BEST JAMES GARNER PROJECTS
“Maverick” (1957-62): Though he left the popular, often-lighthearted Western series early over a contract dispute (not the only one he’d have in his career), Garner became a star as gambler and ladies’ man Bret Maverick.
“The Great Escape” (1963): In this alltime-great adventure movie, based on a true story, Garner plays one of the Allied prisoners plotting a getaway from a World War II camp.
“The Americanization of Emily”
(1964): This romantic wartime comedy-drama, teaming him up with Julie Andrews in a Paddy Chayefsky screenplay, was cited by Garner as his favorite of his films.
“36 Hours” (1964): This clever World War II drama casts Garner as an imprisoned officer whose captors try to convince him the war is over, to get him to give up vital information.
“Duel at Diablo” (1966): Director Ralph Nelson’s terrifically gritty Western features Garner as a former frontier scout who combines a personal revenge mission with his search for a runaway wife (Bibi Andersson).
“Grand Prix” (1966): Director John Frankenheimer’s drama, which uses exciting driver’s point-of-view and split-screen techniques plentifully, sees Garner lead an all-star cast as a veteran of the international racing circuit.
The film will be shown Wednesday, Feb. 28, as part of a Turner Classic Movies “31 Days of Oscar” day devoted to Best Sound nominees and winners (this picture won that category).
“Hour of the Gun” (1967): Garner makes a fine Wayatt Earp in this mature Western that reunited him with “The Great Escape” director John Sturges.
“The Rockford Files” (1974-80): Garner’s famously laid-back personality gave him another television hit, as he played a flawed private detective who still managed to get his cases solved. After the weekly run ended, Garner made several TV-movie sequels.