Spoilers ahead, but if you've seen even one episode of Dragnet, you know how
the film ends!
I thought I had seen every episode and incarnation of the second Dragnet
series, but was pleasantly surprised to find the "pilot" on AMC. Regular
character actors from the series pop like old friends, and we get a few glimpses of Bobby Troupe and a very young Kent McCord, who later end up in other Jack
Webb productions.
As usual, Joe Friday seems uncomfortable with any "soft" emotions, and the
scene in which he has to tell a boy his father is dead is classic. Watch for
unshed tears in Joe's eyes and his uncomfortable, stiff demeanor as the crying child spontaneously hugs him. True to form, Joe can't manage to muster up
anything more comforting than a stiff pat on the shoulder.
Bill Gannon's personality is fully formed in this movie, making him the partner/ best friend/pain in the neck/comic relief that worked so well when played off Friday's deadpan demeanor. Even Gannon's quirky cures for illness, real or
imagined, are firmly established. He provides a necessary amusing touch to an otherwise oppressive movie.
This movie is a good deal grittier and slightly more disturbing than the series episodes, and provides rare scenes of Joe Friday actually using force with a
suspect! Add in the requisite Joe Friday interrogation speech, addressing racial relations and child abuse (in one talk!), and you have a truly amazing television movie.
My only gripe is that AMC seems to have cut the movie for commercial breaks,
leaving a few odd loose ends. Most glaring is the requisite ending showing all the suspects and their sentences when they are invariably found guilty. It would be wonderful to have this treasure available on VHS or DVD.
the film ends!
I thought I had seen every episode and incarnation of the second Dragnet
series, but was pleasantly surprised to find the "pilot" on AMC. Regular
character actors from the series pop like old friends, and we get a few glimpses of Bobby Troupe and a very young Kent McCord, who later end up in other Jack
Webb productions.
As usual, Joe Friday seems uncomfortable with any "soft" emotions, and the
scene in which he has to tell a boy his father is dead is classic. Watch for
unshed tears in Joe's eyes and his uncomfortable, stiff demeanor as the crying child spontaneously hugs him. True to form, Joe can't manage to muster up
anything more comforting than a stiff pat on the shoulder.
Bill Gannon's personality is fully formed in this movie, making him the partner/ best friend/pain in the neck/comic relief that worked so well when played off Friday's deadpan demeanor. Even Gannon's quirky cures for illness, real or
imagined, are firmly established. He provides a necessary amusing touch to an otherwise oppressive movie.
This movie is a good deal grittier and slightly more disturbing than the series episodes, and provides rare scenes of Joe Friday actually using force with a
suspect! Add in the requisite Joe Friday interrogation speech, addressing racial relations and child abuse (in one talk!), and you have a truly amazing television movie.
My only gripe is that AMC seems to have cut the movie for commercial breaks,
leaving a few odd loose ends. Most glaring is the requisite ending showing all the suspects and their sentences when they are invariably found guilty. It would be wonderful to have this treasure available on VHS or DVD.