Original subtitles

don't you go back to the bar and

entertain your

friends what you're boring me but why

don't you step outside and I'll

entertain you wait a minute you guys I'm

going to get in trouble Nikki would you

please go back to the bar creeps like M

go here give me a royal pain you come

hey do like she says I just want to sit

here and have a drink and listen to the

lady play the

[Music]

piano I'll see you later M go

who picks a fight with Sam Elliott

that's like challenging a grizzly bear

to a staring

contest spoiler alert the bear wins

every

time good day guys hly critics signing

in today we're revisiting Travis McGee a

forgotten classic from the early 80s

starring Sam Elliot and Catherine Ross

this laidback mystery takes us deep into

the Florida waterways blending danger

Intrigue and just a hint of romance Sam

brings his trademark rugged Charisma to

the title role delivering a performance

that hooks you right from the very start

it's one of my top five Sam Elliot TV

movies and for good reason but you'll

have to stick around to find out why it

made the cut so let's begin

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

hey Captain you all right bet I am my

right now I'm real good good a deal in

London took a lot out of you Travis

sitting around doing nothing will'll

take it out anybody gives you too much

time to think you're not doing that

again are you that old who am I what am

I doing what's it all coming ruy yeah I

guess so oh what's your

answer Immortal words of Papa I am what

I

am so I go on right

right you endure you enjoy what you can

but you go on MAR I think I'm just

getting tired of taking in other

people's dirty laundry and stop taking

in

laundry concentrate on your own

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

h

[Music]

I'm going over to my boat to make some

calls see you later for dinner I'll be

there

thank you be we for another safe

passage how was fishing

McGee pretty good

van they say foo's a fishing out of here

now huh yeah doing all right from what I

hear I was up here last year seeing

who's around and things was

going didn't happen to run into you

McGee this time he looked me

up I got myself some real trouble Travis

what kind of trouble

man lost my

license come on aboard I'll buy you a

cup of

tea H until that night he'd never had no

woman aboard except his wife and

daughter what night manam the night Hub

Lawless drowned when was this 22nd of

March he fell off to Julie

somehow well I've been down to Sand

Point about 6 years ever since Mr Hub

hired me to Skipper the Julie I know

that what happened to the night Lawless

drowned They Come Aboard about

9:00 Hub and Mr Tuckerman John Tuckerman

was sort of a unofficial assistant they

brought these two women aboard tight

pants Airline carry-ons perfume

Giggles I didn't like it one bit when Mr

Hub brought them girls aboard cuz I dos

run a family boat for him he named her

after his wife

Julie once I cleared the point I set a

course for San

Diego Then Mr Lawless brought me my

bourbon of water up to the bridge I

thought you'd quit the booze I did but

this was the one drink that we had

between us whenever we'd go out just to

show that I could still handle it mhm

well that's all I remember I woke up

back on the dock hack A's Sheriff he's a

kicking me

away said he didn't want to try to pick

me up cuz I stunk so bad I'd throw it up

all over my clothes funny thing for him

to do if he thought you were sick he'd

called me a killer

said I run the Julie on a sandb bar caus

Mr Hub to fall

overboard did you well I told you McGee

I I just don't remember not long after I

had that drink I felt kind of a buzzing

in my

head seemed like the Julie was climbing

a big black wave that curled over the

top they took took took my good name

Travis it's about all I Really Ever

Had man I don't see they had an inquiry

and they they held me

negligent I haven't got no

papers I can't work at my trade but I

heard that someone loses something

that's real important to them you'd try

to get it back and if you did you keep

half what it's worth that's close enough

so well I figure my good name is worth

at least

$20,000 I'll give you a paper it'll say

that if you can find a way to show it

wasn't my fault I'll pay you $10,000

over whatever time it takes me to make

it and pay it it's all there transcript

from the inquiry who said what about

what happened she

is

man I don't want to say yes or no about

this right now let me walk it around a

little bit probably talk to Meer about

it I'm going to be working here all day

tomorrow I want you come back in the

afternoon well thank you McGee I'll see

you

tomorrow they ever find the body oh just

a life ring one tuck him and threw him

when he went overboard

[Music]

