The Rockford Files (1974–1980): Season 2, Episode 1 - The Aaron Ironwood School of Success - full transcript
I'm gonna give you
my company.
It's worth
about $200 million.
There's no other person
in the world
I'd trust with my net worth.
Thanks, Beth.
I'll send you a bill.
Now that you're worth
$200 million,
maybe you'll pay it
before Christmas.
The agreed price
is $20 million.
And a fair price it is.
That puts you pretty high
on Genosa's list.
You sold him
a bucket of sand
for $20 million.
You can only
kill somebody once.
If you plan to shut me up,
you'd better do it
right here and now.
(PHONE RINGING)
ROCKFORD:
(ON ANSWERING MACHINE)
This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your name
and message.
I'll get back to you.
(BEEPS)
WOMAN: Hi, Jim.
We couldn't reach you,
so we went ahead
with the job,
and I know
you're really gonna dig it.
But if you don't,
I suppose we could always
tear it out.
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
Look, do you know
I've been standing out front
for 10 minutes
waiting for you?
Now if I had
my own truck,
I'd drive over myself,
but you said
you'd pick me up
in 20 minutes.
We gotta be
at the airport at 2:30.
Now we ain't gonna make it.
We'll make it.
Relax, will you?
Relax? Relax?
Well, you know
it ain't every day
old Aaron comes visiting.
Rocky, will you
grab yourself a beer
and turn on the roller derby.
I'll be there in 15 minutes.
Mr. Rockford. Hold it.
Who are you guys?
What do you want?
NINO: Shut up.
Come along quietly.
Hey, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
I'm sure
there's some kind of mistake.
Sure if we just talk
about this,
we'll all end up
having a nice big laugh.
Look, the thing of it is
I'm late
for another appointment.
In.
Right.
Let's go.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Come on,
get this pig started.
I'm trying.
It must be flooded.
Well, try pumping it.
Shut up!
Don't listen to him.
Just put your foot down
and hold it.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Hey, mister.
A little trouble?
Yeah. It seems to be flooded
or something.
Hey listen,
why don't you guys stay here?
I'll go get a mechanic.
(ENGINE STARTING)
Hey, Dan. Dan,
I gotta borrow your car.
Thanks.
ROCKY: What's that?
ROCKFORD: What's what?
That.
Oh. I had to borrow it.
Well, Jim, we can't
go pick up Aaron Ironwood
in no car like that.
Why not?
Well, what's he gonna think,
we come rolling up
in some busted down car
with writing and stuff
all over it?
Oh, give me the keys
to the house.
I gotta make a phone call.
And look at you.
Look at how you're dressed.
Couldn't even wear a tie
or something?
Well, why do we
gotta wear a tie?
Because Aaron
is gonna wear a tie.
Hey, wait a minute.
I thought we were
going to the airport
to pick somebody up.
Did I miss something?
Did somebody die?
We wanna make
a good impression.
Now I gotta go hide
that thing and rent a sedan
to pick him up in.
What are you limping for?
I went fishing.
Fell off the end
of the pier.
Detective Becker, please.
Yeah.
ROCKFORD: Hey, Dennis,
it's Jim.
Hi, Jim. Guess what?
Hey, I'd like
to ask you a favor.
I took the Lieutenant's Exam
and I'm fifth on the list.
That's great. Look, Dennis.
I had a little run in
with some guys
and I got
their license number.
You want to take it down?
You know what that means, Jim?
Yeah. Yeah.
If we can get a make,
I'll know
who was chasing me.
No. It means
if I do well on the oral,
I could make lieutenant
in two or three months.
Now, Seibert and Dillman
made the captain's list
and they'll be moving up.
How about that?
Dennis, do you want to
take this number down?
You know,
I figured if I study hard
for two or three months
and take the Academy
refresher course,
I'd do pretty good.
But fifth!
Boy, I never figured
I'd score that high.
Dennis.
Yeah?
I think it's great.
I congratulate you.
I will send you a gift.
Now, would you like
to address yourself to
this little problem I have?
Okay, Jim. Go ahead.
All right. Three guys
in a black Cadillac
just tried to pick me up
at gunpoint.
Their license number
is 271 IEW.
Why?
You working on something?
No, no. I can't figure it.
I never saw
any of them before.
Okay, Jim. I'll run it.
Thanks, Dennis.
And congratulations.
Yeah.
Hey, tell Rocky, will you?
Yeah. Sure.
He's gonna love it.
ROCKY: Who tried
to pick you up at gunpoint?
Guess what?
Dennis just made
the lieutenant's list.
He's fifth on the list.
Jimmy, what are you
fooling around with now?
How about that?
Fifth on the list.
He said a couple of stiffs
are just about
to make captain,
in two or three months
he may make lieutenant.
Look, when are you
gonna quit fooling around
with this crazy business
and get into something
worthwhile?
Look at old Aaron.
He started from the bottom.
No mother, no father,
living in foster homes
and he's already got himself
$100 million or more.
Yeah. Well,
Dennis thought
you'd like to know.
ROCKY: You know,
I can't help feeling that
meeting up with old Aaron
is gonna be
awful good for you.
I feel that he's gonna
wanna to take you in
on one of his projects, maybe.
Like, a real estate company
or even
his School of Success.
Oh, yeah.
I'd really like that.
Remember when he first
came to live with us,
right after his folks
was killed?
How you was always
sticking up for him
in school?
There was that one kid
who was always
trying to beat up on Aaron.
What was his name?
Remember?
What kid?
The one who was always
trying to beat up
on old Aaron.
I don't remember.
LeBaron.
Tommy LeBaron.
Yeah, Tom something,
I think.
Yes, sir. I'll bet you
old Aaron ain't never
gonna forget
what you done for him.
I'll bet
he's gonna wanna
take you in with him.
Even after they took him
away from us
and put him in a foster home,
you kids
was just like that.
Dad.
Huh?
Shut up.
Shut up, huh?
Yeah. Shut up.
He's got
a trucking division, too.
Don't you forget that.
Bully for him.
You're beginning
to make me mad, sonny.
Well that's fine,
because you're beginning
to make me mad.
You think
I'm not worth spit.
All right. I'm not worth
$200 million,
I don't wear
electric blue suits,
I don't have a private jet,
but I'm not exactly
a failure either.
I'm sorry, sonny. You...
Well, you know
I'm proud of you.
And you know
I love you.
Yeah, I know that, Dad.
I just wish you'd worn a tie,
that's all.
(PLANE DRONING)
I'm sorry, Jimmy,
we ain't driving
this pizza wagon
out there where
Aaron's gonna see it.
Rocky, we're already
15 minutes late.
We don't have time
to rent a sedan
and we don't have the money.
How do you do?
I'm supposed to meet
Aaron Ironwood.
His private jet
is tied down 16.
I'm Jim Rockford
and this is the honorable
Joseph Rockford
of the Bakersfield
truck-driving Rockfords.
How would you like
a rap in the mouth?
What did I tell you, huh?
ROCKFORD: Hello, Aaron.
(EXCLAIMING)
Give me a hug, brother,
old boy. Hello.
Oh, lookie here.
How you doing? I love you,
you know, I love you.
Boy, you've been
taking care of yourself, huh?
I can see that right off.
Oh, you've been
doing all right
yourself, Aaron.
Oh, I know. I know...
You know what?
We got us a good
old fashioned family
get-together.
I got so much
to find out about.
You can't tell anybody
what's happening on
the back of a Christmas card.
No matter how small
you write!
How's that little Chet?
Oh, he's grown, Jim.
You wouldn't believe it.
He's 14 years old
and riding
in New Mexico rodeos.
Took a second prize
in calf roping
in 18 and under.
He's gonna put
his fat old pa to shame,
I'll tell you that.
Hell, I got nothing more
to say, except
I waited too long
to come visiting.
Too long and I'm...
I'm ashamed of myself.
Oh, you got nothing
to be ashamed of, Aaron.
All right.
Let's get on out of here.
(ALL LAUGHING)
You got a car?
Yeah.
No.
Huh?
