The REAL Magnum Movie
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:42 am
I've been doing some daydreaming about the Magnum movie they SHOULD be making, with most of the original cast. My reveries have borrowed some details from ideas posted on other threads here, and I apologize for not sifting through those posts to see whom to credit for what. But here's the way I see it:
Shortly after Magnum was reunited with Lily, the Navy assigned him (at his request) to the Tidewater area, near his family. He and Lily are still there, though he is now retired and she is in her mid-twenties, in grad school. TC reconciled with his ex-wife and returned to California to be with his family. Rick stammered so long at the altar that Cleo finally stomped out, but then on a trip back to Chicago, he reconnected with his high-school sweetheart, and felt so comfortable with her that he was finally able to make a commitment, and is living in Chicago. Higgins wrote to Magnum for several years, but the letters gradually grew further between and finally stopped a while back.
Then out of the blue, Magnum gets a telegram notifying him that Higgins had died and left Robin's Nest to him. He is saddened by the death of his old friend, but Lily is between school terms, and thinks a trip back to Hawaii might do them both some good, so they fly over.
They find the estate grounds and house in very poor repair (as they apparently now are). Magnum finds this odd, considering Higgins' usual perfectionism. Then in the garden, he finds two professionally carved gravestones labelled "Zeus" and "Apollo" (with dates). Next to them are two wooden stakes with the names of the lads' successors in faded marker pen. And finally, there are two fresh mounds with no markers at all. These hasty unmarked graves convince Magnum that there was more to Higgins' death than a simple heart attack.
He recalls that Higgins had a secret compartment in one of his desk drawers (I believe that was established in an episode, but if not, Magnum can now suspect that Higgins had such a compartment, and find it), and checks to see if Higgins left him a message -- which of course he did.
Magnum unfolds the paper and reads it. (If John Hillerman is willing, it would be wonderful if he did Higgins' voice-over -- he could literally phone it in -- but if not, Magnum could simply read the letter aloud.) It turns out that a group of baddies from Higgins' old army intelligence days have resurfaced in Hawaii. Higgins was able to discover the basics of what they are up to, but fears that they have spotted and recognized him. He trusts that, if he does not live to see justice done, Magnum will complete the job. He also mentions that he inherited the estate from Robin, upon the latter's death some years previously (thus continuing the mystery, is he or isn't he?).
This is clearly a job for Our Guys! Magnum phones TC and Rick, and they are soon en route with their sons (who are in their late 30's and very early twenties, respectively). As someone already suggested, the two of them proceed to make fools of themselves, competing for Lily's attention. (Needless to say, the three offspring are played by popular, up-and-coming actors, who will draw in the young crowd).
I will be the first to say that this is NOT a plot, merely a framework that a suitable plot can be inserted into. The real plot (left for someone else, perhaps a professional screenwriter, to invent) consists of what the baddies are up to and how Our Guys and Their Kids bring them to justice.
Once that's taken care of, Magnum and Lily decide to stay at the estate and restore it. (We see the beginnings of that effort, financed -- in real life -- by the production company, hopefully leading to a new life for the estate, with guided tours, and eventually as a bed & breakfast.) TC's family and Rick's wife fly over for a celebration. They all hold a proper memorial service for Higgins, and commission headstones for the other four dogs. As someone else also suggested, Lily's scholarly fiance could show up at this point. She plans to transfer to the University of Hawaii to complete her studies.
Whatever other Magnum regulars are available should definitely be included. Last time I checked, Kathleen Lloyd, Lance LeGault, and Jean Bruce Scott were still living, but alas, Gillian Dobb, Kwan Hi Lim, Jeff McCay, and Elisha Cook were not.
Shortly after Magnum was reunited with Lily, the Navy assigned him (at his request) to the Tidewater area, near his family. He and Lily are still there, though he is now retired and she is in her mid-twenties, in grad school. TC reconciled with his ex-wife and returned to California to be with his family. Rick stammered so long at the altar that Cleo finally stomped out, but then on a trip back to Chicago, he reconnected with his high-school sweetheart, and felt so comfortable with her that he was finally able to make a commitment, and is living in Chicago. Higgins wrote to Magnum for several years, but the letters gradually grew further between and finally stopped a while back.
Then out of the blue, Magnum gets a telegram notifying him that Higgins had died and left Robin's Nest to him. He is saddened by the death of his old friend, but Lily is between school terms, and thinks a trip back to Hawaii might do them both some good, so they fly over.
They find the estate grounds and house in very poor repair (as they apparently now are). Magnum finds this odd, considering Higgins' usual perfectionism. Then in the garden, he finds two professionally carved gravestones labelled "Zeus" and "Apollo" (with dates). Next to them are two wooden stakes with the names of the lads' successors in faded marker pen. And finally, there are two fresh mounds with no markers at all. These hasty unmarked graves convince Magnum that there was more to Higgins' death than a simple heart attack.
He recalls that Higgins had a secret compartment in one of his desk drawers (I believe that was established in an episode, but if not, Magnum can now suspect that Higgins had such a compartment, and find it), and checks to see if Higgins left him a message -- which of course he did.
Magnum unfolds the paper and reads it. (If John Hillerman is willing, it would be wonderful if he did Higgins' voice-over -- he could literally phone it in -- but if not, Magnum could simply read the letter aloud.) It turns out that a group of baddies from Higgins' old army intelligence days have resurfaced in Hawaii. Higgins was able to discover the basics of what they are up to, but fears that they have spotted and recognized him. He trusts that, if he does not live to see justice done, Magnum will complete the job. He also mentions that he inherited the estate from Robin, upon the latter's death some years previously (thus continuing the mystery, is he or isn't he?).
This is clearly a job for Our Guys! Magnum phones TC and Rick, and they are soon en route with their sons (who are in their late 30's and very early twenties, respectively). As someone already suggested, the two of them proceed to make fools of themselves, competing for Lily's attention. (Needless to say, the three offspring are played by popular, up-and-coming actors, who will draw in the young crowd).
I will be the first to say that this is NOT a plot, merely a framework that a suitable plot can be inserted into. The real plot (left for someone else, perhaps a professional screenwriter, to invent) consists of what the baddies are up to and how Our Guys and Their Kids bring them to justice.
Once that's taken care of, Magnum and Lily decide to stay at the estate and restore it. (We see the beginnings of that effort, financed -- in real life -- by the production company, hopefully leading to a new life for the estate, with guided tours, and eventually as a bed & breakfast.) TC's family and Rick's wife fly over for a celebration. They all hold a proper memorial service for Higgins, and commission headstones for the other four dogs. As someone else also suggested, Lily's scholarly fiance could show up at this point. She plans to transfer to the University of Hawaii to complete her studies.
Whatever other Magnum regulars are available should definitely be included. Last time I checked, Kathleen Lloyd, Lance LeGault, and Jean Bruce Scott were still living, but alas, Gillian Dobb, Kwan Hi Lim, Jeff McCay, and Elisha Cook were not.