everything van Harter had was wrapped up

in that request his pride his dignity

his seafaring career his total worth as

a

man somehow I had the feeling that I was

the very last chance he'd been able to

think

of Travis McGee Salvage

expert old thing happened while you were

away front page for a couple of days

sounds like this Lawless was a pretty

big operator he was trying to be Sans

point was his baby practically developed

it from scratch his and a lot of other

people's even tried to get a client of

mine involved now it's all just one big

bag of wet

mice van said he left a wife behind

Julie also an insurance policy for

somewhere around $2

million what's the status on that well

my friend on the vine tells me that

there is much unhappiness in the hearts

of the policy carriers there's great

wailings and nashing of teeth heard from

the

highrises and meanwhile they aren't Bay

on what are they saying no body no proof

of death

natural good to see you back

McGee hey how you doing Nora I'm going

to crew from maner in the trans pack

well might be a little dangerous nah

it's a good vat I'm talking about

Maynard

I'm open to a reasonable

alternative I remember that you do that

so long

wire so what happened that

hey so what happened after Lawless and

Tuckerman found van passed out on the

bridge Tuckerman took the helm Lawless

went forward to point the way he pointed

a starboard Tuckerman figured he meant

to turn right so he did they hit the The

Sandbar said he realized then that

Lawless was pointing out the problem not

where to

steer the impact through Lawless

overboard they couldn't find him so what

do you think of Van harter's

Story Van's a reliable

person so let's just say it was a heart

attack or a stroke or a Savage bow of

food poisoning or even somebody put

something in his drink but in any event

I think we can safely say that Lawless

left the boat before it returned now he

left on purpose or by accident and in

any case he either died or left

town I don't know what I'd do without

your

help it's simple mathematics mgee

permutations and combinations no Mar I

visited Sans point one time I'm sick of

all those Red Hots and overachievers I

don't want any part of it I'm glad you

talked me into going with you McGee

life's been getting a little flat lately

you know Mari

it's me

Travis okay van I'll go down to Sand

Point and see what I can dig up H I

surely do appreciate that did you fix up

that paper for me to sign

yeah we can work something out well I

can't get my honor back with one hand

take it away with

another either it's a dealer it's

not it's a

deal early the next day we were on our

way to sans's point my old friend Meyer

is an intelligent amiable ambling bear

who looks like the diaram of early man

in the Museum of Natural History he is

by trade a fin Financial Consultant he's

consistently right in his Trend

predictions so his services are always

in demand and he has the luxury of

picking his shots myard arranged for a

cover story for us in Sans point it was

in the form of a letter from a major

conglomerate on the East Coast it was on

their corporate letter head signed by

the chairman of the board and it had the

slightly tainted smell of big money it

introduced us as real estate Scouts for

the

corporation probably just the ticket we

needed to get us in the front door when

we got to sans's point Meer took his

letter and headed for the bank I took my

copy and went looking for the local

sheriff a man named hack

Ames nice meeting you

McGee what can I do for you well like

letter says my company's considering

some real estate investments in Sans

point I got to do with me well the land

we're interested in happens to belong to

hubard

Lawless so so is he dead or

alive there's any doubt which I hear

there is I'd say your local economy

might be a little shaky our company

could help that

situation our investigation shows that

Hub Lawless may be very much alive when

do you think you'll know

I just gave one of my deputies Wright

Fletcher leave of absence to go to

Mexico with an investigator from the

insurance company that holds a big

policy on hub's life why Mexico well he

didn't go anywhere by boat we know that

he didn't go by plane we checked all the

flights but his Jeep's been missing ever

since that night big old red Jeep he

used to run up and down on the beach got

big dune buggy tires on it that's the

ideal vehicle to go south to Mexico

missing Jeep doesn't necessarily spell

Mexico

Sheriff tell you the

truth

we got this letter from

La got

a typewritten note in it and a a slide

the man in this picture looks like the

man on TV news I took this uh April 8th

in

guadalahara I can't give you my name or

address cuz my boyfriend thinks I was in

San Diego go visited my

sister we had a couple hundred of them

printed up that's uh Hub Lawless all

right that's also guad Lara dated on the

back says it was printed in LA in April

that puts him in Mexico about uh 2 weeks

after he was supposed to have drowned

that's a world center for cosmetic

surgery isn't it you sound good at your

job

McGee what is your job anyway that

letter is a little vague I'll make some

man like Lawless skipped down well

there's evidence he was having money

trouble if you think Lawless bailed out

for Mexico then that boat captain of his

wasn't responsible for anybody dying was

he maybe not but he was drunk at night

did you test him didn't need to how's

that he looked drunk smelled drunk

walked drunk talked drunk he he was a

drunk had plenty of D and jail time to

prove it that was a lot of years ago

Sheriff you talk like you know him we've

been fishing

together well I have to admit that those

two girls bored swore that Hub only took

one drink up to him but van harder

probably had a bottle in his pocket

drained it dry and heaved it

overboard now those reformed drunks

McGee they're the worst once they fall

off something special you got Against

Drunk sh

I was married to one for 20

years that why you kicked man harder

that

[Music]

night some sort of money trouble that's

how I put it word for word well he's a

man of considerable understatement he's

also a man he wouldn't want to

underestimate

you down for the night between crewing

for you and deceiving local Bankers

there has been sufficient under the day

I was a local Banker

informative Mr Devin bogs of the Sans

Point Mutual Bank tells me that Hub blus

wanted to make sans's point to Top

Resort community on the west coast

except he was trying to build Rome on a

Fresno budget his whole empire was ready

to crumble then he disappeared and they

found that somewhat over a million

dollars had disappeared right along with

it Mr bogs gave me some of his business

cards with a little to whom it may

concern written on the back of them

might open a few

doors you do good work

Meer which sounds best crab rolad or

sweet breads a doel go for the peanut

butter and jelly sandwich where's your

celebrated Spirit of Adventure you call

room service and adventure

where are you going down in the bar we

got a heavy day tomorrow that's why I'm

starting in the bar I usually serve up

the best gossip in town besides it's a

happy hour wake for breakfast gently

[Music]

please I'm in

love with

you first you love

me then you slow

[Music]

[Music]

I guess I'll Never See the

Light the

[Music]

I

[Music]

you since I fa

[Music]

[Applause]