Well, lookie here.
Are you in the pizza
business, Jimmy?
It's a long story, Aaron.
Come on.
Oh, I'll ride with you
and my people
can follow along in my car.
ROCKY: I'm free to open
a School of Success.
Rocky, you get in the back.
(LAUGHING)
Ain't this something.
(AARON)
Pizza Dan.
Come on in.
Come on.
We got the plans
all drawed up
for a beach house.
We're gonna
start construction
in a couple of weeks.
Until then, Jimmy,
he's just temporarily
living here, you know.
Rocky.
I live here permanently
and I like it fine here.
And I'm not
in the pizza business.
Sit down.
I kind of figured that, Jimmy.
See, I been keeping
some track.
Last I heard,
you was in the private
investigating business.
Well, I think
that's a fine thing.
Real fine.
Why didn't you say so?
'Cause it ain't my way,
stepping on
other people's dreams.
I feel right at home here.
It's good to be home,
too, partner.
It's good to have you, Aaron.
We missed you.
MAN: Ladies and gentlemen,
I give you
America's success story,
Aaron Ironwood.
(PEOPLE APPLAUDING)
Thank you all.
My, that's nice.
Thank you.
That's wonderful.
That's wonderful.
Thank you very much.
Please be seated.
Thank you very much.
Can you see me back there?
MAN: No!
Well, I want you folks
to take a good look at me.
See, I don't look
like no superman.
I ain't got no more
than an eighth grade
education.
But I came to Los Angeles
in my own
private jet airplane.
And that's from
believing in myself.
And most of you people here
are looking for success,
but you haven't found it.
Hell, the hardest part
of climbing the ladder
of success
is getting through the crowd
at the bottom.
Dare to make money!
Dare to be first!
And dare to win.
That's my slogan.
And that's what
this school is all about.
I'm gonna teach you people
through my very own course.
I'm gonna teach you
how to make $1 million.
And that ain't
pie in the sky.
And It ain't
"maybe you'll make it."
'Cause if you follow
just exactly what
the school manual tells you,
you're just flat
gonna end up rich
and there's no
two ways about it.
"Dare to win," I said!
Dare to make money!
Spit in their eye!
Dare to turn
your life around!
Make $1 million
by the end of the year.
What's it gonna cost?
Only $5,000.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
(GRUNTING)
Stop. Get it down.
Get it down. Come on.
(GROANS)
(WHOOPING)
You still...
You still got one
of the best right arms
in the business.
Yeah, I guess
some things never change.
And a good thing, too.
Hey, you remember
that little place
we used to go to?
Over behind
Sutter's farm
on that little creek?
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
The place where
you lost your shoes
the first week
you lived with us.
About a week ago
I was back there.
I own it now.
Kind of bought it
out of sentiment.
You know something, Jimmy?
Our old fort's still there.
It's busted down some,
but it's there.
And so I started
building it back
the way we had it.
There I was,
this dumb old country boy
in a neon suit,
pants legs rolled up,
stacking up wood
like a kid.
I must have worked at it
all afternoon.
And then along about 5:00
I realized I was crying.
Crying for all the things
I haven't done
and for the time
I haven't got left.
And I was crying, Jimmy,
because things
ain't gonna last for me.
I know that.
Come on, Aaron.
Anybody who can sell
a Dare-to-Win kit
for $5,000
isn't likely to tap out.
I believe everything
I told those people.
People are
the greatest single resource
this country's got,
but you gotta get them moving.
It wasn't until I said,
"Why can't I do it?"
Till I dared to be great,
that I became great.
The human soul
is a marvelous thing.
It's resourceful.
But now this old country soul
has deep, deep problems.
And that's why
I was crying.
And that's why
I came to see you.
What is it, Aaron? Why me?
I'm in trouble.
And sitting there
in that old fort of ours,
I knew there was only
one person that I could
completely trust.
Well, Aaron.
I guess you know
there's nothing much
I could refuse you.
Well, we're brothers.
I mean,
if either one of us
had a brother,
I guess, that's what
it would feel like.
Yeah. I guess.
Excuse me.
Well, okay, Aaron,
let's hear about it.
It shames me, Jim.
It's hard even telling you.
It's like it's against
everything I've been
preaching to folks,
it's against my philosophy.
Aaron,
I gotta tell you
about your philosophy.
There's not too much about
it that doesn't sound like
a medicine show sales pitch.
You were always
long on bull, a little short
on cash as a kid.
It just never bothered me
on you like it did
on some others.
About six months ago,
I was traveling around
talking to my sales managers
up in the Northwest.
A man ought to take
his wife with him,
somebody to comfort him.
I got Ionely.
What, a girl?
A prostitute.
I threw up all the next day.
I don't know if it was
from the booze
or maybe it was
from the damage to my soul.
But they got pictures.
They said they want
to buy my whole company
for $20 million.
That's a little cheap,
isn't it?
It's a fire sale.
The rolling stock alone
is worth $20 million.
That plane I came in on
is worth $2 million.
But if I don't sell to them
they're gonna send
the pictures to Sue Ann.
I can't let that happen.
It ain't that
I don't deserve it, I do.
Well, the harm it would do
to her and Chet.
They just wouldn't
ever get over it.
Anyways, I don't want
to lose my company
and I don't wanna lose
being able to give
self-respect
to thousands of people.
And that's where
you come in.
What do you want me
to do about it?
I'm gonna give you
my company.
Whole shebang.
Worth $200 million.
There's no other person
in the world
I'd trust with my net worth.
Sounds a little flaky,
Aaron.
What if they
go ahead and send
the pictures anyway?
Well, then I'm through
and I'm just gonna
plain charge them
with blackmail
and extortion.
But I don't think
they're gonna risk it
if they got
nothing to gain.
Leastways,
that's what I'm gambling.
King for a day, huh?
That's about the size of it.
What do you say?
I gotta think
a little about it, Aaron.
Fair enough.
AARON: And this is
the main stock
transfer contract.
It gives Jimmy
full ownership of Dare
to Win Incorporated,
plus controlling interest
in both Class A and Class B
preferred stocks
of Ironwood Incorporated,
which is a holding company
for the outfits listed here
on the next page.
You got yourself
some good looking
lawyer, boy.
She's also
pretty good at it.
We'd need a list
of contingent liabilities.
I don't want Jim
signing up for a lawsuit.
I've indemnified him
against any financial loss.
Oh, okay, that's fine.
Well, legally you're not
in any trouble, Jim,
but anytime you get involved
in something this tricky
there are always risks.
All that stuff
is clean?
Yeah. It looks fine.
Aaron, these guys
you're dealing with,
who are they?
You've been a little
vague about it.
They're a bunch of old boys
I knew from
an oil field venture
a while back.
We all got stung
pretty good and since
I put the deal together,
they been looking
for a way to ream me.
But I never figured they'd go
to this much trouble.
Excuse me. I've gotta get
inside for a 10:00 hearing.
Nice to have met you,
Mr. Ironwood.
Likewise.
What are you
limping for, Jim?
I fell off my skateboard.
You think these things
are all right to sign?
If you trust him
and he's an old friend,
there's nothing
legally wrong with what
he's proposing.
Thanks, Beth.
I'll send you a bill.
Now, that you're worth
$200 million,
maybe you'll pay it
before Christmas.
Let's get over to the hotel.
I've gotta meet them guys.
Now wait a minute.
I haven't signed these yet.
Well you gotta sign it,
Jimmy. Please.
All right, Aaron.
I'm going to,
but on one condition.
What's that?
If you haven't
been straight with me,
I mean 100% straight,
I'm gonna sell out
to these little old oil boys.
Just like that.
Okay, that's fair enough.
When have I not
been straight with you?
I've always been
straight with you.
I think the first time
I remember is
when we were
in the fourth grade.
You stole my
catcher's mitt and sold
it to Bobby Krug.
Yeah, but I gave you
half the money.
That's not the point, Aaron.
Jimmy,
we had to get you out
from behind home plate,
or you'd have cost us
every game.
Now, you was better off
in center field.
Give me the pen.
