second novel in the Pendergast series from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child serves as a direct sequel to 1995’s The Relic. Pendergast, Margo, Frock, D’Agosta and Smithback are all back with the addition of a few new characters including the tough, and very smart Hayward. And while the revelation in the final act…
Magnum p.i. (1982) – Try To Remember and Italian Ice
More Hawaiian fun this week, as Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) investigates more mysteries in Oahu. First up is Try to Remember, written by Reuben Leder and Andrew Schneider and aired on 28 January, 1982. Things are pretty dire as the episode opens, Thomas is being pulled from the Ferrari, which has been completely totaled…
Mildred Pierce (1945) – Michael Curtiz
Joan Crawford stars in this recommendation following my screening of Les Enfants du Paradis for the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. I’ve never been a huge Crawford fan, but quite enjoyed her turn in this film, a strong drama, that starts with the murder of Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott). Told through her…
The Rockford Files (1978) – The Gang at Don’s Drive-In and The Paper Palace
Jim (James Garner) meets up with an old friend, with a problem, in the first episode this week, The Gang at Don’s Drive-In. It was written by James Crocker and aired 13 January, 1978. The phone gag features a call from someone who just went through 12 years of therapy, and will happily tell Jim what he…
The Last Policeman (2012) – Ben H. Winters
This week’s perusal of the Book Shelf brought me this, the first in a trilogy, that combines a whodunnit with some light science fiction. Not too long from now, an asteroid, Maia, is discovered, way too late to do anything about it, on a direct collision with Earth. They have until the beginning of…
Magnum, P.I. (1981) – Tropical Madness & Wave Goodbye
Robert Hamilton writes an episode this week, well, originally aired 12 November, 1981, that causes some great strain on Thomas’ (Tom Selleck) and Higgins’ (John Hillerman) relationship in Tropical Madness. When a young English woman, Jennifer Chapman (Devon Ericson), seems to prefer Higgins to Magnum, Thomas is a little suspicious, but Higgins, flattered by…
The Rockford Files (1977) – The Mayor’s Committee from Deer Lick Falls & Hotel of Fear
This week finds Jim (James Garner) in all kinds of trouble as he gets caught up in a murder scheme, and Angel (Stuart Margolin) becomes a target of a hitman! First up is The Mayor’s Committee from Dee Lick Falls, which aired 25 November, 1977, and was written by William R. Stratton. The phone gag…
The Mind Reels 