Garner Makes `Decoration Day' Special

``Decoration Day,'' Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, 9 p.m. Sunday, KING-TV.

------------------------------------------------------------

James Garner is always a welcome presence on TV - since his departure from ``The Rockford Files'' he's carefully chosen his appearances, limiting them to quality projects, such as the theatrical film, ``Murphy's Romance'' (which earned him an Oscar nomination), and such notable TV movies as ``Promise''), for which he won an Emmy, and other notable TV movies as ``Heartsounds,'' in which he played a man suffering from a heart attack, and ``My Name is Bill W,'' in which he portrayed the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Now Garner is back with another appealing performance in ``Decoration Day,'' a superior TV movie NBC airs Sunday.

Garner, at this stage in his career, is as much a presence as an actor, often playing variations on the same kind of character (an aging, honest and upright citizen, standing for what is true and good, a kind of Gregory Peck of TV.

I make that comparison because Garner is playing a retired judge in ``Decoration Day,'' a character whose would have a lot in common with the judge Peck played in ``To Kill a Mockingbird.'' This drama, like that classic, is also set in the South (Georgia, to be precise, where the movie was filmed).

``Decoration Day'' is based on a novella by John William Corrington and, as scripted by Robert Lenski, it's a film about people,

characterizations and relationships, rather than a story, although there is a slight but serviceable plot that threads its way through the film.

Garner plays Albert Sidney Finch (and because this drama is set in the South, everyone calls him ``Albert Sidney''), a retired judge who just wants to devote his days to fishing and living the relaxed life, which includes comfortable verbal sparring with his housekeeper, played by Ruby Dee.

But Albert Sidney's nephew, Billy Wendell, played by Norm Skaggs, asks Albert Sidney's help - he's written a letter to the gov'mint for his friend, Gee Penniwell, a black World War II veteran, who is refusing to accept the Congressional Medal of Honor. Now the gov'mint is threatening Billy so Albert Sidney reluctantly gets involved.

He also gets involved because rumor has it Billy Wendell is ignoring his bright and pretty wife, Loreen, to pursue Terry Novis, a legal secretary in the small town that is the setting for ``Decoration Day.''

And as Albert Sidney sets out to straighten things out between Billy and Loreen, to find out why Gee doesn't want the Congressional Medal of Honor and where, exactly, Terry Novis fits into all of this, he keeps turning up surprising facts about all of these people.

Robert Markowitz directed the film and has surrounded Garner with an exceptionally fine cast. In addition to the always-excellent Dee, the equally fine Judith Ivey plays Terry Novis and gives the character substance and individuality; Skaggs and Jo Anderson are appealing as Billy and Loreen, and Bill Cobbs brings dignity and believability to the role of Gee Penniwell. Larry Fishburne also contributes in the role of a supercilious gov'mint official who comes to Georgia to investigate the situation - and is humanized through his contact with Albert Sidney.

``Decoration Day'' has absolutely nothing to do with the holiday season - yet the film's warmth and humanity is as affecting as any special about Christmas.