"Just one more thing...": Rewatching Columbo

[Mel O'Drama]

Short Fuse / Blueprint For Murder



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Forrest Tucker was last seen in O’Drama vision in an episode of The Bionic Woman where he played a powerful right wing mogul who I described at the time as the Bioniverse’s answer to Paul Galveston. In Columbo I was instantly put in mind of Jock Ewing when he strutted on screen. I could swear he called someone “boy” before giving him a gentle-but-threatening backhanded slap round the face.

Forrest is the episode’s victim, Beau Williamson killed by Patrick O’Neal’s Elliot Markham. Patrick isn’t an actor with whom I’m familiar. At risk of sounding derogatory, he has the kind of solid-but-unassuming presence I’d associate with secondary characters on carefully cast TV shows. This somewhat low-key screen presence worked well for his character as it’s easy to imagine him appearing less of a threat than he is. By the time he’s flexing his muscles a bit and clashing with Lt. Columbo later in the episode one almost feels that Columbo is humouring Markham. Which, as it turns out, he is. But perhaps not in the way Markham had expected.

In terms of supporting actors, this is one of my favourites to date. Pamela Austin was Beau’s pretty-but-dim younger second wife, Jennifer. I struggled to know where character ended and actress began, as her delivery was a little flat. But it all worked perfectly for the character - particularly once the first wife arrived on the scene and started running Jennifer down.

Janis Paige stole the entire show for me as Beau’s brassy first wife Goldie. She was just terrific with every single line. And she had some great lines, such as this one in her first scene:

If gold lamé were legal tender, I’d rule the world.

Her cynical-but-earthy outlook and wry observations were so much fun and her chemistry with Peter Falk so sparkling that I kind of wish she’d somehow become a recurring character.

I also have to mention the heart specialist that Columbo visited. The juxtaposition of his grave warnings about smoking being delivered in John Fiedler’s slightly comical high pitched voice made for some real enjoyment.


There are some nice little Columboisms, such as the scene where he visits Markham's classroom and helps wipe clean his blackboard as they talk. There comes a height where Columbo can't reach and has to ask or Markham's help. There's also a nice, rare insight into red tape as Columbo visits department after department and joins queue after queue in order to get permission for the offending pile to be removed from the foundation of Markham's building.

With the last couple of episodes, my memory seems to be coming back a little more. Either that or, God forbid, they’ve been more predictable. As we got to the last act, I could see how the Gotcha was going to play out. Whatever the case, Markham goading Columbo into removing the huge pile - at great expense to the city - in order for Markham to then dump the body he was concealing was a nicely written bit of business, perfectly played.

This is the only Columbo episode directed by Peter Falk. I was impressed how subtle and un-showy it was. It's the "less is more" approach, but it still looked really good. I appreciated that it allowed the story to take precedence without distracting. It seems like Peter knows what worked for this kind of show and felt that this was more important than putting his stamp on it.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

As we’re at season’s end, here are a few stats regarding the murders from the Telefilm up to the end of Season One:


Total number of deaths = 12


Shootings = 6*
Blows to the head = 3
Explosions = 2 victims in 1
Strangulations = 1




Male victims = 8
Female victims = 4


Male killers = 7
Female killers = 2


Male accomplices = 0
Female accomplices = 2


Double killers = 3





* Since he was held at gunpoint I’ve assumed Beau Williamson was shot, but I don’t think we know for sure.

 

[Julia's Gun]

Re-Short Fuse: I remember that cable car scene well. I think this was one of those fast-paced, and creatively directed episodes that must have really stood out at the time.

Roddy McDowall was very peculiar though. I found him a bit creepy, a combination of camp and quirkiness that I wasn't sure if it was just overacting or those were actually his natural mannerisms.

 

[Angela Channing]

Short fuse wasn't a classic Columbo episode but it wasn't bad either. I always like the episodes where the murderer is a likeable character that you can have sympathy for so you feel conflicted in that you believe a murderer should be punished but they are so endearing that you wouldn't mind if they got away with the crime. Here I just wanted the Roddy McDowall character caught and severely tortured because his character was so unlikeable. The ending in the cable car was satisfying though.

