Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) A Fashionable Way to Die (1987) User Reviews

Three Shots for the Blue, White and Red

[WeatherViolet · 8/10 · 4 November 2009]

This episode marks the last appearance by Juliet Prowse, who began her film and television acting and dancing career in 1960. --and also the last appearance of Bill Beyers, whose brief acting career began in 1978, and who unfortunately passed at the young age of 37. --and also one of the last television roles for Lee Bergere, who began his film and television career in 1954.

Eva Taylor (Barbara Rush) has been a struggling fashion designer in her Paris, France, shoppe, "The Taylored Look," but now she finally faces an opportunity to achieve international acclaim, by showing her new season's line at Hotel Inter-Continental, with the capable assistance of her right-hand man, Peter Appleyard (Bill Beyers), and fashionable models, as Margo (Julie Silliman) and DeDe (Louise Dorsey).

Meanwhile, Eva's financial backer, Maxim Soury (Lee Bergere), who operates Maxim's Club, featuring his mistress, Valerie Bechet (Juliet Prowse), who insists that her daughter, Kim Bechet (Danielle Brisebois), model in the forthcoming fashion show (to keep an eye on her mother's lover, who seems to have an eye for Eva), coerces Eve to sign 50% of her profits to him, lest he withdraw his financial support.

Eva readily accepts Kim to model gowns, while Kim refuses to spy on Maxim at Valerie's request. But when Eva also announces recruiting the world-famous Lu Watters (Randi Brooks) to model in her show, Maxim has his ways of benefiting.

Eva's old friend Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) arrives in Paris in time for the festivities, and to learn of Eva's difficulties, over which Eva does not wish to burden Jessica.

Jessica enjoys the successful fashion show in Hotel Inter-Continental alongside Claudia Soury (Taina Elg), the wife of Maxim, who permits him to have his mistresses providing that their teenage daughters not be drawn into scandal.

But after the show, Jessica, Eva and Claudia stumble onto a body in an upstairs room.

Paris Inspector Panassic (Fritz Weaver) and Officer Luter (Michel Voletti) are called to investigate the crime, which turns complex by conflicting testimonies of Marie, the Maid (Karen Hensel) and Yvette, the Maid (Bonnie Ebsen), as well as that of Albert (Louis Plante) at Maxim's Club, plus those behind the scenes at the fashion show, who claim that Eva couldn't have been wearing her own cloak and hat, as reported.

Many dark secrets begin to emerge across the Paris nightlife, as Jessica discovers one clue after another amid "A Fashionable Way to Die."

The cast is rounded out by Fashion Show Emcee (Jean-Paul Vignon) and Hotel Inter-Continental Bellman (Alain Saint-Alix).

Murder and Glamour

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 25 November 2017]

Jessica takes a detour from London to Paris to visit old friend Eva Taylor, who's worked her way up and become a fabulous clothes designer. A fashion show soon follows and of course trouble.

A really strong start to the fourth series, Jessica has clearly been clocking up the air miles and travelling the world again. A fair job was done to make California look like Paris, but you can't copy the real thing, Paris is inimitable. The mystery is a good one, it all comes together very neatly at the end. A gorgeous looking episode, loaded with eighties glamour, a really classy time.

You can certainly tell the actors that are of French decent, and those that aren't, Fritz Weaver, his accent has come straight from Allo Allo, it's a fair stab, but a little comical. It doesn't put me off as all guest actors are great.

Excellent. 9/10

French? Kinda.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 14 November 2022]

"A Fashionable Way to Die" is the first episode of season 4 of "Murder, She Wrote". This time, the show is set in Paris, though apart from some film footage of the Eiffel Tower and a few other locations, everyone in the show is an American...many pretending to be French. Fritz Weaver did a surprisingly good job playing a French inspector...but why not hire a real French actor to play this part?

As far as the episode goes, Jessica shows up to see a friend and eventually someone is murdered. In this case, a shady guy who has lots of enemies is found dead with two bullets in his body. And, of course, the wrong person is suspect #1....and so it's up to Jessica to prove her friend didn't do it as well as determine who did.

While the format of the show is VERY familiar, it's also well made and interesting. The solution to the problem wasn't too difficult...but the journey was nice.

'Murder She Wrote' comes to Paris

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 18 August 2017]

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

"A Fashionable Way to Die" is a truly great start to the fourth season, which for me is one of the better seasons consistency-wise of 'Murder She Wrote'. It has a very interesting and well-paced mystery, with an ending that is the opposite of obvious, it looked that way at first once things got explained but then brought another twist that pulls the rug from under the viewer. Believability on occasions gets thrown out the window (with the actual motive for the murder being somewhat clichéd and on the weak side), but never in an intelligence insulting way. Besides, one is having too much fun.

Production values, however, are slick and stylish as ever with 'Murder She Wrote', with gorgeous costuming (some of the best of the show up to this point) and Paris as always looking beautiful. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

Writing is thought-provoking, light-hearted and amiable and while the story is not always inspired it has some well executed twists and turns and is never dull. The glamorous and not so glamorous sides of fashion is not a new idea that handled very intriguingly here.

The always dependable Angela Lansbury is terrific, Jessica Fletcher is one of her most remembered roles for very good reason. The supporting cast are on point with Barbara Rush, Juliet Prowse, Taina Elg, Danielle Brisebois and Randi Brooks upping up the class and glamour, while Lee Bergere's Maxim is a strong presence.

In summation, great start for Season 4. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Ménage à trois and more

[safenoe · 8/10 · 17 February 2021]

Jessica goes to Paris! Well, many of the exteriors were actually filmed in Paris but a body double was used for Jessica, so in these shots you only see the body double's back in sort of long distance. You can tell, because the body double is more lithe than Angela Lansbury is, but I guess it was too expensive to fly the whole cast to Paris for on location filming.

Still, a very unpredictable ending.

Murder most fashionable

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 9 October 2017]

Although this episode never got off the Universal back lot this Murder She Wrote story takes place in Paris where Angela Lansbury has been promised an original from her designer friend Barbara Rush.

Rush has a new fall line but she's in debt and sinking deeper into debt with fashion mogul Lee Bergere. She's looking for help to get out of debt, but Bergere gets himself shot to death and Rush is looking good for it with motive.

What stands out about this episode was Fritz Weaver with French accent as the police inspector. He sounds a bit like Pepe LePew, but that's part of the charm. He's real impressed with meeting a famous mystery writer, Weaver has read French language editions of Sherlock Holmes.

Anyway he gathers the principals together and in a scene like you would find Hercule Poirot do he outlines his case and arrests one of the suspects. And he gets congratulations from Angela Lansbury for arresting the wrong one.

In fairness to Weaver, Angela had some pertinent information that she never got to tell him. Of course she solves it.

Worth seeing the story for Weaver's debacle.

A fashionable way to die

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 21 May 2022]

Jessica jaunts to Paris at the beckon of an old friend whose fashion boutique is in financial trouble. When a local loan shark is murdered, Jessica must dig deep to find the truth. A good entry finds Jessica knee deep in solving a case.