THE JUDGE AND JAKE WYLER
US, 1972, 100 minutes, Colour.
Bette Davis, Doug Mc Clure, Eric Braeden.
Directed by Gil Melle.
The Judge and Jake Wyler was a pilot for a television series - which was not made. It is conventional police/detective drama with the added attraction of Bette Davis as a hypochondriac judge and Doug Mc Clure as a parolee whom she uses as a detective. There is a rather complex murder mystery involving high society, greed, international relationships and the C.I.A. as well as big business and arms sales. Conventionally entertaining material.
1. The appeal of this kind of telemovie? Familiarity from series? The quality of this film?
2. The film as a pilot? The possibilities for an entertaining series? Justice and the Judge - and her personality and hypochondria? The smooth-talking parolee?
3. Audience expectations of detective stories: mysteries, clues? American society? The detectives and the dangers? Issues, situations, characters?
4. Bette Davis as the Judge: a crank, hypochondria and her fussiness, her hold over Jake, the other members of her staff? Her autocratic manner? Phone calls, stern attitude towards Jake's girlfriends? Her demands, skills? The final confrontation and danger?
5. Jake Wyler: American-type hero, parolee, tough, relationships? The fellow parolees? His skill at investigation, the interviews, the dangers? Using his wits? Being outwitted? The confrontation with the murderer? Typical telemovie characterisation?
6. The situation: the marriage and the investigation,, the wife flirting, the private eye and his filming? The collapse of the husband? The hospital set-up and his death? The elevator man and supplying the list of visitors?
7. Alicia and her hiring the Judge and Jake Wyler? Her reasons, the insurance, her pressurising them? Setting the tone for the investigation? The revelation of the truth?
8. The wife and her boyfriend, high society, involvement, the insurance, the arranging of the dead body in the hospital?
9. The Albanian connection: the restaurant, the chase, the offices? The diplomat and his ruthlessness? The murders? C.I.A. and arms sales?
10. The arms sales and big business? The visit to the tycoon? Discussions, issues? International connections? Jake's second visit and the setting up of the targets. the shooting and Jake outwitting him?
11. The various strands coming together? Themes of crime, right and wrong, justice? The C.I.A., wealth, big business? An entertaining film of its kind?
