"Columbo" Murder by the Book (1971)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Steven Bochco (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

15 September 1971 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Ken Franklin is a rich socialite living in a luxurious coastal mansion bought from his years of writing crime and mystery books...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Book | Police Lieutenant | Police | Insurance Policy

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Jack Cassidy	...	Ken Franklin
Rosemary Forsyth	...	Joanna Ferris
Martin Milner	...	Jim Ferris
Barbara Colby	...	Lilly La Sanka
Lynette Mettey	...	Gloria Jr. (as Lynnette Mettey)
Bernie Kuby	...	Mike Tucker
Hoke Howell	...	Sergeant
Marcia Wallace	...	Woman (credit only)
Haven Earle Haley	...	2nd Reporter

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (2004) | Denmark:11 (2004) | Norway:15 (2004) | Sweden:15 (2004)

Filming Locations:

9000 West Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

Ken Franklin's house in "Murder By The Book" was also Eric Wagner's house in "Columbo: The Most Crucial Game (#2.3)" (1972).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Columbo mentions to Ken that a station-to-station call (call to operator) was placed from the cabin to the Ferris home the day of Jim's disappearance. The phone call was NOT made at the cabin. It was placed at the general store.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Jim works in his office]
Jim Ferris: [knock on the door] Who is it?
[another knock on the door]
Jim Ferris: [He opens the door - Ken is aiming a gun at his face. Jim laughs]
Ken Franklin: Oh, you're not intimidated.
Jim Ferris: Oh, come on, Ken. You're forgetting that I'm one-half of the world's greatest mystery-writing team? You, ah, don't have gloves on, your finger's not on the trigger, and there are no bullets in the cylinder.
Ken Franklin: [smiling] You're right. I'm a lousy practical joker.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Rescue Me: Hell (#3.12)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Love Theme from 'Red Sky At Morning'

The one directed by Spielberg.

This is the Columbo that got directed by Steven Spielberg at an early point in his career. It's nothing sensational but some small hint of great things to come for Spielberg can be seen in this movie. The movie is basically in the same style as most of Spierlberg's '70's movies and TV works. So that means that some characters tend to show some quirkiness's and no I'm not just talking about the Columbo character alone. The kind of character quirkiness which perhaps can be best seen in the 1975 Spielberg movie "Jaws". But other than some small hints of typical early Spielberg elements, you can't call this movie the work of- and fine example of a rising director star. Not that its bad, of course it isn't but as I said earlier, it also isn't anything too sensational.

This movie began really well and very promising but after it's fine opening, in which as always the murder occurred, the movie became sort of more slow and also dull to watch. Dull because it's mostly a Columbo movie by the book that doesn't have real memorable moments in it, not dull because it's a boring movie to watch.

The murder itself was quite ingenious and the concept of having a crime story writer murdering his writing partner showed some great and interesting potential. The story however didn't really explored all of its possibilities. At least that's the feeling this movie left me with.

The movie was still a good one to watch nevertheless thanks to the character of Jack Cassidy, who thinks he's smarter then Columbo, due to his mystery/crime writing experience and tries to give him all kinds of possible hints, leading away from himself. But of course Columbo knows better and he is his number one suspect from the first moment on but he as usual plays the game along.

The movie does have a good overall style and uses some fine camera position and editing. Funny to see that also most of this was all mostly consistent with Spielberg's later work, especially some of the camera-angles.

A fine and perfectly watchable Columbo movie but don't let the name of Spielberg attached to it rise your expectations for it too highly.

7/10