Meurtre en musique

Titre original : Columbo: Murder with Too Many Notes

Téléfilm
2001
TV-PG
1h 38m

ÉVALUATION IMDb

MA NOTE

Peter Falk, Scott Atkinson, Charles Cioffi, Billy Connolly, Hillary Danner, Richard Riehle, and Chad Willett in Meurtre en musique (2001)

Drame policier Enquête policière Criminalité Drame Mystère Thriller

Ajouter une intrigue dans votre langueA popular film composer murders his talented protege, who's been secretly ghostwriting most of his compositions in recent years, after he threatened to expose their secret to the public. Lt.... Tout lireA popular film composer murders his talented protege, who's been secretly ghostwriting most of his compositions in recent years, after he threatened to expose their secret to the public. Lt. Columbo investigates.A popular film composer murders his talented protege, who's been secretly ghostwriting most of his compositions in recent years, after he threatened to expose their secret to the public. Lt. Columbo investigates.

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ÉVALUATION IMDb

6,7/10

2,1 k

MA NOTE

Voir l’information sur la production à IMDbPro

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Commentaires des utilisateurs40

6,72.1K

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Wizard-8

A lesser episode, to put it mildly

While I am a big enough fan of the "Columbo" mystery series to be glad enough to have the opportunity to watch any episode, I have to admit that I thought this particular episode was pretty weak stuff. It starts off pretty well, with a murder that is pretty original and ingenious. But once Columbo gets into the story and starts doing his thing, things go rapidly downhill. For some reason, this particular investigation goes along at a really slow pace - it takes forever for Columbo to uncover the clues, and the padding is pretty blatant. And while I was keeping attention throughout, the last scene of the episode - the point where Columbo traditionally beats the murderer at his or her own game - didn't seem finished. All Columbo had at this point, if you ask me, was a bunch of circumstantial evidence. While I don't know if I would call this episode the absolute worst "Columbo" episode made - I still haven't watched all the episodes - I have a sneaking suspicion it would be among the bottom five or so.

7Barginhunterman

Classical - Not!

Having seen almost all the Columbo movies I was disappointed by this latest offering. Peter Falk was trying hard to recreate his best form as the raincoat claden detective but sadly fell short.

The character interaction was predictable and with the likes of Patrick McGoohan directing (again) and the ever 'loud' and 'outrageous' Billy Connolly one would have hoped for a far better script to do justice to this great series of TV movies.

onceasalways

C'mon Columbo - you can do better than that!

I am a HUGE Columbo fan.. My trusty Tivo has become my best friend, and I never miss an episode! I don't want to criticize a Columbo, for fear that Peter Falk will read the comments and decide it's time to put the old detective away..

But, I've gotta say - out of the long list of episodes I've seen, this is by far the most disappointing. Not only was it very unrealistic - the forensics (for a 2000 movie) were very out of date, but the plot [the ending specifically] left us dangling.

I didn't even realize it was over! When he confessed and joked about prison, we were like "huh?? what happened?? why would he confess??".. Columbo is a brilliant detective, and this one sold him short.

I know future episodes will make up for it.. [hint hint].. he's not ready to be put down.. I hope if the powers that be read this, they will realize that Columbo has a lot of life left in him, but I hope they also choose scripts that really are his traditional style: the Columbo style we've grown to love.

For this episode specifically, definitely not the best.. but if you're a Columbo junkie, definitely worth a watch - even a bad Columbo makes you smile. =)

6TheLittleSongbird

Good if not great

Murder with too Many Notes(love the title) was a good episode, but it was too flawed to be considered great. Starting with the good points, it is strikingly filmed, the music is delightful, there is some nice scripting and the acting from Peter Falk(not his best mind you, some of the more humorous parts such as "guess the piece" fell slightly flat) and Billy Conolly(toned down but surprisingly effective) is good. However, the plot isn't as strong this time around, the forensics for example as said already is dated and the ending especially was far too abrupt and underdeveloped. The pacing was uneven here, some of it was okay, some of it was slow and other parts felt somewhat frantic. The direction is a tad lacking as well. So overall, it is good, with some good performances, music and title, but the ending and plot fell flat for me. 6/10 Bethany Cox

7Wuchakk

"Murder with Too Many Notes" (2001)

PLOT: A popular Hollywood composer (Billy Connolly) murders his apprentice (Chad Willett) who's been ghostwriting most of his scores after the young man quits and the threat of exposure looms.

COMMENTARY: There are many things to appreciate about this installment, like the believable and creative set-up: The apprentice practicing on the roof of the theater, the long dormant elevator and the conductor's motive, which isn't just envy, but the threat of ruin and mass embarrassment. Jealousy goes back to Shakespeare and ancient Greek theater, but I find placing envy and status into the framework of Oscar-winning composition compelling. The episode is also an interesting window into the behind-the-scenes activity surrounding the scores to major films.