You really was.
Why you limping?
Oh, I went dancing
the other night.
I got a little carried away.
Started to dip and I slipped.
Dip?
Dipped.
Well, here goes, partner,
so hang tight.
Mr. Rockford.
Mr. Ironwood.
Everybody's here.
Is this one of your
little old oil boys?
Please, come in.
Aaron.
And this must be
your silent partner,
the one who won't sell.
Hi, Vito.
The last time we saw
each other, we were
both doing 20 to life.
Looks like
we both got lucky, huh?
You two know each other?
That's great.
Aaron,
I'd like to talk to you
for a moment. Alone.
Later, Jimmy.
I've tried several
times to get Jim
to accept your terms,
Mr. Genosa.
I've presented your offer,
but he says he won't sell.
You said you were gonna
bring some documentation
of Mr. Rockford's ownership
of the company.
Oh, yes.
I have it right here.
Dave.
If Mr. Rockford has owned
this stock for a week,
it would surprise me.
But he owns it now
and that kind of
changes things,
don't it, Mr. Genosa?
I'm not sure it does.
How about it, Dave?
Is that stuff clean?
DAVE: Yeah, Mr. Genosa.
Rockford owns the stock.
And you don't want
to sell the company,
is that right?
Oh, I think we can solve
all this pretty easily.
Could I talk to you
for a moment? Outside?
Want a drink?
No, thank you.
Now, just how
can you settle this,
Mr. Rockford?
Well, the way I see
the problem is,
you want to buy
Ironwood Incorporated
for $20 million,
only I have the stock.
Now, I think the best way
to settle this is
I sign the stock over to you
and you give me a check
for $22 million.
Mr. Ironwood
said you wouldn't sell.
Well, Mr. Ironwood is inside
and I say the company
is on the block.
Do you want it or not?
The agreed price
is $20 million.
I'm afraid
you didn't hear me.
I said $22 million.
The price is $20 million.
And a fair price it is.
Come on out here,
will you, Dave?
You have everything?
A stock transfer, a contract
and a cashier's check
for $20 million.
I want you to indemnify me
against any legal indentures
and all closing sales costs.
That's agreeable.
You own it.
AARON: I still
can't believe it.
You wasn't
supposed to sell it.
That's right, I sold it.
You don't say no
to those guys,
they'll kill you.
You ever try?
Did you?
That's what
you were supposed to do.
Look, I don't understand
what's going on.
But I'm getting out.
You don't understand?
That's right.
I don't understand.
Now, I don't know
what you're trying to pull,
but you run me up some story
about a bunch
of old oil buddies,
you give me the company
and then throw me
at the Mafia.
You must've known
I was gonna sell it.
I didn't figure you...
Only a dummy
wouldn't sell to them.
I didn't figure
you'd turn chicken.
Why not?
You did.
Give me my check.
Hmm?
I want my check.
What check?
If you don't give me
that check, I'm gonna
cause you a heap of pain.
ROCKFORD:
I'll tell you what I'll do,
I'll make you the same deal
you made me
on my catcher's mitt.
I'll split it with you.
AARON: You're out of it now.
I want my $20 million.
I get the strange feeling
that I'm not out of it,
Aaron.
Now, this whole thing
doesn't add up.
You've got something
going on
and I'm gonna deposit
the check until I have time
to figure out
just exactly
what's going on.
Either you give me
that check or I'm...
Or what are you gonna do?
Tell Rocky?
I'll take it from you.
Okay, hotshot,
you give it a try.
Aaron.
Aaron, get out of my way.
Get away! Get away!
Where did he go?
Gosh, I don't know.
He could have gone anywhere.
ROCKFORD: You know,
I called Sue Ann.
I got to thinking about
Aaron's whole story
about those pictures
and protecting their marriage
and everything.
You wanna hear the kicker?
What?
They've been divorced
for two years.
Well, I guess
old Aaron forgot to write
that on a Christmas card.
I never would have
gone for this whole thing
for anybody else.
I don't know,
I guess you and I have always
had a soft spot for Aaron's
line of bull.
You remember
when he sold
your catcher's mitt?
Yeah.
Well, you can't
keep the money.
I know that, Rocky.
You know, he told them
that I was his silent partner
long before
he ever asked me.
How do you know that?
Because two torpedoes
tried to pick me up
before he ever got here.
The only thing
that makes any sense
at all is that
he actually wanted me
to sell his company.
Yeah. But why?
I don't know.
Yeah. But why wouldn't
he just sell it himself?
I don't know.
Well, it looks to me
like you and old Aaron
got a lot
of straightening out to do.
Yeah.
(PHONE RINGING)
Aaron, it's me.
Yeah?
I've got your check.
Yeah? Where are you?
Down in the lobby,
but I'll be waiting for you
in the alley
behind this joint.
We got some talking to do.
That's just fine.
I'll be right down.
I don't suppose
you really want to do
this country style?
I don't want to do it at all.
I just want to know
what's going on.
You owe me that much.
I told you.
I called Sue Ann.
All right. I stretched
the truth a little bit.
You ought to
expect that from me.
Now listen, old buddy.
You said you had my check.
How about forking it over?
Not until you tell me
what's going on.
I don't know any more.
Now, are you gonna give me
my money, or am I gonna
have to take it from you?
Aaron, I don't want
to fight you.
I never took you
when we was kids,
but I've grown up
a little bit since then.
Come on.
Aaron, now,
I don't want you to do
something you're gonna regret.
Just...
Oh, come on, Aaron.
Aaron!
Didn't used to be
so easy to hit.
Now, Aaron, stop that.
That hurt.
(AARON SCREAMING)
Give me my check.
(GROANING)
(AARON GROANING)
Aaron!
Give me my check.
What's the matter
with you, Aaron?
You want some more?
You ain't gonna
give nobody no more.
Look at you.
You can't even stand up
without a prop.
I trusted you, Aaron.
What do you want from me?
Just a few answers,
that's all.
Well, you got them all.
Stop it!
(BOTH PANTING)
Here.
What happened to us,
Aaron?
(GROANING)
You Jim Rockford?
That depends on who you are.
Cute, that's nice.
We're used to dealing
with barf bags like you.
Cop, huh?
Federal. Out.
Do you mind
if I see your tin?
I'm a stickler for detail.
I ain't in no mood. Out.
Lock it.
I got him.
Come on down and get
this load of garbage.
Up against it
and spread it.
You're used to it.
(SIGHING)
(HANDCUFFS RATTLING)
In.
In, out.
You ever think of
getting a job as an usher?
PATRICK: You owned it
yesterday, right?
That's right. But I sold it.
To Vito Genosa,
is that the story?
Yeah.
Where's Aaron Ironwood?
You're supposed
to be Flash Gordon.
Don't you know?
I'm getting tired
of all this flip chatter.
You're beginning
to wear on me
a little yourself.
Where is he?
We're looking for him.
We want Ironwood
because he's selling
multiple franchises
in his company.
It's a pyramid,
that constitutes fraud,
embezzlement
and the illegal sale
of unregistered securities.
You're gonna
have to break that down
for me.
Watch my lips, fraud.
I'm telling you
that Aaron Ironwood's
a fraud.
He's selling franchises
like a chain letter.
Now we're gonna
close him up and stick him
in jail.
Yeah.
You should look worried.
That puts you pretty high
on Genosa's list.
You sold him
a bucket of sand
for $20 million.
He ain't gonna like that.
Yeah. It's all beginning
to make a little sense.
Did Aaron know
that you were about
ready to nail him?
He might have.
Depends on how good
a spy setup he's got.
Genosa was already
interested in buying,
so Aaron got me
to sell it to him
knowing full well
you were 50 feet behind him
with a fistful
of court orders.
Nobody said
you were supposed
to be a genius.
Yeah. I guess not.
So, where is he?
At his hotel.
You forgot
to look there, huh?
He ain't at his hotel,
Rockford.
I left him there
40 minutes ago.
We've been staked
out on that hotel
since 12:30 this morning.
Look, Pat.
Agent Patrick.
All right, Agent Patrick.
