The Monte Carlo Murders (2 Feb. 1992)

Jessica probes a Monte Carlo murder for which her hotelier friend is a suspect.

Director:

Jerry Jameson

Writers:

Peter S. Fischer (creator), Bruce Lansbury,

Stars:

Angela Lansbury, Neill Barry, Patrick Bauchau

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Angela Lansbury	...	Jessica Fletcher
Neill Barry	...	Richie Floret
Patrick Bauchau	...	Inspector Morel
David Birney	...	Earl Harper
Maryam d'Abo	...	Barbara Calloway
Lise Hilboldt	...	Cynthia Harper
Bo Hopkins	...	Scott Larkin
Dina Merrill	...	Annie Floret
Ian Ogilvy	...	Peter Templeton
Gustav Vintas	...	Albert DeVere
Reuven Bar-Yotam	...	Chef Robert
Victor Touzie	...	Armand Beauclaire
Scott James	...	Henry (as Scott Strohmyer)
Jon Rashad Kamal	...	Shop Proprietor
Diane Manzo	...	Suzette, the Desk Clerk

Storyline

Jessica is in Monte Carlo visiting her good friend, hotelier Annie Floret. They haven't seen each other for 10 years and Jessica quickly realizes that her friend is under a great deal of pressure. She learns from police Inspector Morel that Annie owes a great deal of money to businessman Earp Harper and will lose everything if she doesn't come up with the payment within a few days. When Harper is found in his suite stabbed in the chest with a pair of scissors and a very expensive piece of jewelry goes missing, the police arrest Peter Templeton, a one-time jewel thief who worked in the hotel. Annie however fears that her son Richie, who had earlier threatened Harper, is behind the killing. A second murder points Jessica in the right direction.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 February 1992 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Alverno High School - 200 North Michillinda Avenue, Sierra Madre, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal TV

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

"All the Boys Sink as a Spy"

This episode begins with a pre-title Prologue, containing footage of Peter Templeton's (Ian Ogilvy) scaling exterior walls of a Monte Carlo hotel, swinging from roof to roof, and entering the window of Barbara Calloway (Maryam d'Abo) to romance and to threaten with murder unless she stops cheating on him, and then to romance further.

Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) soon arrives in Monte Carlo to visit her dear old friend Annie Floret (Dina Merrill), a recent widow of hotel co-owner Andre, who now must operate the lavish resort building alone, and amid a series of difficulties.

Annie's young adult son, Richie Floret (Neill Barry), assists where needed but now becomes interested in photography, and developing photographs of surveillance and espionage in his campaign to blackmail those who try to destroy Annie.

Peter Templeton also serves on the hotel staff, as pianist, on a roster which also includes Chef Robert (Reuven Bar-Yotam), Suzette, the Desk Clerk (Diane Manzo), and Armand Beauclaire (Victor Touzie), a waiter who also spies upon guests, by planting telephone bugs, and recording sinister conversations.

Law enforcement officer of the hour, Inspector Morel (Patrick Bauchau), arrives early on the scene this time around, to bargain with Shop Proprietor (Jon Rashad Kamal) on Jessica's behalf, as she tours Monte Carlo's Old Quarter to purchase glassware.

Earl Harper (David Birney), meanwhile, causes trouble for Annie and Richie, by threatening to foreclose upon the hotel come Monday, as his balloon loan, charging outrageous interest amounts, cannot be met in time.

Financier Scott Larkin (Bo Hopkins), who operates a fleet of vessels, and seeks a measures to attempt to rise to Annie's assistance, leads to another objection of Earl, his rival, with whom he brawls.

And while Earl Harper sneaks around with Barbara Calloway, they fall out not only with Peter Templeton, but also with Earl's wife, Cynthia Harper (Lise Hilboldt), who happens to be seeing bodyguard Henry (Scott James) on the sly.

Jessica sports many fashionable afternoon dresses, jackets and evening gowns around Monte Carlo, often seeming to change costumes around every turn. But they're quite becoming to Angela, to afford a sleek and state of the art effect, and very stylish, while appearing comfortable.

Back to the plot, Albert DeVere (Gustav Vintas) approaches Jessica on the ballroom dance floor, after she concludes a number with Inspector Morel. She pleads that she feels too tired for another spin, causing the exiting Albert to continue to spy upon her from across the hall...and around lobby corners the next day, when he approaches her for an autograph, against which she again pleads for want of time.

Cynthia Harper discovers the first body in a hotel room, demonstrating that Lise Hilboldt's ability to scream ranks right up there with the best of them, those hotel chambermaids, who often stumble across bodies. (It would have been nice to have seen Miss Hilboldt's role expanded a bit here, as well as Mr. Ogilvy's, naturally, but, alas, Peter Templeton is arrested for murder and carted off, causing Jessica to suspect others in the theft of the missing Alexandra Stone necklace.)

So, Jessica investigates a trail of clues involving the abundance of espionage transpiring around the hotel, when she stumbles across a second stabbing victim (but not by a pair of scissors this time), who breathes dying words to Jessica in French.

And, when Jessica finally gets around to autographing for Albert DeVere the French language version of one of her books, she suddenly realizes the key to solving the "The Monte Carlo Murders."

This episode represents the first of two "MSW" appearances for Gustav Vintas, the second of two each for Dina Merrill and Bo Hopkins, the third of three for Lise Hilboldt, the third of four for David Birney, and the third of five "MSW" guest roles for Ian Ogilvy.