The Rockford Files (TV Series) Rattlers' Class of '63 (1976) User Reviews

My Special Angel

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 22 October 2012]

The Rockford Files always gets a 10 out of 10 with me as a television series. But the episodes that were really special were the ones that involved Stuart Margolin. Stuart's Angel Martin was the best example of a pathological conman ever shown on television. He can't help himself, he does it when he's not even conscious of it. It's second nature to him.

In this episode he does the ultimate thing, he gets married and the reason he gets married to Elayne Heilvel is to avoid having her brothers do some orthopedic surgery with a bat or worse.

Elayne's Armenian brothers are a private carting outfit and they own a piece of waste land that no one wants to buy. Part of a con game that Margolin was running was he and another guy were running was pretending to be foreign investors. When the con is discovered, Margolin's partner is bumped off and he's fleeing. Naturally Margolin brings in James Garner who gets caught up in it all.

But when one of the brothers is also murdered Garner and Margolin are in their usual jackpot with James Luisi as Lieutenant Chapman as always looking to nail them both on something and Gretchen Corbett doing her best to run interference with the legal system.

There is a coda to the episode that is somewhat touching where Margolin shows some semblance of true feelings with Heilwel. You don't see that often. A good reason to watch this episode.

Where Angel Goes, Trouble Follows

[zsenorsock · 8/10 · 12 December 2006]

Jim is summoned to the little chapel on Coldwater Canyon Boulevard for an unexpected event: Angel Martin (Stuart Margolin) is getting married and wants Jim to act as his best man. Angel quickly buys a wedding ring from a sleazy friend for all of $18 dollars and marries Regina Boyajian (Elayne Heilveil, much more effective and less pathetic than in her previous appearance as poor little Angela in "The Reincarnation of Angie").

Jim quickly discovers Angel hasn't gotten married for love, but out of fear. Angel was caught pulling the "red barn con" on the Boyajian Brothers (who own a "garbage empire") and he fears them killing him out of revenge--and his only hope is to join the family.

Jim is of course swept in to Angel's con and is beat up, arrested, and sought for murder as he tries to find out what's really going on and discovers a connection to an old street gang ("The Rattlers") and a 14 year old murder.

Great writing by David Chase brings out both the series humor and heart. Angel and Regina have one serious scene at the end of this episode that humanizes the Angel Martin character and gives Stuart Margolin a chance to do something different than his usual act. He comes though big time. Angel's cons usually hurt bad guys and other grifters, marks that deserve being taken--not innocents like Regina.

Garner is at his best balancing frustration with Angel and their friendship; the fetching Gretchen Corbett has a strong if brief scene as Beth confronting Lt. Chapman (who is also very strong) over Jim's arrest and "Simon and Simon" star Gerald McRainey makes another appearance on the show, this time as a real estate salesman (his previous appearances he played a hotel clerk).

The bogus Wedding episode!

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 18 January 2019]

The bogus Wedding episode! A true 70's mystery classic! Angel gets married in the beginning in a humors wedding, which of course Rockford gets framed for murder. The rest of the episode asks the why for the murder so Jim can crawl out from under it! Great characters, and a slow unraveling of the mystery which keeps the viewer engaged. The mix of humor and action makes for a good balance. The details are great from bikers, too Angels in laws. The closing scene with Angel make Angel a likable and memorable character.

Rockford and the Rattlers

[stones78 · 6 May 2011]

This is one of the rare episodes revolving mainly around Angel, who ends up getting himself married to avoid trouble with the woman's family, who have a criminal history. Avery Schrieber(you might remember him from the Doritos commercials)guest stars as Azie Boyajian, who knows what Angel's up to and considering Rockford is his "friend", naturally the Boyajian's want both of them dead. Angel and Regine(a name you'll hear constantly)get married, and Jim is the best man, and a few scenes later Angel tells Rockford that she left him; this whole sequence seemed slightly rushed in what is otherwise another solid episode. The woman, in a not-so-great performance is played by Elaine Heilveil, whose name is misspelled in the opening credits, but I digress. There's a scene with her and Angel in Jim's trailer at the end, where she admits that she wanted him to physically get hurt by her brothers; that was a head scratching moment to me, as she had no emotion at all and it seemed a rather silly thing for a grown woman to say to someone she recently married. Back to the more important aspects of the story, it turns out that the Rattlers were a motorcycle gang and one of the members(now a used car salesman)accidentally killed a member or 2 of a rival gang, and the bodies were buried in this landfill currently owned by the Boyajian brothers. Rockford(James Garner again limps badly with his bad knees)eventually figures everything out, and the 2 goons get arrested after trying to get both he and Angel.

The whole gang is here, including Becker, Chapman, Beth, and a few scenes with Rocky. Gerald McRaney plays a minor part as he deals with an undercover Rockford persona. Lastly, you may recognize the voice on the phone in the beginning of the episode as Jackie Cooper's, who recently passed away and has a wide range of acting credits.