Don't hang it on me
because your stakeout
was down
in the hotel gift shop
looking through
the magazines.
Get me Agent Schiller
on the line.
I want to talk to him.
Hey, can I go?
How 'bout it, fellas?
The inside of my mouth
is like Shredded Wheat.
You haven't got
anything on me.
Okay, Rockford.
But stay handy.
2356 Pacific Coast Highway,
please.
WOMAN: Okay. You betcha.
Hey, mister.
We're being tailed.
Sure hope so.
$10, I'll lose him for you.
I'm the one
that's supposed
to suggest that.
No you're supposed
to say, "Follow that cab,"
or "Lose the tail."
I'm supposed to say,
I'll lose him for $10.
Yeah, I guess
you're right.
Forget it.
I like him back there.
Suit yourself.
That'll be $2.50, mister.
Keep the change.
Thanks.
Have a nice night, fellas,
and stay awake.
NINO: Up.
Hmm?
Up.
What can I do for you?
Get your butt
out of bed for starters.
Oh. Yeah. Well,
(CLEARING THROAT)
I think I can manage that.
Well, I'm for some breakfast.
Maybe a little scrambled eggs.
Something light.
How about you?
No, you ain't got time
for breakfast. Let's go.
Oh. Look, Nino,
isn't it?
(LAUGHS)
Look.
Maybe we could talk
about this for a while, huh?
What do you want?
This may not be
any problem at all.
Let's go.
Oh. Yeah.
Okay, okay.
I'm sorry, Jimmy.
I didn't plan
on this part.
You guys think
you're pretty cute.
Well, I hope nobody
forgot the peanut butter
sandwiches.
I get up this morning
and I find out you sold me
a company
that's up to its neck
in legal trouble.
VITO: Everything's frozen.
All the assets.
So I wanna know
what you got in mind
to make this right.
If you remember correctly,
you're the one
that wanted to buy
the company.
We tried
not to sell it to you.
Well, you didn't try
hard enough.
Look, I told you
I'll give you
your money back.
You can't.
I checked with the bank.
All your assets
are frozen.
Well, we'll just
unfreeze it then.
Listen, Mr. Genosa.
Vito.
Look, this here
ain't such a bad problem.
We can fix it up.
Hell's bells,
a little business
misunderstanding.
(LAUGHS)
This ain't nothing
to get worked up about.
Right, Jimmy?
Of course.
See? Nothing to it.
Okay.
VITO: Then that's all
I wanted to know.
Let's get out of here.
(ENGINE STALLING)
What's wrong with this thing?
Let's get out of here.
It's new, Mr. Genosa.
There's something wrong
with the carburetor.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Try pumping it.
You shut up.
AARON: You think maybe
these guys are gonna
plow us under?
Yeah, that's the way
I got it figured.
Aaron,
you remember
when we were in school,
that kid
that you wrecked his car?
(CHUCKLES)
Yeah, I remember.
Yeah, that was something.
Remember how mad he got?
Yeah.
Shut up.
Jam it.
I said shut up.
Something never
occurred to you, I guess.
You can only kill
somebody once.
If you plan
to shut me up,
you'd better do it
right here and now.
Well, I'm glad
we got rid of him.
Right fellas?
Go ahead. Be funny.
Pretty soon,
you're gonna be looking
at your guts in the dirt.
Then I'm gonna
be laughing.
Something I forgot
to tell you about, Aaron.
All these guys
have a tendency
to take themselves
too seriously.
(CHUCKLES)
Yeah. I can see that.
Yeah,
I remember that kid.
(LAUGHS)
You know, boy,
when I had his car delivered,
I thought
he was gonna go nuts.
Yeah.
And I thought
he was gonna tear you
limb from limb.
You remember
he went back and got
his two big brothers?
Yeah. And they was
gonna take us apart
at the knees.
Yeah. Yeah,
to think I saved you
from that
just to be gunned down
by a couple of
third grade dropouts.
Uh, uh, uh.
I wouldn't do that
without asking Mr. Vito.
See, he might not like
you shooting Jimmy
in his car.
He might not
like that at all.
Rockford,
I'm gonna take it real slow.
Maybe, it's gonna take me
two or three clips to hit you
just where I want.
See what I mean, Aaron?
Yeah. They ain't got
no sense of humor at all.
Yeah.
Okay, over there.
Mr. Genosa,
maybe you better stay
back here, huh?
No, I want to watch this.
(EXCLAIMING)
Get up, damn you!
ROCKFORD:
He's having a seizure.
He can't.
Well, I'm gonna waste you
right here.
Aaron!
(GROANING)
Find the gun.
I can't find it.
Come on.
MAN: Hey!
No! You go watch the car.
Why didn't you
find the gun?
Well, I was
a little bit busy
at the time.
Well, we need it.
Why didn't you find it?
You want me to go back
and get it?
Come on, let's see
if we can get
to the car.
(GUN FIRING)
Where are they?
I lost them.
Now, I'll take him,
you drive.
You think you can
do it by yourself
this time?
Yeah.
I think I can handle it.
Is that better?
AARON: Much.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Come on, come on.
Come on. Let's go. Let's go!
(POLICE SIREN WAILING)
OFFICER: Freeze!
This is the police.
Well, where were you?
I thought you were
gonna stay closer.
We do it our own way.
I decided to pull back
and see what happened.
Well, if you'd have stayed
a little closer, none of this
would've happened.
I think it worked out good.
Well, we're sure glad
to see you.
What you doing?
Well, you're
under arrest, honey.
Fraud,
selling
unregistered securities,
abusing the mail,
and about a dozen
minor felonies.
Hey, look, Pat.
Agent Patrick,
I can testify...
Shut up, Rockford!
Or I'll get something
on you too.
Like what?
Like assault and battery.
Look at him. Poor fella.
You wouldn't dare.
(DOOR CLANGING)
This ain't gonna be so bad.
Aaron, when you get
up there,
ask for C Block.
They usually put
the fish in D Block,
but, you know, if you ask,
maybe they'll make
an exception.
Fish?
Yeah,
that's the new prisoners.
Also known as greenies.
C Block, huh?
What's so great
about C Block?
Well, they got
better facilities
and closed showers
and the rec room is next
to the outside wall.
With binoculars
you can see the girls
from the factory from there.
Boy, that sounds
like a blast.
Yeah, after five
or six months, it gets to be
a pretty big thrill.
AARON: You know,
there's probably a lot
of things wrong
with the prison system.
Sounds to me like
they could use
some reforming.
I always sort of
felt that way.
You know,
the best way to effect reform
has gotta be from the inside.
I suppose. Yeah.
I could organize
the prisoners,
get them
to think positively
about this prison reform,
get the old
philosophy cooking.
Aaron, if I was you,
I wouldn't get too...
No, I mean, really, Jim.
Now you think about it.
I could write me
a whole new chapter
in penology.
Okay, Rockford.
You're out.
Pick up your stuff
at front desk.
Hi, Rocky.
I guess
you're disappointed in me.
I mean you must be
really upset with me
going to jail and all.
That ain't why
I'm disappointed in you,
Aaron. And you know it.
Well, Rocky,
I don't like to dwell
on negative thoughts.
Well, it's just hard
for me to admit
I ain't perfect.
You ain't, you know.
Yeah, but I will be.
All I gotta do
is keep working on it.
Well, I guess you are
one of a kind, Aaron.
I ain't gonna hold that
against you.
What about Vito Genosa
and his head crushers?
Well, it looks like
they got 'em
for attempted murder.
They got them all
locked up down the hall.
Okay, Aaron.
I'm sorry I done you
like that, Jim.
I guess we got away
pretty clean, considering.
Yeah.
Yeah, considering.
Oh, and, Aaron,
about that prison reform.
I wouldn't get too
carried away with that.
Just take a tip from me, huh?
When you're doing time,
keep your nose clean.
Don't talk to people.
Kind of live within yourself.
I mean,
you start stirring the pot,
they'll land on you.
No, Jim,
I gotta give it a go.
It could be
a great opportunity.
