By MICHAEL SMITH Movie Critic on Apr 17, 2012, at 2:58 PM Updated on 4/17 at 2:58 PM
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James Garner
Vince Vaughn
James Garner is one of Oklahoma's biggest Hollywood stars, and for all of his most famous roles, it wouldn't surprise me if people judged Jim Rockford -- his disheveled detective from TV's "The Rockford Files" -- as his best role.
Now it appears "The Rockford Files" will be adapted for a motion picture with Vince Vaughn in the titular role.
You would think that they'll need someone with Garner's unique blend of sardonic sensibility and his Okie's self-effacing nature to make it work.
Not everybody can pull off that combination, and then also blend sarcastic comedy with action. The latter is a feature that would obviously be amped up for a motion picture that needs energy for two hours versus TV's episodic nature that allows for slower-paced character development.
Now the question: Is Vince Vaughn the right choice to play Jim Rockford?
He would seem to possess several of the qualities that Garner owned. I would venture so far as to say that Vaughn might be an excellent choice for a "Rockford" film -- and completely wrong if the show were being rebooted as a TV series.
It would be great to know Garner's opinion on this matter. There's no word in the deadline.com exclusive story from the Norman native, who turned 84 on April 7.
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