Short Fuse

Roger (Roddy McDowell) is a very spoiled jerk....but he's been able to stay working at the chemical plant because he's the nephew of the owner. But the owner's husband (James Gregory) is sick of bailing Roger out of problems and is determined to buy him out and force him out of the company. But before he can do this, the seemingly lazy Roger comes up with a clever plan to blow up his uncle...and it succeeds wonderfully (unless you are the uncle). Can Columbo figure it out or will this just be seen as an accidental death?

There were a couple problems which prevented it from being better. First, Columbo figures out the solution to the case almost immediately. Sure, he's smart...but the only way the character could know as quickly as he did was if they read the script!! Second, Roddy McDowell's character was very smug...and easy to hate. He also had some very annoying mannerisms and my family was rooting for him to die...which isn't going to happen since he's the villain. A bit of a misstep for the series.

This was an entertaining segment with an impressive cast of actors, which include Roddy McDowall, Anne Francis, James Gregory, Ida Lupino, William Windom, and Jason Wingreen. That is quite a cast! Let me get the bad out of the way first; that is, the guilty party usually acting too cocky when they should be the opposite, such as Roger Stanford(McDowall)does here. Also, the song that plays in the club while Gregory's character(David L. Buckner)gets blown up in the car may be the worst recorded song in the history of music. It's that bad! The good parts include a fairly original kill, a mountain railcar, Roger's cool car, some nice outdoor shots at a huge plant, and one of the funnier moments in the series that has Columbo accidentally shooting silly string all over his head. Although I mentioned above that the killers act too guilty, the final scene wasn't something I expected, and that adds to this fun segment.

I am a huge Columbo fan, but while Short Fuse is not one of the worst of the series(Last Salute to the Commodore is for me the worst of the pre-1989 episodes, and No Time to Die, Murder in Malibu, Grand Deceptions and Dead Weight were also underwhelming) it was one of the weaker and blandest entries of that time period. I'll start with the good points. The locations and photography are stunning, the direction was solid enough and the music is well composed and fitting with the mood and period. Peter Falk is brilliant as always, embodying the iconic detective in the way that only he can do. In terms of any effective scenes, the best were the pretty clever murder sequence and the ending.

However, there are a number of problems, including a script that is lacking in wit and fluidity, a story that is good in concept and reasonably well paced but with plot twists that feel laboured and a lack of chemistry between Falk and MacDowell(when there is any it feels vague), disappointing considering that this is one of the best things about Columbo. Roddy MacDowell's performance is nowhere near the worst of the series(Andrew Stevens in Murder in Malibu and almost the entire cast of No Time to Die) but it was a performance lacking in subtlety and felt over-the-top in places, especially the laugh. In conclusion, enjoyable but fell short.

6/10 Bethany Cox

I love Columbo and I think these episodes from the early 70's are always an interesting time capsule. Probably the only episode to feature Silly String! I wonder if that was a recent invention at the time? I don't have a review so much as a question - what happened to Columbo's fear of heights in the last scene? Riding the tram seemed to make him sick the first time, but he couldn't be more cool and collected when riding it at the end?

When his Uncle uncovers compromising evidence against him, Roger Stanford is offered an ultimatum – sign away his rights to his Aunt's corporation or be exposed. Without any options Roger plants a bomb in his Uncle's car and kills him on a remote mountain road. When someone as important as Doris Buckner calls in a missing person, the Police Commissioner sends his best man (Lieutenant Columbo) to investigate. Whenever the wreckage of the car is discovered at the bottom of a ravine, it appears like an accident but a phone message, strange burn patterns and a curious Stanford make Columbo suspect that something untoward may have caused the fatal crash.

As with many TV film series (such as Perry Mason), if you like one or two of them then you'll pretty much like them all. This entry in the Columbo series pretty much follows the usual formula – we know the killer and the "perfect" plan but then watch Columbo follow his hunch and gradually starts to pick holes in the story he is told before eventually finding enough to prove his suspicions. Saying this is not a spoiler – it is simply what happens in all the films. Here the film is pretty obvious throughout but does have some nice touches along the way. The main problem is that Roger is about the least subtle murderer that the series has seen – not only eccentric but with loads of motive and ability, Columbo goes after him as usual but the game is not as good it can be mainly because the character is so unusual. However the film has a neat ending that is tense and enjoyable even if it is a bit obvious. The fact that it has dated very badly is a bit of a problem, thanks to loads of seventies touches in the music, the direction and, most hilariously, the costumes. It isn't much of a problem but it is funnily distracting at times. The lack of consistent tension is more of a problem and the lack of clues means that the "investigation" is more of a speculation rather a building case.

Falk is his usual self – crumpled, self-deprecating and with a good line in mocking wit. He is as comfortable as an old pair of shoes and is very good value. McDowall is not as good but the problem is more to do with his character than anything else. He is an oddball and he drips suspicion at every turn, he never convinced me that he was the genius that the script would have us believe he was and, what's worse, he never once came across as a match (or anything like a match) for Columbo. The two have vague chemistry but there are no sparks between them and you almost feel pity for McDowall by the end because it was all so easy. The support cast threw up a flashback in the shape of Ida Lupino but it is Falk that steals the film as usual.

Overall this is a standard entry in the series that has the usual formula that will please fans but lacks anything special to really make it stand out. It is enjoyable on these terms but I didn't get much more from it than the average – watch it if you like the films generally but don't expect it to win you over if you have no particular love for the crumpled little policeman.