Back in 2005, when there was more of a distinction between theater movies and TV movies, longtime television star and second-tier cinematic leading man Tom Selleck began TV movie franchise based on Robert B. Parker’s detective novels. Although formulaic, “Jesse Stone: Stone Cold” benefits from Parker’s rich dialogue, as well as Viola Davis and Mimi Rogers in supporting roles. Selleck gets to play something familiar (a sleuth, this time as a small-town Massachusetts police chief) yet not (one with a drinking problem and a sordid past). It’s good, as far as TV movies go, back when there was a distinction.
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By the time he made “High Road to China” in 1983, Tom Selleck was a TV star. The romantic adventure film set in the 1920s appears to be a test to see if he could do the Indiana Jones thing like Harrison Ford (Selleck was allegedly offered “Raiders of the Lost Ark” before Ford). “High Road” isn’t any less coherent than “Raiders,” but the chemistry between Selleck and another TV person, Bess Armstrong, is awful (and there’s too much yelling). Interestingly, Selleck’s relationship with his trusty mechanic, played by Jack Weston, is more honest as a demonstration of masculine love.
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