"Columbo" Double Exposure (1973)

Director:

Richard Quine

Writers:

Stephen J. Cannell (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...
(more)

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

16 December 1973 (Season 3, Episode 4)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A self-styled "motivation research specialist" uses subliminal cues to commit a murder. Lt. Columbo is on the case.

Plot Keywords:

Blackmail | Blackmailer | Alibi | Murder | Homicide

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Robert Culp	...	Dr. Bart Keppel
Robert Middleton	...	Vic Norris
Chuck McCann	...	Roger White
Louise Latham	...	Mrs. Norris
Arlene Martel	...	Tanya (credit only) (as Arlene Martell)
Danny Goldman	...	Press photographer
John Milford	...	1st Detective
George Wyner	...	Film Editor
Richard Stahl	...	Ballistics Man
Francis De Sales	...	Patterson (as Francis DeSales)
Alma Beltran	...	Housekeeper
Dennis Robertson	...	Detective Marley
Harry Hickox	...	2nd Detective
Ann Driscoll	...	Mrs. Halstead
E.A. Sirianni	...	Norbert (as E. A. Sirianni)
Manuel DePina	...	1st Detective
Thomas Bellin	...	Technician
Peter Walker	...	Narrator
Mary Beth Sikorski	...	Receptionist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mike Lally	...	Parking Lot Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Quine

Writing credits
Stephen J. Cannell		(written by)
Richard Levinson		(creator) &
William Link		(creator)

Produced by
Edward K. Dodds	....	associate producer
Dean Hargrove	....	executive producer
Roland Kibbee	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dick DeBenedictis		(as Dick De Benedictis)

Cinematography by
William Cronjager		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ronald LaVine

Art Direction by
John W. Corso

Set Decoration by
Bill McLaughlin		(set decorations) (as William McLaughlin)

Production Management
Brad H. Aronson	....	unit manager (as Brad Aronson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Cook	....	assistant director (as Phillip Cook)

Sound Department
Wallace R. Bearden	....	sound (as Wallace Bearden)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Grady Hunt	....	costumes

Editorial Department
Richard Belding	....	editorial supervisor
Steve Johnson	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Hal Mooney	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	main title design

Production Companies

• Universal TV (from) (as Universal An MCA Company)

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Viasat3 (2008) (Hungary) (TV) (re-release)

Other Companies

• Universal Title  titles & optical effects

Also Known As:

Runtime:

70 min | USA:76 min (dvd release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (2005) (DVD) (self applied) | Australia:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

'Chuck Mccann (I)', who plays Keppler's projectionist, played the title role in the 1971 movie, The Projectionist (1971).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Columbo arrives at a back office with monitors, he's being tracked by a videocamera. He arrives and sees himself live on the monitor, filmed from behind. What he sees doesn't match with his actual position, judging by a hand resting against a wall.

Quotes:

Dr. Bart Keppel:[voiceover narration for motivational film] Nothing can happen in this country until someone sells something. We are traditionally a nation of salesmen. But most importantly, we have turned salesmanship into a creative art. Salesmanship, a profession that has become a way of life, our most powerful weapon in the war of ideas and economies, a tribute to American creativity.

Movie Connections:

References High Plains Drifter (1973)

disappointing Columbo

I must admit, that this episode of Columbo, is one of the "least good" I have seen. And it's defiantly a disappointment, looking at the era it's from, as the early/mid 70's was vintage Columbo.

If comparing it to the much better episode, "Publish Or Perish" which is from the exact same time, then "Double Exposure" lacks a lot of things. It lacks some nice direction touches (like the famous clip of a murderer hiding the deceased, is shown in his glasses, in an earlier episode. Or opening 'bombing' in "Publish or Perish"). The way Robert Culp (as Dr. Keppel) responds to Columbo's persistent inquiries seems forced and the character starts to look rather silly (in the non-humorist way), and he defiantly lacks the reliability of previous "crocks".

Also, it because clear, quite early, that everyone is aware of who the murderer is. And Columbo states (too) early, that he knows it all, which leaves the final end as an anti-climax, as all he needs is the striking evidence.

Of course the episode contains good moments, like the scene at the golf course. But all in all, not Columbo at his best, or even at his high average.

(5 out of 10)