BROCK'S LAST TAPE

US, 1973, 100 minutes, Colour.
Richard Widmark, Henry Darrow, David Huddleston, Will Geer, Pat Morita.
Directed by David Lowell Rich.

Brock’s Last Case is a conventional police telemovie. Richard Widmark is expert at this kind of role - the disillusioned officer who wants to retire but becomes involved in solving a case. The issues are the usual ones in such murder mysteries but they are done quite competently.

I. An entertaining telemovie? The police genre and the detective genre? Audience expectations - fulfilment?

2. Television techniques - creation of atmosphere, highlighting of characters and issues briefly, the pauses for commercials and the generation of suspense?

3. Colour photography, locations, atmosphere from the east to the west?

4. How interesting was the plot? The character of Brock, his dreams of retirement? His work in the police force?
The transition to the west and the hopes for the farm? the double dealing and the murder mystery? How interesting was the mystery, the way that it is solved?

5. Richard Widmark’s style as Brock? Credible detective, qualities, strengths and weaknesses, the conventional American detective and policeman? Hero for the film? His hopes and dreams especially about the farm, their being dashed? his skill in detection? dangers?

6. The supporting characters, the police, the people on the farm, their particular interests, for example Henchley, Smiley, Joe? The importance of Willis and his hopes of emulating Brock? The focus on Goldencorn and his being suspected?

7. The particular crises in the detective work, the dangers, the various murders? The revelation of the truth and the credibility of the villain?

8. An entertaining detective murder mystery? Conventional American themes of right and wrong, good and evil?