got a nice voice

thanks I'm Billy Jean Bailey

McGee bu and

drink yeah sure

good yo penny

so uh when didd you get into town uh

this afternoon much about the town well

if you're looking for Action you're not

going to find a lot around here you're

all the action I need Billy Jean

Bailey if you meant what I think you

meant woo woo I'm just talking about

sitting here and having a drink and

listening a lady play the

piano

okay you know I keep my guard up real

high but you know you working a joint

like this and uh you don't even talk to

the guys understand so friends

yeah so what are you doing here I'm here

with a friend of mine he's checking into

some property that belonged to a man

named Lawless you have got no idea the

people that have come to town because of

Hub Lawless let me see there has been

the IRS uh zoning people Bank

investigators and insurance examiners

the media the

FBI really did you know him just casual

you know he came in a couple of times

always had a lot of people around him

ever meet a man named John Tuckerman you

meet Hub Lawless you meet John Tuckerman

now what you say

BJ oh hi

Nikki I'd like you to meet a friend of

mine Harris MC this is Nicki noise what

do you say

m uh Nikki used to work for Hub Lawless

oh yeah so I used to work for Hub isn't

that

fascinating so you want to go over to

stells tonight I don't think so you'd

rather sit around here and let somebody

picked your brain about Hub come on

Nikki he's not here about Hub he's here

about buying some land or something and

you don't know the first thing about Hub

I bet I just heard some hick businessman

in one of his cronies took a couple of

hookers out on a cabin cruiser and

everybody got slopped hired Captain

passed out and the local Big Shot fell

overboard and drowned and everybody got

worked up about it all didn't drown

Nikki shut up DJ

one he sold off all the trucks for cash

cheap two stopped paying the bills

coming to and that's very end he closed

out all the bank accounts three that

girl left town the next day oh what

girl's

that what am I doing it's none of your

business anyway right meu right noise we

should go back to the bar and entertain

your

friends what you're boring me but why

don't you step outside and I'll

entertain you what a minute you guys I'm

going to get in trouble Nikki would you

please go back to the bar creeps like my

go here give me a royal pain you come

hey do like she says I just want to sit

here and have a drink and listen to the

lady play the

[Music]

piano I'll see you later M go

I have to get back to work yeah I can

see that listen my last set's at

11: why don't you wait for me I'll uh

I'll have dinner when you get fin soon

I'll wait for you outside

okay I'll see you later all right

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

I quit I've had it

[Music]

what

[Music]

want to get some rest Nikki I'm not

through with you go go on

[Music]

what happened here I was just finishing

my talk with

Nikki I hope Jack doesn't see you he's

not going to like this at all Jack who's

Jack he's the manager of this place and

he doesn't like the help that's me

getting involved in anything weird or

causing trouble you think you'll need a

doctor

uh I think just an ice cube will do well

come on I got some

so what's with you and Nikki Nikki and I

used to go together now we don't he's

not exactly too thrilled about that I

kind of gathered that you always on a

fight like that Nikki likes a good

fight I tell you this Lawless thing it's

hurt a lot of people in this town Nikki

was one of them how's that he made good

bucks working for Lawless like to party

throw his money around he was doing a

lot of C

then Lawless disappears he loses his

job he started dealing to support his

habit and he started getting real

mean so I decided to end

it I'm not very good at doing

this what' Nikki mean about that girl

leaving town the next day Kristen

Peterson she worked for Lawless

Architects something like that and

everybody said they had something going

I thought Lawless was married married

men don't fool

around hey McGee listen why don't you

take this shirt off and I'll get the

blood I have it for you it's all right B

J no no really it's a nice shirt I'd

like to save it for you come

on full of surprises are you it's a

woman's prerogative mcke haven't you

heard that

besides it's kind of been a funny time

for me

lately you know I've been kind of

listless and

bored and

Lonesome you know like I'm waiting for

something to

happen you know what I mean mcky yeah I

think I do bil Jean

but if you were to happen to me be

okay regardless of what I said

before would

H yeah it

would hey how about little smoke make

you feel better I feel

fine how about little Coke I got some of

that from Nicki the

nose no thanks never got into

Pharmaceuticals

[Music]

okay I'll ask

you would you spend the night with me

[Music]

what's it going on got to leave Milly

Jean what do you want to go

for me daylight

soon don't old Jack watching me sneak

out of here do you

sure in the

show

what I have before but sure on a hanger

in the

shower don't go

yet I have two Billy

hey

McGee how come you want to leave thought

you didn't want old Jack watch me you

guys are all alike aren't you you get

everything you

want then you just walk away

night Billy

Jean don't slam the door on your way out

[Music]

Meo too much travel too much drink

stupid

brawl finally a nice little lady who was

just lonely enough to be potential

trouble

by diligent effort I seem to be

prolonging my adolescence to total

absurdity

[Music]

you looking for some Morning

News Mystery Woman Kristen Peterson

employed as an architect by hubard

Lawless disappears the day after alleged

drowning Nicholas no one time

superintendent of Hub law construction

states that Lawless sold off equipment

for cash before disappearing and cleaned

out all bank accounts so don't you want

to write it down

what out in your face Nicki no took an

instant dislike to it I can see his

point one of your problems Meer bear me

you're not a morning person

[Music]

well this must be the place quite a

palace huh supposedly Lawless gave tuck

in this piece of land going to build him

a house when the development started 2

years and he's still waiting for the

groundbreaking

[Music]