It's like a whole
new career, kind of.
I'm gonna call it
"Dare to be Free."
my company.
It's worth
about $200 million.
There's no other person
in the world
I'd trust with my net worth.
Thanks, Beth.
I'll send you a bill.
Now that you're worth
$200 million,
maybe you'll pay it
before Christmas.
The agreed price
is $20 million.
And a fair price it is.
That puts you pretty high
on Genosa's list.
You sold him
a bucket of sand
for $20 million.
You can only
kill somebody once.
If you plan to shut me up,
you'd better do it
right here and now.
(PHONE RINGING)
ROCKFORD:
(ON ANSWERING MACHINE)
This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your name
and message.
I'll get back to you.
(BEEPS)
WOMAN: Hi, Jim.
We couldn't reach you,
so we went ahead
with the job,
and I know
you're really gonna dig it.
But if you don't,
I suppose we could always
tear it out.
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
Look, do you know
I've been standing out front
for 10 minutes
waiting for you?
Now if I had
my own truck,
I'd drive over myself,
but you said
you'd pick me up
in 20 minutes.
We gotta be
at the airport at 2:30.
Now we ain't gonna make it.
We'll make it.
Relax, will you?
Relax? Relax?
Well, you know
it ain't every day
old Aaron comes visiting.
Rocky, will you
grab yourself a beer
and turn on the roller derby.
I'll be there in 15 minutes.
Mr. Rockford. Hold it.
Who are you guys?
What do you want?
NINO: Shut up.
Come along quietly.
Hey, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
I'm sure
there's some kind of mistake.
Sure if we just talk
about this,
we'll all end up
having a nice big laugh.
Look, the thing of it is
I'm late
for another appointment.
In.
Right.
Let's go.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Come on,
get this pig started.
I'm trying.
It must be flooded.
Well, try pumping it.
Shut up!
Don't listen to him.
Just put your foot down
and hold it.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Hey, mister.
A little trouble?
Yeah. It seems to be flooded
or something.
Hey listen,
why don't you guys stay here?
I'll go get a mechanic.
(ENGINE STARTING)
Hey, Dan. Dan,
I gotta borrow your car.
Thanks.
ROCKY: What's that?
ROCKFORD: What's what?
That.
Oh. I had to borrow it.
Well, Jim, we can't
go pick up Aaron Ironwood
in no car like that.
Why not?
Well, what's he gonna think,
we come rolling up
in some busted down car
with writing and stuff
all over it?
Oh, give me the keys
to the house.
I gotta make a phone call.
And look at you.
Look at how you're dressed.
Couldn't even wear a tie
or something?
Well, why do we
gotta wear a tie?
Because Aaron
is gonna wear a tie.
Hey, wait a minute.
I thought we were
going to the airport
to pick somebody up.
Did I miss something?
Did somebody die?
We wanna make
a good impression.
Now I gotta go hide
that thing and rent a sedan
to pick him up in.
What are you limping for?
I went fishing.
Fell off the end
of the pier.
Detective Becker, please.
Yeah.
ROCKFORD: Hey, Dennis,
it's Jim.
Hi, Jim. Guess what?
Hey, I'd like
to ask you a favor.
I took the Lieutenant's Exam
and I'm fifth on the list.
That's great. Look, Dennis.
I had a little run in
with some guys
and I got
their license number.
You want to take it down?
You know what that means, Jim?
Yeah. Yeah.
If we can get a make,
I'll know
who was chasing me.
No. It means
if I do well on the oral,
I could make lieutenant
in two or three months.
Now, Seibert and Dillman
made the captain's list
and they'll be moving up.
How about that?
Dennis, do you want to
take this number down?
You know,
I figured if I study hard
for two or three months
and take the Academy
refresher course,
I'd do pretty good.
But fifth!
Boy, I never figured
I'd score that high.
Dennis.
Yeah?
I think it's great.
I congratulate you.
I will send you a gift.
Now, would you like
to address yourself to
this little problem I have?
Okay, Jim. Go ahead.
All right. Three guys
in a black Cadillac
just tried to pick me up
at gunpoint.
Their license number
is 271 IEW.
Why?
You working on something?
No, no. I can't figure it.
I never saw
any of them before.
Okay, Jim. I'll run it.
Thanks, Dennis.
And congratulations.
Yeah.
Hey, tell Rocky, will you?
Yeah. Sure.
He's gonna love it.
ROCKY: Who tried
to pick you up at gunpoint?
Guess what?
Dennis just made
the lieutenant's list.
He's fifth on the list.
Jimmy, what are you
fooling around with now?
How about that?
Fifth on the list.
He said a couple of stiffs
are just about
to make captain,
in two or three months
he may make lieutenant.
Look, when are you
gonna quit fooling around
with this crazy business
and get into something
worthwhile?
Look at old Aaron.
He started from the bottom.
No mother, no father,
living in foster homes
and he's already got himself
$100 million or more.
Yeah. Well,
Dennis thought
you'd like to know.
ROCKY: You know,
I can't help feeling that
meeting up with old Aaron
is gonna be
awful good for you.
I feel that he's gonna
wanna to take you in
on one of his projects, maybe.
Like, a real estate company
or even
his School of Success.
Oh, yeah.
I'd really like that.
Remember when he first
came to live with us,
right after his folks
was killed?
How you was always
sticking up for him
in school?
There was that one kid
who was always
trying to beat up on Aaron.
What was his name?
Remember?
What kid?
The one who was always
trying to beat up
on old Aaron.
I don't remember.
LeBaron.
Tommy LeBaron.
Yeah, Tom something,
I think.
Yes, sir. I'll bet you
old Aaron ain't never
gonna forget
what you done for him.
I'll bet
he's gonna wanna
take you in with him.
Even after they took him
away from us
and put him in a foster home,
you kids
was just like that.
Dad.
Huh?
Shut up.
Shut up, huh?
Yeah. Shut up.
He's got
a trucking division, too.
Don't you forget that.
Bully for him.
You're beginning
to make me mad, sonny.
Well that's fine,
because you're beginning
to make me mad.
You think
I'm not worth spit.
All right. I'm not worth
$200 million,
I don't wear
electric blue suits,
I don't have a private jet,
but I'm not exactly
a failure either.
I'm sorry, sonny. You...
Well, you know
I'm proud of you.
And you know
I love you.
Yeah, I know that, Dad.
I just wish you'd worn a tie,
that's all.
(PLANE DRONING)
I'm sorry, Jimmy,
we ain't driving
this pizza wagon
out there where
Aaron's gonna see it.
Rocky, we're already
15 minutes late.
We don't have time
to rent a sedan
and we don't have the money.
How do you do?
I'm supposed to meet
Aaron Ironwood.
His private jet
is tied down 16.
I'm Jim Rockford
and this is the honorable
Joseph Rockford
of the Bakersfield
truck-driving Rockfords.
How would you like
a rap in the mouth?
What did I tell you, huh?
ROCKFORD: Hello, Aaron.
(EXCLAIMING)
Give me a hug, brother,
old boy. Hello.
Oh, lookie here.
How you doing? I love you,
you know, I love you.
Boy, you've been
taking care of yourself, huh?
I can see that right off.
Oh, you've been
doing all right
yourself, Aaron.
Oh, I know. I know...
You know what?
We got us a good
old fashioned family
get-together.
I got so much
to find out about.
You can't tell anybody
what's happening on
the back of a Christmas card.
No matter how small
you write!
How's that little Chet?
Oh, he's grown, Jim.
You wouldn't believe it.
He's 14 years old
and riding
in New Mexico rodeos.
Took a second prize
in calf roping
in 18 and under.
He's gonna put
his fat old pa to shame,
I'll tell you that.
Hell, I got nothing more
to say, except
I waited too long
to come visiting.
Too long and I'm...
I'm ashamed of myself.
Oh, you got nothing
to be ashamed of, Aaron.
All right.
Let's get on out of here.
(ALL LAUGHING)
You got a car?
Yeah.
No.
Huh?
Well, lookie here.
Are you in the pizza
business, Jimmy?