Blueprint For Murder is one of the first episodes I remember watching, when I was about 7 I think. I watched it for the second time only about 5 years ago and surprisingly I remembered so much of it than I thought so it must have left a lasting impression on me. On my second viewing I couldn't help thinking that Forrest Tucker would have been a good Jock Ewing had Jim Davis not been available.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I always like the episodes where the murderer is a likeable character that you can have sympathy for so you feel conflicted in that you believe a murderer should be punished but they are so endearing that you wouldn't mind if they got away with the crime.

Do you have any favourite killers in that respect? Any episodes where you almost wanted them to get away with it?

Roddy McDowall was very peculiar though. I found him a bit creepy, a combination of camp and quirkiness that I wasn't sure if it was just overacting or those were actually his natural mannerisms.

Here I just wanted the Roddy McDowall character caught and severely tortured because his character was so unlikeable.

Yes, I get what you mean. I think I got caught up in his eccentricities and ended up a little bit hypnotised by him, so I didn't find myself disliking him as much as I might.

I remember that cable car scene well. I think this was one of those fast-paced, and creatively directed episodes that must have really stood out at the time.

The ending in the cable car was satisfying though.

I loved it. It felt quite large in scale and was incredibly memorable and effective.

Blueprint For Murder is one of the first episodes I remember watching, when I was about 7 I think. I watched it for the second time only about 5 years ago and surprisingly I remembered so much of it than I thought so it must have left a lasting impression on me.

Oh, that's great. It's incredible how much information we can retain from childhood. There are programmes that I viewed in childhood that seem clearer to me than things I watched a few weeks ago.

On my second viewing I couldn't help thinking that Forrest Tucker would have been a good Jock Ewing had Jim Davis not been available.

He would indeed. They had a very similar presence.

 

[Angela Channing]

Do you have any favourite killers in that respect? Any episodes where you almost wanted them to get away with it?

Yes, Donald Pleasance in Any Old Port In The Storm and Ruth Gordon in Try And Catch Me are the 2 that immediately come to mind and they are also my 2 favourite episodes. The episode with Martin Landau playing twins (Double Shock) is probably my next favourite but his characters weren't particularly nice so it doesn't always follow that I have to like the murderer to make it a favourite episode.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Yes, Donald Pleasance in Any Old Port In The Storm and Ruth Gordon in Try And Catch Me are the 2 that immediately come to mind and they are also my 2 favourite episodes. The episode with Martin Landau playing twins (Double Shock) is probably my next favourite but his characters weren't particularly nice so it doesn't always follow that I have to like the murderer to make it a favourite episode.

Thanks for this. I'll look out for them. I remember you mentioning Donald and Ruth's as two favourite episodes as well, so that's even more reason for me to look forward to watching them.

 

[Angela Channing]

Thanks for this. I'll look out for them. I remember you mentioning Donald and Ruth's as two favourite episodes as well, so that's even more reason for me to look forward to watching them.

Their performances elevate good episodes to great ones. The Martin Landau one I like mainly because of a charming scene when Columbo takes part in a cooking demonstration.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Oh - this has just popped up at the top of my YouTube suggestions:

I'm tryin' to figure out some way to appear humble.

The Martin Landau one I like mainly because of a charming scene when Columbo takes part in a cooking demonstration.

Oh - that scene sounds very familiar indeed. I'd say it was a favourite of mine from last time round as well.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Looking closer into the Emmys, 1972 was quite a year for Columbo.

Peter Falk won his Emmy, of course. But there were many other nominations: Outstanding Drama Series; Outstanding New Series; Outstanding Directorial Achievement (for Short Fuse).

Most interesting of all, Columbo was guaranteed a win as it took all three nominations in the category of Outstanding Writing Achievement In Drama. Steven Bochco was nominated for Murder By The Book and Jackson Gillis was nominated thanks to written Suitable For Framing. Richard Levinson and William Link won the category for the episode Death Lends A Hand.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Season Two (1972-73)

Étude In Black

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The drama of classical music being played on a Steinway piano. What better way to open a new season? And it’s a sign of things to come. Even by Columbo standards, this episode feels quite special.

Clocking in at just under an hour and forty this runs slightly longer than Ransom For A Dead Man, making Étude the longest episode to date. There’s plenty of time for the story to unfold. This adds to the cinematic tone and makes the episode’s canvas feel broad.