ceremony hey there hey there

I'm Meer M GLE

Howard John Tuckerman around we'd like

to talk to him

depends what do you want to talk to him

about well we're trying to clear up the

title on some hubard Lawless Holdings so

our firm can make an offer real estate

people not

really not really

I'm here doing a favor for a friend my

just came along for the

sale what do you want to talk to him

about fan

Harter you mean you want to talk about

Hub

Lawless his name will come up I'm pretty

sure been an awful lot of people asking

him about Hub they do have

cause he said it all many many times

he's like a stuck record

he doesn't need to go over it again do

you know what I'm

saying just asking van harder questions

harder and Van harder you're what Mr

McGee I mean what class of intruder are

you I'm trying to get van harter's

license back he lost it over all this

seems like he came out real well only

losing a license happened his

self-respect was stapled to it man's a

sailor his thing said he was a bad

sailor different things hold us up you

know what I'm

saying John's up the beach you can't

miss

him it might make him anxious see two of

you coming

how's it on spin dry beyond

belief you've heard of

laundromats yeah I know I could have

bundled all this scrunchy stuff up and

gone latting with a lot of gratitude for

civilization the benefits of but I have

this Pioneer hang up

I love doing things the hard

way hey there hey

there how's it going pretty good how's

fishing

well they're out there but I'm not

bringing them

in what are you using John an chovies

fish to catch

fish it's all those little Devils do eat

each other night and day day and

night you ever think about that going on

yeah it's crossed my mind same thing

goes on back here on land doesn't

it hell yes goes on everywhere

how'd you know my name grle told me

where I could find

you

oh don't John

along all my

life

oh she takes real good care of me I

can't remember the last time I had a

drink we got a kick out of her when we

got here she was up there doing the

laundry in those big

drums yeah grle is stubborn she gets

these ideas about

things she wants to see just how

independent of everything we can become

come no telephones no power company she

even brought in a load of dirt try to

start a

guard she won't give up on

anything

ever hey

Meer so now they think that Lawless is

down South of the Border somewhere lying

in the sun with his lady

love and they hate it they hate thinking

oh Hub maybe got away from him they hate

anybody getting away what about van

harder what'd you put in his

drink bourbon water long no

ice pup called it van harder's nail he

used to hammer one in just to feel the

pain old Hub said

why don't you let old van off the hook

John bace is dead it doesn't

matter I said plenty I told my

story they wrote it down and played it

back and minced it up and every time it

comes out the same every

time Hub got lost off the

Julie a big sea got him took him

over I don't want to talk about it

anymore he doesn't want to talk about it

I heard

him I'm abusing your

hospitality I'm

sorry you would have liked old hub

I think it's pretty low to keep digging

and digging away at someone who

what won't tell the truth I don't

know he can be tricked like a

child way I was tricking him yes it made

me mad getting hide it short fuse

friend how long have you two been

together Jesus sister McGee

[Music]

hello Mr call us in my name's McGee I

called her a little while ago yes she's

expecting you she's at the back of the

house you can go that way thank you

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

how desperate you must be to see me Mr

McGee scarcely 10 minutes have laps

since you called on the prod ma'am on

the

prod it's quite a collection you have

here yes hubard never stinted on his

material needs see anything you're

particularly interested

in couple of nice rods here

but I have a couple of nice

rods what do you want the prod about a

man named Van

Harter van harder I never liked him why

is that man

don't don't call me ma'am

again I never liked him because he

didn't like

me I'm a pagan he's a

Christian an old enmity lay between us

you think you got drunk and caused your

husband's death not able to answer that

I don't know you think your husband's

dead you think I'd sell his clothes if

he weren't sure I

do I've known hubard Lawless for 20

years I was the older woman in his life

who initiated him into many things

that's what I am on this plane

an initiator I saw him make his first

million saw him

losing saw him through his first Affair

and all of his other

vices and then I lost

him you only get so

long what'd you lose him to time his

age his absurd midlife

angst of course there was another woman

a viking with an incredible burnished

body the talent for convincing a man he

could be

immortal I think he planned to run away

with her to a life of unceasing vigor

and minimal

thought but it didn't work

out because he's

dead how do you know that

I can feel

it I can feel he's not

there and he

was burning in the pit of

me and it's

out whatever it was and he's dead Mr

McGee suppose somebody showed you a

picture taking your husband in a

sidewalk Cen in

guadara a couple of weeks after the

accident I'd say it was a fake who

bother to fake it the insurance company

Hub left me a policy worth 2 million

they're trying to avoid it I'm not just

cleaning out emotional addicts here I'm

trying to pay off the Relentless packs

of howling

bills look you're working for Van harder

right that implies Hub set him up and

skipped out right mhm how much is he

paying you something we're negotiating

well you prove whatever you want about

van Harter but if you can come up with

evidence that hubt is dead I'll pay you

whatever he's paying

you not necessary all right but I'll do

it anyway now what else do you need to

know Nicki nois oh another one of those

losers Hub like to keep around sometimes

a man surrounds himself with losers so

it feel more like a

winner present company accepted of

course of

course John

Tuckerman John and hub went to school

together John isn't stupid he's just not

altogether

centered he loved hubard like a

dog but he was a

man and give the devil his due Hub never

used or abused him John was hub's best

child at a

relationship isn't that

sad yeah

you think Tuckerman told the truth about

what happened that night aboard the

Julie I don't

know nice

Rod glad about your husband being

gone getting gladder every day it's been

a rough decade Mr

McGee any idea who might have wanted him

dead you mean besides me not a soul

[Music]

[Laughter]

what

morning morning I'd like to ask you a

few questions about a lady named Kristen

Peterson understand she used to live in

one of your apartments I'm not

interested in answering any questions

about Miss

Peterson do you want me to call the

sheriff you're an attorney what's your

name Stanley Moran and who exactly are

you

well Mr Stanley Moran I don't want you

to keep asking me questions I'm not here

to answer questions I'm here to ask them

maybe you'd like to call Mr bogs and get

his opinion on whether or not he thinks

you ought to ask me a lot of

questions why you smiling cuz the anger

I get the more I smile it's warming

nervous anxiety when I break out

laughing I usually start hitting

people come

in when did she leave

how many times do I have to answer that

Stanley March the 23rd the day after Mr

Lawless tragedy don't ask me the time I

don't know nobody knows I do know that

she had a visitor early that morning

before Dawn even and she left with him

any idea who it was I'm the foggiest I

just heard her voice now I was gone all

day but when I got back her apartment

was cleaned out and her car was gone and

she didn't leave a foring address she

didn't leave anything except a couple of

pictures I can't make head and tail out

of you can hardly figure out which way

to hang them you don't sound too fond of

her Stanley she made very derogatory

remarks about the decor now I worked

hard to make these units livable and

comfortable she had no reason to call

them vulgar took down the original oil

paintings of the ocean really beautiful

one on Black Velvet hung up those tacky

prints of hers I see them

you can have them they're

garbage I see what you

mean the world is full of contention and

contentious people they won't tell you

the time of the day without their little

display of

hostility my thinks it's just a reflex I

think it's an affirmation of

importance boy If I Were King of the

world World I'd roam my kingdom in rags

Incognito dropping fortunes on the

people that are nice with no special

reason to be nice and I'd have my troops

lopping off the heads of all the mean

and bittered little weasels who try to

inflate their own self-esteem by

stomping on

yours there'd be so many heads rolling

around the whole world it look like a

berserk bowling alley

[Music]

