Columbo: Columbo Cries Wolf

Soap stars Ian Buchanan from General Hospital and the always beautiful Deirdre Hall from Days of Our Lives are involved in a disappearance and possible murder of a publisher. Of course, this brings a slew of much needed publicity for a starving magazine. Gigi Rice has a role as well. It's a familiar story with Ian playing a British Hugh Hefner style younger man and his empire in financial ruins. His partner is played by the beautiful Deidre Hall (she hasn't aged in years) wants out of the business. Of course, the motive is about money. Columbo episodes try to use simple motives rather than complex and the crimes are always pretty simply done whether it is done with a gun. We are never truly left with a gruesome crime scene in Columbo episodes and that's a good thing because Columbo has always been light-hearted at heart and his interactions with the prime suspect is always fascinating. When he thinks he's wrong, he's not.

"Columbo Cries Wolf" is an episode that involves a Playboy-like magazine and the disappearance of its publisher. Now this SHOULD mean that the police would investigate....their Missing Persons unit. However, being "Columbo", our favorite homicide detective was assigned the case. Like nearly every episode of this long-running series, there are plenty of red herrings and twists....and the less said about them here the better, as it would clearly spoil the suspense.

This episode is so clearly 1990 in style....with some outrageous fashions and music. But it's also a show clearly trying to bring sex into the show in order to boost ratings....with tons of beautiful women in various states of dress and undress.

So is it any good? Yes, though I didn't love this one. One reason was Ian Buchanan's accent...which seemed to come and go. At times, he sounded like a typical American and other times he sounded like the Scot he is. This is especially noticeable in a scene inside the limo with Columbo....and I am surprised the director didn't spot this and re-shoot the scene. Another was that where the body would ultimately be found and how was clearly telegraphed...too much so. Still, it is entertaining and worth seeing.

Yes, Columbo gets it wrong or does he? This is an excellent Columbo story which adds a neat twist to the usual formula. Falk is lively throughout and by setting it in the glamour world, there are plenty of opportunities for comic moments. Very well paced and a treat to watch.

Over the course of years the Columbo movies have tried out some different things, which differ from its usual successful formula. Most of those movies however did not worked out and weren't as remotely as good as the Columbo movies which sticked to the usual formula. However I see this movie as an exception. It picks a different story approach, which works out well and although this isn't really among the best Columbo movies it can still be seen as a successful 'experiment' to try and be different.

Because it's different it isn't more surprising though but the movie its different approach makes sure that there is more mystery to enjoy. In this case we don't see a murder being committed and all we know as that a woman disappeared somewhere on her way to the airport. But we don't know why or who is behind it all. With this approach this movie is obviously different from the usual Columbo movie entry. Due to this approach we get more inside Lt. Columbo's head and we see how he approaches and investigates the case.

The story and approach makes this a very entertaining movie to watch. Because of its approach the story also for some reason feels like it's a better and more cleverly written one compared to other Columbo movie entries, while it in fact perhaps isn't. I think that it is because of the fact that we ourselves also don't known what has happened and the movie for most part is a true mysterious thriller to us as well, just as it all is a big mystery for the main character Columbo.

One thing that didn't made me enjoy this movie was it's typical early '90's style. In terms of style the '90's was perhaps the worst decade for movies ever. The clothes, hair, make-up, the music...it's all so completely horrendous. But oh well, perhaps in 50 years from now people will start to appreciate this more and look back at it as the good old glorious '90's!

The movie features Ian Buchanan in one of his earliest roles. He began acting at a pretty late age and he now days is very well known all over the world for his role in the long running and successful soap-series "The Bold and the Beautiful", for which he has played in for 15 years, and still counting. He was good in this movie opposite Peter Falk and they had some good necessary chemistry together. Chemistry between the main suspect and the Lieutenant always had been an important key element of the series.

A different Columbo movie that actually works out.

7/10

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Kind of plodding at times, but I thought the ending was very unique.

I'm surprised that no one had commented yet, but I thought this Columbo was very entertaining. One of the better, newer Columbos. I wish Columbo had never gone off the air.