Legend has it that Étude was originally meant to be a “regular” length episode, with certain scenes added after it was completed in order to achieve feature length and maximise advertising revenue. This arguably means a sacrifice when it comes to efficiency storytelling.

While it is possible that the originally-planned 75 minute job may have been brisker and told the story more economically, there are three key factors that lean heavily in the longer version’s favour: Firstly, there’s nothing that really feels like filler. Admittedly, I do love smaller scenes that build character and aren’t necessarily plot-driven. Watching it without knowing about the reshoots, there’s nothing jarring enough to stand out as such. Secondly, I really like the one scene I know to be part of a reshoot - Columbo dropping in on Alex Benedict’s home, asking him unrelated questions about his income and the value of his home and obtaining an autograph for his wife. Yes, there’s no payoff, but for me that’s something which makes it resonate. Because it’s so unclear what Columbo really wants I could get a sense of Alex feeling gently unnerved by the conversation. The third reason is the already-mentioned sense of scope that comes with the running time.

I’ve previously mentioned how much I enjoyed Prescription: Murder’s first act where we spent time with the killer and his victim and watched the plan unfold. The same is true for this episode. It’s twenty four minutes before we meet Lt. Columbo this time round and as new season reunions go it’s a nice one. We see him in a sterile room with a medic in a white coat who bears a rather lethal looking hypodermic. He approaches Columbo but the phone rings. The medic hands Columbo the hypodermic in order to answer, Columbo glances in his direction briefly, and then holds out his hand while looking the other way in order not to look at the needle. The call is for Columbo and he tells his colleague he’s with the doctor. We follow him as he walks back across to the doctor after the call to give us several reveals in one, as we see that the “doctor” is actually a vet, and the needle isn’t intended for Columbo himself, but for his new companion… Dog, the adorable, permanently lethargic old Basset Hound.

continued...​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Étude In Black​

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With Dog’s arrival, all the pieces are finally in place. I can’t think of any other series fixture that we haven’t seen by this point. Dog even gets an “origin” story as Columbo says he’s just picked him up from the pound where his days were apparently numbered. There’s a thread running through the episode where Columbo tries unsuccessfully to come up with a name (Fido and Beethoven were two of the names under consideration), and his “amateur” dog owner status comes under fire when he is chastised by the obnoxiously precocious young neighbour of the victim (Audrey can be filed under: “Should Be Seen And Not Heard”) for locking the dog in his car without even cracking a window.

Echoing Death Lends A Hand, we’re treated to another “glasses effect” shot when Alex returns to the scene of the crime, spots his missing carnation under the piano and we see it reflected in his shades. It’s more subtle this time, and comes among dialogue. Look away for a few seconds and there’s every chance you’ll miss it. Also, it seems the image is projected onto a moving image this time rather than a still one.

Casting is great. Blythe Danner is Janice, Alex’s wife who has serious doubts about her husband’s faithfulness and innocence which only grow as the story unfolds. It’s a nice performance. She was pregnant with Gwyneth Paltrow while filming, and looking at the younger Blythe it’s clear to see that grown-up Gwyneth would look uncannily similar to her mother.

Myrna Loy plays Janice’s mother Lizzy Fielding - whose impressive filmography goes back to the mid-twenties. She has the alluring glamorous air of old Hollywood, and yet none of the stiffness, and she takes this material in her stride, cutting a formidable figure as an influential woman who’ll waste no time in cutting people down to size when needed.

There’s The Karate Kid’s Miyagi as the houseboy (I must confess I’ve never seen a single one of those films). And George Gaynes drops by as well. Like Leslie Nielsen, I know George best from the oafish comic characters he’d go on to play in the Eighties - inept Lassard in the Police Academy films and the letchy-but-dim actor John Van Horn in Tootsie - and consequently can’t help smiling when I hear his distinctive voice.