how you doing she Burns around she comes

on at 4: when she does she's paid to

work another bowling ball what was that

bottle of beer

please you on this

place I'm one of the owners yeah I was

wondering about these kind of places

wondered

what how you manage to live with all the

Regulatory Agencies who can just come in

here and close you down you know City

County state federal there's a lot of

agencies you run a good clean place here

we don't violate anything hey there's no

way not to be in violation of something

I mean the rules are sometimes

contradictory you know it and I know it

I how the establishment keeps you in

line who are you I'm the guy that came

in and asked if Missy Burns was around

and got some dialogue about her working

obligations want to start

over Miss she Burns

around she came in early

mishy what's up gentleman here needs to

talk to you don't take all

day hi hi like to talk to you about that

cruise you took last last March on a

Julie oh that

again cup of black Harley look I have

talked about that so much already all I

can remember now are the times I talked

about it okay want you to tell me

exactly how John Tuckerman worded it

when he asked you to come along on the

cruise and bring a friend hey you got

that wrong I do yeah he didn't ask me I

asked him I heard him talking about this

trip to San Diego he was uh sitting

right at that table over there so I

asked him if I could come along and

bring a friend that's what Tuckerman

told you to say that's not how it really

happened is

it Leisa tell you

that ah she wasn't supposed to tell

anyone I never met

Leisa I think you faked me out I think

you lied under oath right now that's

just between the two of

us what do you want want to know I want

to know exactly what happened that

night well like I told everybody in his

cousin we went down to the marina and

got on the boat Lisa ambar and me she's

working in La now anyway we start out

and I'm waiting for them to make their

moves you know like we're going to have

to pay some dues on account we're so

grateful to be on that boat so I'm

working on my play except it turns out

there's no problem they act like maybe

we're not even there anyhow so we're out

to see maybe uh 20 minutes and Lawless

fixes a drink and takes it up to the

captain okay so now it's getting real

rough out and I'm starting to get sick

to my stomach and Tuckerman he says I

should go up and get some fresh air you

know maybe I'll feel better so I do and

it's like it's cold and

windy and I see the captain he's laying

on the deck like he's dead or something

so I run back down and I tell everyone

they decide to go back which is just

fine by me because P then I'm sorry I

said I'd come along in the first place

so they're up on Deck and Le and I are

turning green down below when there's

this awful jolt and Tuckerman he yells

at us that Mr Lawless is Fallen

overboard and we're to help look for him

I mean talk about your nightmares I mean

we couldn't see a thing and I'm just

getting sicker by the minute so finally

Tuckerman gets us into the dock and we

tell the cops and everybody just what

I'm telling you right now so why do you

want to know all this I'm working for

some people who need to know if Hubbert

Lawless is really dead or

not there was some cold whole black

water out there that night a lot of

people think he's still alive you ask me

he's dead Mister real

dead oh thanks

mishy

hey if you want to talk some more you

know where to find

me thanks again

do you

mind okay

okay is that her the famous piano

playing nurse that's

[Music]

her she's obviously very excited that

you're here

McGee so you think the two girls were

aboard only for window dressing and to

witness the accident wouldn't you say

yeah meanwhile what's on for tomorrow I

picked up a couple of Graphics from

Kristen Peterson's apartment I'd like to

get an appraisal on them I think I can

manage that what about you back out to

tuckerman's take a load of groceries and

some deli and grle oh well what you're

talking about is a care package when you

start calling great quantities of food

to a female person that means you really

care it always has I think it's some

kind of a primal Instinct the hunter

brings the food back to the cave give me

a break

Meer Nicki noise

[Music]

mhm kind of a sloppy Drinker isn't he

[Applause]

[Music]

there are some days you can't ever

forget it doesn't mean that anything

really startling has to happen there you

are in the midst of your life and one of

those days comes rolling at you and it's

just like one of those magical days of

childhood

like the first Monday after school is

out boy was I young 18 when David and I

got married why am I telling you all

this cuz I want to hear all

this we ran a summer camp for little

Rich Kids David made a pass at one of

the mothers and she told the owners

and we got thrown out in the middle of

August then we got a job running a

health spa down south I ran the exercise

classes and kept the charts and

organized their days and David handed

out the towels it was doing so well they

had to hire someone just to do the books

the bookkeeper was

cute dear darling David ran off with

her sounds to me like he did you a big

favor ooh a ladybug that's good luck

you can't really appreciate the change

in John unless you'd known him

before he's an intensely loyal

person when Hub disappeared it broke his

heart he drank for

Oblivion found some permanent kind I

think

[Music]

so what are you m some kind of

detective no

people have to have a

license they charge fees they have

office

phones I just do favors for friends sort

of Salvage work isn't van harder paying

you he offered me $10,000 if I could

clear his name old van thinks his good

name is worth

20,000 when I find things for people I

usually keep PA I can't take that kind

of money from Van

I could just

spit probably hubard is sitting

somewhere fat and happy and

he's left all this ruin behind

him how long have you been taking care

of John 6 weeks since just after the

inquiry what do you think

happened I don't know what

happened all I know is what it's done to

John he's out here and every day and he

sits in the trailer and babbles to

himself at night you think he's telling

the truth I don't even know that for

sure I know he's he's got something

bottled up

inside it's really hurting

him I think so

too I thank you for trusting

me I'm going to help you with this my

and I will help you we'll get it all

sorted out we half of what half the way

you look right now come on NY you've

been in the sun too long

[Music]

