Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot

For me, Death Hits the Jackpot is one of the better later Columbo episodes. It starts off a little slow perhaps, but it picks up significantly and doesn't have any more problems as far as I am aware. The story is interesting and well-structured, and the script has a lot of nice humorous touches between Lamarr and Columbo which was a delight to see, in fact I liked this episode especially for its less-serious yet somewhat light-hearted tone. The direction is as solid as rocks, and there are several good scenes, any scene between Lamarr and Columbo is winning, but the murder scene is quite intense, the denouncement is clever and the party itself was a nice touch for those sumptuous costumes. The music is great once again, and the acting is too. Peter Falk is exceptional as always, and Rip Torn is simply brilliant and seems to be relishing a very interesting character. Overall, delightful and one of the better later episodes. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I think my favorite part of any Columbo episode is that closeup on the killer when he realizes that he's not dealing with an idiot. When Rip Torn is the killer, you just can't wait for him to crash.

Freddy (Gary Kroeger) is going through an awful divorce because his wife (Jamie Rose) is refusing to be part of a debt he incurred. Consequently he is unable to convince her to sign the papers.

Then he finds out he has won $30 million in the lottery, and now he's afraid since they're not divorced, his wife can claim half. His Uncle Leon (Rip Torn), a jeweler, suggests that he claim the money for Freddy. They draw up a letter of agreement.

But Uncle Leon is going to find it difficult to part with that money, even if he is getting 10 percent off the top. He makes it look as if Freddy drowned while taking a bath, and changes the time on the victim's watch to give him a perfect alibi.

Columbo picks up problems with the scene immediately. He comes to believe it was not an accidental death, and not so slowly begins to put the pieces together.

Torn is a riot, using a very broad accent (sounds like Texas) and being a real scum. Betsy Palmer plays his dizzy wife.

Lots of atmosphere here, including a party of hippies singing songs like Where Have All the Flowers Gone, a chimpanzee in a romper, and a millionaires masquerade party. Highly entertaining.

All Columbo movies had a certain amount of relieving comedy in it but this movie can really be seen as a true comedy. It's more comical than other Columbo entries and its made more as a real comedy. It perhaps makes this movie harder to take serious than other Columbo movie entries but it of course also makes it more fun to watch as well. In that regard "Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot" is a good and welcome, slightly different, Columbo movie entry.

It's not like the movie isn't offering any mystery-thriller elements. It of course is still a Columbo movie with all of the right required genre elements in it and it still sticks to the usual successful Columbo movie formula as well. It's not like the movie is offering the best or most original story though. It's like a combination of many other previous Columbo movies in more than just a couple of ways, even more than usually is the case. But just because the movie isn't the most original doesn't mean is not the best one to watch. It's simply too well made for that. It also has some nice twists to it, though not all of them feel very likely.

Not in the least the movie works out so well due to the acting performances. Rip Torn is just great in this. He's of course also part of the reason why this movie feels as such a comical one. He at first sight doesn't seem like the most logical choice to play the murderer in a Columbo movie but he simply truly suits his role very well. There also is some nice interaction between him and Peter Falk, who himself also seemed to be a bit improvising at times, which works out nice.

The movie also has a great ending. Again, it's not really the most likely conclusion and way for Lt. Columbo to solve the murder but it nevertheless is a nice and original one.

A pleasant little Columbo movie entry. Nothing too great or original but perfectly watchable due to its entertainment value.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

When the episode begins, Freddy is arguing with his estranged wife. They apparently are in the process of getting a divorce and he wants to either get it over with or get back together. But as he's talking to her, he notices they are giving out the winning lottery numbers on TV....and he just won the $30,000,000 jackpot! But Freddy is greedy and knows he will have to split this with his wife...but the wife doesn't love him and makes no bones about it. So, he and his uncle (Rip Torn) come up with a really dumb and poorly thought out plan...to have the uncle claim the money and give it to Freddy later. Of course, this is NOT an easy thing due to taxes and laws governing transfers of money...and he never even considers that his uncle MIGHT be a crook and will try to cheat him....which, of course, he does because Freddy is an idiot.

I mostly enjoyed this installment of "Columbo" although for the life of me, I have no idea why they included a chimp in the show! Yes, a chimp!! But in spite of this, it is an entertaining episode and is well worth seeing...even if the victim was amazingly foolish.

Gary Kroeger, a rather shiftless sort who ekes out a living as a free lance photographer has finally had his ship come in. He's the proud possessor of a 30 million dollar lottery ticket. Unfortunately he also has a greedy wife in Jamie Rose.

So he decides to ask his uncle Rip Torn to cash the check then give him the proceedings when the final divorce decree between Kroeger and Rose is signed. Big mistake because Torn is both greedy and murderous.

Between the estranged wife and the greedy uncle Kroeger never stood a chance. Still Peter Falk has a case to solve and find a motive. A few of those small details that Columbo always harps on do the trick.

And Torn is made a chump of by a chimpanzee. Believe me Columbo never could have put this one together without the chimp.

Highly entertaining.