"Columbo" A Matter of Honor (1976)

Director:

Ted Post

Writers:

Brad Radnitz (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

1 February 1976 (Season 5, Episode 4)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

When a famous bullfighter's trusted bookkeeper turns up dead in a bullring, Lt. Columbo suspects murder--with a bull as the murder weapon.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Police | Matador | Investigation | Detective

Cast

  (Episode Credited cast)

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Ricardo Montalban	...	Luis Montoya
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Commandante Sanchez (as Pedro Armendariz Jr.)
A Martinez	...	Curro Rangel
Jorge Rivero	...	Carlos
Emilio Fernández	...	Miguel (as Emilio Fernandez)
Enrique Lucero	...	Jaime Delgado
Evita Muñoz 'Chachita'	...	Chambermaid (as Evita Munoz Chachita)
Robert Carricart	...	Hector Rangel
Maria Grimm	...	Nina Montoya

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:11 (DVD) (2007) | Denmark:15 (DVD) (2007) | Sweden:15 (DVD) (2007) | Finland:K-18 (DVD) (2007) (self applied)

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

In the scene after the car accident a Mexican policeman inspects Columbo's ID. Columbo's signature can briefly be seen in close-up, showing his full name to be Lt. Frank Columbo. This is the only time in the show's 35 year history that Columbo's first name was revealed.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Columbo discusses his findings with Commandante Sanchez on the market square whilst an orchestra is playing, a policeman in the background disappears and reappears in the same pose.

Quotes:

Commandant Sanchez: I hope you understand, Luis, that the lieutenant is here merely as my guest. He has no official status.
Luis Montoya: So inquisitive. I find him amusing.

Columbo's skills travel to Mexico.

I don't really know what it is with Ted Post and Columbo movies but the two movies that he directed are also both (this one included) among the least likely ones. Their stories are not really believable. In his first Columbo movie "Columbo: A Case of Immunity" there is an unbelievable story of Columbo trying to solve the murder committed by a person with diplomatic immunity on a premises were the LAPD simply has no jurisdiction and in this movie the in Mexico stranded Columbo is called in by the Mexican police to help and solve a murder committed on the bookkeeper of a famous former matador.

Oh well it doesn't mean that his two Columbo movies aren't good and fun to watch but it obviously also doesn't rank them among the best Columbo movie entries. It's a movie that still features the usual successful Columbo formula, making this still a perfectly watchable Columbo movie obviously.

It's not the first time Columbo travels to a strange foreign country and gets mixed in with a murder. It places the Columbo character once more out of his usual familiar environment, which of course provides the movie with some good comical moments, in which Columbo has difficulties adapting himself to the Mexican ways. He's also walking around in sunny, hot Mexico with his complete suit and trademark raincoat on.

Unlike most other Columbo movies, this one doesn't feature many well known actors in the key parts. Sure Ricardo Montalban has done lots of work for TV that he is known for but he's not really the star that usually plays the killer in a Columbo movie. It doesn't mean that he's horrible or anything like that in this but yet the movie still feels as if it could had really benefited from a better and well known actor opposite Peter Falk.

A slightly below average, though enjoyable, Columbo movie.

6/10