With the owner of the classic car garage, I found it interesting to hear an authentic British accent. It’s not the typical RP or Cockney fake accent you might expect in an American show of this era. It sounded like a genuine British regional accent. I couldn’t quite place it, though I’d narrowed it down to Northern England and thought there was a hint of Liverpudlian to it. Actor Don Knight was born in Manchester, so I wasn’t too far off.

continued...​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Étude In Black​

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As the mistress-turned-victim Jenifer Welles (yes - there’s only one “n”), Anjanette Comer is spot on. She’s sultry and confident and there’s a sense of entitlement and manipulation to her as she blackmails her lover into telling his wife before she does. But it’s not a one-note performance. Far from it. It’s understood that she has her own perspective and in her mind - even though she has no qualms about pursuing a married man and destroying his marriage - what she is doing is justified because it keeps things out in the open. She’s one victim who’s really the victim of her own selfishness. But when Columbo talks sadly about such a young and talented person murdering themselves (when it’s believed to be a suicide), it brings home the sad truth of the situation.

John Cassavetes is great as Alex. Formidable and slick, and with a sense of power to him. My favourite moment of his comes at the garage when Columbo - leaning into Alex’s car - tells him about a theory. Alex rebuts it and Columbo agrees, looking particularly puzzled. With Columbo not looking directly at him, Alex takes a moment to look closely at Columbo with a look that’s a combination of pity, amusement and triumph. With a smile, he tells Columbo he feels sorry for him for working on this investigation and then he drives away. That moment of him studying Columbo, weighing him up and seeming to deduce he has nothing to fear is just terrific.

Special mention must go to one of the scenes filmed at the Hollywood Bowl in which Alex arrives to find Columbo at Alex’s piano on the stage, playing chopsticks to an empty ampitheatre. I don’t know how the business side of things works, but I’m certainly impressed that such a venue could be secured for this show. Perhaps it’s a sign of the esteem in which this series was already held, or perhaps it’s simply Universal knowing the right people. Either way, it looks great.

The recorded performance compared with the news reports after Jenifer’s death informing the gotcha were a nice touch. As with many of these denouements, I have my doubts as to how concrete this piece of evidence would be, and I’m not convinced Alex would have confessed at this point having gone to such great lengths to cover up his crime. All the same, a line has to be drawn somewhere, and it played out really well.

 

[Alexis]

Oh I am going to like this thread. I will have to come back to it when I have more time. I love Columbo and watched the entire series maybe 6 or 7 years ago. Actually it's probably longer than that! I think I had a thread on the old forum when I was watching it. I am currently making my way through Murder She Wrote very slowly and I had thought that I viewed Columbo and Murder She Wrote in a similar way. Both whodunit, murder mystery sleuth shows. They both remind me of my childhood and are both comforting to watch. Which is strange for shows about murder. However Columbo is really the far better show of the two. I like Murder She Wrote but I love Columbo!

It will be fun to read through your thoughts on the show Mel.

 

[Angela Channing]

Another great review @Mel O'Drama and Etude In Black is another great episode.

With Dog’s arrival, all the pieces are finally in place. I can’t think of any other series fixture that we haven’t seen by this point.

It depends on what you consider to be a fixture. I don't think Sergeant Kramer has appeared yet nor has the tune for Knick Knack Paddy Whack been used yet (I think Columbo first whistles it in Any Old Port In A Storm before it's used in later episodes as theme tune or as part of the background score) both of which I consider to be regular Columbo features..

I really like the one scene I know to be part of a reshoot - Columbo dropping in on Alex Benedict’s home, asking him unrelated questions about his income and the value of his home and obtaining an autograph for his wife. Yes, there’s no payoff, but for me that’s something which makes it resonate. Because it’s so unclear what Columbo really wants I could get a sense of Alex feeling gently unnerved by the conversation. The third reason is the already-mentioned sense of scope that comes with the running time.

I agree, it's a great scene. I often wondered if the motivation for the scene was because they spent a lot of money hiring the house they wanted to make full use of it so that scene was conceived. Scenes in which Columbo interacts with the murderer and you feel their relationship is developing in an interesting way is always fascinating and this is a great example of this.

Casting is great. Blythe Danner is Janice, Alex’s wife who has serious doubts about her husband’s faithfulness and innocence which only grow as the story unfolds. It’s a nice performance. She was pregnant with Gwyneth Paltrow while filming, and looking at the younger Blythe it’s clear to see that grown-up Gwyneth would look uncannily similar to her mother.

Wow, this is a great piece of trivia which I didn't know. I'll look out for this next time I watch this episode.

Special mention must go to one of the scenes filmed at the Hollywood Bowl in which Alex arrives to find Columbo at Alex’s piano on the stage, playing chopsticks to an empty ampitheatre. I don’t know how the business side of things works, but I’m certainly impressed that such a venue could be secured for this show. Perhaps it’s a sign of the esteem in which this series was already held, or perhaps it’s simply Universal knowing the right people. Either way, it looks great.

I completely agree. This was what I was referring to when I made this comment:

so many of the early Columbo had some stunning pieces of cinematography or a particularly eye-catching effect that really stands out. (When you come to reviewing the episode where the murderer is a music conductor, I think it was called Etude In Black, I'll come back to this point).

The construction of the scene shows the work of a skilled director, in this case the actor who played Coach in the sitcom Cheers. It starts with a stunning wide shot showing the enormity of the stadium and you see a figure on stage in the distance playing the simplest of tunes in the grandest of settings. The camera slowly zooms in to show Columbo is playing. I think is shows intrigue, drama and comedy all at once.

There's another great stadium shot in The Most Crucial Game which I loved so much I made it my computer desktop picture for a while. When you get to that episode it will probably obvious which camera shot I mean.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I love Columbo and watched the entire series maybe 6 or 7 years ago. Actually it's probably longer than that! I think I had a thread on the old forum when I was watching it.

Oh yes - that rings a bell now you mention it.

I am currently making my way through Murder She Wrote very slowly and I had thought that I viewed Columbo and Murder She Wrote in a similar way. Both whodunit, murder mystery sleuth shows.

And both created by the same people, with many of the same creative team and guest-stars.

They both remind me of my childhood and are both comforting to watch. Which is strange for shows about murder.

It's the same for me. I find them both very comforting, especially MSW which has the extra cosiness factor.

It will be fun to read through your thoughts on the show Mel.

Another great review @Mel O'Drama

Thank you both. It's so nice to get other perspectives on the show and is really adding to my enjoyment.

I don't think Sergeant Kramer has appeared yet nor has the tune for Knick Knack Paddy Whack been used yet (I think Columbo first whistles it in Any Old Port In A Storm before it's used in later episodes as theme tune or as part of the background score) both of which I consider to be regular Columbo features..

Oh yes. I'd forgotten about both of those. In fact I can't even picture Sergeant Kramer or work out where they fit in, so it really has been a long time for me.

I often wondered if the motivation for the scene was because they spent a lot of money hiring the house they wanted to make full use of it so that scene was conceived.

Ha ha. Yes - I wouldn't be at all surprised if you're right. It is a beautiful house, so I was glad to see some more of it.

Scenes in which Columbo interacts with the murderer and you feel their relationship is developing in an interesting way is always fascinating and this is a great example of this.

Absolutely, and I thought this episode did a really nice job of having them interact in different ways and in lots of different settings.

This was what I was referring to when I made this comment

Aha. I remember you mentioning this episode before, so I had wondered. Thanks for clearing that up.

The construction of the scene shows the work of a skilled director, in this case the actor who played Coach in the sitcom Cheers. It starts with a stunning wide shot showing the enormity of the stadium and you see a figure on stage in the distance playing the simplest of tunes in the grandest of settings. The camera slowly zooms in to show Columbo is playing. I think is shows intrigue, drama and comedy all at once.

Very true indeed. It really added to the impact of the setting.

There's another great stadium shot in The Most Crucial Game which I loved so much I made it my computer desktop picture for a while. When you get to that episode it will probably obvious which camera shot I mean.

Oh great. And not long to go for that one!!

 

[Angela Channing]

In fact I can't even picture Sergeant Kramer or work out where they fit in, so it really has been a long time for me.

This is Sergeant Kramer, he appeared in both the original series of Columbo and the revival.

I think other than Peter Falk, Bruce Kirby, who played Kramer, appeared in more episodes of Columbo than anyone else, including 2 occasions when he played a different character. In one episode, I forget which one, he plays quite a big part in the investigation but usually he only gets one or 2 scenes.

