Murder by the Book

This was the first televised episode of the Columbo series (although it was filmed after "Death Lends a Hand")and it heralded one of the most successful TV series in history.

Jack Cassidy (who played the murderer in the series three times) enthuses smugness, arrogance and self-assuredness in equal measure here, as Ken Franklin, one half of a mystery writing team who hatches an elaborate plot to kill off his partner, Jim Ferris (played by Martin Milner) who decides to terminate their professional relationship, leaving Franklin exposed as merely a good publicist rather than a prolific writer.

The initial murder set-up is fantastic and Cassidy's performance facilitates an arguable accolade that he was the best Columbo murderer in the series.

Peter Falk is wonderfully understated in his role as Columbo and the character's inherent traits and oddities, which are underlined by a seeming slowness and absent-mindedness, contrast particularly well with Cassidy's character's extreme smugness: one of their early scenes together where Ken Franklin fabricates a motive for the killing through Jim Ferris's non-existent expo-see of identifying hit-men operating in the underworld exemplifies this very well. Franklin hints to Columbo this potential motive and Columbo (purposely or ignorantly) fails to latch on, forcing Franklin to express his disappointment in a markedly patronising manner and compare him unfavourably with the detective in the books, Mrs. Melville.

Also, noteworthy is the early directorial contribution of 24 year old Steven Spielberg. Notwithstanding, some elementary inclusions of cameras shadowing the actors and actresses, he adds some stylish and elaborate touches to uphold the general professionalism of the episode. One particularly stark image is of Jim Feriss's dead body lying on the settee, almost dark in the foreground, as Ken Franklin raises a glass to him in the background after he finishes answering a phone call to Ferris's distraught wife. I have no doubt that working to a restrictive 10-14 day schedule, Spieberg's efforts should not be underestimated.

Unfortunately, the event of the second murder, necessitated by a blackmailing scheme which is plotted by a female friend of Franklin's (and ironically referred to as "sloppy" by Columbo in his climatic summing up) takes the steam out of the whole thing. The cutting edge of the plot is compromised and the screen-time between Falk and Cassidy inexcusably lessens at this point to perhaps help the script-writer (Stephen Bocho) out of a tight corner, since he cannot singularly develop the story without another murder.

The climax is the most disappointing aspect of this episode. The initial banter and exchange of words between Falk and Cassidy is strongly and effectively executed, but it merely advertises the fact that it should have happened more in the episode. The main aggravation lies with the sealing clue (if it can be called a clue): Cassidy's character's hitherto smugness and arrogance is amazingly expelled by a clue that really does little to imply his guilt; and once this is mentioned, he capitulates in a rather unspectacular and uncharacteristic fashion.

All in all, a bold opening to the series, which inevitably advertises and foretells all that is good about Columbo, and, conversely, the problems associated with such ingenuity, i.e maintaining the high standards and particularly, creating a credible and suitably intelligent ending.

PLOT: One member of a popular mystery writing team (Jack Cassidy) murders his partner (Martin Milner) after he threatens to go off on his own. He claims he was 2 hours away at his cabin-on-the-lake while his partner was shot at the office in Los Angeles. Rosemary Forsyth plays the victim's wife while Barbara Colby is on hand as a flirtatious neighbor at the cabin.

COMMENTARY: This was the first episode of the series after the two pilot movies and therefore has a shorter runtime of 75 minutes. It was directed & co-written by Steven Spielberg when he only 24 years-old, just a few years before his great success with "Jaws" (1975).

This is one of my favorite episodes of the series, highlighted by the conniving Cassidy, who would reappear in two future installments, the problematic "Publish or Perish" (1974) and the excellent "Now You See Him" (1976). He made for such a sly antagonist, but perished prematurely at the age of 49 in late 1976 from a house fire.

GRADE: A-

"Murder by the Book" from 1971 is the first episode of Columbo with guest stars Jack Cassidy, Martin Milner, Barbara Colby, and Rosemary Forsyth.

When this episode debuted, the next day, everyone was talking about the IBM Selectric with the type ball. Yes, I saw it when it was first on television.

Jack Cassidy and Martin Milner play Ken Franklin and Jim Ferris, a writing team responsible for the Mrs. Merivale mystery series. Milner plays the partner who actually writes the books, and Cassidy does the publicity, including talk shows, interviews, etc.

When Jim decides to break up the team and go off on his own, Ken has a fit -- that happens before the episode begins. Here, he is trying to apologize and lures Jim to his cabin in San Diego, where he kills him.

He's very clever with the arrangements, but then he meets Columbo. Columbo always notices the little things that add up to one word: murder.

Jack Cassidy always made a great sleaze, and here he plays an arrogant monster well. Milner, the victim, has a smaller role.

This was an excellent episode, though sad to realize that Falk, Cassidy, Milner, and Colby are all dead now, Colby at the age of 36. She does a wonderful job here as a flirtatious woman who owns a store near Ken's cabin.

Columbo is my favorite series of all time, and I was so privileged to interview Peter Falk in the late '90s. He was an incredible man. I love what he did with this role.

For those who may not know this, Columbo: Prescription Murder (the first pilot) was based on a play starring Thomas Mitchell as Columbo. It was playing out of town prior to coming into New York when Mitchell suddenly died.

Directed by Steven Spielberg,"Murder by the Book" holds up beautifully today.

After two pilot movies, NBC greenlit "Columbo" as a regular rotating show in its "Mystery Theater" which aired weekly. "Murder By the Book" is the first "Columbo" airing in the series. It also has a distinction of being directed by a relatively new and inexperienced guy...Steven Spielberg.

Ken (Jack Cassidy) and Jim (Martin Milner) have together published some very successful murder mystery books starring Mrs. Melville--a Miss Marple-type character. However, Jim wants to end their partnership and write on his own, as he's both tired of Mrs. Melville and he's been doing almost all the writing. Ken decides to deal with this by murdering his old partner. But it's not a spur of the moment killing....Ken thinks he's very clever and thinks by planning it out and staging it properly he'll no doubt get away with the murder. However, as often is the case, he underestimates the police....and especially Lieutenant Columbo.

This installment works very, very well. Most of it is because Cassidy made an excellent villain...very smug, superior and self-assured. And, this might be why although this was NOT the first completed episode of the series, it was moved to the front...most likely to make a strong impression on fans.

In the Columbo series, one of the better elements is the underestimating of the Lieutenant. The smarter the crook, the more likely he or she is to see Columbo as a boob. This is a fatal mistake for these people because all they see is that awful Peugeot and that ragged topcoat and twisted tie. Another thing they like to do is go into a detailed explanation of things Columbo didn't notice. Columbo's response is routinely a self deprecating "I never thought of that." Of course, at that point he files that away as a part of his barrel of possible inconsistencies. He will eventually throw some of these things in the face of his prime suspect. Jack Cassidy, the handsome man with the great dimples, and the husband of Shirley Jones, sees himself as so clever and so on top of things, that he drops right into the trap. The two things I enjoyed the most in this series was the construction of the crime and Columbo's unraveling of it. A third would be his relentlessness after he was convinced of the perpetrator: "Oh, there's one thing more." Good early episode.