"Columbo" Étude in Black (1972)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Nicholas Colasanto

Writers:

Steven Bochco (teleplay)
Richard Levinson (story) ...

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

17 September 1972 (Season 2, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

An amoral conductor murders the gifted pianist with whom he is having an affair. Lt. Columbo is on the case.

Plot Keywords:

Pianist | Murder | Musician | Mistress | Asphyxiation

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
John Cassavetes	...	Alex Benedict
James Olson	...	Paul Rifkin
Blythe Danner	...	Janice Benedict
Anjanette Comer	...	Jenifer Welles
Myrna Loy	...	Lizzy Fielding
James McEachin	...	Billy
Don Knight	...	Mike Alexander
Pat Morita	...	The House Boy
Michael Pataki	...	Sam
Michael Fox	...	Dr. Benson
Dawn Frame	...	Audrey
Charles Macaulay	...	Durkee
George Gaynes	...	Everett
Wallace Chadwell	...	TV director

Runtime:

90 min | USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (2005)

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

This is the debut episode for Dog, Columbo's pet basset hound.

Goofs:

Plot holes: While Alex Benedict takes great pains not to leave fingerprints from his right hand as he climbs through the washroom window, John Cassavetes rests his bare left hand on the tiled wall at least twice, leaving distinct hand and fingerprints.

Quotes:

Jenifer Welles: I thought you might be a little angry.
Alex Benedict: How could I be angry looking at you? I just don't like ultimatums, that's all.
Jenifer Welles: Well, I don't like being a secret mistress. It's not my style.
Alex Benedict: I know. You told me.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Columbo: Negative Reaction (#4.2)" (1974)

disappointing

After starting watching the re-runs of old Columbo movies, I thought they would all get about the same vote from me (6). But apparently I'm now starting to see differences in the movies. It happened in some of just previous episodes, that showed some pretty genius directing, and it shows in this one, but in the negative way.

The movie was so boring, that I sometimes found myself occupied peaking in the paper instead of watching (never happened during a Columbo movie before!), and sometimes it was so embarrassing that I had to look away. The directing seems too pretentious. The scenes with the "oh-so-mature" neighbour-girl are a misplace. And generally the lines and plot is weaker than the average episode. Then scene where they debated whether or not to sack the trumpeter (who falsely was accused for the murder) is pure horror, really stupid.

Some applause should be given to the "prelude" however. In this episode, a lot of focus is given on how the murderer tries to secure his alibi and hide the evidence etc. I really liked that. But alas, no focus on how Columbo reveals all this. And the "proof" that in the end leaves Columbo victorious is the silliest ever.

Rating: lies between 4 and 5