James Garner, as he investigates a death to determine whether it was homicide, and Cliff Robertson and Diane Baker, battling poverty with their family, star in two 90-minute films, "The Rockford Files" and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," to be colorcast on "NBC Double Feature Night at the Movies" Wednesday (8-11 p.m.).

Co-starring in "The Rockford Files, starting at 8 are Lindsay Wagner, William Smith, Robert Donley, Joe Santos, Nita Talbot, Stuart Margolin, Bill Mumy and Michael Lerner.

Co-starring in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," starting at 9:30, are Nancy Malone, James Olson, Pamels Ferdin and Michael Wixted.

In "The Rockford Files," Jim Rockford (James Gamer),as head of an agency which investigates cases that are "closed" by the police, is approached by a young woman- Sara Butler (Miss Wagner), to find out whether her father (Bill Qiiinn) was slain or committed suicide. With a lead from Sara's young brother Nick (Bill Mumy), Rockford looks into Butler's death and is intrigued enough by what he learns to proceed with the investigation.

The case becomes more complex when in the process of investigating. Rockford the hunter, becomes the hunted.

Roy Huggins was executive supervisor; Meta Rosenberg, executive producer; Stephen J. Cannell, producer; Jo Swerling Jr. was associate executive producer. The teleplay by Cannell is from a story by John Thomas James. Dick Heffron directed. All exteriors were filmed in and around Los
Angeles.

In "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," a family of four fights poverty and alcohol: the mother scrubbing floors to put food on the table; the father fighting his failures with drink and dreams.
Katie Nolan's (Miss Baker) love for her husband, Johnny (Robertson), is true but sorely tested when she tries to feed and clothe dangfiter Francie. 12 (Miss Ferdin), and son Neely, 11 (Wixted), while Johnny tries to get an occasional night's work as a waiter.

Katie's often-married sister, "Sissy" (Miss Malone), tries to help, but her questionable marriage arrangements cause Katie much grief. A hand of friendship is extended to Katie by Officer McShane (Olson), who tries to suppress his feelings for her because of her love for her husband.

The central character is Francie, whose love for her father blinds her to his weaknesses. These are hard times prior to World War I and the old Brooklyn tenements are at their worst. Francie clings to one thing which allows her dreams to soar beyond the scars of reality — a large tree which grows just outside their apartment.

Norman Rosemont was the producer; Joel Hardy, the director; Blanche Hanalis, the writer. The production was filmed at 20th Century-Fox Television in association with NBC-TV.