Columbo: Rançon pour un homme mort

Original title: Ransom for a Dead Man

TV Movie
1971
Approved
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Lee Grant in Columbo: Rançon pour un homme mort (1971)

After killing her boring husband and disposing of the body, a supposedly brilliant tort attorney fakes his kidnapping and keeps the ransom money. The FBI may be fooled, but not Columbo.After killing her boring husband and disposing of the body, a supposedly brilliant tort attorney fakes his kidnapping and keeps the ransom money. The FBI may be fooled, but not Columbo.After killing her boring husband and disposing of the body, a supposedly brilliant tort attorney fakes his kidnapping and keeps the ransom money. The FBI may be fooled, but not Columbo.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

4.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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9:57

Storyline

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Trivia
The morning after Leslie makes the drop, Margaret is watching Assurance sur la mort (1944), the classic movie about a woman who has her lover kill her husband to collect on a life insurance policy.

Goofs
When Leslie Williams leaves her husband's 1971 Lincoln sedan at the stop sign and goes to a mailbox to mail the ransom note, she is startled by an approaching car. The car is a Corvette. However, as the car is shown driving away, the rear of the car is a 1971 Lincoln sedan.

Quotes
Agent Carlson: Let's understand this one thing: if you start harassing this woman, I'm going to take it upstairs.
Lt. Columbo: Ah, just one minute, uh, Mr. Carlson. You see, it's like this: this is not just a kidnapping; this is a murder now... and I kinda figure that's my department. I'll see ya 'round.

Connections
Features Assurance sur la mort (1944)

User reviews57

Featured review

9/10

A very strong second pilot

I'm a fan of Columbo, and Ransom for a Dead Man is a personal favourite. It does drag towards the beginning and Patricia Mattick is rather annoying. However, the usual ingredients are there. While the production values improved a tad in quality as it progressed, the episode is still very striking to look at, and the music score is one of my personal favourites of any Columbo episode. The story once it gets going is compelling, with a well-used pivotal telephone gimmick and a classic Columbo scene at an airport, and the writing is strong throughout having some funny, thoughtful and atmospheric moments. The performances are excellent, Peter Falk is exceptional as usual and Lee Grant as a very beautiful, cold, confident and also arrogant murderess is superb. In conclusion, a great episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox