Tonight's TV: Columbo (1971): "Dead Weight," "Suitable for Framing," "Lady in Waiting" - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

I'm thoroughly enjoying the COLUMBO TV series, released last month on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

As I wrote in my overview of the set, while I'd seen little bits and pieces of the show over the years, I'd never actually sat down and watched the series.

In this post I'll share some thoughts on the latest trio of episodes I've recently watched. I'll note here that anyone unfamiliar with the show who doesn't want to know either the guest stars, murderers, or murder victims -- which are all disclosed in an episode's opening minutes -- please skip over this post and come back after watching!

"Dead Weight" was my least favorite episode of the show to date, although it still had quite a bit to recommend it. Eddie Albert plays a respected military commander who bumps off a colonel who had cooperated with him in financial malfeasance. I think part of my problem with the episode was that Albert's character was more sad and pathetic than fun, as he throws away a distinguished career in favor of stealing and murder.

Suzanne Pleshette, one year ahead of her starring role on THE BOB NEWHART SHOW (1972-78), plays a rather ditzy young woman who observes the murder from a distance. Albert's character then romances her in order to persuade her to change her testimony.

The episode's pleasures included the surprise of John Kerr of SOUTH PACIFIC (1958) briefly appearing as the murder victim; Timothy Carey (THE KILLING) as a chili-making diner owner I wish had been a semi-regular character; and Los Angeles TV newsman Clete Roberts as, what else, a TV newsman. Roberts also guest starred as a reporter on TV's M*A*S*H.

One of the things I most enjoy about COLUMBO is the location filming; in this episode Albert's home was on Balboa Island here in Orange County. Orange County is seen in films and TV relatively rarely compared to Los Angeles, so it's always a treat to see location shooting in local areas. Balboa Island was also notably featured in THE GIRL MOST LIKELY (1958) with Jane Powell.

Jack Smight directed "Dead Weight." It was filmed, like the other episodes mentioned here, by Russell Metty.

"Suitable for Framing" was directed by Hy Averback. It features Ross Martin (EXPERIMENT IN TERROR) as an art critic who conspires with his girlfriend (Rosanna Huffman) to kill his uncle (Robert Shayne) and inherit his spectacular art collection. Huffman, incidentally, was married to Richard Levinson, who co-created COLUMBO and cowrote this episode.

This episode was a lot of fun, with Martin chewing the proverbial scenery as the flamboyant, nasty critic. I have a fond personal memory of Martin, as he narrated Disneyland's Caroling program one of the years I sang in it with my high school choir, so it's always fun to see him in something and remember that experience.

It's a particular treat for me that Don Ameche plays the murder victim's lawyer in this episode. Kim Hunter plays the victim's ex-wife, and familiar faces like Mary Wickes, Joan Shawlee, and Sandra Gould turn up as well.

The third episode, "Lady in Waiting," was directed by the great actor-director Norman Lloyd. It features Susan Clark as an unstable young woman whose wealthy brother (Richard Anderson) is trying to break up her romance with one of his employees (Leslie Nielsen). Naturally, she kills her brother and tries to make it look like an accident.

Clark's behavior changes radically in the days following her brother's death, as she doesn't mourn him but instead is more interested in taking over his company. Her loving boyfriend (Nielsen) is increasingly perplexed by her unfamiliar, flamboyant new behavior.

Jessie Royce Landis (TO CATCH A THIEF) is lots of fun in this one as Anderson and Clark's mother.  When she sees her daughter for the first time after the "accidental" killing, her initial reaction is to slap her!

Look for Marcia Wallace of THE BOB NEWHART SHOW sitting next to Columbo in the inquest scenes.

My only quibbles with any of these episodes goes back to something I mentioned in my initial review: I don't really enjoy the lengthy murder sequences. In "Lady in Waiting" it goes on for a full 20 minutes before the murder is committed and Lt. Columbo is on the case.  I just don't need 25% of the show focused solely on the murder, but I'm probably in the minority in that regard.

I will admit to using the fast-forward button here and there to speed through some of the murder scenes in these episodes, which often go on for quite a while without any dialogue. Once Lt. Columbo is on the case, I thoroughly enjoy the "procedural" scenes watching Columbo work toward the solution.

I especially like the moments when Columbo drops his "bumbling detective" routine, which he often uses to glean information from the unsuspecting, and gets serious. The bar scene where he levels with Leslie Nielsen on his theory of the case is a great example of this.

It's been fun to share some of my initial impressions as I watch the series for the first time via this Blu-ray collection, and I'll probably return to this topic periodically in the future.

Previous COLUMBO posts: "Murder By the Book" (1971); "Death Lends a Hand" (1971).

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray set.

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