Yet there are seeming problems with the muddled ending, which can be traced to Patrick McGoohan's rewrites as director. He decided to use a musical demonstration at the climax in order to be theatrical, but the way it's done does not lend itself to a satisfying "gotcha" response. The scriptwriter, Jeffrey Cava, included several clues in his teleplay that failed to make it to the screen after McGoohan's revisions. For instance, the ultimate clue in Cava's script was particularly convicting and impossible for the murderer to dodge, but McGoohan prudently eliminated it for practical reasons. On top of this, it's dishonest to say there is "no evidence" in McGoohan's version. For detailed answers Google The Lt. Columbo Forum and punch-in Murder with Too Many Notes.

Others complain that Columbo's slow drive home with the conductor is filler material. But the rumpled detective already sniffed him out as the murderer and needed to spend time with him to accumulate evidence and start wearing the suspect down in order to eventually break him. Columbo knows that when people get seriously aggravated they start saying & doing things they never intended to and thus reveal evidence against them.

As shot, "Murder with Too Many Notes" is somewhat of a headscratcher, but the answers ARE there if you look for them. Besides, what's wrong with head-scratching in a murder mystery?

GRADE: B/B-

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Anecdotes
Billy Connolly's character name, "Findlay Crawford", is taken from his stand-up comedy, in which he mocks the names wealthy parents give their children. "Findlay" and "Crawford" are two separate names he cites as being particularly irksome.

Gaffes
When Columbo is on the roof after the body falls, his hair is blowing in the wind and the Sergeant's tie is waving about, but the sheet music remains where it fell.

Citations
Lt. Columbo: Oh, sorry to disturb you, sir. I realize this is a bad time.
Findlay Crawford: Have a drink. It's a good time to be drinking.
Lt. Columbo: Uh, not right now, thank you, sir. Still on duty. Would it be all right, sir, if I, uh, smoked a small cigar?
Findlay Crawford: Of course. I love a good cigar myself. There's a humidor over there. Help yourself.
Lt. Columbo: Oh, I'm kind of used to these here, thank you.
Findlay Crawford: Please yourself. Light up, sit down, and make yourself at home. No more home for poor Gabriel, I'm afraid.
Lt. Columbo: Oh, that was unfortunate, sir.
Findlay Crawford: It was a tragedy, Mr. Columbo, a tragedy. A wonderful young man with a great future.
Lt. Columbo: So I heard, sir.
Findlay Crawford: He was like a son to me. Let's have some music.
[classical instrumental music starts playing loudly. Crawford starts acting as a composer and then turns the music off]
Findlay Crawford: Tchaikovsky.
Lt. Columbo: Well, uh, sir, I...
Findlay Crawford: Perhaps you'd rather hear some rock and roll?
Lt. Columbo: I wouldn't say that, sir.
Findlay Crawford: [singing] In a cabin, in a canyon, excavating for a mine, lived a miner
Lt. Columbo: A forty-niner.
Lt. Columbo, Findlay Crawford: And his daughter, Clementine. Oh, my darlin', oh, my darlin', oh my darlin' Clementine, you are lost and gone forever...
Lt. Columbo: Dreadful sorry...
Lt. Columbo, Findlay Crawford: Clementine.
Findlay Crawford: At least we established part of your taste. But I think it's time for some sad music. More befitting the mood of the evening. A little cello, perhaps. Nothing weeps like a cello.
[instrumental cello music starts playing]
Lt. Columbo: Uh, Mr. Crawford... Mr. Crawford, I'm sure you could play wonderful music all night long, but there are a few questions. I realize that this has been a shock to you, but it has to be done.
Findlay Crawford: What did you have in mind, Mr. Columbo?
Lt. Columbo: Where were you, sir, when the deceased fell off the roof?
Findlay Crawford: I was on stage, conducting a concert.
Lt. Columbo: And when was the last time that you saw Mr. McEnry alive, sir?
Findlay Crawford: That would be last evening. In here, in the bungalow.
Lt. Columbo: And sort of mood was he in?
Findlay Crawford: Since I had just informed him he would be conducting the theme from The Killer in tonight's program, ecstatic.
Lt. Columbo: Ecstatic day before... Day before. So, uh... Oh, so he wasn't here when you arrived today?
Findlay Crawford: I arrived at the studio a few minutes before the performance. I didn't see Gabriel. I just assumed, as was his normal practice, he'd be on the roof, conducting along with me, and would appear when he was due on stage.
Lt. Columbo: So the first time that you saw him today he was on the ground. I can imagine how you felt, sir.
Findlay Crawford: I was devastated.
Lt. Columbo: And what did you do right after that?
Findlay Crawford: Some members of the audience had come outside to gawk. I told them to go back indoors. I announced that the performance for this evening was cancelled, and assured those present that the tickets would be good for next Saturday, when an additional piece would be added to the program. A piece that I would compose myself as a trib...
[sniffs]
Findlay Crawford: ... as a tribute to Gabriel.
Lt. Columbo: Oh, very nice gesture, sir. Uh, tell me, did Mr. Gabriel, when he was conducting, did he always use a baton?
Findlay Crawford: Of course. We all use batons. Why do you ask?
Lt. Columbo: Well... Well, you never know, sir. Somebody said he was a bit eccentric.
Findlay Crawford: [scoffs] Not that eccentric.