that's bricks Nikki I got to had you

Meo I'll see you

soon

[Music]

you want me to run down the list of

items you're supposed to be checking out

while apparently luxuriating here I've

been reviewing a number of loose

ends I can see

that item why would hubs architect lady

leave behind in her apartment two lithos

by cholodenko worth easily

$10,000 which is what they were it turns

out answer

what's 10,000 when she's helping Hub

spend the mill but I know these girls

from Scandinavia they're like squirrels

they keep everything n now she'd have

put those pictures in the storage if she

was really going

away yeah maybe now do you know

something or are you just intuiting I

think Tuckerman knows I'm going to get

it out of

him what's that going to do to you and

grle

got to you didn't

she why don't you see if you can find

out if Lawless was in Mexico before the

accident maybe January or

February get right on see you

later how you doing Billy

Jean you and my son mister

look about the other night you're

Vanishing act sorry not to be taken

personally oh yeah well as I remember I

was the only other one

there have a nice

[Music]

[Music]

day the other day I asked you if you

knew anyone who might want to kill your

husband

I was rather flipped with you wasn't I

maybe a little bitter can't say that I

blame you I've been bitter a long time

but I couldn't have killed him at John

Tuckerman no under any circumstances no

he he would have killed himself if H

would ask or somebody else but but he'd

never armhub we worship our Gods we

don't kill them you still think he's

dead

yes picture I told you about

Sheriff has a man coming back from

Mexico tomorrow word is he's lined up a

half a dozen Witnesses say they saw a

hub in Mexico after the

accident come over

here these things are too

old even for a garage

sail

there same sleeve I seed

[Music]

the one that's in the

picture so what did hubard do wear it to

Mexico and sneak back here and slip it

into the

house I told you I told everyone Hubbert

is

[Music]

dead got this from Julie Lawless she did

the sewing what made you go ass I didn't

I just showed her the picture she

spotted it so you're saying our

Anonymous tourist made a mistake about

the date she took the

picture no I don't like that McGee she

was too positive come on walk with me

I'm

late she sure was selling that date

wasn't she selling the idea Lawless was

still

alive hey maybe our lady architect sent

that slide maybe she wanted the whole

pie she knew he was going to skip to

Mexico get plastic surgery and start a

new

life yeah maybe she uh she couldn't see

herself tied to him

maybe get caught with him so she pops

him buries him and makes off with the

whole bundle then to lay a false Trail

sends that slide to me let me ask you a

question who paid for your deputy's trip

to guad

laara I'll be in touch with you

[Music]

McGee Fletch is Du back from Mexico

tomorrow I want to know immediately when

he gets here yes sir

outfit called action Unlimited in lagona

Beach they handle all the travel

bookings for hubs company the Lawless

was in Mexico before the accident right

flew to Wild laar spent a couple of days

hunting Mountain lines hunting Mountain

lines I bet he was hunting a plastic

surgeon too but who went with him John

Tuckerman you know everything that's

your

job BJ told me all about you take it

easy don't tell me how to take anything

NC what are you talking about she told

me you turn down to Grass Coke

everything makes me a narc yeah it makes

you a narc then you pumped her all about

me right me that spells it out pretty

clear why don't you just go home

Nikki think I'm going to let you take me

out what was all that I don't know

[Applause]

[Music]

I'll kill you I'll kill you

[Music]

[Music]