It's a long story, Aaron.
Come on.
Oh, I'll ride with you
and my people
can follow along in my car.
ROCKY: I'm free to open
a School of Success.
Rocky, you get in the back.
(LAUGHING)
Ain't this something.
(AARON)
Pizza Dan.
Come on in.
Come on.
We got the plans
all drawed up
for a beach house.
We're gonna
start construction
in a couple of weeks.
Until then, Jimmy,
he's just temporarily
living here, you know.
Rocky.
I live here permanently
and I like it fine here.
And I'm not
in the pizza business.
Sit down.
I kind of figured that, Jimmy.
See, I been keeping
some track.
Last I heard,
you was in the private
investigating business.
Well, I think
that's a fine thing.
Real fine.
Why didn't you say so?
'Cause it ain't my way,
stepping on
other people's dreams.
I feel right at home here.
It's good to be home,
too, partner.
It's good to have you, Aaron.
We missed you.
MAN: Ladies and gentlemen,
I give you
America's success story,
Aaron Ironwood.
(PEOPLE APPLAUDING)
Thank you all.
My, that's nice.
Thank you.
That's wonderful.
That's wonderful.
Thank you very much.
Please be seated.
Thank you very much.
Can you see me back there?
MAN: No!
Well, I want you folks
to take a good look at me.
See, I don't look
like no superman.
I ain't got no more
than an eighth grade
education.
But I came to Los Angeles
in my own
private jet airplane.
And that's from
believing in myself.
And most of you people here
are looking for success,
but you haven't found it.
Hell, the hardest part
of climbing the ladder
of success
is getting through the crowd
at the bottom.
Dare to make money!
Dare to be first!
And dare to win.
That's my slogan.
And that's what
this school is all about.
I'm gonna teach you people
through my very own course.
I'm gonna teach you
how to make $1 million.
And that ain't
pie in the sky.
And It ain't
"maybe you'll make it."
'Cause if you follow
just exactly what
the school manual tells you,
you're just flat
gonna end up rich
and there's no
two ways about it.
"Dare to win," I said!
Dare to make money!
Spit in their eye!
Dare to turn
your life around!
Make $1 million
by the end of the year.
What's it gonna cost?
Only $5,000.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
(GRUNTING)
Stop. Get it down.
Get it down. Come on.
(GROANS)
(WHOOPING)
You still...
You still got one
of the best right arms
in the business.
Yeah, I guess
some things never change.
And a good thing, too.
Hey, you remember
that little place
we used to go to?
Over behind
Sutter's farm
on that little creek?
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
The place where
you lost your shoes
the first week
you lived with us.
About a week ago
I was back there.
I own it now.
Kind of bought it
out of sentiment.
You know something, Jimmy?
Our old fort's still there.
It's busted down some,
but it's there.
And so I started
building it back
the way we had it.
There I was,
this dumb old country boy
in a neon suit,
pants legs rolled up,
stacking up wood
like a kid.
I must have worked at it
all afternoon.
And then along about 5:00
I realized I was crying.
Crying for all the things
I haven't done
and for the time
I haven't got left.
And I was crying, Jimmy,
because things
ain't gonna last for me.
I know that.
Come on, Aaron.
Anybody who can sell
a Dare-to-Win kit
for $5,000
isn't likely to tap out.
I believe everything
I told those people.
People are
the greatest single resource
this country's got,
but you gotta get them moving.
It wasn't until I said,
"Why can't I do it?"
Till I dared to be great,
that I became great.
The human soul
is a marvelous thing.
It's resourceful.
But now this old country soul
has deep, deep problems.
And that's why
I was crying.
And that's why
I came to see you.
What is it, Aaron? Why me?
I'm in trouble.
And sitting there
in that old fort of ours,
I knew there was only
one person that I could
completely trust.
Well, Aaron.
I guess you know
there's nothing much
I could refuse you.
Well, we're brothers.
I mean,
if either one of us
had a brother,
I guess, that's what
it would feel like.
Yeah. I guess.
Excuse me.
Well, okay, Aaron,
let's hear about it.
It shames me, Jim.
It's hard even telling you.
It's like it's against
everything I've been
preaching to folks,
it's against my philosophy.
Aaron,
I gotta tell you
about your philosophy.
There's not too much about
it that doesn't sound like
a medicine show sales pitch.
You were always
long on bull, a little short
on cash as a kid.
It just never bothered me
on you like it did
on some others.
About six months ago,
I was traveling around
talking to my sales managers
up in the Northwest.
A man ought to take
his wife with him,
somebody to comfort him.
I got Ionely.
What, a girl?
A prostitute.
I threw up all the next day.
I don't know if it was
from the booze
or maybe it was
from the damage to my soul.
But they got pictures.
They said they want
to buy my whole company
for $20 million.
That's a little cheap,
isn't it?
It's a fire sale.
The rolling stock alone
is worth $20 million.
That plane I came in on
is worth $2 million.
But if I don't sell to them
they're gonna send
the pictures to Sue Ann.
I can't let that happen.
It ain't that
I don't deserve it, I do.
Well, the harm it would do
to her and Chet.
They just wouldn't
ever get over it.
Anyways, I don't want
to lose my company
and I don't wanna lose
being able to give
self-respect
to thousands of people.
And that's where
you come in.
What do you want me
to do about it?
I'm gonna give you
my company.
Whole shebang.
Worth $200 million.
There's no other person
in the world
I'd trust with my net worth.
Sounds a little flaky,
Aaron.
What if they
go ahead and send
the pictures anyway?
Well, then I'm through
and I'm just gonna
plain charge them
with blackmail
and extortion.
But I don't think
they're gonna risk it
if they got
nothing to gain.
Leastways,
that's what I'm gambling.
King for a day, huh?
That's about the size of it.
What do you say?
I gotta think
a little about it, Aaron.
Fair enough.
AARON: And this is
the main stock
transfer contract.
It gives Jimmy
full ownership of Dare
to Win Incorporated,
plus controlling interest
in both Class A and Class B
preferred stocks
of Ironwood Incorporated,
which is a holding company
for the outfits listed here
on the next page.
You got yourself
some good looking
lawyer, boy.
She's also
pretty good at it.
We'd need a list
of contingent liabilities.
I don't want Jim
signing up for a lawsuit.
I've indemnified him
against any financial loss.
Oh, okay, that's fine.
Well, legally you're not
in any trouble, Jim,
but anytime you get involved
in something this tricky
there are always risks.
All that stuff
is clean?
Yeah. It looks fine.
Aaron, these guys
you're dealing with,
who are they?
You've been a little
vague about it.
They're a bunch of old boys
I knew from
an oil field venture
a while back.
We all got stung
pretty good and since
I put the deal together,
they been looking
for a way to ream me.
But I never figured they'd go
to this much trouble.
Excuse me. I've gotta get
inside for a 10:00 hearing.
Nice to have met you,
Mr. Ironwood.
Likewise.
What are you
limping for, Jim?
I fell off my skateboard.
You think these things
are all right to sign?
If you trust him
and he's an old friend,
there's nothing
legally wrong with what
he's proposing.
Thanks, Beth.
I'll send you a bill.
Now, that you're worth
$200 million,
maybe you'll pay it
before Christmas.
Let's get over to the hotel.
I've gotta meet them guys.
Now wait a minute.
I haven't signed these yet.
Well you gotta sign it,
Jimmy. Please.
All right, Aaron.
I'm going to,
but on one condition.
What's that?
If you haven't
been straight with me,
I mean 100% straight,
I'm gonna sell out
to these little old oil boys.
Just like that.
Okay, that's fair enough.
When have I not
been straight with you?
I've always been
straight with you.
I think the first time
I remember is
when we were
in the fourth grade.
You stole my
catcher's mitt and sold
it to Bobby Krug.
Yeah, but I gave you
half the money.
That's not the point, Aaron.
Jimmy,
we had to get you out
from behind home plate,
or you'd have cost us
every game.
Now, you was better off
in center field.
Give me the pen.
You really was.
Why you limping?
Oh, I went dancing
the other night.
