"Columbo" Suitable for Framing (1971)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Hy Averback

Writers:

Jackson Gillis (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

17 November 1971 (Season 1, Episode 4)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Noted art critic Dale Kingston kills his uncle for his valuable collection of paintings. Despite Columbo's suspicions, all the clues point to the dead man's ex-wife. Can the lieutenant reveal the true culprit before it is too late?

Plot Keywords:

Art Critic | Ex Wife | Murder | Painting | Murder Investigation

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Ross Martin	...	Dale Kingston
Don Ameche	...	Frank Simpson
Kim Hunter	...	Edna Matthews
Rosanna Huffman	...	Tracy O'Connor
Joan Shawlee	...	Mitilda
Barney Phillips	...	Captain Tyler
Mary Wickes	...	Landlady
Vic Tayback	...	Sam Franklin
Sandra Gould	...	Matron
Curt Conway	...	Evans
Claude Johnson	...	Policeman
Dennis Rucker	...	Parking Boy (Joe)

Runtime:

USA:72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (2004) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Goofs:

Continuity: Dale removes several paintings from the wall. Then, when Tracy enters, we see her admire the paintings still on the wall, including two of the painting that Dale had taken down already. These two paintings not only have jumped back onto the wall, they also mended themselves where Dale had sliced them with a knife.

Quotes:

Lt. Columbo: [Columbo shows Dale Kingston a print he bought of a painting by Sam Franklin] What do you think? Any good?
Dale Kingston: For wallpaper in a child's room, absolutely perfect. In fact, looks like it might have been done by an untalented twelve-year-old.
Lt. Columbo: You know, I was kind of afraid you were gonna say something like that. But you know, then I say, why would you bother to go there last night, if this guy's stuff is so bad? I mean, this was painted by the artist whose exhibit you were covering...
Dale Kingston: Lieutenant Columbo, unlike my uncle, I am NOT independently wealthy. I have to work for a living. Magazines pay me to review art. Unfortunately, they pay me best when I write hostile reviews about hacks like Sam Franklin.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Followed by Columbo: Ashes to Ashes (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Promenade

Columbo has always been a favorite character of mine

I use to think that the personality that Detective Philip Columbo employed was what many could learn from in their ventures. He put aside formality and approached his job with a dogged unrelentingness. I thought, more people should know of this style. To my surprise, I found a trivia clipping which revealed that the Columbo is based on a Eastern Philosophical word of wisdom that in effect says appear weak and finish strong. I particularly enjoyed this episode of a greedy nephew who steals art from his uncle. The ending is classic. In a time when people claim that there are no role models, we all should approach our work, school and careers with as much vigor. One good thing about Columbo as the template of excellence is that we don't have to feel bad about that empty burger rapper we been meaning to throw away from the back of our car.