what do you want I want to know how you

got Nikki so charged up what' you say to

him I didn't say anything you listen to

me whatever you said to him made him

come after me with a shotgun and he shot

to kill then he ran out into the traffic

and got hit and

killed he's killed what' you say to

him I told him that you came here after

him I thought that he'd fight you that's

all

I thought maybe you get beat

up I didn't think

that

I it's not your fault Billy

J nck he kill himself

I let Nikki stay loose I was hoping he'd

lead me to this connection a little late

now yeah for Nikki

too send Fletcher

in one thing about this boy Fletcher

he's not too God awful Bride on the best

of

days right Fletcher Travis McGee

sit down

fletchy that's an awful lucky break you

getting the fly down to Mexico with Mr

tanoi you know we could never have

shaken loose enough money to send you

down

there well I may not be with you call

fluent sir but I was able to help him a

lot that's what we're here for a that

right sir I'd go along with that now

just so I'm sure I have it right tell me

one more time are you absolutely 1,000%

positive that Hub Lawless is in Mexico

well I'm a th% sure that he was there we

did find that same Sidewalk Cafe where

that picture was taken now let's say a

body came drifting in this morning say

and we just got a positive back from the

lab on the dental work and it's Hub

Lawless not looking too good after 2

months in the water but teeth in fine

condition honest to God the body did

come in I thought I thought you had him

all nailed down in

Mexico something wrong with your

investigative work down there no no sir

absolutely nothing wrong work out real

nice for that insurance company and for

Mr tanoi who works for them if they

didn't have to pay Julie Lawless

wouldn't it yes sir I believe he does

get a a percentage commission 2 million

must be a real fat commission I guess

so now this report says that you have

five people willing to sway that they

saw Hub Lawless in Mexico in

April five good solid reliable Witnesses

people we could put on the stand well we

never told them that they'd have to do

that did Mr Tano give them anything for

their

trouble yeah a couple of hundred pesos

each like $20 Sheriff just something

gratitude for that time put you up in a

nice hotel did he nice room yeah it was

real nice good food good booze little

night life maybe a senorita or two take

it easy Sheriff like Mr tanor said it

actually is just like a vacation there's

no reason we shouldn't have a good time

as long as we're doing our job maybe he

gave you a little bonus too huh not

exactly a bonus well what a little

svanir a Silver Bell

Buckle well like Mr tanor said it's all

but certain that Hub Lawless did take

off with that money and it's not right

that a man should rip off an insurance

company when when a man rips off an

insurance company then the rates go up

for all the rest of us get out of here

sir makes me sick to look at you get

out where are we

now I'd say somebody sent you that

picture and faked the

date somebody who wanted everybody to

think that Hub Lawless was still

alive maybe somebody who had access to

the film and hubs camera from his Mexico

trip in

February we know Julie didn't do it I

don't leave a lot of other

people just Kristen Peterson and John

[Music]

Tuckerman you're not making any sense

Travis here you have the golden

opportunity to be alone with

her to play the strong romantic Wanderer

of the sees your best role by the way

and you invite me along now exactly what

do you need with an aging Cruise

director she's bringing her brother

along she just doesn't want to leave him

alone she's been living out there for

over a month like a Hermit she needs to

get out of there how's Tuckerman going

to react to being out on a boat

again I've been thinking about that

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

we go back

now what's the matter John had enough of

this let's head on back you hear me head

on back recognize where we

are there is a

marina off

there that couldn't be more than a half

a

mile from

what that Sand Bar you

hit used you

John he left you behind and went away

with Kristen you don't owe him anything

he planned the whole thing didn't he he

took the money and took the girl and ran

off and left you holding the bag he

isn't worth protecting don't say that

it's all right Johnny just don't say

that you don't understand hug was my

best friend I was his not Christen and

why'd he leave you behind why'd your

best friend take the girl in the money

and run off to Mexico and leave you

behind I don't know I I don't know what

you're talking about please would you

put in Van harder's

drink Bourbon and water that's a

lie you drugged him no you leave me

alone Hub where are you Hub you got to

help me I don't know what to do they

don't believe me it's a lie wasn't it

John everything you said about that

night was a lie wasn't it how many times

do I have to tell you he pointed to

starbo I turned the boat we ramm the

sandb bar he fell in I couldn't find him

no I I looked everywhere for him he was

gone he fell in I couldn't find him no

you drugged van harder then after that

girl saw him lying there you and hub

went ahead with the rest of your plan

true what was it John was there dingy

waiting out on that bar for Hub or just

swinging close to Shore and let him off

and then head back out what happened

Liar Liar god sakes man tell me the

truth

Travis that's enough

may bring her

[Music]

about there's nothing worse than coming

down on somebody when you know they

can't take it Tuckerman was lying to me

and it made me mad he knew the truth

about van harder and I wanted to hear

him say it after a while John and I both

settled down and he told us his side of

the

story I I tried to talk him out of it I

really did he wouldn't listen he said

everything was going to hell and the

only way to salvage anything was for him

to leave and take everything he

could I guess that included the

girl what happened that

night well that

happened pretty much like you said I

dropped him off as close to shore as I

could maybe 50 yards he had on a wet

suit and a inflatable life belt so we

figured he could make it easy and then I

took the boat out and ranm The Sandbar

and he called the girls up top side to

look for him mm afterwards I took the

boat in and called the sheriff night

stayed there at the dock and I answered

everybody's questions and then I took

the car and drove out to the beach early

in the morning and I found Hub in the

trailer lying down sweating he said he'd

run into a rip tide and could hardly

make it to short we finally landed a

long way down the beach the the wind had

chilled him and by the time he got back

to the

trailer he had this terrible pain in his

chest and it his shoulder was starting

to hurt he said he thought there was

something really wrong with him so he

sent me to bring Kristen back from town

and I did anyway by first light he said

he was feeling better he said he didn't

think it was anything serious

that it was probably just

exposure he told me that they would send

for me in 10

days and then he took off in the Jeep

and she took off in the car and that's

the last I saw of

[Music]

them he never never sent for me

[Music]

if I hadn't believ an harter's story

when he came to me for help I never

would have come down here in the first

place poor

John keeping all this

inside

well it's out in the open

now first pressure is off maybe you'll

come around and start feeling

better what are you going to

do I don't

know you think John will go in there and

tell him the

truth I think they took such a beating

on this they'd be glad to put anybody in

jail

riddle I don't know what to say to

you I'm sorry

[Music]

you going to be all right out here

tonight

[Music]

yes

well somehow things always seem to look

better in the

daylight I'll come back in the morning

and we'll talk to John

[Music]

[Music]

so vanh Harter was drugged and Mr

Lawless and his mistress may not be

living happily ever afterward in wadaha

well I'd like to speak to Mrs Lawless

please Travis McGee thank

you at least he isn't do you think he's

living at all happily or otherwise Mrs

Lawless sorry to bother you so late

something more I need to know about your

husband I thought we'd exhausted that

subject did he have any history of heart

trouble yes he had a car in area about a

year and a half ago the doctor warned

him he was a Prime candidate how serious

was it well serious enough for me to

take a CPR course not serious enough for

him to change his lifestyle thanks Mr

Lis do you know something I should know

uh no not yet I'll be in touch T

night no no what no I don't think he's

living at all

[Music]

I didn't really want to deal with what

was coming that

morning I had decided that unraveling

the hubus mystery was just a reflex on

my part I didn't care about Lawless or

John

Tuckerman what I really wanted to do was

pick up his sister and run away

[Music]

hey

[Music]

grle John

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

ridle

[Music]

told you I'm hurrying H can't you see

that

going as fast as I can to get you out of

here get you on your

way don't I always do what you want me

to don't

[Music]

