‘Maverick’ 30th anniversary: James Garner returns for film adaptation of hit TV series
There’s a generation who mainly know him as Allie’s beloved Noah in “The Notebook” (2004), but James Garner‘s career spanned more than half a century across TV and film. His breakout role was as the title character for the first three seasons of “Maverick” (1957-1962); in 1959, he earned his first Emmy nomination. During a time when westerns starred fearless, chiseled gunslingers who were more action than words, Garner portrayed a smooth-talking, good-looking gambler who preferred trading barbs over exchanging gunfire. read on for
Network executives doubted a western with a comedy flair would do well, but audiences couldn’t resist Garner’s charm and it became such a hit that it’s not surprising that it received a big-screen treatment less that four decades later. And with Garner brought in to co-star alongside Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, and so many cameos it’s hard to keep track, “Maverick” the movie, released in 1994, was as big a hit as its TV predecessor. Read on for more about the “Maverick” 30th anniversary.
Gibson had proven adept at balancing action and comedy in roles like Martin Riggs in the “Lethal Weapon” series. His blend of charm and humor, as well as the fact that he was one of the most popular leading men of the time, made him the perfect choice to portray Bret Maverick on the big screen, and the perfect match for the original Maverick, who plays Marshal Zane Cooper, a fellow just as sly and cunning as Bret himself. With veteran actress Foster as a worthy adversary to the two men, Gibson’s “Lethal Weapon” director Richard Donner helming production, and a ton of Easter eggs thrown in, “Maverick” had all the elements to be a hit.
Gibson’s Bret Maverick is also a handsome, charismatic card player in the Old West; in this version, he has his eye on a large cash prize in a poker tournament to be held on a paddle steamer. But he has to gather more money for the $25,000 entry fee, and has a series of adventures along the way, accompanied by Cooper, who eventually oversees the game, and Annabelle Bransford (Foster), who is just as clever a con artist as the two men she plans to outwit. One hilarious and clever double cross leads to another, with a fun little twist in the end.
There are a ton of cameos throughout the film, leading to some great throwback moments. Gibson’s “Lethal Weapon” co-star Danny Glover shows up (uncredited), to the tune of “Lethal Weapon” music and uttering his character’s favorite phrase, “I’m too old for this shit.” Margot Kidder‘s character hints that Cooper might want to marry her; Garner and Kidder had co-starred as each other’s love interest in the western “Nichols” from 1971-1972. Donner’s cousin Steve Kahan, largely known for playing Captain Murphy in the “Lethal Weapon” films, is a card dealer.
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Several actors who were known for their roles in Westerns were scattered throughout, including Read Morgan, Leo Gordon (who had appeared on several episodes of “Maverick”), Robert Fuller and Doug McClure. Paul Brinegar, who had had roles in more than 100 Western movies between 1946 and 1994, made his final film appearance as the stagecoach driver.
Country music stars also popped up throughout the film, from Carlene Carter as a waitress to Waylon Jennings and Kathy Mattea as a gambling couple, to Clint Black as an innocent-looking cheat, to Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and Janis Gill as onlookers.
“Maverick” opened May 20,1994, and was the top box office draw that weekend; 30 years later, it is the sixth highest-grossing American Western film of all time. It didn’t make an impact on the awards scene (although it did nab an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design), but its blend of action, comedy and nostalgia make it a hidden gem for generations of movie lovers to discover, or rediscover.
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