I got a little carried away.
Started to dip and I slipped.
Dip?
Dipped.
Well, here goes, partner,
so hang tight.
Mr. Rockford.
Mr. Ironwood.
Everybody's here.
Is this one of your
little old oil boys?
Please, come in.
Aaron.
And this must be
your silent partner,
the one who won't sell.
Hi, Vito.
The last time we saw
each other, we were
both doing 20 to life.
Looks like
we both got lucky, huh?
You two know each other?
That's great.
Aaron,
I'd like to talk to you
for a moment. Alone.
Later, Jimmy.
I've tried several
times to get Jim
to accept your terms,
Mr. Genosa.
I've presented your offer,
but he says he won't sell.
You said you were gonna
bring some documentation
of Mr. Rockford's ownership
of the company.
Oh, yes.
I have it right here.
Dave.
If Mr. Rockford has owned
this stock for a week,
it would surprise me.
But he owns it now
and that kind of
changes things,
don't it, Mr. Genosa?
I'm not sure it does.
How about it, Dave?
Is that stuff clean?
DAVE: Yeah, Mr. Genosa.
Rockford owns the stock.
And you don't want
to sell the company,
is that right?
Oh, I think we can solve
all this pretty easily.
Could I talk to you
for a moment? Outside?
Want a drink?
No, thank you.
Now, just how
can you settle this,
Mr. Rockford?
Well, the way I see
the problem is,
you want to buy
Ironwood Incorporated
for $20 million,
only I have the stock.
Now, I think the best way
to settle this is
I sign the stock over to you
and you give me a check
for $22 million.
Mr. Ironwood
said you wouldn't sell.
Well, Mr. Ironwood is inside
and I say the company
is on the block.
Do you want it or not?
The agreed price
is $20 million.
I'm afraid
you didn't hear me.
I said $22 million.
The price is $20 million.
And a fair price it is.
Come on out here,
will you, Dave?
You have everything?
A stock transfer, a contract
and a cashier's check
for $20 million.
I want you to indemnify me
against any legal indentures
and all closing sales costs.
That's agreeable.
You own it.
AARON: I still
can't believe it.
You wasn't
supposed to sell it.
That's right, I sold it.
You don't say no
to those guys,
they'll kill you.
You ever try?
Did you?
That's what
you were supposed to do.
Look, I don't understand
what's going on.
But I'm getting out.
You don't understand?
That's right.
I don't understand.
Now, I don't know
what you're trying to pull,
but you run me up some story
about a bunch
of old oil buddies,
you give me the company
and then throw me
at the Mafia.
You must've known
I was gonna sell it.
I didn't figure you...
Only a dummy
wouldn't sell to them.
I didn't figure
you'd turn chicken.
Why not?
You did.
Give me my check.
Hmm?
I want my check.
What check?
If you don't give me
that check, I'm gonna
cause you a heap of pain.
ROCKFORD:
I'll tell you what I'll do,
I'll make you the same deal
you made me
on my catcher's mitt.
I'll split it with you.
AARON: You're out of it now.
I want my $20 million.
I get the strange feeling
that I'm not out of it,
Aaron.
Now, this whole thing
doesn't add up.
You've got something
going on
and I'm gonna deposit
the check until I have time
to figure out
just exactly
what's going on.
Either you give me
that check or I'm...
Or what are you gonna do?
Tell Rocky?
I'll take it from you.
Okay, hotshot,
you give it a try.
Aaron.
Aaron, get out of my way.
Get away! Get away!
Where did he go?
Gosh, I don't know.
He could have gone anywhere.
ROCKFORD: You know,
I called Sue Ann.
I got to thinking about
Aaron's whole story
about those pictures
and protecting their marriage
and everything.
You wanna hear the kicker?
What?
They've been divorced
for two years.
Well, I guess
old Aaron forgot to write
that on a Christmas card.
I never would have
gone for this whole thing
for anybody else.
I don't know,
I guess you and I have always
had a soft spot for Aaron's
line of bull.
You remember
when he sold
your catcher's mitt?
Yeah.
Well, you can't
keep the money.
I know that, Rocky.
You know, he told them
that I was his silent partner
long before
he ever asked me.
How do you know that?
Because two torpedoes
tried to pick me up
before he ever got here.
The only thing
that makes any sense
at all is that
he actually wanted me
to sell his company.
Yeah. But why?
I don't know.
Yeah. But why wouldn't
he just sell it himself?
I don't know.
Well, it looks to me
like you and old Aaron
got a lot
of straightening out to do.
Yeah.
(PHONE RINGING)
Aaron, it's me.
Yeah?
I've got your check.
Yeah? Where are you?
Down in the lobby,
but I'll be waiting for you
in the alley
behind this joint.
We got some talking to do.
That's just fine.
I'll be right down.
I don't suppose
you really want to do
this country style?
I don't want to do it at all.
I just want to know
what's going on.
You owe me that much.
I told you.
I called Sue Ann.
All right. I stretched
the truth a little bit.
You ought to
expect that from me.
Now listen, old buddy.
You said you had my check.
How about forking it over?
Not until you tell me
what's going on.
I don't know any more.
Now, are you gonna give me
my money, or am I gonna
have to take it from you?
Aaron, I don't want
to fight you.
I never took you
when we was kids,
but I've grown up
a little bit since then.
Come on.
Aaron, now,
I don't want you to do
something you're gonna regret.
Just...
Oh, come on, Aaron.
Aaron!
Didn't used to be
so easy to hit.
Now, Aaron, stop that.
That hurt.
(AARON SCREAMING)
Give me my check.
(GROANING)
(AARON GROANING)
Aaron!
Give me my check.
What's the matter
with you, Aaron?
You want some more?
You ain't gonna
give nobody no more.
Look at you.
You can't even stand up
without a prop.
I trusted you, Aaron.
What do you want from me?
Just a few answers,
that's all.
Well, you got them all.
Stop it!
(BOTH PANTING)
Here.
What happened to us,
Aaron?
(GROANING)
You Jim Rockford?
That depends on who you are.
Cute, that's nice.
We're used to dealing
with barf bags like you.
Cop, huh?
Federal. Out.
Do you mind
if I see your tin?
I'm a stickler for detail.
I ain't in no mood. Out.
Lock it.
I got him.
Come on down and get
this load of garbage.
Up against it
and spread it.
You're used to it.
(SIGHING)
(HANDCUFFS RATTLING)
In.
In, out.
You ever think of
getting a job as an usher?
PATRICK: You owned it
yesterday, right?
That's right. But I sold it.
To Vito Genosa,
is that the story?
Yeah.
Where's Aaron Ironwood?
You're supposed
to be Flash Gordon.
Don't you know?
I'm getting tired
of all this flip chatter.
You're beginning
to wear on me
a little yourself.
Where is he?
We're looking for him.
We want Ironwood
because he's selling
multiple franchises
in his company.
It's a pyramid,
that constitutes fraud,
embezzlement
and the illegal sale
of unregistered securities.
You're gonna
have to break that down
for me.
Watch my lips, fraud.
I'm telling you
that Aaron Ironwood's
a fraud.
He's selling franchises
like a chain letter.
Now we're gonna
close him up and stick him
in jail.
Yeah.
You should look worried.
That puts you pretty high
on Genosa's list.
You sold him
a bucket of sand
for $20 million.
He ain't gonna like that.
Yeah. It's all beginning
to make a little sense.
Did Aaron know
that you were about
ready to nail him?
He might have.
Depends on how good
a spy setup he's got.
Genosa was already
interested in buying,
so Aaron got me
to sell it to him
knowing full well
you were 50 feet behind him
with a fistful
of court orders.
Nobody said
you were supposed
to be a genius.
Yeah. I guess not.
So, where is he?
At his hotel.
You forgot
to look there, huh?
He ain't at his hotel,
Rockford.
I left him there
40 minutes ago.
We've been staked
out on that hotel
since 12:30 this morning.
Look, Pat.
Agent Patrick.
All right, Agent Patrick.
Don't hang it on me
because your stakeout
was down
in the hotel gift shop
looking through
the magazines.