I no wasn't like

that going to go away and leave you

that's right and I stopped her from

doing it Hub was going to leave with all

our money couldn't let her do that could

I don't you worry

Hub you're safe

[Music]

now gretto almost found

you but it's all right now told you I

take care of things didn't

I don't forget

you

promised you send for me as soon as you

get

[Music]

settled I'm hurrying honest going just

as fast as I can go

[Music]

up get

away it's all over John

wait why'd you do it Hub doesn't want to

talk to you I'm not talking about Hub I

don't care about Hub I know about Hub

why'd you have to hit

brle my

sister

[Music]

Johnny oh

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Music]

sh

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

d

[Music]

d

[Music]

so we know he killed the Peterson woman

what we don't really know is why passion

man passion love hate jealousy Revenge

whatever you want was just like

Tuckerman said he went out there the

next morning and found Lawless hurting

in the trailer he went back to pick up

the girl like he was told only when they

got back Lawless was already dead from

the heart attack

a tuckman had given his life to that man

Mrs Lawless said he loved her husband

like a dog now here was this woman who'd

taken it all away from him christien was

the one that fed hubard the big dream

that finally broke his back

financially tuckman's mind she killed

him so he killed her and buried him both

held himself together just long enough

to cover his tracks answer all the

questions and put you on a false lead

and he crawled into that bottle and fell

apart

McGee I I feel real sorry about kicking

van harder everybody was in a real Panic

out there that night I guess I just got

kind of caught up into it you understand

I'm not sure that I do I never kicked a

man when he was lying

down I thought a lot of old Hub myself

you

know

yeah nice working with you McGee me too

heck

Mr

Meyer van Harter will have his license

back in a couple of

weeks well the good news is B's going to

be one happy sailor wait till he finds

out Julie lawers paid my

fee you all right

yeah she seems to be an exceptional

person

brle yes yes she is meer what are you

going to do about it I'm going to ask

her to go home with me on what terms any

term she wants as long as it's permanent

well

well good choice

McGee I've been thinking about your

proposition probably this is exactly the

right time for this to happen to

you something's been going on with me

the last few

years

obliqueness I don't know what to call

it I can't be somebody's

remedy some kind of medicine for the

soul that isn't what I

I've lived enough of my life for

somebody

else I've got this alarming capacity for

blind loyalty like my brother had Fierce

loyalty I need that loyalty to be to me

for a

while do you know what I'm

saying arter and Van

harder I really do love you Travis McGee

where's Meyer Meer was going to lie

around the pool for a while tie of some

loose ends he's really a nice person

maybe we both

are I have a track record that tells me

not to trust my instincts I have been

undone by Scoundrels sir and probably

Scoundrels have been undone by

you sometimes

I'm not ready to give up hope for this

yet

grle forever

hopeful I think that's a great place to

be

[Music]

I might have to come looking for you

McGee I hope you

do when you're going home in the

[Music]

morning there are always a lot of

victims in the kind of games hubard

Lawless played people like van Harter

and John Tuckerman people who spend a

lifetime working hard to build up

whatever it is that's important to them

only to have it snatched away from them

by somebody else there is a cynical

streak that runs through me and every

once in a while it manages to get the

best of me fortunately I've learned over

the years that there is a cure for this

particular malady and that's simply

doing something for somebody else I

guess that's why I stay in the human

Salvage business now van Harter would

get his license back and everything else

that went with it he'd be a happy man

again and I had a stake in that

happiness so there I was feeling good

again except that the girl that I'd come

to really like was back there alone on

the beach where I found her but somehow

I knew I'd be seeing her

[Music]

again the wind was

building it was good to be at Sea again

[Music]

all right folks that concludes Travis

McGee a film I've watched now for the

second time in as many years and there

was some interesting New Perspectives

that um I discovered this time around

first off Sam Elliot is Travis McGee he

played the role so convincingly that it

felt like it was written for him even

though it wasn't the way he balanced

McGee's weary cynicism with a deep

seeded moral code was pure magic however

Elliot's intensity didn't always match

the movie's tone it's like he was

playing 3D chess while the script was

stuck on Checkers the story adapted from

John D McDonald's best-selling novel The

Empty copper SE

explores themes of loyalty and

Redemption Concepts that I now

appreciate more upon rewatching there's

something poignant about van harder's

plight the tarnished reputation the

quiet despair that somehow feels more

relevant today Richard farnsworth's

understated performance really hit me

hard this time it's subtle but deeply

affecting on the flip side the film's

pacing was as glacial as Travis's

laidback lifestyle some scenes felt like

Superfluous fill up and while the

Florida setting effectively captured

McGee's World visually it didn't fully

embrace the atmospheric tension of the

novel The Mystery lacked the bite needed

to keep you on edge which is a shame

because the bones of a really good

thriller were definitely there one thing

I caught this time was the relationship

Dynamics between McGee and Catherine

Ross's character grle there's a lot left

unsaid and in some ways the ambiguity

made it compelling but it also felt like

a missed opportunity to deepen the

emotional Stakes so was it flawless

no but it still was very much worth

watching especially for Elliot fans like

myself it's a fascinating glimpse into

his early work before he became the

legendary actor we all know and love

with that said I'm giving it a final

rating of three and 1 half stars now I

want to hear from you what did you think

of Elliot's take on the character and

how did the movie landn for you overall

drop your thoughts in the comments below

and if you enjoyed this review make sure

you hit the like button and subscribe

for more of my content thanks for

watching and this is Holly

critic signing out

[Music]

[Applause]

d