Who would win in a fight between Jim Rockford and Bruce Lee? While it seems like a far fetched concept the two did meet.It didn’t happen on an episode of The Rockford Files. Their legendary meeting was on the set of Marlowe. James Garner was playing the legendary private investigator Philip Marlowe in an adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s The Little Sister. Garner’s Philip Marlowe seems to be what he tapped when he set up his answering machine for Jim Rockford. Bruce Lee on the other hand plays a heavy instead of the hero. Marlowe set these two icons on a collision course.
Philip Marlowe gets hired for what seems to be a simple missing person case. He’s tracking down for the brother of a meek Kansas woman (Sharon Farrell). Is this just a case of a farmboy wanting to express himself in the free love of Los Angeles? Quickly Marlowe discovers that there’s nothing simple about this pursuit. The manager of a hippie hotel gets stabbed to death with an ice pick. A hotel neighbor (The Addams Family‘s Jackie Coogan) also dies after calling Marlowe with the promise of information. Luckily Marlowe finds a clue in a strange place on Coogan. Turns out the Kansas boy was a photographer who snapped pics of a TV star (Gayle Hunnicutt). Bruce Lee arrives as a messenger warning Marlowe to quit sniffing the brother’s trail. He hints at the consequences by destroying the P.I.’s office. He takes out an overhead lamp in a stunning move. But Marlowe won’t be intimidated.
Things get tense when Lt. Christy French (Carroll O’Connor) snoops around wanting to know why Marlowe’s connected to a few dead bodies around town. Director Paul Bogart was able to make a connection with O’Connor. Bogart would eventually direct nearly 100 episodes of All In the Family. Rita Moreno’s role foreshadows her future role in The Rockford Files. William Daniels would also get work on The Rockford Files. Even Bruce Lee and screen writer Stirling Silliphant would work together on the Longstreet TV series.
The rooftop battle between Bruce Lee and Marlowe went against everything Lee had done in his cinema career. No need to spoil the ending of Rockford versus Bruce Lee except to say it is memorable. This was the last movie Bruce Lee made in America before he split for Hong Kong to make Fists of Fury (a.k.a. The Big Boss). What’s interesting is that even after his mega-fame, the studio didn’t redo the promotions of Marlowe to make Bruce Lee one of the stars. He’s in the movie longer than Marlon Brando in Superman. Marlowe is one of those films that ought to have a decent following thanks to James Garner in a Rockford-esque role and Bruce Lee’s cameo. If you’ve bought all the Rockford File seasons and the Bruce Lee boxsets, Marlowe will be a welcomed addition,
The video is 1.78 anamorphic. The transfer looks fine with Garner’s tan glowing. The audio is Dolby Digital mono. The level seems a little bit low so you’ll have to turn up the volume. It does get loud when Bruce destroys the office.
As per usual with Warner Archive titles, extras are slim. All we get here is a two-minute Trailer that gives a sampling of Bruce Lee destroying the set.
Marlowe is a compelling mystery movie with a detective drawn into a tornado of blackmail and murders. What makes the movie special is that this becomes the first pilot for The Rockford Files. James Garner plays Marlowe with the same attitude as he’d have four years later as Rockford. The battle between Garner and Bruce Lee is a classic movie moment. This deserves the Blu-ray treatment instead of being a Manufacture-On-Demand release..
Warner Archive presents Marlowe. Directed by: Paul Bogart. Starring: James Garner, Carroll O’Connor, Rita Moreno and Bruce Lee. Written by: Stirling Silliphant. Running time: 95 minutes. Rating: PG. Released on DVD: June 10, 2011. Available at Amazon.com.
