"Murder, She Wrote" Widow, Weep for Me (1985)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Michael A. Hoey

Writers:

Peter S. Fischer (creator) and
Richard Levinson (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Murder, She Wrote" (1984)

Original Air Date:

29 September 1985 (Season 2, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Jessica's friend has been murdered, so Jessica masquerades as a wealthy widow at a luxurious tropical hotel in an effort to trap the murderer.

Plot Keywords:

Purse Snatcher | Casino | Caribbean | Hotel Detective | Murder

Cast

Angela Lansbury	...	Jessica Fletcher
Len Cariou	...	Michael Hagarty
Cyd Charisse	...	Myrna Montclair LeRoy
Mel Ferrer	...	Eric Brahm
Howard Hesseman	...	Sheldon Greenberg
John Phillip Law	...	Sven Torvald
Anne Lockhart	...	Veronica Harrold
Raymond St. Jacques	...	Chief Inspector Claude Rensselaer
Mary Wickes	...	Mrs. Alva Crane
Jerry Boyd	...	Doorman
Emmett Dennis III	...	Sergeant. D'arcy (as Emmett Dennis)
Geoff Heise	...	Barnes
Edward B. Randolph	...	Croupier (as Ed Randolph)
Ekta Sohini	...	Desk Clerk (as Ektara)
Reggie Savard	...	Antoinette Farnsworth

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Turtle Bay Resort - 57-091 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, O`ahu, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Universal TV

When the Fortunes Fail across the Seas

Several episode guest stars have since unfortunately passed: Raymond St. Jacques, in 1990; Mary Wickes, in 1995; and Cyd Charisse, Mel Ferrer and John Phillip Law, within a few weeks' time apart, during the Spring of 2008.

"Widow, Weep for Me" serves as the opening episode for "MSW" Season Two. This sets a precedent among Season Openers, by adding fresh touches to the series: Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) displays her developing interest in fashion here, with a hatted flowing lavender dress with draped matching shawl; a Carribbean Island resort setting affords an exotic foreign location, and Len Cariou delivers his first of seven performances in his role as Secret Agent Michael Hagarty, who often complicates Jessica's investigations, by implicating her in his schemes.

Its title, by the way, parodies the 1940's standard "Willow Weep for Me" popularized by famous singers as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles.

When Jessica receives a letter from old friend Antoinette Farnsworth (Reggie Savard, in her only television role to date), a wealth widow vacationing on a Carribbean Sea resort island, who believes her life threatened, she travels incognito to assist her friend.

Myrna Montclair LeRoy (Cyd Charisse) operates the resort, along with Eric Brahm (Mel Ferrer), although they share a secret, which initially puzzles Jessica.

Mrs. Alva Crane (Mary Wickes) and Veronica Harrold (Anne Lockhart) stand among hotel guests, whom Jessica intends to protect during the course of her investigation. Veronica Harrold, an Iowa schoolteacher, is told that she has won her vacation in a drawing. Why "a schoolteacher from another state" would be considered unsophisticated remains unexplained although this demonstrates a recurring theme throughout this series.

Sheldon Greenberg (Howard Hesseman) serves as the hotel desk clerk. Sven Torvald (John Phillip Law), a handsome, fun-loving heir, has an eye for the ladies. Michael Hagarty (Len Cariou) pursues Jessica, to veer her off the course of her detective work.

But in the aftermath of two murders, Chief Inspector Claude Rensselaer (Raymond St. Jacques) and Sergeant D'arcy (Emmett Dennis III) arrive at the resort to investigate the pieces to the various puzzles with Jessica's volunteering to assist.

Barnes (Geoff Heise), Croupier (Edward B. Randolph), Doorman (Jerry Boyd) and Desk Clerk (Ekta Sohini) round out the cast, as many attempt to figure who commands, "Widow, Weep for Me."