Bruce Kirby only died a few months ago, he was 95.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

This is Sergeant Kramer, he appeared in both the original series of Columbo and the revival.

I think other than Peter Falk, Bruce Kirby, who played Kramer, appeared in more episodes of Columbo than anyone else

Thanks for this. I'll look out for him.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The Greenhouse Jungle

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The standard of this series has been so consistently high so far that any comment on quality or enjoyment is relative to that. When I hesitantly put it out there that I found The Greenhouse Jungle to be fairly average, it’s comforting to know that there’s average… and then there’s Seventies Columbo average.

The USP of this film is that there is no murder until quite some way into the film. The first act shows a scheme between an uncle and nephew for the younger man to pretend to be kidnapped in order to gain access to his trust fund. The uncle later dispenses with his nephew in order to keep the money and stop his young relative from squandering his money on his spendthrift wife.

Not for the first time, Columbo comes in to investigate the kidnapping despite being attached to homicide (one almost feels in these cases his good instincts extend to precognitive abilities).

Ray Milland was a familiar name and face. But it took me until after I’d watched the episode to realise he was previously Arthur Kennicut in Death Lends A Hand. I think he looks quite different here, and he certainly acts differently. Jarvis Goodland is a far broader performance. Very entertaining, but far less interesting.

Bradford Dillman is a name recognisable to me. Looking at his IMDb I’d know his face from a number of films and series. But I mostly associate his name with Piranha, in which he had the lead role. His character of Tony Goodland isn’t the brightest pebble on the beach and seeing him aid and abet his uncle in the fake kidnap scheme feels at times like a percursor to Ruthless People.

As Tony’s wife Kathy, Sandra Smith put me in mind more than a little of Pamela Sue Martin, circa Season Four of Dynasty. There’s a whole soap opera within the story, with Sandra having a lover on the side (who had offered to disappear if Tony paid him $50,000), and Tony having his own mistress Gloria (think Loni Anderson with a dash of the Barbara Windsors), to whom he apparently spent most of his time speaking about his love for his unfaithful wife.

continued...​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The Greenhouse Jungle


continued

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Another notable change to the formula this episode is that Columbo gets a sidekick in the over-eager shape of Sergeant Wilson, keen to impress the legendary Lieutenant with his knowledge and up-to-date gadgetry. Bob Dishy looks a great deal like another actor I can’t quite get to the front of my brain and it was distracting for the entire episode. Watch this space to see if it comes back to me. I did think at first that Wilson was a tongue in cheek nod to Kojak's Crocker, but since Crocker was still a year or two away I was wrong about that.

Sergeant Wilson is likeable enough, but I did find myself feeling a little uneasy at the thought of this becoming a regular thing. Columbo is best as a lone wolf. I do like the idea of Wilson showing up every few episodes for a little cameo when Columbo arrives at a crime scene, but it seems this is one of just two episodes in which he appears.

Wilson’s first scene is memorable for featuring Columbo’s run down the hill, where he can’t stop and ends up rolling arse over tit into a crevice, landing with a thud. It’s a painful-looking stunt which is shown in long-shot and I’d assumed to be a stuntman. But at the end of the shot, the head turns round so the face can clearly be seen as Peter Falk’s.

Most impressive.

Wilson’s presence did set me up for a bit of a red herring. At one point he ordered the men to search a certain spot in Kathy’s house again and very quickly he found the gun Jarvis had planted. It seemed a bit too convenient for me, and I started to suspect him of being somehow connected with Jarvis. This seemed even more likely to me when Columbo ordered Wilson and the arrested Kathy to come to Jarvis’s solarium for the gotcha. At that point I became convinced that Wilson was about to be outed as a conspirator. Me and my suspicious mind. Poor Wilson.

The denouement with the third bullet in the solarium found with the help of a metal detector was nice enough. But, if the previous year’s break-in was mentioned earlier in the episode I missed it and so for me that information came out of the blue and seemed almost shoehorned in. Perhaps I need to pay more attention. The final little flourish with Mrs Columbo’s revived African Violet was very cute indeed.

The music in this episode reminded me very much of that in The Bionic Woman. Sure enough, the composer was Oliver Nelson whose name I instantly associate with The Six Million Dollar Man.