But, it still had the basic one fugitive/one cop pursuing him formula that had been inspired by Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" as the major dynamic running it.
Of course, the movie couldn't create the weekly tension of the original, where over four seasons it seemed like the encounters between pursuer and pursued seemed to get more frequent. Instead, it created a complex conspiracy involving a pharmaceutical company trying to enhance its profits by any means necessary.*
The only specific incident the two "Fugitives" shared was a close encounter at a prison facility where Kimble checks out an inmate that has one arm, a visit resulting in a near-miss encounter with his pursuers. But, it also replicated, in a quite deliberate shorthand, the attitude of the one pursuer "obsessed with his capture" (as the narration on the old show would remind us repeatedly).
Let me explain: the audience always knew that Kimble was innocent and that his wife was killed by a "one-armed man" that he saw leaving his house on the night of his wife's murder. But, the "office-in-charge"—both of them named Gerard (although christened "Philip" in the TV series and "Sam" in the movie)—were unconcerned whether Kimble was innocent or not. From Episode 1 of the TV series and throughout its run "Philip Gerard" would state it didn't matter whether Kimble was innocent or guilty, he was a convicted murderer scheduled for execution and his job was to find him and arrest him and send him back to Death Row.** In the TV series, Gerard became, despite his position with The Law, almost a villain of the piece, as his pursuit was cold and without any consideration for Kimble's plight. Gerard had a job to do and he was going to do it.
The movie's Gerard is a man of fewer words; He simply states "I don't care" —which was a line that Tommy Lee Jones came up with on set—when Kimble protests his innocence. Actually, a lot of this scene (in the typically Green color) contain lines that were worked out during filming and do not appear in the published script. Jones won the Oscar for the role, quite deservedly considering how much he helped re-write it.
You'll also notice that, as opposed to the script, Gerard confronts Kimble alone, without any back-up—probably just to enhance that sense of adversarial drama.
The DVD of The Fugitive contains an commentary track with director Davis and Jones (who doesn't say much on it), but when he does it's usually very pertinent as, at one point, right before today's scene he says "This movie's a lot of fun to watch!"
It is, indeed. Both versions are, in fact.
The Set-Up: Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) is a fugitive on the run, after escaping from police custody during a horrific bus/train accident involving the transport that was taking him to the Death Row facility where he was to be executed for the murder of his wife. In charge of the man-hunt is U.S. Marshall Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), determined to find Kimble whatever it takes, and despite the consideration that Kimble is innocent of the crime he was convicted of. At one point, during the chase, Gerard and his team pursue Kimble through the spillways of a dam, where the two men come face-to-face for the first time.
Action.
GERARD
(into radio)
Got a possible here. Stand by.
He stows his light but hangs onto the Glock. Bracing with
three limbs
INT. DOWNSLOPE CONDUIT - DAY
Ahead
lies an orb of light. The tunnel ends.
GERARD Put that gun down!
Slowly he puts his hands over his head.
Gerard puts
up his gun and pulls his handcuffs. He moves through the
water toward Kimble.
INT. DRAINAGE CONDUIT - DAY
Renfro lowers his gun.
ON GERARD
He stands at the mouth of the tunnel staring down. He
stares down into the mists. 
Impressed. It has told him
something invaluable about this fugitive.
COSMO What?
Words by Jeb Stuart and David Twohy
Pictures by Michael Chapman and Andrew Davis
The Fugitive is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Warner Brother Entertainment.
Today's scene starts at 1:55 on the video.
** The Story: Lt. Gerard explains it all for you.
What was broadcast on American TV for the premier episode was actually the second attempt to film this scene where Gerard explains himself. In Ed Robertson's book "The Fugitive Recaptured" it is revealed that the following scene had been re-shot, as the first version made Gerard seem "almost psychotic." The subsequent version softened his character, but not his resolve to do his job.
The Set-up: The series intro: "The Fugitive, a QM Production ... starring David Janssen as
Dr. Richard Kimble, an innocent victim of blind justice. Falsely
convicted for the murder of his wife ... reprieved by fate when a train
wreck freed him en route to the death house ... freed him to hide in
lonely desperation ... to change his identity ... to toil at many jobs
... freed him to search for a one-armed man he saw leave the scene of
the crime ... freed him to run before the relentless pursuit of the
police lieutenant (Barry Morse) obsessed with his capture."
Words by Stanford Whitmore and Roy Huggins
Pictures by Lloyd Ahern Sr. and Walter Grauman
"The Fugitive" is available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment.
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