Get me Agent Schiller
on the line.
I want to talk to him.
Hey, can I go?
How 'bout it, fellas?
The inside of my mouth
is like Shredded Wheat.
You haven't got
anything on me.
Okay, Rockford.
But stay handy.
2356 Pacific Coast Highway,
please.
WOMAN: Okay. You betcha.
Hey, mister.
We're being tailed.
Sure hope so.
$10, I'll lose him for you.
I'm the one
that's supposed
to suggest that.
No you're supposed
to say, "Follow that cab,"
or "Lose the tail."
I'm supposed to say,
I'll lose him for $10.
Yeah, I guess
you're right.
Forget it.
I like him back there.
Suit yourself.
That'll be $2.50, mister.
Keep the change.
Thanks.
Have a nice night, fellas,
and stay awake.
NINO: Up.
Hmm?
Up.
What can I do for you?
Get your butt
out of bed for starters.
Oh. Yeah. Well,
(CLEARING THROAT)
I think I can manage that.
Well, I'm for some breakfast.
Maybe a little scrambled eggs.
Something light.
How about you?
No, you ain't got time
for breakfast. Let's go.
Oh. Look, Nino,
isn't it?
(LAUGHS)
Look.
Maybe we could talk
about this for a while, huh?
What do you want?
This may not be
any problem at all.
Let's go.
Oh. Yeah.
Okay, okay.
I'm sorry, Jimmy.
I didn't plan
on this part.
You guys think
you're pretty cute.
Well, I hope nobody
forgot the peanut butter
sandwiches.
I get up this morning
and I find out you sold me
a company
that's up to its neck
in legal trouble.
VITO: Everything's frozen.
All the assets.
So I wanna know
what you got in mind
to make this right.
If you remember correctly,
you're the one
that wanted to buy
the company.
We tried
not to sell it to you.
Well, you didn't try
hard enough.
Look, I told you
I'll give you
your money back.
You can't.
I checked with the bank.
All your assets
are frozen.
Well, we'll just
unfreeze it then.
Listen, Mr. Genosa.
Vito.
Look, this here
ain't such a bad problem.
We can fix it up.
Hell's bells,
a little business
misunderstanding.
(LAUGHS)
This ain't nothing
to get worked up about.
Right, Jimmy?
Of course.
See? Nothing to it.
Okay.
VITO: Then that's all
I wanted to know.
Let's get out of here.
(ENGINE STALLING)
What's wrong with this thing?
Let's get out of here.
It's new, Mr. Genosa.
There's something wrong
with the carburetor.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Try pumping it.
You shut up.
AARON: You think maybe
these guys are gonna
plow us under?
Yeah, that's the way
I got it figured.
Aaron,
you remember
when we were in school,
that kid
that you wrecked his car?
(CHUCKLES)
Yeah, I remember.
Yeah, that was something.
Remember how mad he got?
Yeah.
Shut up.
Jam it.
I said shut up.
Something never
occurred to you, I guess.
You can only kill
somebody once.
If you plan
to shut me up,
you'd better do it
right here and now.
Well, I'm glad
we got rid of him.
Right fellas?
Go ahead. Be funny.
Pretty soon,
you're gonna be looking
at your guts in the dirt.
Then I'm gonna
be laughing.
Something I forgot
to tell you about, Aaron.
All these guys
have a tendency
to take themselves
too seriously.
(CHUCKLES)
Yeah. I can see that.
Yeah,
I remember that kid.
(LAUGHS)
You know, boy,
when I had his car delivered,
I thought
he was gonna go nuts.
Yeah.
And I thought
he was gonna tear you
limb from limb.
You remember
he went back and got
his two big brothers?
Yeah. And they was
gonna take us apart
at the knees.
Yeah. Yeah,
to think I saved you
from that
just to be gunned down
by a couple of
third grade dropouts.
Uh, uh, uh.
I wouldn't do that
without asking Mr. Vito.
See, he might not like
you shooting Jimmy
in his car.
He might not
like that at all.
Rockford,
I'm gonna take it real slow.
Maybe, it's gonna take me
two or three clips to hit you
just where I want.
See what I mean, Aaron?
Yeah. They ain't got
no sense of humor at all.
Yeah.
Okay, over there.
Mr. Genosa,
maybe you better stay
back here, huh?
No, I want to watch this.
(EXCLAIMING)
Get up, damn you!
ROCKFORD:
He's having a seizure.
He can't.
Well, I'm gonna waste you
right here.
Aaron!
(GROANING)
Find the gun.
I can't find it.
Come on.
MAN: Hey!
No! You go watch the car.
Why didn't you
find the gun?
Well, I was
a little bit busy
at the time.
Well, we need it.
Why didn't you find it?
You want me to go back
and get it?
Come on, let's see
if we can get
to the car.
(GUN FIRING)
Where are they?
I lost them.
Now, I'll take him,
you drive.
You think you can
do it by yourself
this time?
Yeah.
I think I can handle it.
Is that better?
AARON: Much.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Come on, come on.
Come on. Let's go. Let's go!
(POLICE SIREN WAILING)
OFFICER: Freeze!
This is the police.
Well, where were you?
I thought you were
gonna stay closer.
We do it our own way.
I decided to pull back
and see what happened.
Well, if you'd have stayed
a little closer, none of this
would've happened.
I think it worked out good.
Well, we're sure glad
to see you.
What you doing?
Well, you're
under arrest, honey.
Fraud,
selling
unregistered securities,
abusing the mail,
and about a dozen
minor felonies.
Hey, look, Pat.
Agent Patrick,
I can testify...
Shut up, Rockford!
Or I'll get something
on you too.
Like what?
Like assault and battery.
Look at him. Poor fella.
You wouldn't dare.
(DOOR CLANGING)
This ain't gonna be so bad.
Aaron, when you get
up there,
ask for C Block.
They usually put
the fish in D Block,
but, you know, if you ask,
maybe they'll make
an exception.
Fish?
Yeah,
that's the new prisoners.
Also known as greenies.
C Block, huh?
What's so great
about C Block?
Well, they got
better facilities
and closed showers
and the rec room is next
to the outside wall.
With binoculars
you can see the girls
from the factory from there.
Boy, that sounds
like a blast.
Yeah, after five
or six months, it gets to be
a pretty big thrill.
AARON: You know,
there's probably a lot
of things wrong
with the prison system.
Sounds to me like
they could use
some reforming.
I always sort of
felt that way.
You know,
the best way to effect reform
has gotta be from the inside.
I suppose. Yeah.
I could organize
the prisoners,
get them
to think positively
about this prison reform,
get the old
philosophy cooking.
Aaron, if I was you,
I wouldn't get too...
No, I mean, really, Jim.
Now you think about it.
I could write me
a whole new chapter
in penology.
Okay, Rockford.
You're out.
Pick up your stuff
at front desk.
Hi, Rocky.
I guess
you're disappointed in me.
I mean you must be
really upset with me
going to jail and all.
That ain't why
I'm disappointed in you,
Aaron. And you know it.
Well, Rocky,
I don't like to dwell
on negative thoughts.
Well, it's just hard
for me to admit
I ain't perfect.
You ain't, you know.
Yeah, but I will be.
All I gotta do
is keep working on it.
Well, I guess you are
one of a kind, Aaron.
I ain't gonna hold that
against you.
What about Vito Genosa
and his head crushers?
Well, it looks like
they got 'em
for attempted murder.
They got them all
locked up down the hall.
Okay, Aaron.
I'm sorry I done you
like that, Jim.
I guess we got away
pretty clean, considering.
Yeah.
Yeah, considering.
Oh, and, Aaron,
about that prison reform.
I wouldn't get too
carried away with that.
Just take a tip from me, huh?
When you're doing time,
keep your nose clean.
Don't talk to people.
Kind of live within yourself.
I mean,
you start stirring the pot,
they'll land on you.
No, Jim,
I gotta give it a go.
It could be
a great opportunity.
It's like a whole
new career, kind of.
I'm gonna call it
"Dare to be Free."