Columbo: Inculpé de meurtre

For the legion of Columbo fans, this is the one that began it all, "Prescription: Murder," a play about a sloppy, fumbling, genius detective that was to star Thomas Mitchell on Broadway. We can thank, sadly, Mitchell's sudden death for the fact that they play never made it and was turned into a teleplay.

This particular episode sets up the formula for future Columbos: A powerful, wealthy, and/or privileged person commits a clever murder, can't believe their luck that this idiot is on the case, and goes down in flames. The powerful, wealthy, and/or privileged person is psychiatrist Gene Barry, who kills his wife (the always excellent Nina Foch) and sets himself up with an alibi with the help of his young patient, an actress. Brilliant though his scheme may be, Columbo is on to him immediately. And, as usual, 'twas ego killed the beast.

It took a while for Columbo to actually become a series, but it eventually did, rotating with other shows on the NBC Sunday Night Mystery Movie. But this is where it all began, with a surprisingly youthful but ever sloppy Columbo matching wits with a criminal. A classic.

Now that the original 1967 pilot film for the Columbo character, PRESCRIPTION:MURDER (based on Levinson and Link's play), is available as part of the new Columbo DVD set, I hope that many more Columbo fans will be able to see the original interpretation of the character. I had never seen this before, and I was quite impressed. About 85% of the elements that comprised the Columbo "formula" are there, but Mr. Falk's hair is shorter and neater, the overcoat is not rumpled (as much), and Columbo is a bit more aggressive than we are used to based on the later shows. It took a second pilot film three years later for Columbo to get picked up as a series, but the magic was there in 1967 for this film. Don't miss it. Gene Barry is a fine sparring partner for Peter Falk, and no fan will be disappointed.

Peter Falk has done a lot of television over the past 45-plus years, but he is doubtless destined to be "Columbo" forever - not that this is a bad thing.

I recall seeing this, the first entry in the series, sometime in the 1970s, as a rerun, and thinking just how good it was. Watching it again over 30 years later, I find my opinion hasn't changed - this is a wonderful movie.

Most first efforts seem to vary widely from what a character becomes over time. Actors need time to grow into a role. Not, however, Peter Falk as Columbo - the man was obviously born to play this part.

Even if you've seen every episode of "Columbo" ever made twice, this one is well worth watching again. It's written to the same formula as the rest - you know who the murderer is and how the murder was done before the cops ever show up. The fun (and it is fun) is in watching Columbo figure it all out, sometimes with the unwitting aid of the murderer. And, as usual, there's "just one more thing . . ."

I do have to wonder, however, why a man who solves cases no one else can crack just can't seem to make Captain. Thirty-five years is a long time to be a Lieutenant. :-)

A successful California psychiatrist plots the murder of his wife of ten years using his actress-girlfriend as a ruse; Lt. Columbo gets the case. Near-terrific yarn provided the introduction of Peter Falk in a role which soon became part of television legend. Writers William Link and Richard Levinson based their teleplay on an off-Broadway show of theirs, and they do not disappoint in this earliest incarnation of the wily, cigar-chomping lieutenant (Falk even says his famous line, "Oh, and just one more thing..."). The Universal production is smooth and spotless, the music score amusingly intense, and the performances couldn't be improved upon--particularly Gene Barry's as the too-cool, not-rumpled doctor. The only problems with Link and Levinson's script come late in the game, after Columbo gets uncharacteristically tough and mean with Barry's girlfriend and then plays a little dirty pool. The denouement is tricky and fun, if a bit unfair to the audience.

A shabby detective called Columbo sets out to prove that a smooth talking doctor murdered his wife for his younger mistress.

The pilot episode for the long running series which began four years later. This probably stands as one of the best with good performances and a neat twist ending which many subsequent episodes lacked.

The film is based on Richard Levison & William Link's Broadway show which starred Thomas Mitchell as Columbo.

Prescription Murder has been released on video in the UK paired with the Dead Weight episode.