Fletch 1985

Here’s my rephrased version:

As Los Angeles Times investigative journalist Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher (no quotes necessary, just yet) delves into the underbelly of beachside drug trafficking, his attention is drawn to enigmatic food vendor Fat Sam, suspected of peddling heroin from his seaside shack. Donning the persona of a destitute addict during his undercover investigation, Fletch finds himself unexpectedly approached by Alan Stanwyk, who misconstrues the journalist’s ruse and assumes he’s just another junkie looking for a fix. The self-assured businessman offers Fletch a hefty $1,000 just to listen in on his proposal, which Stanwyck delivers at his opulent Beverly Hills mansion, where he proudly introduces himself as executive vice president of Boyd Aviation. Claiming the diagnosis is terminal - bone cancer with only months to live - Stanwyk reveals his morbid desire to avoid the agony and suffering that come with it. In a shocking twist, he proposes an astonishing $50,000 payoff for Fletch to pay him a visit in a few days’ time, take care of the inevitable, and then make a break for Rio de Janeiro, orchestrating the murder to appear as the result of a botched burglary. While Fletch’s antennae twitch with suspicion, he seemingly agrees to Stanwyk’s macabre request. This unexpected turn of events sets him on a new trajectory, one that diverts his attention from his original exposé on drug trafficking - much to the frustration of his impatient boss and chief editor Frank Walker (who would be none too pleased about Fletch’s sudden about-face).

The following day, Fletch submits to a thorough rectal examination at the hands of Dr. Dolan, Stanwyk’s physician, in a futile attempt to extract medical information about his host from the doctor. However, this strategy ultimately proves unsuccessful. Undeterred by this setback, Fletch dons a disguise and infiltrates the hospital’s records room, where he manages to access Stanwyk’s file and uncovers the shocking truth: Stanwyk had been deceiving him all along about his diagnosis with cancer.

In a separate development, Fletch pays a visit to Gail Stanwyk at her local tennis club, posing as a friend of her husband’s. He engages in an impromptu tennis lesson alongside her, using this opportunity to strike up a flirtatious rapport with her. Despite his best efforts, however, he fails to extract any meaningful information from her and leaves without much progress.

Fletch next assumes the guise of an FCC agent and pays a visit to Gail’s father, Stanton Boyd, the powerful head of Boyd Aviation. Under the pretext of discussing Stanwyk’s financial affairs, Fletch gains insight into Gail’s recent decision to convert $3 million worth of her personal stock in Boyd Aviation into cash, which she then used to facilitate Stanwyk’s purchase of a ranch in Provo, Utah.

Returning to his apartment for the day, Fletch is surprised to find Marvin Gillett, his ex-wife’s lawyer-turned-husband, waiting to collect unpaid alimony. In order to dispatch Gillett and put an end to this unwanted visitation, Fletch hands over the $1,000 cash bribe money that Stanwyk had provided him earlier.

After taking a moment to unwind with a cold beer, Fletch retires for the night, only to be treated to a vivid dream in which he is a major league basketball player, scoring a memorable hoop for the Los Angeles Lakers. The next day, while operating undercover at the beach, Fletch inadvertently stumbles upon one of Fat Sam’s clients, Gummy, fleeing from a patrolling police car. Attempting to intervene as the officers apprehend Gummy and subject him to a beating, Fletch finds himself on the receiving end of a swift kick in the groin courtesy of one of the law enforcement officials.

In a fit of rage, Fletch retaliates by hurling a rock at the police car’s back windshield, but the vehicle continues on its course, leaving Fletch to seethe in frustration.

As the days pass, Fletch’s investigative endeavors lead him to Provo, where a daring break-in at a realtor’s office reveals a shocking truth: the sale price of a property was a mere $3,000. With seconds ticking away, Fletch narrowly escapes the clutches of a persistent guard dog and makes a swift exit. Meanwhile, LAPD Chief Jerry Karlin (Jerry Reed) gets wind of Fletch’s impending exposé on the drug trade and dispatches two rough-around-the-edges detectives to his doorstep. Under false pretenses, they plant heroin on Fletch and haul him off to meet with Karlin, who warns that Fletch’s pursuit of justice is putting undercover cops in harm’s way. Enraged by Fletch’s defiance, Karlin threatens to imprison him indefinitely or worse - a chilling prospect indeed. However, an amused Karlin ultimately decides to release Fletch, only after the journalist agrees to focus on a new story: off-track betting in the Himalayas. Unbeknownst to Fletch, his boss is behind the scene, pushing Karlin to silence Fletch and put an end to his drug-dealing cop investigation.

Fletch’s boss, Frank (Dale Davis), dismisses Fletch’s claims of Karlin’s sinister plot as mere fantasy. The journalist storms off, more determined than ever to crack the story wide open. In a bold new disguise as a redneck airplane mechanic, Fletch pays a visit to Stanwyk’s hangar, where he uncovers evidence that suggests the wealthy businessman is using his plane for clandestine weekend getaways - but only burning fuel equivalent to a trip to South America. At the exclusive tennis club, Fletch meets Gail (Michele Little) at her cabana and treats her to an extravagant lunch, courtesy of Ted Underhill’s (Richard Libertini) credit account. When Mr. Underhill arrives uninvited, demanding payment for the lavish meal, Fletch makes a hasty exit, leaving Gail with a tantalizing morsel of investigative insight.

Fletch’s surveillance yields a glimpse into Stanwyk’s suspicious briefcase exchange with Chief Karlin (Jerry Reed), but the journalist is unable to decipher the nature of their relationship. Back at his apartment, Fletch finds himself surrounded by law enforcement, forcing him to make a daring escape in an Alfa Romeo pilfered from a young car thief. A heart-pumping car chase ensues, with Fletch expertly evading capture until he distracts his pursuers at a lodge club dinner.

As Fletch returns to Provo, he assumes the persona of an insurance investigator, digging deeper into the enigmatic Stanwyk’s life. His inquiries lead him to uncover a shocking truth: Stanwyk has been leading a double life, secretly married to another woman for eight years while using Gail as a means to fund his lavish lifestyle. Fletch confronts Gail with this revelation, leaving her reeling from the betrayal.

With this newfound understanding, Fletch returns to Beverly Hills, only to arrive at Stanwyk’s mansion on the night of the planned murder, but instead finds himself face-to-face with a gun-wielding Stanwyk. It becomes apparent that Stanwyk has been orchestrating a complex scheme to fake his own death by killing Fletch, burning his body, and assuming his identity. His plan was to then flee to Brazil with his two wives, including Gail, as well as the staggering sum of $3 million. Moreover, Stanwyk had been using his private jet to smuggle cocaine from South America, supplying Karlin’s illegal operations.

Just as Fletch is about to become Stanwyk’s next victim, Karlin bursts onto the scene, determined to stop Stanwyk from making off with $800,000 of his drug money. In a tense standoff, Karlin kills Stanwyk, only to turn his attention to Fletch. However, Gail intervenes, using her trusty tennis racket to knock Karlin unconscious.

In the aftermath of these events, Karlin is subsequently indicted for Stanwyk’s murder, thanks to Fletch’s diligent investigation. As a result, Fletch begins dating Gail and, in a final act of wit, reveals that he had cleverly billed their romantic getaway to Rio on Underhill’s credit account, leaving the audience with a cheeky offer to call the number.