Brock's Last Case (1973)

the audience applauded

Pretty Good

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

I first saw this one back in the early 90's when it showed up on midweek daytime TV here in the UK. I remembered it being an enjoyable enough, if unremarkable, effort. Having just seen it again I do have to say that that original assessment still holds. Brock is a burnt-out NYC cop who retires from life in the firing line of the Big Apple and retires to a ranch in the Californian countryside. On arrival, his Native American ranch hand is arrested for the murder of the local sheriff. The situation appears fishy though and before long Brock is recruited to investigate.This is one of a very specific type of TV movie which was a pilot for a series that never was. I can see why they thought they might have a workable idea to be honest, as detective dramas were ten-a-penny back in the 70's, while the whole fish-out-of-water idea is one in which many plot-lines can sprout from. Yet it remained a one-off film and was not picked up. Truthfully, they could have worked out a better story-line I reckon, as the central mystery is not especially interesting. Nevertheless, it's still a decent enough film which benefits from its TV movie charm and, in Richard Widmark, it had a good main star.

Richard Widmark stars as a New York City detective who is not happy with the new trends in law enforcement, things like Miranda you know. Also citizens aren't showing the same kind of respect for police as they used to. This last arrest he swears will be Brock's Last Case as he retires to an orange grove in southern California that he put money down on.As it turns out though Widmark's professional expertise is needed because the sheriff was murdered and the man looking good for it is Henry Darrow the American Indian who has been looking after Widmark's orange grove and not too successfully I might add. The acting sheriff is young Michael Burns and he needs all the help he can get.In this sleepy town in which folks like Will Geer and John Anderson are trying to get a real estate boom started Darrow and his tribe aren't very popular. A lot of people would see it most convenient if he was guilty. Darrow looks good because the sheriff and two more people are killed during the course of the film with his arrows.Brock's Last Case might have been a good television series, but it was never picked up. With the cast list I wonder how it could not have been. I did like Beth Brickell who was a neighboring rancher and an attorney who has ACLU instincts. She would have been law and order cop Widmark's romantic interest and professional rival.Widmark did do a series based on Madigan one of his best films, but the series wasn't a patch on the Don Siegel classic.Brock's Last Case though is not in Madigan the movie's league, but still pleasant viewing.

"Spoiler Warning!" This movie was filmed in the City of Coachella and the Coachella Police Department was used as back prop. Les O'Neil was COP, and I was one of the escorting officers during the making of the movie and can say that Mr. Widmark was total professional during the entire time. I enjoyed watching him work, along with Henry Darrow and Mike Burns, who showed quite a bit of interest in the operations of the police department. During the making of the movie, I took approximately 100-150 pictures and it does bring back memories. One of the best was the court room with Dub Taylor and Beth Brickell, when she shot the arrow into the picture of Dub Taylor over the entrance into the court. My wife and I sat in the courtroom when that was done. I had that picture up until a couple of years ago, when it finally came apart and I had to throw it away. All the cast and crew members were fun to work with and were professionals.

This film was recently aired on Channel 5.It is at its best when it is based in New York.Although there is the usual fun when a city dweller goes to the country it starts to run rapidly downhill at this time.The action sequences are to my mind tedious and seem to go on for eternity without really reaching any climax.By the time this film reaches its finale one simply does not care about who is the culprit and his motives.The one thing that shines out of this film is Widmarks professionalism and sheer durability.He was always a favourite of mine.It is a shame that he is now retired and so we have no more Richard Widmark films to look forward to.